It took a few minutes for me to process the fact I had essentially become the 'mate' of an entire species. Which at the same time is also a single being at the same time. When I first came to understand my boon I thought it would be absolutely useless. The way it may have gone is that some nurse may have fallen in love with me at birth and kidnapped me from the ward to raise as her future lover. pretty twisted. But my life givers decided to keep me hidden in order not to get reprimanded by their bosses. In a way this boon has given me a very powerful gift. Not only am I not going to need child services, I now have an entire species madly in love with me and would likely be able to provide vast amounts of resources to me for whatever I need.
So much has happened in such a short time, so many thoughts about the future, so many possibilities. would the hivemind expect me to help in its assaults on humans and goodness know what other alien species' planets? would I just be expected to spend all my time with it, never leaving its nest again? It's clearly a spacefaring race. Would I be able to explore new planets? see new things? The prospect of this new world I was sent to, no this new universe. so many questions needed answering.
As if peering into my head through the open psionic link my current mode of transport relayed to me " Mate-spawn your mind energy is polluted with thoughts. Is there anything you wish to ask this one? This one shall do it's all in answering." I paused a moment in surprise by the voice, forgetting about the link. " Sorry I'm a worry thinker and not used to having other beings in my head, humans don't have this capability." I relayed before continuing " I recall you mentioning earlier that you are a 'freethinker variant'? Is that your name and do all freethinkers look like you?"
" My designation in freethinker variant #1700354. The hive does not require names as we are linked therefore all know each other. And no, not all freethinkers appear similar. This one's gene-caste was made with an altered eye mutation which petrifies prey. This one is also a swarm commander therefore was made with a body flawlessly designed to kill up close"
"I see that does make sense, but can I request that I give you a name? Humans connect better with others if you know each other's name and you did say you have autonomy from the rest of the hive which at times makes you an individual." After I asked it this question I felt our psionic link break and the freethinker stopped in its tracks again. 'Huh? Did it not like the idea?'
After 5 minutes of standing still in the rubble, of what was but a day ago a defence force bunker, my link with the freethinker reconnected and it started moving again. "Forgive the pause mate-spawn, the queen had entered this one's psionic link fully and with your current strength you would not be able to bear it and we would never wish harm to you." I noticed a slight change in the way it spoke. It sang more freely with a husky allure. "The hive-queen has decided to grant this one the same freedoms as a bio-cult infiltrator would receive as a bonding gift to you. This means this one Is now as fully independent from the Psionic link as much as our species can be." "As this one is now truly an individual and doesn't just have autonomy this one would be most honoured to accept host bonding ritual of name giving."
I thought hard for a moment. I wasn't expecting the hive to essentially give up control of one of its limbs just so I could connect better with it. 'Love must truly be a powerful tool'. 'Now to think of a name.... What do I know about this creature I'm currently attached to? I know 'it' is a she. it's 5 meters so I could call her Giganta? No, that's a bit uninspired I mused. What else, she's mostly white, albedo maybe?' No, again pretty basic I looked around at what I could see from her. Not much, but her scythes did remind me of a very beautiful insect back from my old world and although she lacks the pink and has tan accents instead this apex predator looks like if an orchid mantis was dropped into a vat of super evolution and she was what came out.'
"If you dislike the name I give you, you can always say no and I will think of something else, but I was thinking about 'Orchid'. What do you think?"
"Orchid cherishes her new name mate-spawn. Orchid wishes to ask mate-spawn a question" "Sure, but can you stop with the 'mate spawn' it's a little creepy to me." I replied.
"Forgive Orchid mate-spawn Orchid does not wish to make you uncomfortable. But that can be changed with my question. What name does mate take? Orchid and the rest of the hive wish to know this."
"Oh, totally slipped my mind sorry my name is-" Totally slipped my mind was incorrect, I can't remember my name at all. In fact now that I think about it, I don't even think I knew my name when I was with the blue lamp? How could I forget my own name? Is it a side effect of dying? Panic started to take hold of me but before it could take root Orchid called out to me. "Mate-spawn what is wrong? Do you not wish to tell Orchid?"
I composed myself after a few seconds the panic fading. Who cares about my old name, this is my new life, a new name is just what I need. Thinking of an eloquent response a few more seconds later I responded "No I would tell you its just that well, in human society the parents usually name their chi-spawn, but my parents abandoned me in that bin without giving me a name. Heh perhaps as my bonding gift to you, you can give me a name?"
Orchid stopped again, she seemed to do this a lot when confused.
"You want Orchid to choose your name mate spawn?"