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It was common knowledge about the Tyranids that if you kill the big ones the rest break apart. Either just instinctively running away or even attacking one another. The loss of their synaptic connection was the worse thing that could happen for me. I would most likely want some synapse creatures at some point but having that obvious weakness attached to my army can cause issues I would prefer to avoid. This is what lead me to sitting next to the spawning pool and trying to focus a command. If Raveners could become their Alphas just having increased brain matter and size could I do something similar to the Gaunts?
Not really just smarter Gaunts but ones that could operate semi-independently, something close to Genestealers. Now I did not want fully free-thinking creatures, just something that could not turn into a headless chicken if it was cut off from the Hivemind. Was it even possible or safe to do?
"Well, that is why people test theories. and why I am practicing on making Gaunts over something far more dangerous." I had a dozen Termagant bodyguards watching over the pool just in case.
Issues arose when I remembered I had no later generations of Genesteslers. The ones that were basically just Tyranid DNA and nothing human left but a few superficial body parts. I contemplated having the Cruiser make new Genestealers but that seemed a bit too risky to try, even if the temptation was still there and a voice kept saying it was the best choice. Perhaps the template existed within this spawning pool so there was that if needed. But instead, I had Norma sitting in front of me and 'scanned' over her mind. I had done so with an Alpha Ravener and noted it had a large brain as in the layered with the folds on it was just the main covering of neurons over the brain stem and the other stuff that was greater in mass compared to normal Raveners. The rest was the same size across the two.
Back to Norma's mind, I analyzed it for that independence yet a reason to her being bound to my will. I couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary, she was just human and under mind control from the genetic material she was born with. I managed to seize control just because I moved fast to insert myself after the Patriarch's death.
"Perhaps I could have taken control over the Genestealer and further along with Hybrids if I took the time to try..." My haste to just purge them from my ranks robbed me of a better mind to look through. Or I would just get the same reading I was getting from Norma.
I took my hands off and thanked her. She moaned, clearly wanting me to keep my mind connected with hers in a more intimate fashion again but not saying anything. I could feel Norma's intense desire for me permeating her surface thoughts, I knew it wasn't me just reading into it. Then I decide to just push that away and ignore it for right now. The desire she felt was probably a result of her Hybrid status, those infected were given a strong desire to have sex and make children.
Which reminded me, expanding my mind to the entirely of the Hybrids I send out a strict no-sex policy. I did not want anybody creating a life that would be cursed with the Genestealer kiss, letting Absalom receive it was still enough for me.
After that I had a Lictor come forwards and crouch as well. Its Cthulhu inspiration was clear enough by the shape of the head and the long chin tentacles. These creatures weren't synaptic Tyranids but they were also supposed to be a somewhat independent ambush and scout troops that could cut open an Astartes with those clawed hands if Dawn of War 2 wasn't lying to me. It was still intimidating as it would still towering at seven feet, its long serrated blades on the back were pulled away. The lasgun I had never left my shoulder throughout my time here, even if they weren't hostile and under my influence it made me feel secure... Lictors were connected to the Hivemind but able to act with more autonomy than most. Not exactly what I wanted to replicate in the Gaunts I was growing but close enough to look closely into it.
Gaunts had to be the most moldable Tyranids bioform, there are so many variations between them. They weren't a blank template to mold but close enough and I was already doing it.
While the Alpha Ravener and the Lictor had larger brains so size had to have something to do with what made them smarter. Or Genestealers their independence. There was more to it and I did not know a whole lot about anatomy, so there was that roadblock. I still dug into the thing's mind, searching through my telepathic link to these creatures and trying to see what made this different and sure enough there it was. A thing that wasn't seen in the Termagant I looked at and similar in 'feel' to something in Norma's head. The amount of neurons, the main part of the brain had slightly more folds to it and... I'm pretty sure it was called neurons. Not to the degree that the human brain had but perhaps that was the answer I was looking for?
"Perhaps Genestealer brains are larger to allow for greater sentient thinking, makes them able to better rationalize and not require as much instinct or instructions to function?"
The answers to that would have to come after the modified Hormagaunts were done growing. I told the Cruiser to get started on them but grow then with the primary cover if the brain expanded to have more neurons just mass as the Lictors did. Then another batch of them like the Alpha Raveners.
"While that's being taken care of let me get back to that organic stasis pod idea..." I really couldn't shake that once it entered my head and made my way back to the pods. I had made an odd request to the Cruiser. To make a pod with a tendril leading in that could dispense nourishment and a far smaller one that could do so with oxygen. Through the nose and down the throat that is.
The moment I realized that Tyranid Faster Than Light travel wasn't something akin to warp travel. That it was literally having specialized bioships gather energy or something from the system you were in then pulling ourselves forwards made me realize that traveling in this thing was going to get dull fast. I just didn't want to grow bored while having to deal with something that was liable to become common. I certainly hoped it wouldn't but this is 40K, pure hope without any contingency plan was a stupid idea.
The pod was small hanging from the ceiling and peering into to reveal that I needed to find a flashlight. The thing was pitch black inside and not at all thin-skinned to see through like how some movie would portray it. After telepathically calling I figured out that Shem's helmet had a light embedded into it so he brought it up.
