Ch 1

Have you ever woken up after having gone to bed the night before to a rock digging painfully into your back, and the sure knowledge that you're not at home anymore? I certainly never have before. Not until now that is. Wherever I am, it's dark, except for sunlight streaming in from my left. That's my second indication that I'm definitely not at home, since my apartment windows are all covered to block light from coming in. I like the dark. Plus it makes it easier to watch movies on my TV.

Waking up in an unknown place with no idea how I got here is certainly one way to wake up quick. How did I get here? Was I kidnapped or something? Does that term even apply to me since I'm 23? I held absolutely still and feigned unconsciousness hoping that if I had been captured, my captors wouldn't notice I'm awake.

Carefully, I test my limbs to see if I'm tied down, and if I'm injured at all. Other than the sore in my back from that annoying rock, everything checks out. I appear to be laying on top of stone. That, coupled with the light probably means I'm in a cave. Slitting my eyes open carefully confirms that assessment. Scanning around to see if anyone is in the vicinity, I slowly open my eyes more and more. Absolutely no one is around. The light I noticed earlier is coming from the cave entrance. Perhaps whoever brought me here is outside? Although, leaving me alone, untied, when I could wake up at any moment means whoever did this is probably an idiot. Either that, or they're extremely confident I can't do a thing to them. Well, we'll see about that, won't we?

Shaking my head, I sat up, quickly taking stock of myself and my surroundings. The cave I'm in is really more of a hollow. There's no branch offs further down at all. I'm actually laying in the deepest part of this pit, and while it's at an incline, it won't be too hard to climb out. I also noticed that there's a fine layer of dirt and dust on the stones, which brought me up short. There's no smudge marks at all. How is that possible? If someone brought me here, there should be foot prints at least. Heck, if I just sleep walked in here, there should at least be footprints from myself! Yet there's nothing? Maybe someone just left me here and scattered all this dust to make sure I wouldn't be able to follow. Not that I could, I'm no tracker. I'm just pretty good at noticing small details.

Speaking of small details, I appear to be wearing my military ABU pants from when I was in the Air Force, and a plain black T shirt I've never seen before. I'm also wearing my military ABU boots as well. I can tell they're mine because of the scuff marks and the way they feel. Other than that though, I've got nothing but the clothes on my back. I don't even have my glasses. Tch, how annoying… least I only really need them to read.

Sitting up, I dusted myself off, then turned towards the entrance. Crouching down a bit so I can have better control of my movements, I quietly stalk towards the opening to see if there's someone out there, and whether or not I'll have to take them down in order to get some information I need, namely where am I, why I'm here, and where's the closest point of civilization?

That was the plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy, or in this case, my plan didn't survive my stepping directly into the sunlight streaming into the hollow. As soon as the sun hit my face, I felt a sudden surge of energy pulse through me that left me breathless and I gasped. In the next instant, this instinctual knowledge just appeared in my mind, like it was something I'd just known all along, but not.

Overmind Matthew

PSI Energy – 50/50

Status – Normal

Abilities

- Spawn Hatchery – 50psi – 12 hour build

- Regeneration – Passive – Heals anything not instantly fatal; time needed depends on extent of injury

- Anaerobic – Passive – No longer requires breathable atmosphere to survive

- Temperature Resistance – Passive – Currently able to survive temperatures between -450 and 118 F

- PSI Regeneration – Passive �� Regenerate energy at .5 points per second.

Zerg Swarm

Bio-Energy – 0

Support – 0/10

Entities

N/A

I reeled back in shock. What is this!? I shook my head, trying to clear it, but the information is still there. I could sooner shake away the existence of my own arm. It's just there. What in the world has happened to me!? What does it mean!? Am I the Overmind now? Am I the leader of the Zerg Swarm? How the heck did that happen!?

