Path of the Hive Queen-Chapter 418: Informants

Path of the Hive Queen-Chapter 418: Informants

“We can’t advance too far, we still need to be in position to support Prince Tim’s army,” the commander of the artillery, Colenel Deritaken, said.
“Thus far, we have best supported them by taking pressure off them and pushing the Esemen,” the commander of the first brigade, Len, retorted.
June wasn’t surprised that he was advocating for a more aggressive approach. He tended to be that way, especially recently. She also wasn’t surprised by the rest of the officers’ more cautious stances.
Most of them were still relatively new. Not that she had much room to talk, of course. June was just as new in this position — not that she was officially an officer — still. But their army had seen some successes, so they weren’t exactly lacking. Success hadn’t transferred into any feeling of overconfidence yet, though, which she supposed was a good thing.
June glanced at the general, who would have the final word. He was still sitting silently, rubbing his chin. (Honestly, his beard could use a trim. Of course they all had better things to do.) It was hard to see what he thought, though; Owin had the habit of letting everyone else air their thoughts first. It was nice, even if it could prolong debates sometimes, and she wondered how much he changed his opinion in the meantime.
Well, she might as well state her own opinion. “It’s not an either-or question,” June said. “We shouldn’t completely stop moving; at least not all elements of the army. On the other hand, recklessly pressing ahead without properly securing our rear and flanks would be stupid, as well. The Esemen might have a few opportunities to voice their dissatisfaction if we tried, too.” She smiled as that earned a few polite chuckles. “The question isn’t whether we press ahead or stick around, it’s where we want to go; what are our short- and medium-term goals?”
At least that question, even if it basically just reframed the debate, led to a few new, good contributions. June listened to their opinions, not saying much personally. Honestly, she still felt a little out of her depth when it came to the details of ‘army management’, although she had been getting better. Or so she thought, anyway.
Their current strategic situation was pretty good, although she suspected they were starting to suffer from success. They had made rather literal inroads with Esemen, which also put them firmly beyond the range of the psychic link by now. They still received reinforcements from the Empire, of course; keeping the supply lines open was one of the highest priorities. They had taken some Esemen towns and a few small cities. There had been a few battles. Enough for each side to get a feeling for their opponents, but nothing really decisive, yet.
She wasn’t surprised that their enemies avoided open battle where feasible. Although their magic, their religious orders and their Champions were more than a headache to deal with. The Empire had superior numbers, especially in the long term, but they struggled to match the number of ‘high-quality’ fighters like that — those with really high levels and other special abilities, especially Champions. Of course, they had some ways of evening the odds, like better artillery; but it turned out, destructive potential aside, a person was more tactically flexible than a cannon. And they couldn’t bomb a site that was protected by layers upon layers of magical shielding (at least not right away).
It wouldn’t have been as much of a problem if they were alone. The Empire had a much higher population than the Kingdom of Esemen and so, statistically, they should have more high-level fighters, too. But that math didn’t show the full story, and the Empire as a whole wasn’t simply fighting the Esemen. They were also fighting the Western Confederation, essentially on their own, and it had at least as many people as the Empire did. It meant that the First Eastern Army could count on reinforcements of Swarm Drones — they were practically a ‘renewable resource’, even if she felt bad thinking like that — but they were on their own when it came to real elites.
“It would still be nice if we had a few more psychics or high-level elites,” she muttered.
“The reward for good work is more work,” Owin muttered, smiling slightly at her. “And if you win with the troops you have, the brass is unlikely to send you more.”
“I suppose,” June murmured back. “We press on cautiously, then?”
He nodded, taking over a pen and making a few markings on the map spread on the table in front of them. “We will need to ensure that the roads are kept clear and discourage sabotage from the Esemen. To that end, securing these towns is a priority. The northern one will also give us access to the river — it might not be navigable right now, but according to our intelligence, that may change if the water level rises, at least for smaller vessels, and autumn storms are a strong possibility. We must also ensure that our rear is protected, so I would send an additional wing or two of Winged Drones to this location …”
June leaned back and watched as they hammered out a more concrete deployment plan for the immediate future, occasionally interjecting to give her opinion. Most people here had gotten used to working with a princess, and hopefully started to appreciate her contributions on their own merits, but she still mostly kept quiet.
Instead, she focused on their minds, and then reached out further. She hadn’t been lying; she really did wish they had more psychics. So far, it was mostly just her against what the Esemen had to throw at them … and she had a feeling that might be an unfavorable match-up for her as it stood. Clearly Sazatore and Clasen must also be training people, right? And there was Helen still to consider. Together, they had even managed to beat Madris. Fred was supposed to arrive soon along with a few more reinforcements, and she couldn’t wait for that, but she also didn’t think he would be
that
much help.
The meeting broke up soon, but Owin stayed behind, turning to her. “You are still concerned, aren’t you?”
“Yes,” June admitted.
