Hive

Chapter 1 The Remnant

         Overlooking the vast wasteland their world had become, Iris's surroundings were a constant reminder that she was nothing but a figure, an illusion of fair and just power. Bright pink walls with a rose gold ceiling, silk sheets covering her cotton filled mattress. Iris looked at her clock, she had awoken fifteen minutes early. She decided to use this time to get a jump start on the day, she changed out of her silk nightgown and into her regular daily attire. A red two piece royal gown, a short top that cut off below her chest and a red skirt with a golden finish. On her head she put her mother's golden amulet. Iris's father always thought it was a bit revealing but Iris believed it was a symbol of status. "I can wear next to nothing and I will still be invincible!" she proclaimed. She slipped on her red boots and made her hair before her door was opened by a servant. "Mistress Iris, your father and brother are waiting for you in the throne room." "Thank you Archibald," Iris responded. Her father constantly drilled into her head how she needs to respect the servants. She made her way to the throne room seeing her father sitting on the throne for what she presumed would be the last time. Her older brother Gabriel stood next to him looking at the gold plated throne their father sat on knowing that in a few short hours it would be his. Iris looked at the empty throne next to her father. "Iris," Gabriel said with excitement. "For once you are on time, I'm guessing you know what day it is?." Iris rolled her eyes. You have only been talking about it for the past year," Gabriel laughed. "How can I not be excited?" he asked. "Today is gonna be the start of...." "The start of some great changes for The Remnant ," Iris interrupted with a mocking voice. "Gabriel, I'm proud of you, but please shut up for five minutes, save the pomp and grandeur for the ceremony." Gabriel smirked at Iris and the two broke out into laughter. Their father smiled at his children. "I'm proud of you, both of you," He stated. "Now then, the ceremony begins in two hours. I hope you are both ready...." Iris and Gabriel both nodded their heads.

As the ceremony was set to begin the guests began pouring in the cathedral. Work hours were suspended for every citizen in The Remnant and the coronation was displayed on every holoscreen. Eventually the leaders of each of the Remnant s clans made their way into their front row seats. Warren Barren of the Beaver Clan sat at the far right end of the front row. Warren was a fan of his personal space so he often sat away from everyone else. Next came Mia Write, leader of the Turtle Clan. She was a small elderly woman who was very fragile, but she did not like to show it. While the other clan leaders carried themselves with high class dignity, she did not. She would cuss out anyone she felt deserved it and would be sure to give her honest opinion about everything. "Mia, how are you doing?" Iris asked. "If i'm not dead by the time we have to do another one of these i'm going out into the waste land and waiting for fate," Iris and Mia laughed at her comment and Mia took her seat next to her lead security guard. Brock Leonidos soon followed. As Leader of the Lion Clan he preferred to travel on his own as a testament to his strength, similar to how Iris preferred to wear more revealing clothes to flaunt her status. He took the second seat on the left. Finally came Brenda Worly of the Firefly Clan. She simply took her seat in the mid left of the front row. Iris noted how she never liked to announce her presence and preferred to keep to herself much like Barren, but she would open up if you got her started on biology. Mainly the biology of, them. As the rest of the guests started to pour in it was clear it was time to begin. The room went quiet and Iris's father took to the stage. He tapped the microphone making sure it was functioning properly before beginning his speech. "Attention citizens of The Remnant . As your Leader, it is an honor to be standing in front of all of you today. I have been humbled being your leader. But it is time for me to step down, and begin a new dawn. As my son, Gabriel Thespha, will lead you into the future. As your new Sovereign leader!." The audience began to cheer. Gabriel walked up to the stage and tried to take the microphone off its stand before realizing it was not removable. He then stepped back and began his speech. "For five-hundred years The Remnant has stood as the last shelter for humanity in a world filled with death everywhere you go. And while it has done an acceptable job at keeping us safe, acceptable is no longer good enough." The audience gasped at this statement. Iris stood back looking at her father. Her father looked at Gabriel in confusion. "I have a confession," Gabriel started again. "I have been keeping secrets from you. But that was so the reveal would be so much sweeter. Me and the leader of the Lion Clan, and some of the Firefly Clans most brilliant scientists, have been working on a, well i'll let the big man himself explain it. Chief Leonidos, would you kindly?." Brock Leonidos stood up from his chair and walked onto the stage. Gabriel took a step back as Brock grabbed the Microphone. A large Holoscreen descended from the ceiling displaying what looked to Iris like some sort of space ship you would see in old sci fi movies. "This is the Screaming Eagle." Brock stated. It has high powered plasma cannons capable of firing in a sixteen meter circular diameter. It can reach a height of over nine-hundred meters. Yeah sadly nowhere close to space travel but that is not what this is designed for. Steel plated armor and a kick ass cool blue paint job it would take over twenty tons of force applied at once to bring this bird down." Brock exited the stage and sat back in his seat. The audience murmured in confusion as to why they would need this giant super weapon. But Iris knew exactly why Gabriel had it built. Gabriel took the mic again and continued his speech. "Now if you haven't guessed, let me make it clear as daylight. For Five centuries we have cowered in fear from an evil right outside our door. We have lost this beautiful planet to outsiders with no claim to the world humanity has worked millenniums to build! But I, no we will no longer stand for it! We will no longer hide from monsters under our beds! No longer duck our heads praying we are not spotted! We will take back our world from the devil that surrounds us! We will unite, and become strong! We will rise against The Hive!." The screen display changed from the Screaming Eagle to an image of a skull with horns. The signature look of The Hive Minded. And then a red circle with a line through it was placed on top of it. And under it read the phrase. "Rise against The Hive!." The audience gasped in shock at such a preposterous proposal. Murmurs of confusion and anger spread around the cathedral. Iris gulped in fear of what her brother had gotten himself into. History records Iris had read have always told the story of how The Hive Minded descended from space and overran the military power of the entire world. "If we couldn't stop them then, what makes him think we can do it now?" Gabriel's next statement would answer her question. "When The Hive first appeared, we were divided," Gabriel stated. "But today we stand united. And as one we will take back the world!." The audience began to cheer. "And if that isn't enough incentive, I promise all citizens who join the military to help fight our oppressors, a reward of five thousand silver dollars! Our great societies even greater currency." The audience cheered even more and even though he couldn't hear them, he knew the citizens outside were cheering as well.