Through the glass visor I could see the shine of three long tendrils. Twins that were very thin to be inserted into nostrils, I thought of one but the Cruiser took the liberty to make two. Then a far thicker one for the throat, this was gross and weird to look at and think about but it was what I wanted. Using the resources I had to make a hibernation pod for myself to sleep through long journeys.
"What would mom think about all this?" I wondered before shoving the memories of my Mother back into my mind. I'd never see her again and I didn't want to break down crying about what I lost again.
I had a Termagant take up a spot underneath it and took the thick tendril into my hand. It was soft and squishy, pulsating as it was made of living material and designed to pump nutrition onto a stomach. I fed it easily enough into the Gaunt and it remained perfectly still, swallowing the thing down and I swear the tendril, I was going to call it feeding tube now, even seems to wriggle in assistance. Once settled I did the same with both oxygen tubes and for sure they wriggled their way into the nasal cavity of the Tyranid. Once that was done I exited the pod and allowed it to close and fill. The Termagant was suspended in the thick fluid and was receiving oxygen as intended but was still awake.
So I had the ship send in that chemical, the smallest dose it could give, and soon enough I felt it fade into unconsciousness. That was that, I could sense it was getting pure oxygen, had the Cruiser ensure it was sure through the means it maintained its internal atmosphere. I mean it managed to make this place moist but breathable for humans. It didn't need to the feeding tube, none of the 'nids in the pods did, but if I was going to be trying this I'd have to keep the experiment as similar as I could.
I would have to check on that in the coming days but for now, I was tired.
Finding a place to sleep was a lot harder than I thought. The whole place was mainly moist soft flesh but the floor was certainly hard. Eventually, I managed to find a slope that worked amongst the Hybrids and drifted off. It was a restless 'night' but I managed to get enough shut-eye to find my Hormagaunt experiment was done and after a quick meal made my way down to check on them. Peered into their minds and figure out how they interacted with other less independent creatures.
Sure enough, they had expanded brain matter, not enough to warrant an expansion of its head like other 'nids. But it had more neurons than the one I still had. I took the Lictor brained variant and noted that while it had more folds and neurons it didn't really feel all that different. I had everyone but two Termagants and that one Lictor variant move to on side of the room they had all three begin jogging the edge of the spawning pool then to the opposing wall.
I gave special orders that the enhanced Hormagant was to keep the other Gaunts in line while they continued jogging. The twin Tyranids remained as locked step as possible, spinning in place to turn as the Hormagaunt tried to maintain a position behind them. It did go out of its own volition and because it wanted to maintain sight of them. So the expanded brain matter aided with interpreting its orders.
Then came the moment of truth, if it could keep them following orders. I unslung my lasgun and expanded my mind into the Termagants. My theory was that if I could connect to a Tyranid and 'wrap' them up then was it possible to unwrap them? For the sake of disconnecting their synaptic link as it would in the heat of battle. Just more controlled here and now.
I could feel all the 'nids in my brood to some extent, it wasn't like they filled some space. But they were there in some odd way so how do I push them out? When the Hybrids I was connected to committed suicide on the freighter I felt a void open up before it just as quickly disappeared. They died so it wasn't going to be the same thing though. I tried moving my presence away from the Termagants, they kept jogging but one staggered the other shook its head briefly. They weren't confused as they lacked the understanding to realize what was going on.
I kept going unraveling my control over their minds slowly and surely. I felt odd to be doing this, couldn't say why though, and eventually the wrapping cane loose and the tiniest of voids opened up for them. Once they were disconnected they both staggered, one fell forwards and into the spawning pool, the other roared aloud. The Hormagants seized control of its leg and tried tugging the creature back to resume jogging but the Termagant lashed out. Its clawed hand cutting a noticeable gash into the leathery skin of the Hormaganut's face and its spike rifle spat out a few rounds the carapace armored blocking the point-blank shots. Few did hit the skin and was embedded deep into its body, yet it powered through the pain.
The Hormagaunt was better suited to such close-ranged combat and drove its serrated blades into its assailant's chest. They easily pierced through the skin of the Termagant and it was drawn in to have its neck was torn out, the pointed teeth and jaw strength made it seem like the Hormagaunt was biting through butter. Purple ichor squirted out and coated the enhanced Tyranid, it wasn't behaving like a ravenous beast like during the Genestealer purge. This one did things with purpose, like how it used its free paw to push the rifle down to avoid being shot. The Termagant was quickly dispatched and I rewrapped the other as it pulled itself out of the pool. It was a lot simpler to do so than I thought, really I am certain now that all Tyranids want to be a part of the Hivemind. Any form of synaptic connection is easily embraced now that I had the practice for it.
I winched at the end result of the first experiment. "It's okay, I still have twenty-eight Termagants and can easily grow more. This is just one experiment of many."
So continued with two more Lictor-brained and three Alpha variant Hormagaunts. The end result was still the same, the higher brain power didn't seem to change much of anything about the Hotmagaunts. Besides giving them the smallest semblance of self-preservation. One Alpha variant pulled back and tried to shield its face when one of its blades got shot off by chance.