Ok, gotta pull myself together. These are a lot of questions, and I want answers, but I can't answer them myself. I need information. Determined, I picked myself back up from where I'd fallen, took a deep cleansing breath and let it out slowly, reeling in a feeling of calm I desperately need at this moment, and once again quietly stalked up to the hollow's entrance. Taking a quick look around, I quickly identified that there's no one around.

Stepping out fully, I took a look around. I appear to be in some sort of forest. The forest is really quiet. It's actually kind of creepy. Glancing around, there's absolutely nothing to suggest that anyone has been around here before. No footprints, no overturned plants. Nothing. It's like I just appeared here or something. At this point, I'm not about to dismiss impossibilities considering my new Overmind status. Turning around, I regarded the hollow. It's not much to look at, just a simple burrow sitting in the side of a small rise of bare rock. There's something odd about it though. I almost dismissed it till I realized just what it is I'm seeing that's been bothering me. It's perfectly circular and completely smooth. No stalagmites or random rocks or crevices at all. It literally looks like a large stone bowl, and I was sitting in the middle of it. No way is that natural. I tried to turn over in my head what it could possibly mean before deciding I didn't have enough information to figure it out. Besides, I have something more important to worry about.

First things first, I need to get a vantage point. See if I can spot civilization I can head towards, like a town or something. Unfortunately I don't see any hills around at all, so I'm going to have to climb a tree. Picking the tallest one I could find with the sturdiest looking branches, I gulped and started making my way up, cursing my fear of heights. It took forever, but I finally made it up and took a look around clutching to the trunk for dear life.

There's absolutely nothing around that looks even remotely manmade. This forest is also so huge that for three directions it simply extends all the way to the horizon. To the east are some mountains, which the sun is just looming over. Well, with no visible place to go, that just means I'm going to have to shift my focus towards survival for the foreseeable future.

Speaking of survival, I'm starting to get thirsty. Thankfully, there's a clearing not too far to the east of here, and I can see a river flowing through it. Destination set, I looked down and focused on my most immediate problem, getting down from the tree. Unfortunately I'm already well aware that in cases like this, climbing up is actually the easy part.

I'd made it about halfway down, when the branch I'm using as a support to stand on gives way under my weight and snaps. I was in the middle of reaching for a new branch, so I immediately lunge for the closest thing I can to stop my fall, but nothing is in reach, and I instantly plummet to the ground. One moment I'm in the air, the next I'm flat on my back on the ground, holding my head and groaning. That hurt! At least I didn't land on a limb otherwise I might have broken something. Landing on my back certainly gave me whiplash though.

I blinked as the pain slowly but surely disappeared. What?

Overmind regeneration complete.

Oh right. I can regenerate now. That's really handy! It also gives me a lot more solid proof that I really am the Overmind. I've certainly never healed so fast before. That makes me feel a lot better about my chances of survival out here.

Tentatively I stood up and tested my limbs. They feel fine. Better than ever actually. If it weren't for the broken branch and leaves scattered around, I might've thought the fall never actually happened! Smiling for the first time at the thought that I might just actually make it through this, I start out towards the river I saw. It only takes a few minutes until I'm close enough that I can hear the water flowing. I am a bit surprised that it takes me another ten minutes or so to reach the clearing after that. Has my hearing increased? It wouldn't surprise me. In fact now that I've noticed it, my eyes are a lot better too. Sure I could see fine before without glasses, but never with this clarity. Looking closely, I can actually see the individual veins on the leaves of the trees that are about 30 feet away. Even with my glasses I'd be lucky to be able to count the individual leaves themselves!

Impressed, but still thirsty, I made my way over to the river, which is more of a stream really, and after washing my hands, I scooped up some water. Unfortunately I don't have a fire to boil it free of impurities so a close look will have to do for now. I've never seen water so clear before that didn't come out of a bottle. A quick taste test surprises me with how good it tastes, and I don't even like the taste of water! I greedily sucked it up, before eyeing the river itself and just contemplated drinking directly from it.

