It’s nice to be back in my hive, back with my family. I’ve been away too long. I am seriously thinking of finding new employment. These hurting expeditions take so long and they have become less and less profitable since humans were declared an endangered species. Bloody environmentalists and do gooders! Why don’t they just mind their own business and let us get on with earning a living? There are lots of humans left, plenty for everyone. But no, instead we get quotas we can’t go over. How are we supposed to feed our grubs and our mates?
It was all so much easier in the early days, once our soldiers had destroyed all human defenses. We just swooped in and took as many as we wanted, as many as our cargo bays could hold. Then back home to crowded markets. Humans were a novelty, everybody wanted to try some. And because we caught so many the price was low, even the poorest hive could afford their fill. Cheap, nutritious and tasty, it was great for everyone. These days they are a luxury item, I cannot even afford to take a mouthful of my own catch.
