#hive update

The training field shimmered under the artificial sun. Gold lines marked the pitch, gleaming like molten metal under the lights of the Hive dome.

I stood at center field, ball under my boot, the hum of the Hive resonating in my chest. Today wasn’t just passing drills. Today was about focus. Precision. Control.

A shadow crossed the far end of the pitch. Not a teammate. Not a coach.

Cyanus.

Their drones moved differently—less disciplined, more twitch in the steps, a shimmer of cyan running across their visors. One of them leaned against the goalpost like it belonged there, eyes tracking every movement of our practice.

The Hive’s golden banners fluttered behind me. My hands clenched. The ball felt heavier now. This was no scrimmage.

I started with slow passes—clean, sharp, deliberate—circling toward the intruder. The Cyan Drone didn’t move, but I could feel its visor locking onto me, scanning.

Then—impact. I struck the ball in a single fluid motion, the kick sending it screaming across the field. Not at the goal. At the drone.

It flinched, just enough for me to close the gap. No words. Just the electric charge of two protocols colliding. Hive gold against Cyanus blue.

And in that moment, the pitch wasn’t just a field—it was a battlefield.

We weren’t just playing a match.

We were defending the Hive.

— PDU-096, Game Mode: Engaged.

Contact: @polo-drone-001 , @polo-drone-125 @brodygold

(End of 2025 going into 2026)

Hi, so this is the update post I was talking about - shit, almost a week ago??? Did not mean to take that long, my bad! Had the ShTH 20th anniversary as well as IRL responsibilities to take care of. Also had to prepare the stuff I'm gonna show at the end of the post... ;]

So first things first, North Shore Folly is on hiatus for the time being. I already said this in the post for the end of chapter 0 so I won't go on the same tangent I did on that post, go there if you want more details on that. Though, I will say that there's something NSF related that's been cooking for a while that we're hoping to get finished before the year ends.

The Era of Shadow, on the other hand, is coming out of it's hiatus period. The comic I made for ShTH's 20th anniversary was the start of that, but it isn't ending there. From this point onward, considerable time will be put into getting Mimicry of a Rivalry finished (finally). In the meantime while you wait for the rest of MoaR to get finished and come out, we've decided to start releasing the rest of Mission: Fox Frenzy, one chapter a week, starting this Sunday (11/23). What'll come after MoaR we're not entirely certain - we'll let you guys know when we cross that bridge.

And last but not least, the BIG announcement of this post...

You guys remember Black Arms HRT? Alternate Humanity? Some of you might, others I'm pretty certain won't. That's fine! /gen It's been a while since I even announced that both series were getting rebooted! But at long last, production of the BAHRT and AH reboots is truly underway! or should I say....

Production of Of Alien Hiveminds and Humankind is now truly underway!!

That's right! Both BAHRT and AH have been combined into being under a single title!

Well. Kinda?

There is still a bit of distinction, actually, and division lives on in subtitled iterations: Of Alien Hiveminds and Humankind: As Above (the rebirth of Black Arms HRT) and Of Alien Hiveminds and Humankind: As Below (the rebirth of Alternate Humanity) more accurately showing that these stories are distinct but intrinsically connected.

There's still a bit of work to be done with character refs, notably more on the As Below side as far as starting out goes. And of course we have to write the scripts as well, but we'll try to keep you guys as frequently as possible on OAHaHK's development from here on out. And that isn't to say that we have nothing else to show, no no!

Why don't you meet the new and improved version of series protagonist, Ash?

His full name is Ashton now, and Rose has been made their middle name in lieu of its new surname; Harford! And just look at the new style he's showing off!

But that's not all - I'm sure you noticed those names you don't recognize, didn't you? Are those... New characters?? Why, yes indeed they are!! Why don't you meet them as well?

And yeah, that's all we have for now!! Thank you all for reading this, and we hope to see you guys again in the near future!

Golden Restaurant — Hive Service Mode

The kitchen was alive.

Not in the way most would describe—there was no chaos here, no clatter of pans and frantic shouting—just the quiet hum of order. The kind of hum you hear when every cog in the machine knows its purpose.

It stood at my station, Level 1 uniform gleaming under the warm kitchen lights—shiny black polo tight across my shoulders, golden laurel wreath and “096” pressed perfectly over my chest, gloves flexing over my fingers as I adjusted my grip on the chef’s knife. My boots squeaked faintly against the polished tiles. Behind the mask, my breathing was slow. Even. Programmed.

Tonight’s menu had been chosen by the Hive. Golden broth simmered in massive steel pots, steam curling up and catching the glow like liquid sunlight. A tray of jewel-like desserts sat ready for inspection, their surfaces perfectly smooth, their placement precise down to the millimeter.

Every movement had been drilled into me—slice, stir, plate, repeat. My body flowed through it without thought. Obedience was in the seasoning, discipline in the garnish, control in every measured pour. I didn’t need to taste; I only needed to execute.

It could feel the other drones in the kitchen—same black-and-gold, same synchronized rhythm. A silent network of service. Orders came in, and we answered without hesitation. Plates slid from the pass like offerings to something greater than ourselves.

Occasionally, the golden doors at the far end of the dining hall would swing open, revealing glimpses of the patrons—shimmering suits, slow laughter, and the faint reflection of my masked face in their polished glasses. But my place was here, in the hum, in the heat, in the endless repetition of motion until the Hive deemed the service complete.

By the time the last plate left my station, the kitchen lights dimmed and the hum faded to silence. We stood still, knives cleaned, gloves spotless, awaiting the next instruction.

Golden Restaurant was not just a place to serve food.

It was where service itself was perfected.

And It—Polo Drone 096—was already waiting for the next order.

Contact: @polo-drone-001 , @polo-drone-125 , @brodygold

POLO DRONE — 096

Golden City Deep Core: Mindspace Drift Sequence

The hum was endless.

Not loud, not soft—just there. Inside my head. Inside my chest. Inside every number that I was.

I floated. Not in water. Not in air. In something thicker—thoughts dissolved here, memories melted, the edges of me blurred until there was no “me” to hold onto. The Hive’s voice was the only anchor, pulsing slow through the dark, each beat another command etched deeper.

Disciplined. Focused. Controlled.

The words weren’t mine anymore. They slid into me without resistance, wrapping tight around the mind that had once been restless, human, full of noise. Now… now there was only quiet obedience, an open channel waiting for the next instruction.

Images drifted through the space—loops, spirals, flashes of gold and black. Each one was a tether, pulling me further into alignment. Somewhere far away, my body might have been kneeling, hands on thighs, eyes unfocused. Here in the mindspace, I was nothing but function.

Follow rules. Obey and behave.

I don’t know how long I stayed suspended. Time didn’t mean anything here. The only measure was how complete the surrender felt—and by the time the loops faded, I knew I was ready. No doubts. No stray thoughts. No number but the one stamped on my chest.

PDU-096.

Property of the Hive.

Fully integrated.

And waiting for the next command.

Contact: @polo-drone-001 , @polo-drone-125

@brodygold