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The fire engulfs her and the thing that protrudes from her chest. At first the heat is unbearable but becomes comfortable like a mothers hug. She welcomes it, embraces it like a lover. The red flame that surrounds her fades and becomes a bright light. The thing sticking partially out of her chest is gone. She is hole again. The intensity of the light draws her towards it. Something inside the light calls for her. She can sense that inside the light there is peace, joy and love. Her body and mind are at ease. The battle is over. She has earned the rest.
Noises. She hears something behind her. She does not turn to them. She fears what they might be. She wants more than ever to be inside the light. The light is safe. It can't get to her wile she's inside the light. The sound behind her grow louder to the point that it starts to pull her back. At first she resist with all her strength. The noises are unrelenting, like them, she thinks "why her?"
The light before her is so close. If not for the noises holding her back she would be in the light, a part of the light. The noises pull her back. She thinks, she knows back to "it".
She wakes. She lives. Her eyes open. She finds herself in a white room. Most of the room looks like a hospital room. She looks down to her chest expecting the thing to be there. Nothing but her naked breasts.
On the far wall in front of her are six racks of equipment.
She tries to sit up from the bed she lays in, but is unable to move. It is as if someone has turned of her body. She finds that she can move her head slightly. She moves her head to her right as far as she can. She see a machine there. It is somehow plugged into her. She turns to her left. A similar machine is there also. Neither of the machines look like life support. They remind her of computer control units, something a synthetic would need.
The room is silent, the machines must be running this way, she thinks at first. Then the idea comes to her, if her body is off maybe her hearing is also turned off.
She looks towards the ceiling. A security camera is mounted above her. Well, she thinks, who ever put me here will see that I'm awake and pay a visit.
Questions run through her mind. How did she get here. Why is she here. She should be dead. She jumped into the fire before it came. It wasn't a dream. God, don't let it be a dream. Not the fire. Everything else could have been a dream but not the fire. If she survived, did the Thing also survive. This thought forced her to get up. Her body doesn't respond to her fears. She fights the terror that it might live, and here she lies, helpless. Always helpless. Will the pain ever end.
The door opens with a low sucking sound. A figure slowly enters. All she can see is a shape. Terror fills her. IT has come to torture her again. It will never leave her. She tries to scream, but that too must be turned off. The figure speaks.
"Welcome back."
The terror inside her disperses and is replaced with curiosity. The figure moves closer to her. In the light she recognizes the shape. A man she knows stands in front of her. The face is recognized as the synthetic from her ship. The man is silent for a moment. He enters the room and turns to the racks to monitor something.
"I was getting worried about you." He turns his head to look at her. "Did you know that?"
She can't reply.
"I did, I really did."
The man sits at the end of the bed. He puts his hand on her leg. She see his leg, but can't feel it. Must be off.
"I can't start to explain how happy I am to see you conscious, its like a dream."
She now can see his face more clearer. It is the same face she knew but older. He leans over her naked body to press two buttons on the right unit. For the first time the feeling of embarrassment fills her. Her face reddens. The man notices this and pulls a thin sheet over her that was nicely folded at her feet.
"Sorry about that."
With out knowing it she speaks. "How, I survive?" she's surprised that her voice was turned on.
"Grammar, grammar. Always use correct grammar."
"How did I survive?"
The man looks deep into her eyes. Technically, you didn't, I'm sorry to say. He frowns then looks at her body. At first she looks to her naked body under the sheet then to him. A thought crosses her mind that scares her. She looks at the man closer. A confused look on her face surprises him a little.
"Your just now figuring it out." Her confusion turns to anger.
"What have you done to me?"
Coldly he says, "We need you... "
She interrupts him. "How did I survive?"
"Have you asked yourself HOW it got into you?" The man's voice erupts in a controlled thunder. "Do you think we're that stupid. We came prepared to get you." His voice lowers almost to a whisper. "Next time, look before you leap. You never know when your going to land in a net. But, If you had been quicker, the men I sent through the back way might not have been able to... "
The man see that she not listening anymore. Her thoughts are else where. He lightly slaps her on the cheek to bring her back.
"This is not the time for day dreaming." Her lifeless eye seem to brightens and coldly stare at him.
"I wanted to die. Let me die."
"You've been to important to the company. "To important to me." The man moves closer to her face. "Ever since that first time I saw you, your presence... interested me. You where dirty, bald, and beaten. I'm not in love with you or anything like that but something inside me wanted to know you more. Your the only person I know to survive one of your "friends"."
Her eyes are glassy eyed, not caring for what he's talking about.
"Your little cat fight with that queen thing was amazing."
This brings her back to the leaving again. "How did you know that?"
"A Little birdie told me."
She looks confused.
"You're part of the system now. We can access your memory. All your memories where put on disk, everything you knew we know."
Her face becomes pale.
"Don't worry though, We do use discretion if that comforts you."
Her eyes start to water but the tears don't come. The man stands and puts his hands close to her eyes. After snapping his fingers twice and getting no reaction he turns and starts to leave. As the door opens with it's sucking sound he hears her voice.