It only takes a moment to make the decision, considering I really am thirsty. Plunging my face into the cool stream, I suck in my fill, making sure to use my fingers to filter out anything just in case. Although come to think of it, I'd probably be fine anyway, since my regeneration ability should heal me from anything.

Having drunk my fill, I pulled back grinning, only to notice my reflection in the water. My eyes widened. Is that me!? Feeling my face confirmed it. While I don't look too different, my face is bit more angular and sharp now. My beard and mustache are gone, though considering my face doesn't look quite so youthful as it once did, I'm not too saddened by the loss. My eyes haven't changed much, except for the color. Where before, my eyes had a brown ring around the pupil, a bluegreen band around that, and a thin dark green ring around the outer edge of my eye, now my eyes are a solid blue, and they seem to be glowing.

My hair has changed as well. It must be making up for the loss of my beard, because it's now slicked back and down to my shoulders. How did I not notice that before? My hair, including my eyebrows, have also changed to an inky midnight black with two white streaks starting at my temples and circling around the crown of my head to connect in the back. Other than that I don't look too different at all.

Now that I'm noticing differences in myself, I can't help but notice that my body has changed too. My height doesn't seem any different, though with no way to measure and nothing familiar to compare it to, I have no way to tell. Same with my weight, though I certainly feel lighter, but maybe that's just because I feel stronger too. My physique has certainly changed. This black shirt I'm wearing is a bit form fitting, and while I'm certainly not ripped, my stomach is actually flat now and hard as a rock. I've also got a bit more muscle definition, but nothing that would classify me as a beefcake. If anything I look streamlined, like a swimmer. If nothing else, I'm grateful for these changes since I have my ideal body now. Even the changes to my facial appearance are starting to grow on me fairly quickly.

Getting up, I take a look around the clearing. I have a source of water, so that's one item checked off the list of things necessary for survival in the wild. I am so glad I was a boyscout and took the Wilderness Survival class now, though we did use a lot of items to help it along that I certainly don't have now. A flashlight and some steel mesh to start a fire wouldn't be remiss if I can find a good food source. Thanks to my hearing though, I don't think I'll be finding any animals to hunt anytime soon so it doesn't matter much. I do hear some pigs, but it's so faint I'm not sure if I'm imagining it or not. I'd be better off foraging.

My eyes widened as I spotted something across the clearing before a grin broke out on my face and I made my way over. Oh yes. I'll definitely be much better off foraging, as I stopped and looked up at a tree laden with apples. If not for the apples, it doesn't look any different than the other trees at all. Reaching up, I plucked one down. It's bright red and looks delicious. Using my teeth, I pull away a large chunk of it and examine the fruit inside. It looks healthy, and no bugs at all. Grinning, I make quick work of the apple and eat two more. I'm going to need more variety than this, but for the moment, I'm certainly not going to starve. That's food checked off the list.

Food, water, and shelter are the three things required to survive and shelter is the last thing on my list. Unfortunately that part of the class was covered by either using a survival blanket and string to make a tent, both of which I don't have, and palm fronds to make the walls of a lean to, using a tree as the support, but wherever I am, this certainly isn't Florida as there isn't a single palm tree in sight, nor am I aware of any forests there either, especially not of this size. Swamps yes. Forests no. Wherever I am, I'm not even in my home state anymore.

Well… there is another possibility for a shelter I could use… one of my abilities is to spawn a Zerg Hatchery. It'd take 12 hours, which means it wouldn't be finished till after night fall, but once it's done, I'll have a safe place to sleep, and certainly someone will notice a Hatchery, considering they're three stories tall and would tower over these trees, and that's not even counting the spikes that tower over that!

The only problem is that I'm pretty sure if someone did spot my Hatchery, it'd be more likely they'd stay away and call the authorities, and while that would get me rescued, it just might get me strapped to a metal table for experimentation or shot by a crazy for being some kind of abomination.

On the other hand, I really don't have any other options for a shelter, unless I plan on sleeping in a tree, which would probably be pretty uncomfortable, not to mention scary.

