Nine To Hive
Prologue
by Half Shim
It is almost the ten year anniversary of the last time I touched this story. In that time, many things have changed, while many others have remained the same. Technology marches on, and now the new hotness is AI. This is reflected in a new novel I have written, 'Tick Tock,' set in the same universe as 'Nine to Hive.' That story is now available on Amazon under the author name 'Caroline Waters.' I have not rewritten any major plot points in this story, though I have rectified several consistency and readability errors. Endings C (Grateful Yellow), D (Accepting Orange), and E (Hounding Red) are all new material. Enjoy!
She sat calmly in the alcove, her mind tuned in to the low, background hum. It was lyrical and soft, the melody deceptively simple. Her mind was wrapped in a blanket of warm cotton, butterflies nibbling gently at the edges.
Calm, she waited without hurry, her vision obscured by a visor that sat inches from her eyes. Around her body clung a thick, black bodysuit, dark as the night, shined to a mirror finish that emphasized her ample assets. Her legs were angled perpendicular to her torso, knees and legs forming a perfect ninety degree angle. Each foot was clasped tight in thick, highly polished black platform boots with chunky heels.
Deep in her vagina was buried a thick, knobby dildo, the rubbery mass pulsing very slightly with the beat of Hive. Welded to her head was a black, shiny ball that absorbed light, hiding all features of her drone self.
The world appeared desaturated through her helmet, but for a series of colored lines that swam through the air. The lines danced joyously, entwining and embracing. They didn’t exist, not really, except as a figment of her imagination.
She wasn’t really sure what the lines meant. They were probably a product of a vestigial portion of her brain which was still trying its best to interpret her surroundings.
Not that the drone cared, of course, for it had long ago discarded any pretense of thinking for itself. She had given everything to Hive, pushing her uniqueness into the gestalt.
In return, it had filled her to the brim with its thick, warm obedience. She had been cored, invaded, and pacified, remade to serve Hive’s purposes. Now, she waited patiently to be activated, made to do whatever would serve Hive best. There was no need to worry, or feel concern. There was only silence, and the colors of obedience.
Her impassivity dragged on interminably. At regular, controlled intervals, she exhaled softly and her eyes blinked, pussy rhythmically clenching at the dildo as she stared into infinity. The colors pranced in a step formation and the chorus stirred, the tone of Hive taking on a slightly different timbre. Unexpectedly, the colors drained from her sight and the hum dissipated, the dildo becoming a still block of rubber.
She was not concerned, incapable of being concerned at this turn of events. She continued to sit, even though Hive had temporarily withdrawn from her body. She had truly given up everything she had, her body remodeled into an empty husk to be filled and commanded by others.
This state of affairs continued on for some time, but like a tsunami breaching the shore, Hive’s presence crashed back into her, filling her completely. Her body involuntarily gasped, a simple reflex that had no conscious control behind it. Her mind was being repurposed, restructured.
The soldier drone stood up smoothly, the pleasure instrument slipping from her vulva. She reached down and zipped her body suit shut, the rubbery material now forming an impenetrable second skin over her body.
She cinched her belt tightly around her waist, various tools secured to its shiny rubber surface. The fact that Hive was upset did not bother the drone. She had been given a task, and she would accomplish it automatically without thought. Anything else was irrelevant.
Maneuvering on her platform boots, her body steered itself to the pulse of Hive. Feet lifting, she moved forward at a measured pace. Harsh, white light shone from fluorescent fixtures mounted to the ceiling, gleaming over her alien, rubber form.
Hands at her sides, she marched forward, head and neck fixed in a rubber helmet and collar. The walls glistened around her, covered with a shiny goo and rubbed to a glossy finish. The substance had been excreted over every possible surface, left to dry into a slightly pinkish polycarbonate.
Stomping over the solid surface, she listened to the music of Hive as it steered her through the nameless corridors. As she continued on, the amount of the substance coating the walls slowly appeared to subside, its thickness gradually trailing off. Her pace never varied, steady motion unhurried, but determined.
Her steps echoed, the coated walls absorbing little of the sound energy. As she rounded a corner, the hallway opened into a four way intersection, corridors leading off to other areas of the complex. She stopped abruptly, standing dead still at the center of the intersection, rubbery arms angled slightly at her sides.
Her body obeyed an unseen authority, waiting expectantly for something to happen. Rhythmic marching began to throb in her ears, a soldier approaching from both ends of the hallway.
The sister drones were dressed in identical rubber outfits, approaching her position in lockstep. They both reached her at the exact same time, each one executing a perfect turn to match her stance with the grace of synchronized swimmers.
Lined up in a row, they were identical, unidentifiable slaves, waiting in silence for Hive to make them do its bidding.
Three pairs of shiny black boots lifted in unison, their masked heads now leaning forward into the synchronous motion. They moved as one, a picture of perfect obedience, each controlled with precision by Hive.