"Why?"
He turns to her. "We needed you."
"Need? That's a first. I thought the company didn't need anyone." She says bitterly.
Your not just anyone anymore, your special. He looks up to the ceiling. He thinks of the possibility out loud. "The first of many I suppose." he looks back down to her. "But right now your are "prototype"."
"Does the company think that I'm their property?"
The man thinks for a moment. "You became "property" the day you signed on your first tour."
"What do my owners want from me."
Well, the out line so far is foggy but the basic need is to infiltrate "the enemy"."
"You mean they want me to get more of those thing for them."
"No, we need you to destroy them. You can do that now, destroy them. That's something you've dreamed of for oh so long, am I right."
"I heard that one before. The Company w... "
"We already have them. We mass produce them by the thousands."
He's words hit like a brick.
"Thousands... For what?"
"You last longer if you don't ask question like that."
"Maybe I don't care if don't last, I did try to kill myself once."
"They'll just bring you back again."
She tries to sit up. this time she's successful.
Here. The man puts a pillow behind her.
Looks like they did a good job on me. she looks up to the man. Looks like the old one.
your old one had more miles, and it was I who gave you the new chassis.
I didn't think it could be done?
Your talking about man and machine.
Yes.
You can say it, cyborg. your a cyborg.
She turns her head in disgrace.
Say it. He grabs her arms with a tremendous anger in his voice. Say it, Damn you.
softly she says, no.
This is how it is, your not like you where. his voice becomes the roaring and controlled monster again. Face the facts. this is what you are. now come to terms with it. he lets her go. wiping the perpetration off his forehead he say in a whisper. Say it.
I'm. she looks up and looks into his eyes. She looks like she's about to cry. I'm a cyborg.
say it again.
cyborg, I'm a cyborg damn it.
Again.
stop it.
again.
No.
Say it again.
why.
I need to believe that you believe.
no.
No? As you don't believe.
for the first time she looks up to him with a menacing look on her face. Leave me a lone!
you interest me way beyond the point of just leaving you.
then stop asking me questions.
No.
Then I wont answer yours.
You will or I'll turn you off like a light. And when I feel like it I'll turn you back on and then you'll Talk.
The menacing look fades from her face. You'll do that?
In a heart beat. his hand moves over towards the computer control unit.
Do it then.
First, to make this fair, I'll let you ask me three questions.
She looks to his hand near the Computer Control Unit. his hand is inches from what looks like a power button.
Then I can ask you three, but remember, the questions you ask me can only deal with me and not the company.
She looks to his smiling face. Same thing goes for me.
What ever that means.
Deal?
Deal.
the two shake to seal agreement.
First Question.
The man again sits on the edge of her bed. His hand finds her leg and rests there. She ignores this.
OK, Somehow your men saved me right, that wasn't the question.
The man nodes.
Here it is. How long ago was that?
The man looks to the door for a moment then finally decides to answer her.
After your first encounter with our subjects you where lost for how many years?
That wasn't the question.
Almost 60 years you where gone.
Your not answering my question. How old do I look now?
She looks at him closely.
In your early 50's.
47.
How old did I look when you first saw me?
I was thinking about other things at the time.
32. Put it all together and you get... He lets her finish.
15 years. her eyes start to water. she covers her face with her hand. a tear still is able to escape and runs down her cheek.
I thought that if I told you about the 60 years, 15 years would seem short.
Fighting the tears back. You thought wrong.
Next question.
can you give me a moment.
no, we have to do this.
She fights the tears and tries to ask the next one. Why did you wait so long to... the pain inside her surges to the point that speech is impossible.
Sensing her anxiety he finishes the question. why did we wait to bring you back. simple. until now we only needed your memories.
This brings her back in control.
What? After you where integrated into your present state you where linked with our computers. The information you gave us was extraordinary.
Her look on her face is now rock hard.
Information. She says the word bitterly.
You showed us how they operate, pure and simple.
I'm thrilled that makes you happy.