Mind made up, I went over to the center of the clearing, only to stop short. Just how do I spawn a Hatchery anyway? Focusing on the ground at my feet, I thought to myself, Um… spawn Hatchery?

Nothing happened.

Scratching my head, I thought maybe if it's instinctual, if I just go with the flow, maybe it'll just happen?

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and focused on spawning the Hatchery. Going with the first thought that popped in my head, I knelt on the ground and placed my hands palms down. Mentally picturing this PSI energy I'm supposed to have, I focused on pushing it beneath my hands and into this single spot on the ground and thought the words, Spawn Hatchery.

Suddenly the same rush of energy I felt when I'd stepped into the sunlight abruptly left me all at once, and I gasped wide eyed. It feels as though I just ran a mile, but I'm not physically tired, just mentally exhausted. Already, I can feel the energy returning to me now that I know what to feel for. It's mainly concentrated in my head, but this PSI energy is flowing throughout my body just under the skin, and almost feels like a wind, only from the inside rather than out.

Feeling it out, I can almost visualize streams of it pulsing into and out of me in waves as my PSI replenishes itself. Following one direct stream that's connecting me from my head to the ground, I look down astonished to see a small Zerg egg sac no larger than my palm pulsating in time to the waves of PSI energy I'm emanating. It's so weird experiencing this. It's almost like a sixth sense but it's doubling up over my vision when I focus on it, causing things to shine with a white light. Everything has this energy to some degree and it's all reacting to my presence, like a stone thrown into a pond making ripples.

Turning this sense towards myself, I almost cringed at how bright it is before I remembered I'm not actually seeing it with my eyes. If all the ribbons and pulses of light suffusing the air is a candle, then I'm a freaking star! Despite how bright it is though, I can see that only a part of that is something I can actually use. That would be the bright energy suffusing the rest of my body. The PSI concentrated like the sun in my head though I can't access. Instinctually, I realize this is what makes me the Overmind. This light is my connection to the Swarm and my ability to control and command them. Already, a ribbon of light brighter than the rest is already connected between that large ball of light in my head and the tiny pulsing egg sac just in front of me on the ground.

Tentatively, I mentally take hold of this particular ribbon and immediately thoughts that aren't my own flood my conscience. I say thoughts, but that would be inaccurate. Thoughts usually have words attached to them. All I'm getting from this little guy are feelings and impressions. I think I'd get about the same thing if I were to feel the mind of an animal. There's no sentience here, just self awareness and instinct. It knows I'm the Overmind, and for all intents and purposes, I'm its parent. As such, it's flooding me with feelings of warmth, contentment, and love, all of which hit me with such force that it nearly brought me to tears.

I've heard tell of others having what they equate to as a religious experience? Well this was it for me. No mere words can really express the raw feelings being broadcast to me from this little unborn Hatchery, nor can I really describe with words the feelings I couldn't help but send right back, at first only a little, then more and more, as I embraced this little Hatchery with my whole being, even going so far as to bend over and wrap it in my arms.

Is this what it's like for a father to see their child for the first time? I can only wonder that as I've never before experienced anything like this, nor have I ever been a father. I'd like to think so. I know without a doubt, I will protect this little Hatchery, and all of the Swarm, with all of my being. I can do no less. My swarm. My family. My legacy.

-END CHAPTER-

Overmind Matthew

PSI Energy – 50/50

Status – Normal

Abilities

- Spawn Hatchery – 50psi – 12 hour build

- Regeneration – Passive – Heals anything not instantly fatal; time needed depends on extent of injury

- Anaerobic – Passive – No longer requires breathable atmosphere to survive

- Temperature Resistance – Passive – Currently able to survive temperatures between -450 and 118 F

- PSI Regeneration – P

Have you ever woken up after having gone to bed the night before to a rock digging painfully into your back, and the sure knowledge that you're not at home anymore? I certainly never have before. Not until now that is. Wherever I am, it's dark, except for sunlight streaming in from my left. That's my second indication that I'm definitely not at home, since my apartment windows are all covered to block light from coming in. I like the dark. Plus it makes it easier to watch movies on my TV.

