Elegy from Another World

I strode into the observation room, where the atmosphere was almost frozen. Zoymem's usually docile face was now filled with grievance and anger; his small fists were clenched, and his body trembled slightly. M-Tini Guquera, on the other hand, had a stubborn "I did nothing wrong" look on his face, the Venus flytrap leaves on his abdomen opening and closing uneasily, the suspended sand grains spinning faster. The two glared at each other, as if their argument was about to escalate into a full-blown fight.

"Stop!" I quickly stepped forward, standing between them to separate them. "What's going on? Why are you arguing?"

Zoemem pointed angrily at M. Tinigguilla: "She! She stole my honey! My favorite, my last jar of honey!"

M-Tini Guquera immediately retorted, "How would I know it was yours! It was right next to the waste bin under the observation platform; I thought it was some unwanted, expired material!"

"That's because I was afraid of being discovered, so I hid it on purpose!" Zoemem almost jumped up.

I was immediately speechless and embarrassed: "Just...just for a jar of honey?"

"That's honey! Lady Liscia!" Zoimem cried, almost in tears. "Sweet, fragrant honey!"

I rubbed my temples, recalling. Indeed, back when the Dresden was still a "utopia," we did raise bees in the ship's ecological park to store high-energy, non-perishable food. I turned to Edseysis beside me: "Do we still have any honey reserves?"

Edsys checked the inventory records and replied, "There's still some in stock, but since the pleasure converter broke down, the energy supply priority for the ecological park has been reduced, and beekeeping and honey collection activities have basically come to a standstill. The honey we have now is the last reserve; every bit we eat is one less available."

I see. No wonder Zoemem cherishes it so much. I looked at M-Tini Guquera: "Tini, just because honey is placed in an inconspicuous place doesn't mean it's wasted. You should ask if it belongs to someone else first."

The sand on M-Tini Guquera's abdomen slowed its rotation, and he seemed a little guilty, muttering softly, "Oh... I know, I'm sorry."

I then said to Zoe Mem, "You too, from now on, keep your important things properly stored away, don't hide them next to the trash can, it's easy to cause misunderstandings."

Zoe Mem pouted. Although M-Tini Guquela had apologized, she still looked unhappy. Suddenly, like a spoiled child, she hugged her knees, squatted down, and started rolling on the ground: "But...but I just want honey! Life feels tasteless without honey!"

Seeing her like this, I was both annoyed and amused. Suddenly, an idea struck me, and I touched a small white flower that had quietly bloomed beside my neck: "How about... you try this? The nectar on my body should taste pretty good too, you can use it as a substitute for now."

Zoimee stopped rolling around, looked up, and gazed at the white flowers on my body with teary eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she leaned in and gently sucked on them. Her eyes instantly lit up: "Wow! So sweet! And with such a pleasant fragrance! So delicious!"

M-Tini Guquera, standing nearby, was also intrigued. She cautiously dipped a sundew tentacle in some nectar and tasted it, her ventral leaves unfurling with delight: "Mmm! It's really delicious!"

Seeing that they were both attracted by the nectar, I breathed a sigh of relief: "Since you both think it's good, let's leave it at that. Tini, don't take other people's things without permission in the future. Zoimem, if you want something sweet, come to me, there's plenty of nectar. Once we find a stable energy source, we'll figure out how to resume honey production."

"Okay..." Zoimem finally stood up, dusted herself off, and although she still longed for honey, she finally accepted reality. She suddenly had a whimsical thought: "Oh, if only I could produce my own honey like a bee, then I'd have an endless supply!"

I chuckled and said, "Forget it. Do you know what the life of a worker bee is like? From the moment they are born, they work non-stop—collecting honey, building the hive, feeding the larvae, and serving the queen bee. They hardly stop for a moment until they die from exhaustion. Their entire lives are dedicated to the survival of the hive."

M-Tini Guquela asked curiously, "Don't they... resist?"

"They can't resist." I shook my head. "Their physical structure and instincts have been completely molded into 'tools.' The queen bee controls the entire colony through pheromones, and the worker bees have lost their individual will, becoming insignificant, replaceable parts in a vast system. In order to make the most of limited resources in a harsh natural environment, this extreme efficiency and instrumentalization is the final result."

Zoe Mem listened, somewhat stunned: "Why is this happening...?"

"Because of survival." I sighed. "In resource-scarce and highly competitive environments, the value of the 'individual' is sometimes infinitely compressed, all for the survival of the collective. If you are interested, the library on the Drei has research materials on insects, which you can take a look at. It will give you a deeper understanding of the stories behind bees and honey."

"Okay, we will." Zoemem and M. Tini Guquela both nodded, seemingly drawn to the topic.

Seeing that the commotion had subsided, I took the opportunity to ask, "By the way, is there any progress in finding a world that can repair the pleasure converter?"

Zoe Mem shook his head: "Not yet. The search area is very large. The technological worlds that meet the criteria are either too far away or have harsh environments."

"Yes, let's keep searching; that's one of our top priorities right now."

"yes!"

Watching them leave the observation room, seemingly heading straight for the library, I couldn't help but smile. A small incident sparked by honey ultimately ended with reconciliation over nectar and a discussion about the laws of nature. Throughout this long journey, these everyday trifles and minor frictions among companions gave this place the warmth of "home."