The Conquering Queen

The Pythian Empire is on a mission of conquest.

After the Mycean Scattering, colonies of interstellar insectoids and the humans who breed, groom, and fly in them were spread throughout the galaxy, each growing and adapting to their new planets in their own ways. On the harsh, unforgiving world of Pythia, the colony grew bigger, stronger, and more deadly than any of the others. For millennia, peace between the Mycean colonies was more or less maintained, until the Pythians suddenly began an aggressive and unapologetic crusade to take over and upgrade every Mycean colony they could find. The Pythian swarm is strong, and seems unstoppable.

Billie Soothster is a bond, the link between the insect ship and the human crew. She is also the veteran of several Pythian conquests under the command of Lady Dappolla Zangold. She has watched her people annex or destroy countless other planets, and knows this is the only way - for the people of Pythia know that something else is coming, something stronger and harsher than them. If the other Mycean colonies are not united under their strong leadership, humanity will surely be obliterated by what is to come...

(This is an ongoing novella for @ForbiddenPlanet's Super Scifi Smackdown. Once again, thank you to @Maya_2011 for the amazing cover!)