The hivemind is conquering for me?

I took my seat next to Mindy who smiled, her glasses visibly moving on her face as she presumably squinted. ”Look at you, glad to see you still coming to the aid of those that need it.” I chuckled at what Mindy just said before I said boastily.

”What can I say? I have been working on my emotion reading skills and I felt compelled to white knight.” Mindy chuckled, she felt she had just stepped back in time to those few simple weeks she had on Alexandria. It was like it had been moments since they last spoke, Apollo, barely seemed inconvenienced by the way she left. That was until,

”So, about your letter?” Mindy felt a pit in her stomach. Was he upset? Angry for just leaving the way she did? She had her reasons naturally, but she never wanted to hurt her friend. I reached over and grabbed her forearm, squeezing it softly. ”How have you been? Are you still grieving?”

’...’ Her mind went blank. ’Of course he cared about me more than himself. That was what attracted me to him at the start. His genuine kindness.’ She couldn’t help but to roll her eyes at his kind heart before replying.

”I... I actually got over Jacob pretty quickly. *Ahem* As you know, I was planning on leaving him after the mission anyway because of you opening my eyes to everything. But that made me feel like shit afterwards. I felt like I was supposed to grieve for longer, I mean before the mission we were planning on having a child... But, No. I got over it fast. It was being surrounded by all of his stuff, our stuff. It was doing a number on me. I held on for as long as I could, but I had to get out. I sold the serpent swords to Gellon. He was basically running the company while I was spiraling, so I trust him to continue Jacobs legacy.”

Mindy suddenly felt a little raw as Apollo just looked at her with that intense listening gaze of his. She looked around for something, but ended up not seeing someone. ”Hey, where did your friend go? Evanthe?”

”Oh, she went with Orchid to the booth.” I said causally, but Mindy’s eyes opened wide with elated surprise. ”Whoa! Your sister is here! *Gasp* I need to ask her about all your dirty little secrets. Like what you were like as a snotty teenager!”

I opened my mouth offended. ”Excuse me, I am still a ’snotty teenager.’ And I have never been snotty. I am a good boy... Oof that was cringe.” I said, very self aware of the fact I just called myself a good boy...

Mindy snorted as she laughed before pushing up her sunglasses as the bartender handed us our drinks. It looked like she was about to say something, but after smelling my drink, I was not amused. ”Hey Barkeep?” I called.

The man turned, inquisitively as I continued. ”Do you have the Psionic stuff on tap? I won’t be able to ’enjoy’ this. The man smiled before pulling a data pad from somewhere, clearly having to deal with this on a regular basis. ”You need special permission to be able to drink the strong stuff. Give me your name and I will check if you are eligible.”

”Archon Apollo Lambdason.” I said as I watched the man type into his pad. He looked at his pad and was about to begin his usual monologue about how to apply, but his eyes bulged as next to Apollo’s name was a handwritten decree from King Sigismund himself!!!

’Give the young warrior as much as he can drink. I have seen him drink enough of the stuff to kill multiple ships worth of common Phalanx.’

The barkeep gulped nervously. Even in the college, everyone respected the war king. He literally took the fight to all the filthy Xeno-aliens. And in his 200 years serving bar, he had never seen something like a personal decree from a king letting someone drink the , what is basically, poison.

”W-would you like a shot or a pint sir?” he said, trying to fix his voice break. I frowned at the options. ”A shot? Are you serious? No, my good man, a pitcher of the strong stuff. I am celebrating multiple events tonight. Reunions, new friends and of course a successful enrolment” I then turned to Mindy. ”Do you believe this guy? A shot...”

Mindy looked confused by what was happening, but said nothing as she watched the bartender tap a barrel and a horrific scent took over the surroundings, causing her and those nearby to cover their noses and in some cases gag and move away.

”By fuck, Apollo! What is that? I can feel my liver dying just from being in proximity to it.” Mindy said, covering her nose with her jacket. Picking up the pitcher like a common glass, I raised it and said. ”This, my dear, is a real beverage!”

I threw my head back to take a large swig and the cacophony of flavour took root within me, forcing the swig to turn into the chug and I only placed down the pitcher once it was empty. ”Ahhhhh! That was delicious.”

A small silence broke around us before I felt a pair of big thick hands grab me by the shoulders. ”Fuck yes man. That was badass! The freshman can drink!” Turning around, I smiled as Iilr and his gang had somehow managed to sneak up on me.

”Hey guys. I said cheerfully, before quickly swinging round to the bartender. ”I’m going to need another pitcher, that was too good.” I said, not noticing the look of shock on the bartender’s face that I was not even slurring as I turned back around.

The guys were laughing at something as Iilr stated. ”So, Apollo. Do you want to play a drinking game with us? You may be a freshman, but you earned your spot in our little band of brothers.

The sincere looks from the others tickled my heart slightly, but I politely declined. ”I appreciate the offer, but I am expected in a booth with some other friends. Another day though, for sure.”

The men were not offended and understood completely as they walked off. Some gave me smacks on the back as the group walked towards the corner of the bar and I was caught off guard as some of them really hurt.

As the second pitcher was placed down on the bar, Mindy had crossed her legs and was kicking out playfully as she rested her head against her palm. ”My, aren’t you just a magnet for meeting new people? One day in and already so many friends. What did you do to get all those big burly men interested in you? Don’t tell me you are swinging for both teams now? How titillating!”

Mindy’s banter had me laugh out loud once more before I corrected her. ”No, I am still on the straight and narrow as far as my teams go. I just ended up doing a little bit of fishing with them earlier, no big deal.”

Somehow Mindy doubted the ’No big deal’ part, but chose not to comment as Apollo stood up with his pitcher of potent swill. ”Come on then, I can’t wait to introduce you to everyone. Honestly, I am so glad you are here!”

...

In the corner of the room, watching on. ”Another one? Why, he has quite the appetite doesn’t he? I wonder if he has a reputation under the sheets?” A voice said alluringly, before another chimed in. ”Why do we have to drink? It’s yukky! Can’t we just go and say hello to the man, he seems nice.”

A third voice then shut the two up. And proceeded to take a sip of the beverage before her as she watched him walk towards the booths upstairs. ”You, stop being a slut and you.... Just eat your cookies and behave. We are on a mission and for now that mission is surveillance until we build a grander profile so please... Just follow my lead and do not do anything stupid or so help me I will strangle the pair of you.”

There was a silence that emanated between them before one chimed up. ”Kinky, you really shouldn’t tempt me with a good time...” Promptly the sound of smacking upon a forehead was heard as the one who had just issued the threat lost the will to live temporarily.

Meanwhile the other one began to play with the cookie before her and frowned as she flicked it sulkily. ”I don’t like it when you are mean. Why can’t you be fun, like usual?” The comment struck critically, causing the woman to sigh.

”Look, I am sorry, the both of you, but we can have all the fun we want once this mission is over. This is our ticket to greatness, we can’t squander it! So please, for the sake of everything we hold dear. Can you please, just focus up and do your jobs and... Fuck where did he go?”