Waking up in an unknown place with no idea how I got here is certainly one way to wake up quick. How did I get here? Was I kidnapped or something? Does that term even apply to me since I'm 23? I held absolutely still and feigned unconsciousness hoping that if I had been captured, my captors wouldn't notice I'm awake.

Carefully, I test my limbs to see if I'm tied down, and if I'm injured at all. Other than the sore in my back from that annoying rock, everything checks out. I appear to be laying on top of stone. That, coupled with the light probably means I'm in a cave. Slitting my eyes open carefully confirms that assessment. Scanning around to see if anyone is in the vicinity, I slowly open my eyes more and more. Absolutely no one is around. The light I noticed earlier is coming from the cave entrance. Perhaps whoever brought me here is outside? Although, leaving me alone, untied, when I could wake up at any moment means whoever did this is probably an idiot. Either that, or they're extremely confident I can't do a thing to them. Well, we'll see about that, won't we?

Shaking my head, I sat up, quickly taking stock of myself and my surroundings. The cave I'm in is really more of a hollow. There's no branch offs further down at all. I'm actually laying in the deepest part of this pit, and while it's at an incline, it won't be too hard to climb out. I also noticed that there's a fine layer of dirt and dust on the stones, which brought me up short. There's no smudge marks at all. How is that possible? If someone brought me here, there should be foot prints at least. Heck, if I just sleep walked in here, there should at least be footprints from myself! Yet there's nothing? Maybe someone just left me here and scattered all this dust to make sure I wouldn't be able to follow. Not that I could, I'm no tracker. I'm just pretty good at noticing small details.

Speaking of small details, I appear to be wearing my military ABU pants from when I was in the Air Force, and a plain black T shirt I've never seen before. I'm also wearing my military ABU boots as well. I can tell they're mine because of the scuff marks and the way they feel. Other than that though, I've got nothing but the clothes on my back. I don't even have my glasses. Tch, how annoying… least I only really need them to read.

Sitting up, I dusted myself off, then turned towards the entrance. Crouching down a bit so I can have better control of my movements, I quietly stalk towards the opening to see if there's someone out there, and whether or not I'll have to take them down in order to get some information I need, namely where am I, why I'm here, and where's the closest point of civilization?

That was the plan, but no plan survives contact with the enemy, or in this case, my plan didn't survive my stepping directly into the sunlight streaming into the hollow. As soon as the sun hit my face, I felt a sudden surge of energy pulse through me that left me breathless and I gasped. In the next instant, this instinctual knowledge just appeared in my mind, like it was something I'd just known all along, but not.

Overmind Matthew

PSI Energy – 50/50

Status – Normal

Abilities

- Spawn Hatchery – 50psi – 12 hour build

- Regeneration – Passive – Heals anything not instantly fatal; time needed depends on extent of injury

- Anaerobic – Passive – No longer requires breathable atmosphere to survive

- Temperature Resistance – Passive – Currently able to survive temperatures between -450 and 118 F

- PSI Regeneration – Passive – Regenerate energy at .5 points per second.

Zerg Swarm

Bio-Energy – 0

Support – 0/10

Entities

N/A

I reeled back in shock. What is this!? I shook my head, trying to clear it, but the information is still there. I could sooner shake away the existence of my own arm. It's just there. What in the world has happened to me!? What does it mean!? Am I the Overmind now? Am I the leader of the Zerg Swarm? How the heck did that happen!?

Ok, gotta pull myself together. These are a lot of questions, and I want answers, but I can't answer them myself. I need information. Determined, I picked myself back up from where I'd fallen, took a deep cleansing breath and let it out slowly, reeling in a feeling of calm I desperately need at this moment, and once again quietly stalked up to the hollow's entrance. Taking a quick look around, I quickly identified that there's no one around.

