They're... ON HOLIDAY?

Day 2 - Points: 1/9

"Wake up, dimwits!"

Every drone's mind gets forcibly dragged out of the peaceful, for most, realm of sleep by 387's annoyed mental voice. 10013 yawns and softly swings its forelegs, enjoying the movement of the hammock. However, when it sees 387 slam the door open and shove the three worried-looking newbies inside, any even remotely good feelings vanish. When everyone's inside a single cabin, 387 closes the door again.

"Now, who's going to be the first one to tell me why Smiley here has been sitting in front of my door and spamming crying faces in my head the whole morning?!"

"Maybe it just wanted a shower-" grumbles 36658, glaring daggers non-stop at 99111.

"Test me one more time, I dare you!" snarls 387, and one simple glance from him is enough to shut 36658 up. This is a pre-new rules kind of glance, an extremely bad glance.

He knows what's going on, or at least part of it.

10013 grits its teeth for a second before speaking out:

"It's my fault-"

"Obviously - I left you in charge. Get to the point!"

For some reason, 10013 feels as if 387's aggressive tone doesn't match his overall demeanor for that particular statement. Something just doesn't fit, but the drone doesn't have the experience to decipher what's really happening.

"I might be wrong, but I think Smiley is sad because we argued yesterday and split up in bad blood."

"You argue all the time," 387 weakly smacks the back of the head of Smiley who's standing next to him.

*Sad face.*

"You are right, but this was different," 10013 keeps talking slowly and carefully, "When we argue we usually don't mean anything bad by it and we have a common goal. Let's say two drones argue about how many good sticks to trade for a particularly round rock-"

"Let's not," 387 interrupts it, "Use your intelligence, be concise, be accurate."

"99111 badmouthed High Score!" 36658 blurts out, "It said we just made everything up and that we're responsible for dead drones! I said it deserves to get properly smacked, and it does!"

"9999 existed. It died during our battle against the Tantabus in the dreamscape. Anything else?" 387 looks down and scowls at 99111.

The drone is visibly trembling under the threatening gaze.

"N- T- That wasn't- wasn't the pro- problem," it stutters out, "I- I said that the stories they say about it were made up because they are goop and that if drones believe that they have some magical protection with them then they will be less careful and they might die and it will be because of the Potatoes' stories!"

To everyone's surprise, 387 hums thoughtfully.

"That isn't a terrible line of thought, actually-"

"HA!" 99111 vigorously points at 36658 who would love to reply but, unlike the newbies, possesses the deeply ingrained habit stating that interrupting a high rank is a terrible idea.

*Crack!*

387's blow to the back of the head sends 99111 to the floor. It clearly wasn't meant to wound but still be painful enough to convey a message. The warrior narrows his eyes, waiting for shaken 99111 to get back up.

"You have no idea how much effort and sheer luck it took to have Chrysalis agree to the new rules. I waited a millennium for the chance that came by complete coincidence four years ago, and you will not screw this up," he growls, "You are allowed to disagree on anything as long as it doesn't hinder the hive but there will be no dangerous violence. High rank on drone as well as drone on drone. I don't care if you shove each other down the stairs, you are tough enough and easy to heal, but if anyone else sees that they'll assume we're just stupid bugs useful only as whorses or to be exploited. I'll tell you the same thing I told Chrysalis - I don't care about you, I care about the hive. So, let me repeat - how you act here will reflect on everyone back home. That doesn't only mean drones in the depths, that also means changelings on assignments among ponies and even those living with them. You are free to disagree, but you will not let it be harmful to the hive or I will be harmful to you."