The Hivemindians are a group of adventurous organisms that get into all sorts of mischief together. They’re a flexible bunch, and can exhibit many favorable characteristics. That is why they are often employed for exploring distant reaches of the universe.
A single Hivemindian can operate independently, reporting its findings back to headquarters.
But for very important missions, deploying a single Hivemindian is risky. Space is dangerous after all! Larger Hivemindian cohorts are more likely to successfully complete big missions. Even when stuff gets crazy.
However, with multiple Hivemindians come the possibility of varying perspectives. What if they get separated?
One way to handle potential separation is to agree in advance on the Hivemindian ritual of “High Availability.”
It’s…a little brutal, but in this situation, Hivemindians assume the worst and report back to HQ immediately, even if they can’t contact all of their party. In this situation, you’ll get a report faster, but if different Hivemindians are reporting different things, you wouldn’t know - you only know what the group you’re in contact with knows.
So in situations where it’s more important to get a complete picture even at the expense of some extra time, the Hivemindian observance of “High Consistency” is preferable. This is where, in the case of a hivemind being separated by a space Orca attack, HQ and the party of Hivemindians agree to wait until they all group up and share their perspectives before delivering their report.
So remember, Hivemindians are a capable bunch, but always choose the right strategy for your mission!
After all, space can be a dangerous place!