Stepping out fully, I took a look around. I appear to be in some sort of forest. The forest is really quiet. It's actually kind of creepy. Glancing around, there's absolutely nothing to suggest that anyone has been around here before. No footprints, no overturned plants. Nothing. It's like I just appeared here or something. At this point, I'm not about to dismiss impossibilities considering my new Overmind status. Turning around, I regarded the hollow. It's not much to look at, just a simple burrow sitting in the side of a small rise of bare rock. There's something odd about it though. I almost dismissed it till I realized just what it is I'm seeing that's been bothering me. It's perfectly circular and completely smooth. No stalagmites or random rocks or crevices at all. It literally looks like a large stone bowl, and I was sitting in the middle of it. No way is that natural. I tried to turn over in my head what it could possibly mean before deciding I didn't have enough information to figure it out. Besides, I have something more important to worry about.

First things first, I need to get a vantage point. See if I can spot civilization I can head towards, like a town or something. Unfortunately I don't see any hills around at all, so I'm going to have to climb a tree. Picking the tallest one I could find with the sturdiest looking branches, I gulped and started making my way up, cursing my fear of heights. It took forever, but I finally made it up and took a look around clutching to the trunk for dear life.

There's absolutely nothing around that looks even remotely manmade. This forest is also so huge that for three directions it simply extends all the way to the horizon. To the east are some mountains, which the sun is just looming over. Well, with no visible place to go, that just means I'm going to have to shift my focus towards survival for the foreseeable future.

Speaking of survival, I'm starting to get thirsty. Thankfully, there's a clearing not too far to the east of here, and I can see a river flowing through it. Destination set, I looked down and focused on my most immediate problem, getting down from the tree. Unfortunately I'm already well aware that in cases like this, climbing up is actually the easy part.

I'd made it about halfway down, when the branch I'm using as a support to stand on gives way under my weight and snaps. I was in the middle of reaching for a new branch, so I immediately lunge for the closest thing I can to stop my fall, but nothing is in reach, and I instantly plummet to the ground. One moment I'm in the air, the next I'm flat on my back on the ground, holding my head and groaning. That hurt! At least I didn't land on a limb otherwise I might have broken something. Landing on my back certainly gave me whiplash though.

I blinked as the pain slowly but surely disappeared. What?

Overmind regeneration complete.

Oh right. I can regenerate now. That's really handy! It also gives me a lot more solid proof that I really am the Overmind. I've certainly never healed so fast before. That makes me feel a lot better about my chances of survival out here.

Tentatively I stood up and tested my limbs. They feel fine. Better than ever actually. If it weren't for the broken branch and leaves scattered around, I might've thought the fall never actually happened! Smiling for the first time at the thought that I might just actually make it through this, I start out towards the river I saw. It only takes a few minutes until I'm close enough that I can hear the water flowing. I am a bit surprised that it takes me another ten minutes or so to reach the clearing after that. Has my hearing increased? It wouldn't surprise me. In fact now that I've noticed it, my eyes are a lot better too. Sure I could see fine before without glasses, but never with this clarity. Looking closely, I can actually see the individual veins on the leaves of the trees that are about 30 feet away. Even with my glasses I'd be lucky to be able to count the individual leaves themselves!

Impressed, but still thirsty, I made my way over to the river, which is more of a stream really, and after washing my hands, I scooped up some water. Unfortunately I don't have a fire to boil it free of impurities so a close look will have to do for now. I've never seen water so clear before that didn't come out of a bottle. A quick taste test surprises me with how good it tastes, and I don't even like the taste of water! I greedily sucked it up, before eyeing the river itself and just contemplated drinking directly from it.

It only takes a moment to make the decision, considering I really am thirsty. Plunging my face into the cool stream, I suck in my fill, making sure to use my fingers to filter out anything just in case. Although come to think of it, I'd probably be fine anyway, since my regeneration ability should heal me from anything.

