I was born from an egg. Well, not just any egg; it was an egg laid by a cluster-wide Hive Mind. And like any creature born of any hive mind, I had a purpose. I was given intelligence and all the recent advancement in genetics that our brain drones could come up with. All for selective breeding, an offering to the Conglomerate Of Hives, where I'll be auctioned off. A product given to young and influential Hive Princesses to start their own hives. 

But before that, I was given a chance to prove my superiority among my brothers. I was created as a perfect killing machine so whoever bought me could extract all my potential and create a mighty hive. Only one can be sold, and the Hive does not welcome males. We were frequently sent to the frontlines to fight and exterminate other species. Thereby the will of Queen Mother, I slaughtered with my glistening titanic mantis frame destroying civilization hotspots and capital ships. We knew from the start that we were genetically locked. Significant parts of our body, like the massive biological boosters capable of faster than light travel, remain inactive as if to stop us from being stronger or escaping. 

I fought, and I fought with my brothers. We conquered numerous systems while simultaneously growing in power. My closest brother, 7 was the greatest among us he, a destroyer-class male who was althrough smaller than I, was able to manipulate massive amounts of 4th energy capable of shooting out plasma so hot he could destroy a moon. We bonded with each other as, aside from Queen Mother, they are the only entities I could talk to. 

"6, stop daydreaming we are approaching the system." A smaller ant-like creature suddenly appeared near my massive head, waking me up from my contemplation. It was 2, our eldest after 1 died from a battle 150 rotations ago; he was an assassin-type male capable of using 4th energy to make himself capable of hiding in-between space and striking enemy leaders.

"Sorry, I just can't believe Queen Mother sent us here without briefing us regarding the strength of possible enemy 4th users." I looked at the enemy system through the hive ships' systems with confusion as even the hive database lacked any info. 

"Hives! That massive brain of yours always worries, you know, for someone as big as a city, you sure think a lot. Don't worry, I'll scout after we are within one lightyear." That stupid smug of 2 makes me more worried by the minute.

"2, shut up and start scouting. I and 6 will stay on the ship. We will wait for your go signal and use the ship's blink system to your location. 6 ready your raptorial, I want you to cut the first noninsectoid we see in half. We should be careful one of the planets is in a perfect Goldilocks zone, and this close to Hive Conglomerate space, something isn't right."

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A 50-meter-long black ant with numerous plates of carapace crawled from the back. 7 was a scary creature even for an insectoid, his body glistened from the amount of 4th energy he held. The massive biological canons on his head did not hide his destructive potential. And truthfully so, he's already at the peak of Planet level while I and 2 are still lagging behind. 

We all got into position as 2 disappeared into folded space. I observed 2's pheromone transmitter as he approached the leading planet in the goldilocks zone. The planet looked purple in space as the evolved fauna has adapted to absorbing the red star's light that it orbits on. Clearly, it was teeming with life. The question is, why? The Hive Conglomerate should have already occupied this star system, yet it's clearly not in any Hive Clans' control. I looked at 7, clearly, I wasn't the only worried one who knew what the Hives had planned but nevertheless, we must finish this mission and attach a pheromone attestation on the planet's surface.

"7, why do you think they sent us here?"

7 has always been our de facto leader. His power and wisdom are lightyears beyond us. If only he wasn't genetically locked at planet level, he would have already moved on to white star level. Yet, here he is doomed to die or live as a living genetic sample. 

"I don't know, but I got your back, whatever it is. "

7 climbed closer to me as we stared into the deep space as the ship approached the planet. Our eyes, capable of peering into more of the electromagnetic spectrum, gave us a view very different from other Races. Space was an explosion of colors and lights. Yet despite that, a heavy dread always lurks inside us as we realize our status as nothing less of a slave. 

"6 kill me ok?"

My eyes widened as I looked at 7. I touched his side with one of my legs, prompting him to explain more.

"I don't want to be sold to some Hive Princess I'd rather die than strengthen this fucking species. So on our last mission, I'd want you to be the one to end it."

I nodded at him as I looked back at the vast expanse of space. I contemplated on what he said. A mix of emotions poured into me as I remembered the others. There used to be 200 of us, now just us 3, I used to think it was because I was strong or biggest, but then I realized I was just lucky to have survived this long.

"7, do you know the Dragonic Race has more male gods than female? It's crazy how they let males reach such a level of power. Any of their many gods could match up with goddess Claudina." 

7 huffed at the thought if the hive race ever went to war with the dragons, the hives would lose but not before causing irreparable damage to the other side.

"6, enough of that for now, we are approaching the planet. Activate your 4th energy."

I nodded as I felt the energy inside of me like a raging star. My 2 pairs of eyes glowed a bright orange. As my two sharp raptorial began to glow from the superheating. 

1000 degrees 

5000 degrees 

10000 degrees

15000 degrees

20000 degrees

50000 degrees 

This is my 4th energy, Star Slicer. 7 nodded at me as my glowing raptorial reached the point of heating up that it could cut to most materials in the known universe. It took me years to master this technique with my titanic size, it perfectly complimented my ability to cause absolute destruction to our enemies. 

Now where is that signal?