The Sorrowful King (STORY)

You know how I said I wasn't telling who was going to be Overseer Margaret's

replacement?

This is sort of the opening to "Season 2", which takes place after the characters of Super-Conductor Liu and Jane The Neko have been properly introduced and finally agree on a plan to take down Worm Jeff's empire.

Bone up on the mythos first, otherwise this story won't make a lick of sense. [link]

OK, here goes...

Harvester Derek was running out of patience, and decided to get rid of Margaret herself.

He snuck up to her in her sleeping quarters, his scythe in hand, ready to slit her throat. Just as the blade was about to make impact, it broke against Supervisor Matt's impenetrable helmet. Matt had known of Derek's plans to betray his beloved "queen", and was ready to defend her at the cost of his life.

Derek laughed, and said that if he's really that dedicated to defending that floozy, they should battle in the quarry just outside of the Drone-conquered town. It was settled; if Matt won, Margaret would live, but if Derek won, she would die.

Hundreds of Drones were at the event, including the four Drone Leaders. Margaret was being kept in a cage designed to restrain and house Jeff Crawlers. Guarding her were Dr. Janus' robot executioners, instructed to cut off her head if the verdict was to have her die. Also present was Worm Jeff himself, sitting on the shoulder of a Dummy Jeff. Foreman Max acted as the referee. Four Jeff Eyes were situated at the perimeter of the battle area, so Worm Jeff could see everything.

At first Derek had the upper hand, slashing at the timid armadillo-like Drone's soft parts and pummeling him mercilessly. But then Matt discovered, by accident, that he had power over earth. He quickly used his newfound powers to his advantage, burying Derek in a rockslide. Derek was declared the loser, and Guru Anna moved the rocks away with her telekenesis, revealing the severely injured would-be upsurper. He was then dragged into the judging ring, where, Matt was also escorted.

The Dummy Jeff came down from the hastily-built balcony to the judging ring, and Worm Jeff crawled onto its outstretched palm. His slave directed its hand toward Matt.
"Heh heh heh, excellent. I never knew you had it in you, kid." He then gestured toward Dr. Janus. "Janus, release her." Dr. Janus pushed a button on his remote, and his robots opened the cage. Margaret ran towards Matt. They embraced...well, Matt could only embrace her leg, due to her size. "Oh god, I thought I was going to die..." Worm Jeff's face scrunched up in disgust at all this love and affection. "Enough. Calm yourselves." Matt turned to face Jeff again.

Jeff turned to Derek, and his pink eyes narrowed. "And as for YOU, Derek. You should be ashamed, trying to kill your own Leader. Guru Anna told me everything. Only I can decree whether a Leader lives or dies!"
"B-b-but..." Derek stammered.
"SILENCE! For this act of insubordination, I am punishing you by cutting you off from the hive-mind and exiling you."
"But Master! I..."
"I SAID SILENCE!!! Slave, put me on his neck." The Dummy Jeff did so.
Worm Jeff attached to the bruised, bloodied Drone. He stuck his proboscis into his skull and cut off Derek's mental connection to him and the other Drones. He then disconnected, and the Dummy Jeff picked him back up and put him back on its palm.

"Nurses, take him away and heal him one last time." Five Nurses dragged him away. Derek was screaming and cursing the whole way out.

Jeff turned back towards Matt. "As for Margaret..." Matt's eyes widened in horror. "Wait! I thought she would live if I won!"

"Oh, she will," Jeff chuckled. "But not as you know her. You see, there can only be one Leader per caste."
"You don't mean..."
"Yes, Matt. You are the new Leader."
"So wait, she'll be my Commander now?"
Jeff laughed again, harder this time. That made Matt worry a bit. Jeff instructed Margaret to bow down and lower her head. She did so; Jeff's will was absolute, and no Drone could resist it. He attached to her, and detached a few moments later. Margaret got up again, and tears welled up in her eyes. Matt felt his mental connection to her cease. Oh no...he didn't...she's not...


"No. You know I've been trying to get her replaced for a while now. And the way you defeated Derek shows the sort of ruthlessness and cut-throat tactics a Leader needs. Margaret has been too soft, too timid, too forgiving. In short, she is a disgrace to my army." Matt then knew for sure that she was being exiled. Jeff didn't need to tell him that. He looked at her again. "Maragaret..."
"Don't worry about me, Matt. I'm not one of you anymore. Just do what's best for the Hive...and remember me..." she was escorted out by Janus's robots.
"Maragaret, I...I love you..."

And so, Worm Jeff promoted Matt to Drone Leader. His near-sightedness had been fixed, his strength increased tenfold, the end of his tail became a mace, his armor became even more fearsome-looking, and his cowardice dissapeared. His power over earth increased as well. He still can't fly, though.

But even though he is the leader of his caste, even though he is worshiped and adored, he finds no joy in his job, as he is forever separated from the one he loves. His title is now Overseer Matt, and his nickname is The Armored Earth-Master, but he is really The Sorrowful King.
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Written by laserpotato/Fubearingbrick. 'Tis sad, isn't it?

As you can see by this story, Drone Leaders and Commanders (and a few high-ranking Drones) DO have feelings, due to them having free will, as opposed to the mindless majority of Drones, whose only "feeling" is hunger. Also, this drives home the point that Worm Jeff is a cruel, heartless dictator who doesn't care about ANYONE'S feelings, as long as he gets what he wants.