Av'iz

They must receive training from a current/previous Av'iz. (See next section.)

A new Av'iz is only ever picked from members of the specific Tleisalzeo hive it is for. A new potential Av'iz is usually chosen from captains/speakers of Drifts that frequently travel with their Command Carrier, Though individuals that live on the ship itself are also chosen to be trained. If they seem like they might be able to handle it, they're asked if they want to be trained by a current Av'iz. If they accept, they soon start training to learn how to focus their thoughts, and separate themselves from the rest of the hive's emotions as needed. They need to have the mental capability to focus their thoughts to smaller numbers of a large group, and to keep their thoughts to among other Av'iz. Potentially at the same time, or quickly alternating between these two states.

This rank can only be gained from another Av'iz after being trained by those of that rank. Or in rare cases a large group vote and learning on the go if there are no Av'iz to learn from.

Fleet organization in a fight, scouting organization for specific areas/reasons, diplomacy, various other things that a high rank needs to deal with. Basically: they're there to help give the hive a focus.

On the rare occasion an Av'iz needs to be removed from the title. The others will turn on them at a varying level of intensity. With the least being merely suggesting stepping down, and the worst being killed, or forced off the ship and exiled.

The title of Av'iz came around when the Tleisalzeo managed to get some semi-decent communication figured out with the Eqix. They found a need for a sort of speaker or speakers for each hive, particularly during larger gatherings. At first they didn't really know what they really needed. It wasn't until several individuals among a hive were consistantly more willing to communicate with those outside the hive that the rank gained a name. Becoming 'official' to the Tleis, or at least that hive. (The Tleis having a natural tendency to not trust those they cannot directly communicate with through their hivemind.) At that time it was more of a temporary thing for larger gatherings being near Eqix cities. It wasn't until the space bound hives started to form much later that the rank became a consistent thing. This is also when the rank became less of a speaker and more of a leader. Most of the space bound hives have only four Av'iz active at a time. With one as more of a speaker when dealing with others, and several in something of a training phase if needed. Larger hives may have up to eight Av'iz, with two speakers and potentially many in a training phase.