@temporaryhotsaucetofu The evidence on drone intellect is a little mixed, but here are my hypotheses: 1. The symbiotes are simple lifeforms without much native intelligence, although DS-013/Jamie's symbiote is by Master's own boast considerably more complex than the ones that came before. They are primarily animated by their emotional responses to Master - love, adoration, utter obedience and subservience, and fear of disappointing him. 2. The conversion and integration process is highly disorienting, especially for a super, who's likely to have a strong personality and resist the idea of submission. 3. The intellect and personality of the fully converted and integrated drone is largely that of its human host, but only comes to the fore when Master requires it, or when the drone is given free time and Master has no reason to keep them suppressed. And even at these times, the symbiote is in control and keeps the drone's' thoughts and feelings in line. Essentially, the merger of symbiote and host is also a merger of their formerly separate intellects and personalities. Together, they might even be a little more intelligent than the original human host, but the human personality only comes to the fore when Master needs or allows it. Take DS-011/Pet. In the prologue it says that he spends his time with his mind "blank, happy, and horny." But in his appearance in Chapter 4, where Master has set him the task of looking after DS-013 while he undergoes his initial conversion, DS-011/Pet shows a definite personality, even coming close to, but not crossing, the line of insubordination. Yet as soon as he hears Master's instruction to go play, he reverts immediately back to a mindless state. As for DS-005/Dusk, every indication is that he is one of Master's most trusted superdrones, and it is possible that he spends more time "on" and is only in that blank, happy and horny state when he wants to be, when the symbiote feels he needs to be, or when Master wants him to be. Or, more likely, he too is kept "blank, happy and horny" when Master isn't using his services, but gets a fair amount of recreational time when he is allowed to be mostly his own person. This is pretty much what he told Jamie in their Grindr conversation.

"Honey, how do you feel about adopting plant aliens?"

I'd change places with Ben any day to get a daddy like David. What a great story.

Super hot but I kind of wish Jason would get the tables turned on him. Thomas seemed like a decent guy

Well done! Can't wait to read more! Many possible turns and avenues this can take.

One word: AMAZING!!!! This was ridiculously hot. Good job!

Oo, Eden. Lucky guy. He's definitely going to land on his feet. Or at least on all fours once they help that knee. ;)

Another great chapter. Having self denial cause the loss in sweetness was a cool idea. Guess Paul really just has to stop neglecting his mate and pleasure them both to keep his milk fresh and sweet.

Definitely a promising beginning. I know you don't like to put a lot of explicit sexual scenes in your stories, so we probably won't be getting many of the erotically-charged locker room scenes that were some of my favorite parts of "Cycle One." But I hope you can give us more of a sense of the uncanny personality changes that the other gym patrons are going through. Without that context, our narrator just seems absurdly hostile towards Eric. (Yes, we know he's up to no good because we've read the other "Cycle One" stories; but there should be more foreshadowing, so that this story can also stand on its own).

I grew up with the Hardy Boys, and secretly had a crush on both of them in junior high. I guarantee I would still be reading them if they got this steamy!