The hivemind is conquering for me?

The camp was extremely busy currently. To avoid any extra suspicion from the local forces, The mercenaries were re filling the area they dug out and would take the rest of the night. Deciding I did not want to be in the way, I went for a stroll around the perimeter to take in some nature.

During my little walk, I saw a tree a little ways away on a patch of mounded dirt. Perfect for a little relax. Making my way to the tree, I proceeded to sit up against it with my hands behind my back, closing my eyes as I revelled in the stillness of this small patch of nature.

Janine had just finished her long overwatch shift and was walking back to the camp after spotting her replacement set up her nest, when she noticed a lone figure with purple hair sitting under a tree with a smug smile on his face.

Janine did not really like men as a gender at all, but something about Apollo made him extremely likeable. Maybe it was because he was so genuinely kind to people and listened intently to what you had to say if you were nice to him and always seemed to speak his mind truthfully which was a nice, if sometimes embarrassing for the receiver of the truth bombs, trait to have.

All the mercenaries on the ship thought so about this mystery man, who seemed to have no background. All the mercenaries managed to dig up what that he was some form of nobility and a friend of Kathrine’s from before the mission.

Still, the fact he was nobility yet did not act superior to the mercenaries made him a universal friend to them all.

Janine was a prankster by nature and decided she would prank her friend using her impeccable stealth capabilities.

She slowly made her way up the mound behind the tree Apollo was resting up against. She was mere feet away as she pulled out her knife, intending to poke his shoulder for a surprise awakening, but got a surprise herself when the sleeping man spoke.

“Top notch effort Janine, you almost got to me without realising.” Janine felt her pride take a hit for a moment. “How?” She asked perplexed.

I turned to her, my eyes boring though her helms visor to prove I meant no disrespect. “I’m sorry if this comes out as rude, but you are just a normal person. I am a powerful Psionic wielder whom has many hidden trump cards. Still though, I was not lying you were about three meters away before I noticed.”

‘Honestly at this point in time Onyx cant even get that close to me anymore as I have begun to learn her stealth patterns… Speaking of that vixen, where is she?’

Janine’s eyes widened remembering that fact. She sat down next to me, using my shoulder as a rest instead of the tree, she spoke. “Honestly, I keep on forgetting that. You don’t act like a person gifted with the ability of Psionics, they are usually very boastful and arrogant about it. You just seem like one of the lads, having fun.”

Janine was platonically comfortable around me to the point she had not realised she had moved her helmed head onto my thigh as she lay down and gazed up into the sky.

I said nothing and let her lay there for 5 minutes until she realised what she had done and shot up. “Um, Hey, don’t get any ideas! I was just comfortable.” I could see she was about to go on a rant so I interrupted. “Relax, I know your a lesbian its fine. Despite some of the rumours due to Kat and I, I am not a tail chaser.

If someone wants to offer a night to me, maybe I partake, but I don’t fish if you catch my drift.”

Under her helm Janine raised her eyebrows before placing her head back onto my lap. “How did you figure out? No one else knows.” She inquired. “You may wear a helm miss, but its obvious that every time you are in a room with Kathrine, you eye bang her harder than I physically bang her.”

Janine brought her hand to the breather of her helm upon realising she had been caught. “Don’t worry, No one else noticed as they are all doing the same thing, except Caleb, he was some weird incestuous thing with Kat and practically drank himself into a coma when he caught us in the act once.”

Janine laughed aloud, while being relieved about her secret. “Although I don’t know why you want to keep it a secret. Does it have anything to do with the other secret you are hiding?” I asked. Janine grew confused. “What other secret?” “The fact you aren’t human?”

As soon as I said that, a Knife was held up against my chest. “Who Knows!” Janine roared silently. “No one but me.” I replied quietly. “Did Caleb tell you? Answer me honestly and I may let you live.” She snapped back.

“No Caleb did not tell me, I deduced it on my own.” I replied calmly once more. “Good, thats good. Disposing of you will be a pain, but I cant have my life I’ve built become compromised. I really did like you Apollo, I’m sorry.”

Maintaining my calm even know I spoke aloud once more as she positioned her self to maintain eye level with me. “Sure, I understand. However, can you do one last thing for me before you plunge that into my heart?” “What?” she replied cautiously. “Just look into my eyes and tell me what you see.

Perplexed Janine tightened her grip on her knife. “If this is some trick Ill make your death more painful than it has to be.” “No trick just look.” I replied back, still so calm that Janine was starting to get nervous.

Still, for a moment she looked into Apollos eyes, the rest of her body hyper aware of Apollos movement in case he tries something. For a moment, nothing happened and she was ready to strike, but then Apollo’s eyes began to change slightly. They became almost glossy black before becoming more feline in the way they shined the light of the sunset, before returning back to their original form.

‘Ah, that really hurt. Using Jewels imprint was one thing, but forcefully altering my eyes to be more aligned to the augmentation hurt like a bitch.’ I thought as I stared blurrily at the helmet in front of me.

Janine’s knife slowly pulled away from my chest. You aren’t human?” She asked confused. “Technically, yes I am human, was born human thats for sure. But due to genetic bio modification, I have spliced my genes with other species. From what I understand, very illegal in this part of the galaxy.”

A snort came from Janine as if I spoke something so obvious. “Why did you show me that? Why did you make me almost kill you?” She asked seemingly struck bizarre. “Because I could see you were suffering alone and I wanted to help alleviate that suffering if only a little since your my friend.”

Janine looked genuinely moved. It seemed the feelings of the mercenary company were also shared by Apollo. “I-I don’t know what to say.” she stammered. “Then don’t say anything.” I replied and urged her head back onto my lap.

Another 5 minutes passed in bliss silence for me, yet tense silence for Janine before she sat up and looked around carefully. “Tell a word about this and I will finish what I started today, you get that?” I nodded curiously as she got to her knees.

With shaking hands, Janine began to unbuckle straps that connected her helmet to her skinsuit underneath her clothes that stops her helmet from accidentally coming off. 16 straps later and the last one was unbuckled. Her breathing had started to pick up once the weight of what she was doing was about to happen.

As she brought her gloved hands up to the side of her helm, I noticed they were shaking with extreme nervousness. Placing my hand on her shoulder, I squeezed slightly and said. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to you know, that is not why I told you my secret.”

Janine tilted her head to the left in an action that made me long for Orchid before saying. “I know that, but you told me something that if it were to get out, you would be hunted down and killed. I am just returning the favour as I do not enjoy having that type of leverage over my friends.”

Cracking her neck, Janine placed her hands on the side of her helmet once more, this time with a lot more resolve. She inwardly counted down from three and closed her eyes as she removed her helm and her silver, wavy locks fell and cascaded down her back.

Looking at the sight before me I uttered.

“Oh wow.”