I groaned, disappointed at that failed experiment. "It was a long shot anyway, I guess I will just have to make some Tyranid warriors and have them protected well. Too bad I can't just... make weaker synaptic creatures..."
At that moment it was as if a little voice had come up and said. 'Hey, Michael why can't you just make weaker synapse creatures?' They would have a link and possible be able to keep others in line, that's all I needed really. Not another command creature just something to hold them together in the event of a synapse creature dying. So why not just make a non-synaptic Tyranid have some telepathic powers of one?! It now felt like the obvious solution, not field commanders but one with enough strength or just in enough numbers to keep the brood following their last orders and not breaking apart into instincts or rampaging animals. The death of such weak synaptic creatures would not disrupt the overall swarm unless all of them died. Which would only happen if the hoard was completely decimated. My standing orders would stay and that weakness of just killing the larger or synapse Tyranids would be gone. A weakness of the past and no unnecessary killing would have to take place, I would have my precautions in place.
"Okay Cruiser change of plans!" Now, what was the weakest synapse it could make, and what constituted one's mind? It was time to grow one to find out.
A melee focus Tyranid Warrior was my new field commander. Unlike the last two, I saw this one didn't look at me with confusion, probably because I had it made and now controlled it. My 'wrapping' was enough to encompass its mind and allow it to hold influence but not control. Like me with the Cruiser, I had influence not control over it. It was a melee-focused Warrior because I figured it would be in the thick of combat and anything that got near would likely be a melee specialist anyway. After I was done analyzing the creature I had it immediately head off to be podded for storage.
Synaptic minds were different from the Lictor or Alpha Ravener but dissimilar enough to Norma's human mind. they seemed to have more dense neurons than just expanded material. It was like I was observing a lit torch meant to illuminate the oath set for its fellows. They were also Psykers, or at least they that the telepathic aspect of Psykers. It was probably how they could receive orders and distribution them out also making their own decisions in a battle. The Hormagaunts needed a telepathic link weak enough not to cripple the brood if killed but strong enough to exert control in numbers when scattered amongst a force.
So I got the ship to make me three of such Hormagaunts, not like the torch the Warrior carried but more a candle. The vessel regarded the order as it always did, no hesitation just get to work and began forging a new creature to my specifications. In the meantime I had it produce a very low concentration of the chemical it was making the 'nids fall to sleep with. It wasn't dangerous to then but how well would it work for me could only be guessed at until I actually tried it.
My mind wandered to the various Hybrids will lounging about but I was not about to test this stuff on them. The nutrition-rich slop in my hand felt like that green slime Nickelodeon loved coating people in but just darker. I wanted to get a good nap in and maybe this stuff would do the trick?
"... If this kills me I can think of a lot worse ways to go than peacefully drifting off in a comatose state." So a lifted the stuff up and slurped what I could and made every attempt not to just spit it back out. The gunk was like eating rotten eggs, which should have been a red flag and had me spit it out but I persisted. Forcing the stuff down then lay against a wall and tried to relax as it settled into my gut. For a minute I just sat there not feeling anything off, just trying to wash down the horrible taste in my mouth.
Then there was an odd tingling sensation at the back of my neck. Whatever was there must have been reacting to the stuff I ingested. No idea what it was doing and leaned against the flesh wall. My vision began to blur, subtitle enough but soon I noticed it and wondered if I had just killed my eyesight. The blur and a feeling of exhaustion washed over me like a tidal wave and soon enough sleep overtook me.
I did wake up, didn't know for sure how long but smiled at my experiment being a success.
"Have to set a timer for next time if I had it." One step closer there. I was near it the spawning pool with my Termagaunt bodyguards still holding their protective crescent covering all angles. I yawned and stood to stretch. That taken care of and my three Hormagants prepared and their chambers opened beneath the pool and they swam up and out will all haste. I wasted no time having on sit on its haunches and take hold of its face. I knew this was an unnecessary action but it aided me in focusing my ability into the head of one Tyranid. I dug into its mind and it was very similar to the Tyranid Warrior. Dense mind and I could feel that very dim flame inside them.
"Now for the moment of truth..." I muttered, hopeful for the results I wanted but prepared to meet with disappointment. The same experiment as before except I held my breath while disconnecting from the Termagant. They staggered like last time, like cutting a puppet's strings, but instead of going into an instinctive frenzy they stood right back up and kept moving. The Hormagaunt that was responsible right at their heels, I searched its mind and sure enough, it wasn't really giving them orders just helping them remember what I told them to do.
Exactly what I wanted and I felt giddy for it. I just solved a major issue with the Tyranid Hivemind. This was going to be huge and I could already imagine the surprise from any adversaries I'd meet that the most blatant strategy was suddenly useless.
"And most importantly I will be in constant control over my broods. So no unnecessary killings." I also had some smarter Hormagaunts left so there was that. The purpose I did this for done it was time for the other shoe to drop now.
A small ripple came over me and I expanded my mind to figure out what it was that caused it. I sighed in disappointment as soon as I identify it in the pod room.
"The Termagant in the pod... just died."