Goose stepping with effortless grace, a perfect line in motion, they continued their march down the hall, each leg lifting easily to a forty five degree angle before dropping back to the floor.
Now that they were together, they moved forward quickly, driven by an unseen urgency. Despite their rapid forward motion, their breasts didn’t bounce, as they were tightly held in place by their clinging suits. The coating on the walls continued to get thinner, the dried gelatinous ooze giving way to clear, clean white walls.
Finally, they reached the end of the hallway, a large doorway with a striped red outline blocking the exit. When they came within a few paces, both halves parted simultaneously, sliding smoothly and silently into either side of the wall.
As the drones emerged into a new corridor, their environs changed drastically. Instead of the slick, coated walls, a generic workplace greeted them, offices lining the walls.
The first drone stopped two paces outside the doorway, the second four paces, the third, six. Then, they executed a sharp right face. The drone that lagged behind began to march again, picking up the second drone when they were parallel to each other.
In the same manner, the third drone came back into step with the first two. There was no conscious thought necessary to execute this formation - Hive controlled them absolutely, directing their bodies to do precisely what was necessary to complete the maneuver properly.
The door slid shut behind them, the green light above turning a solid red. They continued to move, the corridor opening up into a larger office space, white walls replaced with the dull gray of a cubicle farm. Phones rang in the distance, the chatter from faint conversations overlaying the sound of their footsteps.
From time to time, an office worker would stand up and look at the scene they were making - three identical faceless automatons dressed in shiny black rubber, marching straight through the office to an invisible beat.
No comments were made by the observers, and nobody moved to stop them. A few of the workers looked nervous, sitting back down in what appeared to be an attempt to hide. Some of the others were excited, lust lighting their faces instead of fear.
The soldiers ignored them all, continuing their progress to the other side of the room. They entered another corridor, this one looking nicer than the one they had exited from.
The pale, white walls had been replaced with warm wooden paneling. Steel office doors gave way to solid oak masterpieces with golden handles. Thin, wall length windows meant more for show than for privacy ran to the end of the hall, a solitary door at the end providing the only entrance and exit.
Although still noticeable, the march of the drones on the carpeted hallway wasn’t nearly as loud as in the hallways with the plastic-looking coating. This meant that as they approached, a conversation from the conference room was clearly audible.
“I said no, and I meant no, Mason!” The feminine voice was loud but carefully controlled.
There was some inaudible speech, then harsh laughter and a loud male voice. “You’re too naive! I’ve been planning this acquisition for months! Have you even been paying attention to who owns your stock?” More gloating laughter followed.
Ignoring this diatribe, the soldier slaves continued their march to the end of the hallway. The businessman, his back to the windows, was so occupied with his rant that he took no notice of their muffled footsteps or the motion out in the corridor.
When the drones reached the conference room doorway, all three of them turned and stacked up in a row, standing there silently like ghosts. Behind the closed door, loud voices continued to penetrate the inadequate soundproofing.
The female replied in a controlled voice. “Unlike you, I am not an unprincipled slob.” She became louder, overriding the protests of the other party. “I know what is required to execute a hostile takeover, and you simply don’t have what it takes. You have taken much longer than should have been necessary, and my patience is wearing thin. I have been expecting this meeting for more than three months, and therefore I have had more than enough time to prepare!” Her hands clapped three times, rhythmically. “Enter!”
The lead drone opened the door, stepping through in time with the others. The last one mechanically shut the exit, all three turning to present themselves to the conference table.
Sitting half way down the left side of the conference table was a rotund, sweaty man. His face was red from shouting, expression indignant at the interruption. His thick fist waved in the air, mouth half open, ready to continue the argument.
Next to the garrulous fat man sat a prim and proper woman. She was industriously taking notes, lips thin. Her fiery red hair was arrayed around her head in a simple bob cut, the rest of her body dressed in suitable business attire. She was the perfect picture of an executive assistant.
On the other side of the conference table sat a stern looking businesswoman. She had clearly put herself in a position of power, her elevated conference chair giving her the height advantage over her two visitors.
She was dressed in a matching jacket and blouse, hair pulled up in a French twist. She smiled blandly at the man’s indignation, refusing to become agitated by his antics. An almost invisible purple sheen seemed to flow through her eyes.
“There’s nothing you can do now!” shouted the fat man. “I’m clearly in position to make a leveraged buyout, and there’s nothing you can do to convince me otherwise!”
He jumped slightly, sweating prodigiously, finally taking note of the three drones that were now arrayed on his right. “What’s all this about? You can’t touch me, you hear? I own the police in this town, and I’ll have you arrested!”
The drones made no threatening moves, arms at their sides. They were unreadable, black tinted helmets hiding all expression, not that they had any to show. They took pleasure in being completely obedient.
The businesswoman stared at the fat man’s outburst, unimpressed. “Don’t worry, Mason,” she said with a smirk, “there’s nothing I have to do to you directly. In fact, I’m sure you’ll change your mind shortly without any need for me to even lift a finger.”
