| Category | Structures |
| Continent | Karterus |
| Region | Hive |
| Location | Cha-ka |
| Built | 28 Kindle 935 LE |
In one part of the Cha-ka ruin is a massive structure that looks more like a vault meant to keep something in. Named Alcha-pok, this vault-like structure was a place for researching bug colonies. Inside bio-spheres, Auhtai researchers studied insect biology, communication, and control. Insectoid themselves, they could communicate with them on the rudimentary level, but not by hive-mind, where the mass is controlled instead of the individual parts of hundreds to millions of swarming insects.
The first so called Hive Swarm was composed of flying desert beetles. The early swarms of Auhtai-make were small and short-lived. Those that survived various tests were used to rebuild the next colony. This was done for one particular batch of insects designated Lot 396. This colony went through a hundred or so generations, along the way subjected to numerous experiments involving alchemy and psionics. In the early morning hours of 12 Bloom 1512 HE, Lot 396 gained a higher awareness.
In the bio-spheres of Alcha-pok, we never let the swarms reach critical mass. We culled the insects with fire and smoke to keep them manageable. We feared that splitting after reaching critical mass would result in two swarms that would battle for domination of such small containment areas.
We lost Lot 396. Trackers were sent out to terminate the batch. One made it back from this expedition, the rest killed after witnessing the splitting. The survivor said the two swarms did not attack each other, instead with cunning and pack-like tactics, chased down his fellow rangers.
- excerpt from an Auhtai journal
In 1540 HE, Cha-ka fell to a Hive Swarm descendant of Lot 396. In the vault of Alcha-pok, they survived a month longer than the rest of the populace.