Editing Quest:Hive Queen Quest (section)

=== The Cluster ===
:''We are innumerable. One of Three. The scattered and lost in the shadow of the Schism.''
:-The Cluster to the Hive during first contact
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| '''Nature'''
| Biological
|-
| '''Intelligence'''
| Decentralized colony mind
|-
| '''Preferred FTL Drive'''
| Unknown
|}

One of the Three Ancient races, the Cluster is a collection of small and relatively simply life forms capable of assembling together to rapidly form larger and more complex forms. Named Thaumocts by humans, with the given full name of Xeno Thaumoctus Mimicus, or simply mimics as a non-technical shorthand, almost any given example of the Cluster is in fact numerous life forms, each functioning as a dedicated organ linked together into an ad hoc nervous system linking each individual entity into a single consciousness. Like the Hive, all known examples of Cluster technology is based upon and uses genetic engineering to produce living technological devices with many of their known technology being similar to or seemingly bassed on the same source of Hive technology, hinting to a history of information exchange. Unlike the Hive, these technological devices are themselves individuals, each built for a function and slotted into a larger Cluster form as an organ. Every part of a Cluster is used as a part of its brain, making Cluster forms intended for combat exceedingly difficult to kill. While at some point in the distant past the Cluster was on equal footing with the Hive as one of the Three Ancients, the events of the Schism forced them to abandon their psionic capabilities and integrate anti-psionic materials in their biology, rendering them immune to most psionic based technology while making it impossible to use psionics themselves due to biology, an ancient treaty, or a mixture of both. While the Cluster in the local sector claims to be waiting for the end of the Schism, other Clusters are claimed to be spread across the galaxy, waiting in hibernation to be awoken when it is deemed safe for their kind to emerge once more on the galactic scene.