Having drunk my fill, I pulled back grinning, only to notice my reflection in the water. My eyes widened. Is that me!? Feeling my face confirmed it. While I don't look too different, my face is bit more angular and sharp now. My beard and mustache are gone, though considering my face doesn't look quite so youthful as it once did, I'm not too saddened by the loss. My eyes haven't changed much, except for the color. Where before, my eyes had a brown ring around the pupil, a bluegreen band around that, and a thin dark green ring around the outer edge of my eye, now my eyes are a solid blue, and they seem to be glowing.

My hair has changed as well. It must be making up for the loss of my beard, because it's now slicked back and down to my shoulders. How did I not notice that before? My hair, including my eyebrows, have also changed to an inky midnight black with two white streaks starting at my temples and circling around the crown of my head to connect in the back. Other than that I don't look too different at all.

Now that I'm noticing differences in myself, I can't help but notice that my body has changed too. My height doesn't seem any different, though with no way to measure and nothing familiar to compare it to, I have no way to tell. Same with my weight, though I certainly feel lighter, but maybe that's just because I feel stronger too. My physique has certainly changed. This black shirt I'm wearing is a bit form fitting, and while I'm certainly not ripped, my stomach is actually flat now and hard as a rock. I've also got a bit more muscle definition, but nothing that would classify me as a beefcake. If anything I look streamlined, like a swimmer. If nothing else, I'm grateful for these changes since I have my ideal body now. Even the changes to my facial appearance are starting to grow on me fairly quickly.

Getting up, I take a look around the clearing. I have a source of water, so that's one item checked off the list of things necessary for survival in the wild. I am so glad I was a boyscout and took the Wilderness Survival class now, though we did use a lot of items to help it along that I certainly don't have now. A flashlight and some steel mesh to start a fire wouldn't be remiss if I can find a good food source. Thanks to my hearing though, I don't think I'll be finding any animals to hunt anytime soon so it doesn't matter much. I do hear some pigs, but it's so faint I'm not sure if I'm imagining it or not. I'd be better off foraging.

My eyes widened as I spotted something across the clearing before a grin broke out on my face and I made my way over. Oh yes. I'll definitely be much better off foraging, as I stopped and looked up at a tree laden with apples. If not for the apples, it doesn't look any different than the other trees at all. Reaching up, I plucked one down. It's bright red and looks delicious. Using my teeth, I pull away a large chunk of it and examine the fruit inside. It looks healthy, and no bugs at all. Grinning, I make quick work of the apple and eat two more. I'm going to need more variety than this, but for the moment, I'm certainly not going to starve. That's food checked off the list.

Food, water, and shelter are the three things required to survive and shelter is the last thing on my list. Unfortunately that part of the class was covered by either using a survival blanket and string to make a tent, both of which I don't have, and palm fronds to make the walls of a lean to, using a tree as the support, but wherever I am, this certainly isn't Florida as there isn't a single palm tree in sight, nor am I aware of any forests there either, especially not of this size. Swamps yes. Forests no. Wherever I am, I'm not even in my home state anymore.

Well… there is another possibility for a shelter I could use… one of my abilities is to spawn a Zerg Hatchery. It'd take 12 hours, which means it wouldn't be finished till after night fall, but once it's done, I'll have a safe place to sleep, and certainly someone will notice a Hatchery, considering they're three stories tall and would tower over these trees, and that's not even counting the spikes that tower over that!

The only problem is that I'm pretty sure if someone did spot my Hatchery, it'd be more likely they'd stay away and call the authorities, and while that would get me rescued, it just might get me strapped to a metal table for experimentation or shot by a crazy for being some kind of abomination.

On the other hand, I really don't have any other options for a shelter, unless I plan on sleeping in a tree, which would probably be pretty uncomfortable, not to mention scary.

Mind made up, I went over to the center of the clearing, only to stop short. Just how do I spawn a Hatchery anyway? Focusing on the ground at my feet, I thought to myself, Um… spawn Hatchery?