She tilted her head slightly, looking at the man’s assistant. “Resurface code aqua, enslavement protocol Beta.”
The assistant became rigid, dropping the pen she had been using to take notes. Her eyes filled with a purple hue and the corners of her mouth lifted into a grin. “Thank you, Mistress,” her mouth oozed gratefully. “I am your drone. I hear and obey.”
She turned towards her boss and embraced him roughly, knocking her chair backwards to the floor. Before he could react, her hands clamped around his barrel chest, lips pressed tightly to his. Stunned, he was momentarily unable to react.
The businesswoman made a subtle hand motion, the drones behind her speeding into action, splitting up into two groups and marching around the table. Before Mason was able to disentangle himself from his amorous assistant, two of the slaves had flanked him and grabbed both his arms in an unbreakable grip.
He spluttered, pushing forward in an attempt to dislodge his assailants. Roaring like a bull, he tried to use his bulk to his advantage. Instead of sliding off his body as expected, the drones refused to let go. All three clung to him like leeches, dragging him down to the floor.
Unnoticed by the struggling businessman, the third soldier drone used the distraction to position herself behind him. In one motion, she reached down to her belt, retrieved a syringe, and jabbed it into his neck. She depressed the plunger for a full dosage, then tossed it aside and wrapped her thick arms around his back.
Mason continued to struggle, but he was clearly outmatched. He shoved himself sideways, smashing one of the drones into a window. The impact made the pane vibrate like a gong, but it didn’t crack, and the impassive slave still managed to hold on.
He was tiring fast - he wasn’t in the best of shape, and the drug was taking effect quickly. In the end, he was unable to dislodge enough of the lithe soldiers to make much of a difference.
His arms went slack, eyes unfocused. The soldiers took advantage of the situation, forcing him back into the chair he had made an aborted attempt to escape from earlier, their rubber uniforms peeling off him like Velcro.
“How?” he asked softly, eyes shining with frustration.
The businesswoman grinned. “Is it so surprising? I gave you several hints earlier. I knew that you would attempt this strategy at least four months ago. It took me a week to infiltrate your organization and convert your assistant. Margo, here, has been a willing slave of Hive for three and a half months now, and she’s been working on you the entire time. She’s not a mindless husk like the soldiers here, but actively uses her talents for the good of Hive.”
Mason slumped in the chair, stunned at the utter betrayal he faced, still confused. “If you managed to convert her so quickly, why take so long with me?” he slurred, dumbfounded.
The businesswoman frowned. “A simple question with a simple answer. Males cannot hear Hive with any regularity, and therefore are not subject to its allure. Over time, we have discovered how to ‘adjust’ men in society to further our goals, but it is time consuming. It’s much easier to recruit females, and, in fact, I personally prefer it.”
She gestured towards the soldier drones. “As you can see, they love Hive so much that they have sacrificed everything for it.”
Margo turned towards her Queen and smiled beatifically, her eyes shining with adoration. “Hive sings to me. Thank you for subverting me, my Queen.”
She gave her Queen an inquisitive look.
“Yes, you may,” said the Queen, satisfied with the assistant’s efforts. Her eyes glowed with the purple power of Hive.
Margo turned back to her victim. “Don’t worry,” she said with fanaticism, “you’ll enjoy being owned by Hive.”
The soldier drones stood indifferently as she pulled her blouse and panties off, revealing her aroused pussy. She unzipped Mason’s pants, coyly slipping a svelte hand inside to draw out his stiffening penis. An aphrodisiac mixed into the drug made certain that he would be ready for her whether he was willing or not.
She massaged his dick gently with one hand until she deemed it ready for action. Straddling him, she slipped his hardness slowly but firmly into her willing center. As she began to move downwards, she clasped his sweaty head between her hands.
Her eyes started to swirl, purple waves drifting through her irises. She gripped him as Hive’s influence began to rise. Moving faster, she rose and fell, the wisps of purple becoming a veritable torrent, her eyes glowing unnaturally from within. He grunted softly, unable to make any reciprocal motion. She was utterly in control.
As she neared climax, she leaned forward with the motion, locking her lips to Mason’s. She exhaled into him, expelling a cloud of purple into his lungs. A haze exploded from her eyes, streaming towards Mason. He couldn’t look away, seeing wonders no untouched person could comprehend.
The majesty of Hive flowed into him, rushing into every nook and cranny, as it had so many times in the past. How had he ever forgotten its presence?
His mind flashed back through all the ‘board’ meetings, the after work trysts, the ‘late hours’ where he had met with his assistant. Over and over again, until he would do anything just to touch Hive for an instant. He groaned, both overjoyed and dismayed, only now realizing how far he had fallen.
Margo sat down, thrusting the man’s cock deeply into her core, a nova exploding in her mind. She leaned back and moaned out her pleasure, pleased that she had been able to serve Hive so successfully.