LEFT TUNNEL: Nobody attacks. Shame.
CENTRAL TUNNEL: Gleefully, you send your drones after the fleeing Primpsks. Remember the creatures that the Primpsks were carrying? Well, they are running behind them. Also, they shoot fire.
The front line of drones goes up in a blaze as the creatures spit fire, cooking them alive. The Infector tanks have a slightly better time of it, since their venom protects them from the fire. At least, until it turns to steam and cooks everything inside the tunnels. However, the steam turns out to be a blessing in disguise. The hot steam shoots out infrared rays, blocking the line of sight for the Primpsks, allowing you to safely pull back your drones with minimal loses. You send them back to the central cavern, and wonder what to do against such a weapon.
RIGHT TUNNEL: You send Primpsks down both tunnels. One of them seems to go on forever, extrapolating from the presence of the merchants, it probably leads to other Primpsk cities. Therefore second tunnel leads into the city proper, though your tenuous grasp on the Primpsk language makes you hesitant to do much more than confirm that the tunnel does lead to the city. You work on the language some more, but are distracted by the events from the Central tunnel. As such, you know know 21% of the Primpsk language.
ABOVE GROUND: You construct a spawning pool near the surface of the hole, as you'll need it. Some bird-scouts are sent into the air, though since the Primpsks seem to live underground, you doubt you'll find much.
Additionally, you send some drones with the infected Primpsk larvae, to plant into the Primpsk cities. Climbing down a shaft, you are not at all surprised when you meet with one of the exploration groups from several pages back, still standing by the stone door. Lacking a better plan, you drop the larvae near the door, then knock and hide.
You learn two things: While adoption may not be a word that the Primpsks understand, infanticide is. You'll need a better plan to plant your Primpsk larvae.
DRONES:
Advanced Scuttler: Stong, armoured, built to kill. Has incredibly fast, shrimp claws.
Scuttler: Armoured. Good all around. Shoots poison.
Gatherer: Make to collect and process DNA.
Light-bulb drone: Gives off light. Fast, but otherwise useless.
Scuttler Tank: Highly armoured. Not very fast.
Schoolbus: Carries crabs. Gives of light. Very large and heavily armoured.
Digger: Digs. Builds walls. Otherwise useless.
Primpsk drone: A Primpsk you control.
Primpsk Scout: Passively infects and scouts.