{??? ????? ???}
[The Hive]
Ow my head. What happened I was playing HOI4 and passed out and now. Wait I feel different. I try to open my eyes and sight explodes across my vision. I instantly feel dizzy as I'm not just seeing through one pair but instead it's like looking at the TV's in a security camera room. Views from all over wherever I am are available as I watch quadrupedal creatures about the size of cows with clawed feet almost non existent heads and 2 tentacles wander around several a are carrying baskets filled with mushrooms and others are walking around staring at the walls. What are they? I almost lose my sight as information floods my mind. These are workers assimilated from our most recent conquest a small planet on the outer edge of the Goldilocks zone of a red dwarf. They were the most versatile of the creatures we found and as our last worker caste was rendered obsolete by them we melted them down for nutrients. They are currently performing a visual inspection of the structure as the Rear Mind, apparently that is the sub contiousness managing the hive and what gave me all this information, performs internal scans. So I guess I'm the boss and the Rear Mind is my automated manager for the menial tasks while I deal with the main stuff. Great this is going to be fun. I think I will send someone outside to explore. Information floods me and hmm the scouts haven't been adjusted to the gravity yet as the focus was on maintenance and repairs, well the Rear Mind knows what to prioritise. I find 3 Workers and direct them to one of my eyes to examine them. According to the information I have on them due to high levels of toxicity in the plant life on their home plant they developed a duel digestive tract. As our fungi isn't toxic we repurposed one of their digestive tracts into a womb by removing the acid and merging it with the reproductive organs to form an adequate space to grow and transport Sluggs. Looking closer they appear to have visual organs surrounding their eyes their mouth which is circular with large sharp teeth. I command them to explore outside and after a bit of effort link to the Sluggs in their spines.
[Outside The Hive]
There visual organs aren't the best, interestingly the reason the Spiders are yellow with black stripes is the same reason that Tigers are orange, when we invaded they could notice black or more organic colours but there visual organs couldn't see yellow so the bright colour acted as an effective camouflage. I have them move as a group since they are only good at defending in a group. They wander a bit through their eyes the world is very green. They are just starting at some flowers for me when I sense something, minor psychic wavelengths. I send a ping from the hive allowing me to receive a wire frame of the forest examining that I could just make out 3 figures, one is in armour reminding me of a low level warrior, the next has a big hat and a staff maybe a mage, the third is difficult to identify with only a wireframe but if this is an adventuring party then due to the lack of bulky equipment this one must be a rogue. A suggestion enters my head, the Rear Mind suggests activating some spiders. I focus in on the baracks the Spider Queen is still undergoing adjustments to her body but she is contious.
'Queen I want several of your children to bring me several organisms outside, alive and viable.' 'Yes Overmind'
Several of the pods shift as Spiders who have been adjusted stir and are released as the pods deflate poring amniotic fluid out with them, the pods collapse and other pods move to the surface of the walls. The spiders shake and skurry out the entrance into the corridors and towards the main entrance to the hive. Maybe I should stall them with the workers after all humans must be more useful than them.
{Sara Miller}
[Farrenhigh Forrest]
"Come on guys the guild has sent us on a wild goose chase. We have been wandering this forest for days now and we haven't found the meteor." "Have some Faith Sara"
God Peter can be annoying just because the guild funded his education as a mage. Jack raises one finger his hand on his knife as he points to several bushes that are slowly bending. I plant my feet and raise my sword. Peter begins to murmur when the bushes are flattened, 3 creatures about the size of cows launch themselves towards one they are large and hairless with light green skin. Jack moves first launching himself forward his knife flashing as he burys it in the creature's side, it barely twitches as a long tentacle with a large flat end like a dock leaf wraps around his waist. I have to focus as one charges me. I dive back and roll my sword held out of the way. It kicks up dust as it skids to a halt and turns. I ready myself and swing my sword to meet its tentacle and sticks. The tentacle has twisted oddly and locked my sword. I release the sword and pull my knife. I black up as it approaches it teeth begin vibrantly as it stalks forward. A bolt of water slices its flank but it doesn't react instead it pounces. It knocks me back but I trust my armour, I slice my knife up into its throat and pull sideways but it's stuck, this thing must have thick skin. Its throat is almost churning then from the middle of its teeth green slugs pore forth spattering across my face. I hold my mouth tightly shut but the feel as if they are attempting to wriggle in, my lips are going numb, I swing my arm back and slam my fist into the hilt of my knife and the skin gives allowing the blade to pass sideways as my fingers break. It slumps on me, my armour is good but I can feel it flex under its weight, my victory is short lived as I realise that the slugs are blocking my nose. I instinctively gasp and one launches itself inside. I scramble on my hands and knees trying to get my arming cap off coughing constantly. I can feel it pressed against the back of my throat. My coughing is obstructed as blood falls from my mouth for a moment then stops. My body is going numb.
"SARA."
I gasp as I sit up and look around, Peter and Jack are gathered around me the bodies of the three creatures lay around us.
"How long was I out" "Only a few seconds"
I release my breath only to catch it again as a large yellow limb wraps round a tree and the large body of a bright yellow spider. Peter and Jack spin as more leap from the foliage and charge. Peter throws bolts of water from his staff but the spiders twist their limbs in mid air using each other to avoid the projectiles. On knocks Peter off his feet, Jack moves to help him but I grab his ankle. He should just give in, the hive will put us to better use than the guild. He is shouting something but I can't hear it as I pull him down and embrace him, his fists slam into my sides and head but he will stop as he comes to understand the glory of joining the hive. Jack moans the spider bit him it's venom is already at work. For a moment I see a blinding beautiful light as I fade into the sea that is the hive.
{??? ????? ???}
[The Hive]
Well that was eventful and that warriors aid at the end potentially reduced our losses. It isn't close enough for the Rear Mind to assess its usefulness. The mage got bit by a spider which have a special mutagenic venom so maybe the Spider Queen will have a new toy if she can work out how to express its magic abilities it would be even better. The third is being webbed up with the bodies of the workers and dragged back to the hive.
They approach the hive and the door opens, spiders swarm in followed by the warrior who is holding the hand of the mage who is still in a daze/high due to the venom. Then two workers enter the webs attached to their flanks, then the bundle of webbing containing the 3 bodies and the rogue and finally more spiders. The humans are led to the quarters of Grasik he was once the master of his people on a highly gaseous planet. It was one of the few planets we invaded not for its biomass. The Rear Mind is on point with memory's and information. The large intricate door to Grasik's quarters opens and they are pushed in. The room is dark with eary bioluminescent lights.
'What do you desire Overmind?' 'Strip them of all information but leave them viable.' 'As you wish'
His pod opens and he floats over his tendrils hanging from his gas sack. They wrap around the warrior and psychic energy emits from his beak.
'The Slugg has disconnected much of its brain it will be difficult to separate the Slugg from human to gain information' 'Priorites the others then if this one is useless it can be set to work' 'Very well Over Mind'
He releases the warrior who turns and wanders out the entrance to begin her tasks under the Rear Mind. His tendrils grasp the mage who appears to be undergoing physical mutations now, interesting as apparently the mutagenic venom of the spiders caused a violent cancer in previous prey. Maybe humans will be very useful, hmmm when did I stop thinking of myself as human?"
'Over mind I have extracted much useful information from this one.'
A very complex web of information fills my mind. Ha ha ha. The hive fills with laughter as every member felt my amusement and expressed it any way they can. The rouge looks so scared probably because Grasik is screeching with amusement, maybe not screeching, more like a balloon being tortured. At once everyone stops as the Rear Mind triggers the regulators and the hive went silent.