The hivemind is conquering for me?

Talia looked up at my face with confusion. She could tell Apollo's 'hypothetical' was in fact possible. She thought for a moment about the question. 'Sepiidans are already half of another species, adding another into the fold would not hurt right?'

"Apollo, I have just one question to ask you in regards to your 'hypothetical.'" She said, causing me to raise my brow at the seriousness in her voice. "Ask away I replied curiously. Talia then took a deep breath before she said.

"I know you said I would look similar to what I do now in the hypothetical, but would I still retain my looks? I am beautiful and I need to stay that way no matter what." She said with a determined look that could rival that of a seasoned warrior.

I stared upon her face a moment before I began chuckling, a moment later I got close to her face, cupped her chin with my fingers and whispered as I stared into her beautiful eyes. "If you undergo my 'Hypothetical', I guarantee that you will look more beautiful to me then you do now."

If Talia was driven on instincts before, she was smitten now. She tried to move forward to kiss the face in front of her, but her head was firmly lodged in place by the strong, powerful, masculine hands..."

Talia shivered in delight as she continued to stare at the true definition of a male is in front of her and could no longer support her body and dropped to her knees once more. After taking in some deep breaths, she composed her self the best her on fire like body could currently do and looked up at Apollo again.

"What do I need to do? I am willing to do anything and everything for my soon to be husband."

…

Hugo was walking down a corridor. He had just received an alert and needed a private space to receive a communication. In the hallway he was walking down, he spotted a Sepiida walking with a very pleasant smile on her face.

"Hello dear." Hugo replied with a smile to which the Sepiidan replied with a great deal of glee back. "Hello sir noble, have a fantastic evening." It said as she passed. Hugo liked Sepiidan sprit, they made the best out of a bad situation and are thriving through it.

As he got lost in his thoughts for a moment. He did not realise a man was walking towards him until he was right next to him. Upon realising the man was there, he was taken aback by who it was and chimed. "Apollo?"

I was in my own headspace thinking and did not even notice the 8ft tall man in front of me until he said my name. "Oh Hugo hey, are you enjoying the party?" I asked casually. The man looked me up and down a moment before he replied. "Sure its not bad, though things could be better, I am a man of particular tastes after all."

I nodded my head, engaged with the conversation. "True, there are some things I would change as well, though I suppose it is the queens party and she has it the way she likes, we just have to appreciate being along for the ride."

Hugo let out a single chuckle in response. "That is a good attitude you have son. Tell me, what are the parties like on the world you are from Archon Apollo?" He asked curiously. I smiled a moment before replying. "I am sorry to ruin your question Hugo, but I am an Archon without a planet. My planet was devoured by the swarm and only a few survived the ordeal so I could not tell you." I said faking a sadness.

Hugo did not mean to upset the boy. Despite his earlier mistrust and probing, he never had anything against him on a personal level. "Ah, I am sorry son, I did not wish to dredge up old wounds. Please tell me the name of your fallen world so I might remember its sacrifice and use it to drive my purpose going forward."

'Oh wow.' I thought. 'This dude cheered me up even though I was not even upset, he is good.' I thought for a moment before deciding why not, no one else I have met knows anything about the random outer rim planet.

"I came from a planet way out in the outer rim sir. It was called Apollo-minor. It was a small dwarf planet with what I am told had a beautiful mountainous landscape planetwide. I was named after said planet so Its legacy would always live on with me."

Hugo stood in stupor for a moment. He heard the name of that planet thousands of times during Gabrielle's therapy sessions. Noticing he had yet to reply, Hugo said. "Apollo-minor... I shall carry the name with me going forward. Hey Apollo, remind me again, how old are you?"

"I am 18 years old, why do you ask?" I replied, causing Hugo to say. "Oh no reason, I am just impressed as I can tell that you are strong and at such a young age is truly impressive. I have to go now, I have an important communication waiting, but this was a pleasant conversation, take care." He said before lumbering away. As I watched him round I corner I thought to myself. 'Huh, nice guy.'

As Hugo rounded the corner, his mind began to spin. 'No, no it can't be, can it? The timeline adds up. Apollo-minor was a mining outpost so there should have been zero children there. Gabrielle only got pregnant due to neglect on her part and no one else would risk it so far out into the outer rim. But he is an Archon? Hmm, I suppose if he was the last survivor on the planets surface, he does attain that title via the inheritance law, but how would he have gotten that officialised? Even more, how in Spartari could he have survived as a baby there all alone surrounded by those monsters?'

Hugo suddenly thought of Gabrielle recent mental state. She was so sure her baby was dead for years and now suddenly once this man is randomly here, she now thinks her baby is alive? 'What if she is right and that man actually is...'

Hugo got pulled out of his thoughts when another alert chimed from his communicator. It was Gabrielle. He contemplated a moment. 'Should I tell her what I have just found out? But what if I am wrong and it is all coincidence? I need more solid evidence before I even suggest the notion. If I tell her I met her grown son and Apollo ends up not being him... I don't know what that would do to her.'

Hugo felt a cluster headache behind where his eye used to be, a side effect from having his brain exploded usually, but this time he was sure he brought it on himself. In the end, he decided he would not get Gabrielle right now, but will build up a case against the man known as Archon Apollo Lambdason and get to the bottom of this one way or another.

…

Meanwhile, back in the upstairs party hall. King Dickon was covering his eyes as he began weeping. "*Sniff* Does she still look upset? *Sniff" He asked his wife as he could not bare to look at his daughters face like that.

Hailey was currently standing alone next to a pillar. Kathrine was just ushered away by a Sepiidan and the evil man who would not leave his daughter alone was nowhere to be found. Dickon was going to use the opportunity of her being alone to send someone over, but when he saw the sadness in his little girls eyes, he just began to break down.

"Yes she still looks sad and alone. Don't worry though husband, I will go and keep her company." Elaine said as she got up. She then picked up some drinks from a waiter as she walked over to her step daughter.

Having managed to successfully sneak up on her step daughter, Elaine nudged her with one of the cups in her hands, causing Hailey to spin around rapidly. Her face lit up for a second, but upon realising it was not who she thought it was, her face returned to a neutrality. "Oh Elaine, Is everything ok?"

Elaine smiled. "No it is not gloomy girl. You were standing here looking all upset, which is fine, but you broke my rule and do not have a drink in your hand so you are going to share one with me now." Elaine said as she pushed the drink into Hailey's hand.

Hailey contemplated for a moment as she stared at the drink in her hand. She was already pretty drunk so she was afraid about what would happen if she drank more. On the other hand, Elaine and the life giver have kept their word about leaving her alone and followed most of her rules she set out, it would be unfair of her to not return the favour.

"Very well, but just the one drink." She said before she said cheers and both of the women threw their heads back to down the drinks like true Spartari nobles.