The hivemind is conquering for me?

Ronnie then puffed up his chest and gained an intense look on his face. ”Then I will enrol here like I originally planned to do. My goals are not just my own, but my families. I don’t need the self satisfaction of working with you when all of my goals can be achieved by following the course I have set out for years.”

Jocasta stared down at Ronnie, silent, emotionless for a short while before her eyes narrowed, clearly pleased with his answer before relaying. ”Good, having an apprentice with a sense of self worth is something I can appreciate. Very well. Ronnie, say your goodbyes, I will upload the public contract now like it says in your contract.”

Ronnie nodded and turned his head to me and smiled. ”Goodbye Apollo. Thank you for getting this opportunity for me. He then extended his arm out for a handshake, which I then grabbed before pulling him in for a hug, something Ronnie was surprised by, but immediately reciprocated with a smile of pure comfort and safety.

”You give ’em hell Ronnie. Make your Mother proud, make us all proud.” I said, causing Ronnie to squeeze me tight. ”Yes fa-Apollo, I will do my all for those that I love.” After giving Ronnie his fair share of pats on the back, he then addressed the other two with me, but the goodbyes were more a formality than anything.

After he was done, Jocasta walked back over and handed me the contract. ”It states that you should hold onto this till you can get it back to Sophia. Do not fret over Ronnie, I promise on my scientific integrity that I will not break the rules of the contract, though I still think it’s a mistake for you not to receive heavy implants and augmentations.” She turned and faced her apprentice.

”Some are fine, but my power is tied to my flesh. I would get weaker if I started lopping off body parts. Mother said that small implants, that don’t affect any nerves and can be somewhat healed if taken out are fine though, so if I need biochips for identification in your labs for example, that will be fine.”

Jocasta nodded her head, listening to what Ronnie just said, that was more than fair. Some individuals were like that. Her Psionics worked better the more of her was metal and circuits, so she could naturally understand the opposite end of the spectrum. ”Very well.”

She then finally turned back to me and her mechatendrils wrapped around me, pulling me closer, a low growl began to fill up the background noise as Jocasta began exploring my body.

”Now... With all the formalities out of the way. Apollo, I implore you, when you get a chance, you should come to Vallerand for that bisensuous collaboration we discussed at the party. You could explore all my parts to your heart’s content then~ And if not for that, well you could always come and see how my apprentice is fairing... Goodness, I have just realised, have you gotten taller? Magnificent...”

Jocasta felt parched despite having no flesh in her neck. The specimen before her, she could tell he was even more in prime health than the last time they spoke, which she wasn’t sure how that was possible.

Now last time when she brought that up at the party, I wasn’t entirely sure if that was a sexual remark, but considering I was wrapped in tendrils, something I considered sexually enticing due to hive shenanigans, I definitely picked up on the it this time, my EQ was growing it seemed.

”I, um. Sure, I will give it some thought, I suppose exploring how you work is still something I would like to see.” I said, causing another groan to be added to the background. Jocasta let out a series of beeps before breaking the entanglement.

”Excellent. Ronnie, we are leaving now. No point lingering, I have everything I have come for...” She then eyed me up and down like a slab of meat. ”Until the next time we meet, Apollo... And companions.”

She then began to walk off, her tasks complete. Picking up her apprentice and picking up her hunk of meat for a future date. Her future was looking pleasant.

Ronnie then gave me a final glance, a twinge of hesitation before my supporting smile infected him, causing him to begin running after Jocasta. After watching him leave, the surroundings returned silent and I began looking around, people were staring.

”What? Is there something on my face?” I asked and continued to receive the same silent treatment for a few more seconds before they returned to the status quo. I then turned to Orchid and Janine who were looking at me with frowny faces.

”What?”

...

After a few hours of waiting in line, I was called over. ”NEXT!” Walking to the Man and Woman who were working as a pair, I stuck my arm out to the woman who then proceeded to get out a needle, causing me to address her. ”You are going to need something more durable, that isn’t getting past my skin.” I said calmly, causing her to nod her head before the man to my right asked.

”Name?”

”Apollo Lambdason.” I replied and the man began typing on a pad in his hand.

’D-a-s-o-n, let’s see... Oh shit.’ The man then looked up and spotted the big needle in his partner’s hand and spoke up. ”Um, Brenda, we don’t need to do bloods.” The woman then looked over confused. ”Ste?”

The man said nothing, but shook his head in a way that signalled to come over. As the woman walked over, I felt slightly paranoid. ”Um, is everything ok?” The woman read whatever was on that pad and her eyes went wide before looking at me.

”No, everything is fine Apollo. The background check has just given us concrete evidence you are who you say you are. You can proceed. I Take it that is your Sepiida and sister? They can pass through as well. You are going to want the courtyard on the right.”

”The right?” I asked, confused as I had seen the last ten or so people go left. ”Ah, forgive the lack of explanation.” The man chimed up. ”The left side is purely for those here for academics, but due to our background check and your... Record. We assumed you would be participating in the college’s more martial aspects as well. If that isn’t the case, please feel free to go to the left.”

”Apollo, what’s happening? Why am I not getting stuck by needles like we thought?” Orchid asked, causing me to shrug my shoulders. Whatever info they had on me, must have been classified, maybe my record from Alexandria? It didn’t matter.

”It’s alright Orchid, we can just go.” I then turned to the two individuals. They looked like good people so I didn’t want to press further. As we began walking away, I pouted a little as I looked at my arm. I then dispersed the concentrated pure human blood from my arm and allowed my regular blood flow to resume. It’s a shame I couldn’t use my little genetic science concoction, but I suppose this was a better outcome?

...

”By the empire, I don’t believe it. Ste, it’s a-””-I know... I don’t think I have ever seen one before.” In front of them was a decree. A royal decree. Coming from both the Civil and military kings telling whoever read it to Allow that Apollo person into the College no matter what.

That basically meant that by law the two of them were forced to make sure that person got into the college or their ass would be grass. The two then simultaneously breathed in a sigh of relief that nothing went wrong and then got right back to their work.

”Next!”

...

”Ah, can you smell that Orchid? The energy here it’s so thick. And is so unique, so many ’flavours’ so to speak.” Orchid said nothing. She looked around confused, this place was not dense at all, Apollo had been in the presence of the queen since an infant, he has forgotten how dense her energy actually is because of how much time he has spent in it.

Meanwhile ”You can smell the energy in the air?” Janine took a sniff. ”I can’t smell anything.” I shook my head. ”No its a- never mind. You will understand when you become able to feel Psionics in the surroundings... I am struggling not to get hard, it’s just so beautiful.”

As I was looking around, someone just ran directly into me and fell over. He seemed alright though and got up hastily with a quick apology before his friend yelled. ”Come on! Who knows how long the praetorian is going to be here for! We have to get pictures now!”

My head craned towards them hearing that and watched the direction they were running to. I was about to head over to where it said lecture representatives were, but I think I knew where I was going now and began following those men that were running.