Nothing happened.

Scratching my head, I thought maybe if it's instinctual, if I just go with the flow, maybe it'll just happen?

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath and focused on spawning the Hatchery. Going with the first thought that popped in my head, I knelt on the ground and placed my hands palms down. Mentally picturing this PSI energy I'm supposed to have, I focused on pushing it beneath my hands and into this single spot on the ground and thought the words, Spawn Hatchery.

Suddenly the same rush of energy I felt when I'd stepped into the sunlight abruptly left me all at once, and I gasped wide eyed. It feels as though I just ran a mile, but I'm not physically tired, just mentally exhausted. Already, I can feel the energy returning to me now that I know what to feel for. It's mainly concentrated in my head, but this PSI energy is flowing throughout my body just under the skin, and almost feels like a wind, only from the inside rather than out.

Feeling it out, I can almost visualize streams of it pulsing into and out of me in waves as my PSI replenishes itself. Following one direct stream that's connecting me from my head to the ground, I look down astonished to see a small Zerg egg sac no larger than my palm pulsating in time to the waves of PSI energy I'm emanating. It's so weird experiencing this. It's almost like a sixth sense but it's doubling up over my vision when I focus on it, causing things to shine with a white light. Everything has this energy to some degree and it's all reacting to my presence, like a stone thrown into a pond making ripples.

Turning this sense towards myself, I almost cringed at how bright it is before I remembered I'm not actually seeing it with my eyes. If all the ribbons and pulses of light suffusing the air is a candle, then I'm a freaking star! Despite how bright it is though, I can see that only a part of that is something I can actually use. That would be the bright energy suffusing the rest of my body. The PSI concentrated like the sun in my head though I can't access. Instinctually, I realize this is what makes me the Overmind. This light is my connection to the Swarm and my ability to control and command them. Already, a ribbon of light brighter than the rest is already connected between that large ball of light in my head and the tiny pulsing egg sac just in front of me on the ground.

Tentatively, I mentally take hold of this particular ribbon and immediately thoughts that aren't my own flood my conscience. I say thoughts, but that would be inaccurate. Thoughts usually have words attached to them. All I'm getting from this little guy are feelings and impressions. I think I'd get about the same thing if I were to feel the mind of an animal. There's no sentience here, just self awareness and instinct. It knows I'm the Overmind, and for all intents and purposes, I'm its parent. As such, it's flooding me with feelings of warmth, contentment, and love, all of which hit me with such force that it nearly brought me to tears.

I've heard tell of others having what they equate to as a religious experience? Well this was it for me. No mere words can really express the raw feelings being broadcast to me from this little unborn Hatchery, nor can I really describe with words the feelings I couldn't help but send right back, at first only a little, then more and more, as I embraced this little Hatchery with my whole being, even going so far as to bend over and wrap it in my arms.

Is this what it's like for a father to see their child for the first time? I can only wonder that as I've never before experienced anything like this, nor have I ever been a father. I'd like to think so. I know without a doubt, I will protect this little Hatchery, and all of the Swarm, with all of my being. I can do no less. My swarm. My family. My legacy.

-END CHAPTER-

Overmind Matthew

PSI Energy – 50/50

Status – Normal

Abilities

- Spawn Hatchery – 50psi – 12 hour build

- Regeneration – Passive – Heals anything not instantly fatal; time needed depends on extent of injury

- Anaerobic – Passive – No longer requires breathable atmosphere to survive

- Temperature Resistance – Passive – Currently able to survive temperatures between -450 and 118 F

- PSI Regeneration – Passive – Regenerate energy at .5 points per second.

Zerg Swarm

Bio-Energy – 0

Support – 0/10

Entities

1x Hatchery (Non Sentient; Unborn)

assive – Regenerate energy at .5 points per second.

Zerg Swarm

Bio-Energy – 0

Support – 0/10

Entities

1x Hatchery (Non Sentient; Unborn)