“Is it about our numbers? Or the intelligence situation?”
“Mostly the latter,” she said. “And the psychic aspect of it.”
Owin frowned. “Have you found any further causes for concern?”
“Nothing further,” she assured him. “And I’m handling it. I’m just a little anxious in general.”
Owin nodded. “Well, I can’t help much with that, unfortunately. Just know that we’re all here and ready to support you if you need it. Our information seems to be rather good in general, doesn’t it?”
“It’s certainly not perfect, but we could do much worse,” June agreed. At the start of this, she wouldn’t have guessed that she’d fall into something like an intelligence officer’s role, but it did make sense. She was a psychic after all, keeping an eye on everyone’s attitude would have been her job anyway. The connection to counterintelligence was obvious.
Apparently, Owin felt that he had sufficiently reassured her. He got up, nodding at her again. “Well, I’ll be off. Keep me posted.”
“I will,” June muttered. She watched him leave, focusing on his mind for a moment to get a deeper sense of his current state of mind. Then she turned, glanced over the room one last time, and left as well.
They were once again occupying an enemy town; the logistical advantages made it a ‘no-brainer’. At least this one actually had river access, which had been quite a relief to their logistics specialists. The locals were, in a word, belligerent. Having their bleak mood and latent aggression hanging over her all the time while she was here did not make the stay pleasant, even if June was used to it by now. At least they were overshadowed by the Imperial soldiers and all the Swarm Drones.
June took the opportunity for a quick walk around the premises. The bulk of their army was too far away to be seen, spread among a few other camps and captured villages, but the largest corps was concentrated here. People she passed saluted or bowed, but didn’t stop in their work. She skimmed their minds briefly, not really expecting to find anything. She hardly had the resources to scan everyone deeply, so she liked to at least keep the general atmosphere in mind and watch for obvious oddities whenever she had the chance. Right now, it didn’t provide her any new information except for what she was pretty sure were just members of the illegal gambling ring she’d already discovered. Assuming you could count betting on semi-official Winged Drone flights (only sort of races, really) as gambling. If they were getting bolder, she might have to mention it to their superiors, though.
Soldiers were always going to find their little amusements, their father had once told Kiara while June had been close enough to listen. Trying to regulate it too tightly would just destroy their morale, assuming it was even possible, he’d also said. (She supposed he
had
mostly won a war, so maybe he did know what he was talking about.)
And now June was thinking of her father again. She had managed not to do that for, actually, weeks now. She shook her head, trying to force her thoughts in a different direction; wondering where he was right now wasn’t productive. But it had at least reminded her of a few lessons she’d picked up — and they were likely the sort of thing the leaders of the Esemen military had also learned.
She had already sent out a few agents of Daine’s spy network (not that he called it that) to pose as sutlers. But maybe she should take another look at what the soldiers would want.
And this tactic probably wouldn’t be surprising to the Esemen; it was basically a classic. The fact the Empire avoided reliance on civilians for provisions was one of the greatest benefits of their logistics. However, maybe she should look at it the other way and take refuge in audacity? Smugglers or merchants with more dubious provenance were also ‘natural’. She could insert an agent like that; on the surface, they might draw more attention or suspicion, but they might also have more access, depending on the details, and a ready-make excuse to ‘look shady’.
The sun was setting now, and June still had business to attend to. She had lingered enough. June sighed, ran a hand through her hair, then turned to head back to the headquarters in the center of town. One relatively small house a bit farther away housed her own rooms, but she didn’t head directly there. Instead, she took a detour, to the regimental headquarters a few meters farther off. A minute later, she was knocking on Len’s office.
The door opened quickly and she strode inside, glancing around. Hivekind liked to work in communal office spaces, in her experience, so Len wasn’t the only one here. There were a few others she didn’t know very well, but that was fine.
“June,” he greeted her, standing up. “Can I help you?”
“Yes,” she answered. “You know how, when we spoke before, I said I might need help and you said you would bring what I needed?”
He straightened up, looking more cautious now. “Of course.”
“There are few Star Guard here, and most of them are currently with the vanguard, acting as our elite forces,” she said matter-of-factly. “I need a few fighters I can trust. Probably off and on for a while. People who won’t mind getting their hands a little dirty, too.”
Len nodded, smiling. “Well, Hivekind sound perfect for that. I assume you need them right now? Can I join?”
“Better if you don’t,” June said. “Just gather a group and send them right now, tell them to be discreet, and to wait outside; I’ll give them a signal. Or when they hear things going to shit, I guess.”
“Got it. We’ll be ready.”
“Good. If you can send word to other drones in the military police to be ready — discreetly! — then that would be good, too. And I have a few men I’ve vetted as well. They’ll identify themselves with wearing a blue cloakpin and the code phrase ‘the heat is getting to everyone, I tell you’.”
Len smiled again. “Oh, spooky. Okay, got it. Is there a reason you’re only telling me now, though?”
