Catalyst

Chapter 49: Domination

In a creep covered room, riddled with pustules of green fluid, Abathur slashed open a cocoon. The cocoon was quite tall, set up in front of a now covered painting, the occupant of which had long since run away. A man fell out of it, covered in spines and carapace. He looked disoriented for a second, before his eyes locked upon Luna's.

"I...I never imagined... I am truly sorry my Queen! I shall dedicate my life to your service!" Rodolphus had been released from his cocoon. He was kneeling on the ground, practically overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the hivemind. Luna could understand it. She had felt the same thing when she was first brought in. Still, Luna found it hard to empathize. Another human was in the Swarm. Another human got to share in the glory, the feeling of belonging, of being part of something unimaginably bigger. He got to be part of the greatest thing in the universe, and he seemed to be perfectly happy in it. He was one with the Swarm, as was she.

How many humans weren't?

"A few billion; I can't say we know the exact number." Luna turned her gaze away from Abathur's last minute inspection towards Thenabar. He raised an eyebrow. "What? You asked."

Luna rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. I just wonder, is there any reason we can't just bring all of them into the Swarm?"

"Inefficient," Abathur growled out. "Only distinguishing characteristics, intelligence, psionics. Psionics rare. Mass infestation not effective. Minor intelligence, not useful to Swarm. Current strains superior."

"That's not all they have," Luna protested."When they're in groups, they're...they're..." She couldn't come up with the words. Instead, she pushed out the feeling, that feeling of belonging and purpose, so potent even without the hivemind. The passion that had led her to the ministry, the rage that caused her to kill Bellatrix Lestrange. She flooded the nearby hivemind to them. Abathur had to get it.

"Emotions, product of social interactions. Would require spreading intelligence. Potential harm to hivemind. Cannot happen," Abathur paused. "Voldemort approaching. Thenabar, escort Rookwood, explain."

"Of course Evolution Master. Up, Rookwood. Time to introduce you to our lord and master,"He grinned. "You should be quite aware of how to play the part. Do put on a good show for him." Thenabar stopped in front of the door, waiting for the creep to recede off of the edges, before opening it and leading Rookwood out the door. It shut behind them.

"How come you're fine with infesting him instead of the rest of the humans?" Luna demanded petulantly.

"Psionics valuable. Compensates for other flaws," Abathur responded dispassionately. An image appeared in Luna's mind, a hulking humanoid covered in pustules and tentacles. It was disgusting, resembling something closer to a half burnt octopus than a human. Its eyes were dead, empty. "Only alternative."

"Abathur...have you experimented on humans?" Luna asked with a sinking feeling. Abathur was old, she suddenly remembered. She didn't know exactly how many years, but he was older than any living human. He'd had time enough to do most anything he wanted to.

"Yes," Luna's heart stopped. "Ordered by Queen of Blades. Not good. Poor essence. Was pleased to stop."

"Oh," Luna said, relieved. She was silent for a moment. Abathur turned his attention to another cocoon. "It's fine if they're magical then?"

"Result superior. Worth effort."

Luna beamed. She could work with that. Sure, it wasn't all of the humans. But she could still share the glory, the unity of purpose and thought, this innate sense of belonging, the things every human searched for their entire lives, and all it would take was an afternoon with Abathur. She could convince people to join with that. Besides, she had always wanted to try being a door to door salesman. How hard could it be to convince someone to get what they already wanted?