Dr. Evan Donaghue watched with glee as four laboratory mice moved through a three-dimensional maze with military discipline and cohesion. Their objective was a large food supply guarded by a group of eight mice, located at the centre of the maze.
"Eureka is clearly executing his training exactly as we practiced," Donaghue spoke into a portable recorder. "But more significantly, Donner, Blitzen and Dasher are all cooperating without any overt signs of communication. Their behaviour is every bit as practiced and confident, despite them having never seen the maze or the objective before today. This is encouraging, but the true test lies ahead."
He paused the recording as he watched the augmented mice approach the centre of the maze. All four attackers stopped simultaneously, despite being out of each other's sight. The guardian mice sniffed at the air nervously, seeming to detect that something was amiss, but unable to decide how to react. In an instant, the attacker mice pounced into the centre of the maze from their four different approaches and began mercilessly executing the guardians. Despite being outnumbered two to one, the attackers eliminated their rivals in seconds. With the guardians dead, they pounced on the food supply and began devouring it.
"Eureka, you did it! You prince among mice! You make me proud! What did Rhee call your brothers? Super soldiers! Yes, you are that and so much more."
Just then, Marcus Jones came tumbling into the medical lab, visibly wounded.
"Doc, I'm hurt," he said, oddly calm.
"Yes, I can see that. Come lie down on the table here and let me have a look."
Jones complied quietly.
"I'm going to give you a sedative to help you relax," Donaghue explained as he filled a syringe with clear fluid. "I'm afraid your arm is broken and it will be quite painful to repair it."
Jones looked impassively at the needle and said nothing. Donaghue gave him the injection and soon, he was asleep. Donaghue quickly wheeled the table into the adjoining B-142 lab.
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October 10, 10AM. B-142 Medical.
Donaghue held Eureka the mouse, lovingly scratching the fur on his head, as he watched Marcus Jones, laying on an examination table, next to the table supporting VanderTuin's body. Jones slowly regained consciousness.
{Welcome back, Marcus,} thought Donaghue silently.
{Doctor? Is that you?} came Marcus' thoughts.
{Yes, it is me, be calm.} Donaghue projected soothingly.
{What is happening? How can I hear you inside my head?}
{Thanks to my greatest achievement, finally perfected. You and I are now linked. We have become a human hive mind.}
Marcus sat up, a look of astonishment on his face. {Hive mind...} his thoughts were interrupted as his eyes fell upon something behind Donaghue.
Turning, Donaghue contemplated the small shrine he had erected in the lab. At its centre was a small, ancient statue.
{That is Guiher'inkel, an alien entity that visited our world long ago. The statue was discovered nearby, at the Markham base in 1913. It is much more than a simple statue, of course. It has become the corner stone of my hive mind research.}
Marcus climbed off the table, looking more shaken than before.
{Do you have any morphine, doc? I'm still in pain} Marcus complained.
{Ah yes, your addiction. If you stop and examine yourself inwardly for a moment, I think you will find that your pain is in fact, gone.}
Marcus concentrated for a moment before a look of awe spread across his face.
{Now, I relieve you of your psychological addiction,} projected Donaghue.
{I feel... I feel great!}
{Excellent} thought Donaghue, as he put Eureka on the ground and released him. {Now, we have work to do. It is time to grow our fledgling hive mind. First this base, and then, the world!}
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