“You know how it is, Len.” She winked, turning to head out again. “You didn’t need to know until now.”
He chuckled, and she left.
June steadied her mind, making sure she was ready, and then walked calmly into the building, projecting the same ease she always did. “Hello, Gren,” she greeted the first man she passed. “Is Stan here? Would you send him to me, please? And run and get Tilly, but tell her to wait in the parlor until I call her.”
“Of course, Princess,” he answered, bowing quickly.
It turned out Stan was already waiting for her. He was a young man, not yet thirty, who had been assigned to her by the palace, with a wiry build and characteristic ink stains visible when he did any secretarial work, at which he was competent. She smiled at him briefly before opening the door to her office and inviting him in, settling behind her desk. He didn’t need to know that she’d hidden a dagger inside the upper drawer just before leaving. Her servant closed the door, choosing to keep standing.
“Evening, Stan,” she greeted. “Have you got the information I asked for?”
He smiled slightly, inclining his head and stepping forward to hand it to her. “Here it is, Milady.”
She took the folder, skimming through it. “Excellent. Would you mind showing me what your impressions were of the people you interviewed? It seems important in this context. If you are alright with it, of course.”
He hesitated briefly; nothing out of the ordinary, few people liked the prospect. She gazed at him expectantly. Finally, he nodded. “Of course, Princess.”
“Thank you.”
June mentally reached out to his mind, making sure to keep very careful control. He had, seemingly, only rudimentary shields, the kind everyone working closely with an Imperial royal would have been taught to have. Then she passed them, looking into this mind, and into the scenes that had played out a few hours ago as he talked to various lower-ranking officers.
It was dicey. But he was comfortable here, they’d had meetings like this before, and as far as he knew, she trusted him. Enough to task him with sensitive jobs. But June had asked for a on their counterintelligence capacities and sent him to work with people she knew were very vocal Imperial ‘patriots’. There was … just the slightest hint of disdain or disgruntlement in his impression of their conversations, tinting them just-so, noticeable because she was looking.
Stan was good, but she was better.
June was also already inside his mind, so she could just … reach out and close her mental hand.
It was a fight. Stan was briefly startled, but then his reflexes kicked in and he tried to kick her out. June had been prepared to simply leave it at this, call it an impromptu exercise and no more, but his reaction left her no doubt her suspicions had been correct.
June knocked over the bell on her desk, sending it ringing loudly for a moment. Then she sat back and almost tumbled off her chair as he lunged for her. Alarm gave her more strength and she managed to freeze Stan in place before he had taken more than two steps.
From outside in the corridor came a shout, the clashing of blades, and the thud of some furniture getting overturned. June didn’t dare pay attention to it, instead focusing on keeping Stan under control even as he tried desperately to dislodge her mental hold. This had already been close enough; if she hadn’t needed him to let his guard down, knowing he might sense other people present …
Finally, the door was shoved open and two Drone Warriors burst in. They took the scene in quickly before one of them started snapping handcuffs on Stan while the other took a guard position between them.
June exhaled heavily, loosening her mental hold. “Get a healer and knock him out, if you would.”
One of them saluted and then drove a vicious punch into Stan’s sternum before holding his airway closed briefly, or so she assumed. June frowned but accepted it; she’d thought they’d knock him out with healing magic, but this was fine, she could sense that he was only falling unconscious.
“Do you need anything else, my Princess?” the other drone asked.
June smiled sharply, picking up the
other
knife in the left drawer that Stan had known about. “Carry him down to the basement. And get someone to bodyguard me. I suppose this was …” she trailed off, reaching out with her mind.
As expected; they’d won this little fight handily through weight of numbers, and Tilly would be joining Stan in the interrogation room. June was honestly disappointed, she’d really thought she was being paranoid on this count; but she supposed Stan might have used psychic influence if he could.
June paused before she followed the drones down to the cellar, turning to speak to the leader. “We still have to clean house, now, and I suppose we might as well start before we get everything out of him.”
“Of course, Princess,” the drone, Artemis, replied. “I hear you have plans?”
“Some targets that need to be apprehended,” she said. “Speed is more important, I don’t mind if you break a few things in the process. Even, you know, bones.”
This wasn’t
just
a razzia, which she’d had to hold off on while Stan was still active. It would also be good to show other people that she would root out and punish treason. Not that she was doing this solely to make a point, she did have genuine reason to go after these targets even if she’d felt she had to hold back while Stan was around to not give away all her cards.
The Hivekind woman raised an eyebrow, before she saluted. “Then we’ll move fast and break things. I’ll tell the soldiers to be careful not to damage any evidence or documents.”
“Good. You’ll coordinate with the Star Guard and I’ll be directing things psychically.”
Janis tapped the knife against her leg absentmindedly (it was still sheathed, but she felt better with it). She was about to have a long night. The traitors she hunted would have an even longer one.

Chapter 418: Informants