The Bug Squad badge.
The Vespiary Squad is one of the Wulfenbach Empire's military units, meant to protect against slaver wasps and, by extension, revenants.
They worked closely with Dr. Bren, who created the wasp eaters for their use hunting the wasps, and became especially prominent when it was discovered that the weasels could also detect “sleeper” revenants.
Although the term “Bug Squad” is used several times, evidently the official title is “Vespiary Squad”[1], or more casually, "Vespers".[2] Grantz refers to them as “Bug Hunters” and apparently considers them a “Good outfit.” ✣
Their uniform is blue, green, and gold, and their Wulfenbach badge, appropriately, sports a set of insectile wings. The weasel handlers themselves also wear face-concealing masks, perhaps to make absolutely sure they don't get wasped, and helmets which appear to be shaped like a soldier wasp's head, or are even constructed from one of their skulls. Other members of the Squad (such as Sergeant Scorp) wear uniforms similar in style to that of Wulfenbach regulars.
In the battle of Sturmhalten, they are under orders[3] to use stun bullets and C-gas; apparently Scorp has more traditional ammunition as well.[4] Certainly, the Squad are highly trained in the use of lethal force against the wasps.[5] During the battle, Scorp and some other Squad members test Agatha, Tarvek and Vrin for wasp-infection; the latter worthy is officially tagged as a being a revenant and chained in place. When Lu-in-Agatha resurfaces, she turns the wasped townsfolk against the Squad and escapes with the help of Da Boyz.
It is Vespiary Squad troops that eventually come to the (off-screen) aid of The Unstoppable Higgs and Baron Wulfenbach following the Battle.[6]
In Volume XII, the Vespiary Squad is apparently informed by Tarvek that they are in danger,[7] and having confirmed this,[8] escape Castle Wulfenbach pursued by the Baron’s Stealth Fighters and perform a forced landing in Mechanicsburg. Tarvek enters the crashed ship and rescues the injured Squad-member Ruxala, several wasp eaters, and Dr. Bren’s notes.
During the Wulfenbach forces' retreat from Mechanicsburg, some of the surviving Vespiary Squad members use the opportunity, at Tarvek's recommendation, to secretly seed themselves among the retreating troops so they can disperse with the remaining Wasp eaters, to begin searching for sleeper revenants and set up labs outside the Wulfenbach Empire to continue the late Dr. Bren's work.[9] One group plans to go to Paris, but there is no sign of them when Agatha visits that city following the Timeskip. Tarvek later reports ✣ that his Smoke Knights have been unable to find any trace of the other teams. See below for what actually happens.
Ruxala remains in Mechanicsburg, and much much later, she, two other Squad members and a pack of wasp-eaters resurface ✣ outside the city during the start of the operation to investigate the commandeered Castle Wulfenbach, brought in by the Jägermonsters under Dimo's command. Boris (and the reader) are then informed she escaped the time-freeze being activated thanks to prompt action by Scorp. Unfortunately, most of the rest of the Squad's attempts at "blending in" with regular Wulfenbach troops are murderously unsuccessful. Stumbling across the situation, Dimo sends some Jägers to attempt to save them, but they all fail except for one last-second rescue by Maxim. The handful of survivors and all the bodies (of both species) and bits of equipment are hustled to the nearby refugee caves by the Jägers, who carefully cover their tracks. The Squad spends the next two-plus years hiding in the caves in deep cover, even managing to stay concealed from long-term cavern resident Ardsley Wooster and later Agatha when she is brought to the caves as well. (Due to her, again, having a copy of Lucrezia in her head.) When Dimo sees Agatha's wasp-eater, he almost ✣ spills the beans, but manages to keep quiet.
Notable members[]
- Sergeant Scorp
- Ruxala
- Wasp eaters
- Doctor Bren
- Tarvek (Unofficial and honorary. The weasels like him.)
Possibly relevant outside information[]
Vespiary is an actual, if uncommon, word in the real world that means a wasps' nest or colony of wasps.
Compare bomb disposal
References
- ↑ Introductions at the start of Volume IX. ✣
- ↑ "If Prince Stormvoraus hadn't warned us, they'd all be wiped out already, and us Vespers with them." ✣
- ↑ Implied by Klaus’ statement: “For now, all we need to do is contain them.” ✣
- ↑ "Did you have to shoot him in the leg?" ✣
- ↑ Even Tarvek is impressed ✣ .
- ↑ Note the insignia on the soldier’s shako at the end of Sun’s story of Airman Higgs ✣ .
- ↑ Presumably due to the Baron being wasped, although it's not clear when Tarvek had a chance to contact them after deducing this ✣ conclusively. However, as he had just before been running the empire ✣ he certainly would have had plenty of time to warn them of the possibility.
- ↑ “Prince Sturvoraus! You were right!” ✣
- ↑ Wrapping up their story arc for now ✣