In a void of gold and ice, Beelathorn remained suspended for three days.
To a Goldeborne, regeneration was as simple as breathing; entire appendages reattached without direct thought or effort.
However, it was the mind that was truly fragile.
The supermind had pushed its mortal casing beyond its limitations; fragmentation was not a simple task, and the creation of a new, permanent fragment came at the cost of deep slumber.
Regardless, this downtime was needed. Mistakes had to be analysed, social cues and calculation variables, once ignored, needed to be rechecked.
A tool of the greater purpose could be defeated once, and only once. Repeated mistakes were not permitted... otherwise, the Hive would deem it obsolete... both the fragment and its ego.
Han the human may not have been aware of this, but to the supermind, it was ingrained like instinct. Its existence mattered only as long as it was useful.
