The hivemind is conquering for me?

A slight surprise washed over Jewel’s main mind. She was surprised at this being, it was the second time one of Apollo’s species so submissively gave themselves over. Although she attempted to address Samantha, the female was gone. She could feel the devotion she had for the hive, something she had not expected even among cultists.

Usually she only eats the cultists she has her infiltrators create and doesn’t assimilate their minds. As deep down, they tended to still hold some resentment. Like with the most recent Ker’min cult she devoured. She didn’t have time as the uprising had succeeded, but reinforcements were on their way, she had her fleet unimpeded devour the world, cultists included and then left.

From those she devoured, she could feel this tingling of doubt, in the back of their parasites. If the parasite was gone, they would rebel. However, this Samantha. She had gone months on her own. Devoured her parasite in the metamorphosis from one hybrid species to a limb of the hive. Up until this moment, Samantha could actually have splintered off and became a rival, as she had no contact, but no. Her devotion not only to her queen was unwavering, but her loyalty to Apollo made even Jewel blush.

This was good. This was very good. This meant that those in that strange Galaxy Apollo originates from can be continued to be trusted with his protection. Jewel screamed again, louder this time, A black hole formed and then another one. This would cause some serious turbulence when they collided with the continuously growing black hole that had actually made her be cautious, but it would give her some time to think singularly.

Jewel pieced together the fragmented mind of Samantha, who had truly become one with the hive at this point, forgoing her previous mission and brought it back together in a safe, isolated part of her mind.

As Samantha became reborn, even though it was only her mind, she began hyperventilating. She wanted to go back. She wanted to be a part of her family. The power she wielded, the love she felt for Apollo burned even brighter than before. She had to feel the sensation again. She needed it! SHE NEEDED IT!

Her thoughts suddenly became mute, as they were needless. She knew what surrounded her, staring at her now. It was her. It had a different name, a different function. It was once a different species, but no longer. Samantha and it were truly one in the same. However, this was the origin of her. The first cells were personally directing their attention to her. Diverting its energy away from the god it was learning from.

She needed to be silent, she needed to obey. And she would.

Jewel began to think like she did around Apollo. Human, slow, yet surprisingly intelligent for a single mind. ”Samantha. Your mission has not finished. Would you deny Apollo a farewell? We know that would devastate him. You, like me. Like us. Have shared his flesh. You know what that means for us. Through incredible adaptability to my genetics, to my power. You have achieved in decades that most fail to achieve in centuries. You have become the Hive.

No mere hybrid are you now, you, I, Us. We are the same. And with that said, our main goal is simple. Provide for our mate. Make him happy. To do something that goes against that decree is impossible. So, after your mind returns to your infiltrator form, you will continue your mission. You will conquer that galaxy for him. For us. And then and only if Apollo consents, shall you return to where you belong. Within us.”

Samantha replied with nothing. She didn’t need to. The queen may have spoken to her slowly, but where her mind was. Her replies were instant. Different to any way of speech ever conceived to her before. Even the under link she once possessed was infinitely slower than this raw power of thought.

A moment later she felt her body again. Below her floating body was the nest pod. No longer was the way open, the bridge was now erect. A gap between her and where she craved to be.

She could focus on that in a moment, for now she relayed her order to the nest pod. The only true hive entity this form of hers had come across other than Sophia, Orchid and Onyx. It had no thought power of its own, but she relayed her intent to it and it obeyed.

Tentacles sprouted out of the pod and like a giant circular octopus, it began swimming to the Submarine, attaching itself tightly with its suckers before once more going dormant. Samantha then swam back to the submarine, her work in the water done for now.

Her swim back was graceful. Elegant. Perfect. Naturally linking back up to herself allowed her muscle memories of other aquatic lifeforms and was now trivial to her in any number of aquatic bodies she chose to possess.

Once re-entering the hatch Samantha didn’t have to wait that long before reverting to her natural form. She then proceeded to place her clothes back on and opened the door to the chamber only for Wendy to be standing on the other side.

”A-Are you ok? I felt the submarine shake and thought we were going to die! Did something attack us?” Samantha shook her head at Wendy. She would weed out all of this fear soon. ”No, we picked up our cargo. We can leave back for the reefs now.”

Wendy let out the biggest sigh of relief. ”Thank you! I am not accustomed to being this deep. And. Oh shit! I am going to be late for dinner at this rate!!!” Samantha raised her eyebrow at Wendy’s priorities. ”Is that such a bad thing?”

Wendy looked panicked as she nodded her head. ”Yes! Papa is back tonight! And I have never been late. If I’m late he is going to be looking for me and when he finds me, he is going to have questions.”

Samantha sighed. ”Don’t worry. You forget, we had to travel slowly these last few hours as we were searching. We will be back at my reef in a few hours. You can go straight home from there.”

...

”Ok, I still have an hour to get home. With the elevator up to the next reef, I can take a ray to my compound. I should just make it.” Wendy declared not long after docking on this abandoned loading bay.

She looked around at the dead bodies that were still here from earlier. Only idiots loot this many bodies within the first two days. And with the butchering that took place, there would be other psychological factors that would make the looting take a bit longer.

”Good. Your betrayal needs to stay hidden for as long as possible. It would be inconvenient to come and rescue you at this point as I am my most vulnerable right now. Now. Before you go, I have a present for you.”

Samantha reached into the pocket of her clothes and pulled out two vials. She then placed one to her mouth and then used two fingers and pressed against her neck just under the jaw. Wendy watched this confused before she saw a clear liquid begin streaming out of Samantha’s mouth and into the vial.

She then repeated the process again and filled the second vial before passing them over to Wendy. Wendy looked at her confused before Samantha explained. ”That is my poison. To prove you are loyal to me, you must drink it now.”

”W-w-what? But won’t I die?” Wendy asked, but all she received in reply was silence and a neutral stare that terrified her. Wendy gulped as she looked at the vial in her shaking hand. She didn’t want to die. The prospect terrified her. She didn’t want to just end. It was another reason, besides power, she wanted Psionics.

’She wouldn’t kill me now... She has made it clear she needs me as much as I need her... But what if it hurts? I am not good with pain.’ Wendy’s heart rate began to climb as her worry began affecting her.

She looked between Samantha and the vial in her hand multiple times, before impulse and the time crunch of needing to get home spurred her on. She then proceeded to bring the vial up to her mouth and gulped the entire thing at once.

Once she gulped, she suddenly jolted. ”Oh my!” She exclaimed as she felt a rush of euphoria about her being. She blushed slightly as it felt a bit too pleasant. ”Well done. Now I don’t have to kill you. You can leave now.” Samantha said calmly, prompting Wendy to look at the second vial confused. ”What should I do with this one? Drink it when I get back?”

Samantha shook her head. ”No, this is your first official assignment from me. You are to give that poison to someone else. Someone you trust. You are to betray that trust and poison them with my Poison. You will return to me tomorrow with that person. Understood?”