Episode 38 - Apiary

**“***Phillipa declines Mayberry's request for advice. Voncid reconnects with a dear friend. Emea the apiarist recounts the tale of a Phantoma, the ghost bee, to Kat over tea. Word of a calamity at an Order field office sends the inhabitants of the Ardent to action.***”**
— **Episode Notes from Spotify**

## Summary

*The following is a summary written for this wiki. It only hits the major points of the episode and, as such, should not be used as a substitute for listening to the episode as intended by the creators.*
### Main Story

May approaches Pip and asks her if she would read her cards, to Pip's annoyance. She rejects the request since she feels that people in The Ardent are constantly asking for help with unimportant things.

Luca, who hasn't spoken to Pip since 'the Dottie Jean incident' due to his relationship with Charles Baybridge, confronts her about not reading May's cards. They have a big argument, and each blame the other for not helping May. The Cypher feeds off of the argument.

Voncid is in The Apiary watching The Phantoma when Emea enters. They talk about how a new queen bee is being born, which hasn't happened in nearly a century. Emea asks if the wax recordings have been helping Voncid with not having his memories bleed together, to which he says they are. They then talk about the imminent arrival of The Cypher, and that this Glorious isn't one of Voncid's favourites, since it feeds on the connection between people. He tells Emea that to anchor it they are planning to compile a collection of data about it, rather than finding a focus. They express doubt and yet hope that Olivia Biers-Weather will do as good a job as Dalton at banishing a Glorious, given her lack of experience. They then discuss that the arrival of it is not as important as the Phantoma, since they are 'the last of their kind on this side' and the honey nourishes them, although it isn't as affective with Voncid due to 'the Sumerian'. Voncid expresses his wish to die, and leave with 'him', and comments that a Hamsa has never shared a body with a human as long as he has before. Emea reminds him he and the rest of the Hamsa have a sworn duty to protect 'the Vessel'. Voncid tells her that he wishes he would be allowed to teach Reclaiming to Luca, who would become even more powerful that him, but is forbidden from doing so since Luca's 'spirit is incomplete'. They then discuss the Observers and how their use of them is parasitical.

Kat interrupts the conversation. They reassure her not to bother with honorifics. They all talk about the moonlight in the Apiary, and how it feel different to regular moonlight. They discuss the shadowing that Kat did, and she says she struggle with believing in lost causes, a sentiment they agree with. Emea enters the tree to make tea, with confuses Kat and isn't helped by Voncid commenting that it is roomier inside than it looks. Voncid tells her the Phantoma and the hive are one of the most precious things. She wonders if they should be kept in a vault, but he tells her about their sting which is only fatal to humans when their time is up, and only sting the soul.

Emea draws the story of where one of the bees has been from it, and tells the tale to Kat. It visited an elderly man who was dying slowly from cancer. He could only finally go when the Phantoma stung him, for which he was grateful.

Charles Baybridge interrupts, telling them there is an emergency at one of the field offices. There's been an attack, and Voncid quickly realises it is The Cypher trying to prevent their banishing of it.

### Continuity

* The Sumerian is Azem, Voncid's ancient husband and his body host.
* The Vessel is either our planet or our reality. The Hamsa seem to be sworn to defend it and humanity from monsters for an unknown reason.
* Luca's soul holes have been mentioned before by Pip in Episode 7 - Kill Team.
* The Observer that Voncid and Emea were discussing is the girl from Episode 37 - Shaper.

## Characters

* May
* Phillipa James
* Luca
* Charles Baybridge
* The Cypher
* Owen Voncid
* Emea
* Phantoma
* Olivia Biers-Weather (mentioned)
* Dalton (mentioned)
* The Tyrant of Flesh (mentioned)
* The Sumerian (mentioned)
* Kat
* Mikhail Rugen (mentioned)
* Margot Angiers (mentioned)
* Viki (mentioned)
* Vincent Collagio, is stung by a Phantoma
* Vincent's daughter
* Vincent's grandson