LORE SNIPPETS
The concept of 'pollution' is somewhat foreign to [We]. Regalis was a bit of a dump long before the Hivers industrialised- life had adapted to high levels of background radiation, contaminated water, and localised atmospheric systems that could become chock-full of noxious gasses whenever the local volcano erupted. So when the Hivers started building smokestacks, pumping out sewage, and eventually dumping radioactive waste, the local flora and fauna just rolled with it. Now, centuries later, the planet is worse off, but primarily due to the bombardment it suffered at the hands of the [Invaders]. Bear this in mind before you judge the efforts of [We] to establish industries on other planets. Sure, they pump out toxic waste in vast quantities, unfiltered, with no regard or concern for where it goes, but from a Hiver's perspective, the environment should be able to handle such things.
Contact with the [Queenless Singers] and [Mute Bipeds] has caused some consternation in Hiver society. Clearly, their civilisations (in so far as one can call their primitive attempts at society such) are inferior to [Ours], and much like the [Invaders], they will be crushed by [Our] collective might. However, it must be acknowledged that they have managed to put up a fight. This has led some to question whether [We] are superior to [Them]. Aforementioned questioners have been dealt with, of course, but it highlights that even today, there can exist division within [We]- not to a scale that could ever seriously threaten us, but it does require resources to be dedicated to stamping it out that could be better spent on the war effort.
On Regalis, access to sunlight is a luxury. There are only so many canyons, yet there are so many more Hivers. As a result, there is a class of colony that never sees daylight, but are situated deep within the earth, where they extract minerals for trade with other colonies, and get their water from the underground seas. They are known as the [Deep], and until recently they were a somewhat maligned group- second class colonies, as it were. Few of their number contributed much to our early ventures into space, except as a source of resources.
The concept of a 'computer' (a number-crunching device that is capable of executing arbitrary code) was a relatively recent invention in Hiver society, coming much later in their technological development than is typical. The reason for this is simple; why calculate something using a piece of machinery, when you have so much spare mental capacity amongst the drones in the hive that could do it instead? As society advanced the amount of calculations that had to be performed increased exponentially, of course, and eventually it became necessary to develop mechanical means of performing some of the most rote tasks.
There is a mold that grows in deep spaces- dark places in the earth that are well hidden away from the sun and the elements. If a young hiver, carapace not yet fully formed to protect them from the harsh light, were to be infected with this mold through their too-soft carapace it would grow inside them and fester. While they might walk and act as a healthy unit, they would carry bomb inside them that would one day erupt and hurt others.
The Relentless, and its engineers, are like that mold infected youngling. It matters not whether the youngling be drone, prince, or princess, they must be [excised] for the good of the hive. Better to replace a dozen now than ten thousand in a year.
Hivers are living beings, and as such, following the immutable laws of biology that seem to permeate the entire universe, Hivers die. Death may be universal, but the reactions to it are not, and the Hivers have unusual attitudes towards death, befitting their unusual nature.
Drones are barely considered alive to begin with. Their lives are valued above those of animals (a category that includes all non-psionic life in the universe, including other species that might consider themselves sapient), but far below those of the higher castes. For a drone to sacrifice its life in pursuit of its duty is not considered a noble act, but is taken for granted as just something drones do. Indeed, the Hiver 'language' has no way of saying "A drone died"- the closest equivalent is "[drone]->[cease]", which would also be used to refer to a drone that has stopped working.
In the case of princes, death is uncommon. A far more common 'final' fate is [termination]. This occurs when their Queen determines that they have failed the Colony in some way, be it through heresy (or thoughts thereof), or simple incompetence. The Queen will forcibly sever the prince's connection to the psionic network, by sending them a pulse that burns out their psionic organ. This renders the prince all but entirely dumb and deaf, as well as half blind. Once a prince has been [terminated], they are a non-entity; an animal, by Hiver standards.
Most princes respond to [termination] by killing themselves- those who retain some loyalty to the Colony having the decency to make their way to a recycling centre first. A rare few will refuse to die, however. They skulk about the Colony, stealing food where they can- a dangerous endeavour, as warrior drones see them as intruding wild animals, and will duly hunt them down should they be caught harming the Colony. Some flee into the wild, and attempt to survive on their own- a monumental feat for an individual Hiver, but one that especially hardy princes sometimes manage. Hunter drones sometimes return from expeditions with such a 'wild prince' amongst their catch (who are thrown into the meat grinders with all the other prey).
Of note, only princes who are connected to the Queen's psionic network can be [terminated]; those belonging to other Colonies, or rebels who have severed themselves, cannot be targeted.
Sometimes, a prince will actually die before failing in such a manner as to deserve [termination], be it in combat, through old age (at around 25 earth years), or as a result of breeding. These princes are honoured in [religious] ceremonies, where it is emphasised to other princes that they should emulate the success and piety of the dead prince, in the hopes that they too might die whilst connected to the psionic network, and hence ascend to the spiritual plane.
All princesses hope to be [anointed], but most will die as princesses. The average lifespan is around 60 earth years, although some princesses live much longer. Sickness is the most common cause of death, as they are usually kept out of danger- even when a princess goes to war, she will be protected by elite bodyguards, and rarely face mortal peril.
The death of a princess is considered regrettable, on a practical level, but Hivers have few emotional ties between individuals that would result in actual mourning. Particularly noteworthy princesses may be honoured by a 'funeral', of sorts, in which their noteworthy accomplishments are recounted and recorded for future generations to consider, although the body is unceremoniously recycled.
All the callousness with which death is treated for the majority of Hivers is entirely discarded when it comes to the death of a Queen. Her entire Colony can feel her passing, and will suffer as her presence is erased from their minds- a presence that has almost certainly been with them their entire lives, around which their entire being is built. The loss can be devastating, to the point where many of her drones will die on the spot from the mental trauma.
It is fortunate, then, that Queens can feel their natural deaths coming, ensuring that the Colony has ample time to prepare for the damage, and the question of succession can be worked out in advance. Likewise, it is fortunate that Queens can have extraordinarily long lifespans, ranging into the centuries, meaning these events do not happen often.
Dead Queens are mummified, and interred in a great tomb filled with records of her achievements, and numerous relics. Not for the benefit of the departed Queen, but for the benefit of her former subjects wanting to remember her, or future Queens and princesses hoping to study their predecessor's life.
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Topic: [We] Empire Thread | Hivers | GalactiRace (Read 25433 times)