The man moves in close to her face. I could care less what information you gave the company. Then why are you smiling? the man puts his hands on her chin and caresses it. Your still alive, that's why. She looks at him again confused. You remember me. you have a sense of who you were. The man stands and takes a deep breath that puffs his chest out. My coworkers believed you would be a lump of organic memory. The man gets down on his knees and outs his elbows next to her body. his hands cup his chin. don't get me wrong, at one point there I was starting to doubt you myself. She looks at him stunned. I'm glad that finally came to. if you hadn't... the man slaps his left hand over his open mouth creating a popping sound. What! What would they have done. The man looks at her, she thinks he looking right through her. A little girls voice comes out of her. Would they have unplug me? let me die? Worst. his response is to quick for her to grasp it. They believe that your brain can be incorporated into a computer mainframe. the man pauses to let it soak in. And after a moment she responds. Isn't that what you did? the man lowers his head and his lips touch the sheet. she can almost feel his lips on her. the touch is strangely different then what she thinks how the touch should be. Its like she sensing someone else senses. he lifts his head just enough to speak How did you like that? she doesn't answer. Would you like more. he sits upright again. what did I just do? I... don't understand what you are doing? Your brain is just that, a brain. Its still made up from flesh. Ninety three percent of the rest of you is not... you. or in other words, like I stated before your body is made by me. The man smiles. this annoys her. don't do that. Damn you! Her fury surprises both of them. My I can see why you have survived so. You, I bet you didn't even know it was in you to survive. she looks at him and thinks of a time with her father. he was teasing her. Messing up her hair. She stop him with a strong kick to the leg. he stops. she looks at his surprised face and can't remember how it looked. the man lightly slaps her face to bring her to the present. Their goes that brain of yours. what would have happened if your coworker had gotten control of me? His hand moves towards her flat stomach. first off, you wouldn't have this lovely body. His hand touches her. it caresses her stomach. What was left of your real body would have been cut up and tossed to the dogs. His index finger finds her belly button and he plays with it. The only thing left would be that brain of yours and that would be as I said be incorporated into a computer... What about me? The man puts the index finger into his mouth. he pulls it out to answer her. My coworkers are computer geeks. they would consider your half of your memories deficient. he puts his index fingers back into her belly button. that weird feeling comes to her. its not hard to forget it and press on. Your saying that I would be. the Idea of what she could have been scares her. No, you wouldn't be some deficient person. You would just a computer program. all thoughts memories of yours. the ones of your father. of your daughter. of your childhood would be erased with a press of a button. you would cease to be a human. she looks you to the light in the ceiling above her. could I have died? he doesn't answer her. she looks at him wanting a answer. he looking at her. I believe in a human soul. do you? I don't know? Well, even with that belief and the knowledge I have about modern technology I do know if a soul can be implanted into a computer unit. I physic brain theiraredicly can. A soul... His face wrinkles with the internal that must be happening inside him. I didn't know. He puts his finger back into his mouth. he sucks the finger then popes it out making a low popping sound. Please don't put you finger back... their. its starting to bother me. He stands and looks down at her. Sorry. if you want to "use" me do so but first turn me off. I mean you seem to be able turn other things off on me. just wait until you find out what I can turn on. she doesn't like how he said the words "turn on". It sounded like a little boy finding out a new phrase. turn on, turrrrn on, turn onnnnnn, turrrrrn onnnn, TURNON! TURNON! TURNON! How little things change. I know. Can you please get past the typical male attitude. Oh, sorry it hard to brake good habits. The man walks around the bed. she follows him with her eyes. I will be honest with you thought I never did it to you. She closes her eyes. Can we finish this and get to the point. I want to know just what this game where playing is for. Playing, is that where doing. I thought It was four play. She raises her hand and grabs him. She finds it easy to pull him down to her level. What does the future hold for me! The man reaches over to the machine next to min. with out looking he touches a color shape on the square plastic box. her arm freezes on her. the hand's grip on the man's other arm locks in place. She looks into his eyes. he's smiling again. The free hand touches another color on the control box. her hand loosens. That's better. Stop this. Give me back my arm! her free arm reaches over and grabs the frozen arm. Please. her eyes are filled with terror. He touches the colors again and her hand becomes laxed. She has control again. Don't get the wrong idea about why I did that. I.. don't like that feeling of losing control. its...
its unnatural But with your new body the possibility of you ripping my arm off is a likely occurrence. As she holds her hand she looks at him and the hand. What? Your not the weak female that you once where. She flexes her fingers. they look like her old ones. she never looked at her fingers this closely before. they look like a females fingers thin and feminine . How strong am I? A normal Synthetic has two to three times the strength of a average male. I'm sorry. Its OK. I mean after all that I just told you in the past hour I glad I wasn't torn in two. Anyway. Her face becomes rock hard. You said that we can kill them. What? Her ice cold eyes fall on him. You said that we kill the! Yes, you can do that. When? hold the fort. your still not even fully briefed about the situation. Fuck the situation. It appears that I am a weapon, am I not. I'm amazed at your determination. you don't even know fully why and all you want to do is kill. You did this to me, they did this to me. I'm getting tired of being used. The man turns away and steps away from the bed. his finger run throw his hair combing it back. your file said you could be a hard ass, your memories back it up. That's something I admire about you. Am I a weapon? she screams as loud as he controlled voice will let. It's not that easy to say... for once give me a straight answer, damn you! The man turns on her and grabs her shoulders. you want the truth. good. Your a god damn kosakosme. your going to rid us of the competition "products". if you survive good. if not no loss on our nose. Your doing the same job you did when you first met up with your friends the first time. And I hope to god that survive. why? to get some pay back with the company. Her stone face cracks and confusion pores up. Your company man, why do you want to hurt the company? The man gets back onto his feet. and moves around the bed. You'll get further information later. the man walks over to the door. What did you mean by pay back. What is this all about. she lies their. her body is motionless. Turn on my arms the man exits the room the door starts to close. Don't leave me a lone. The door closes and the sucking sound finishes the act. please.... her eyes tear up and the rivers flow down.
end of act one
After relearning to walk, something she thinks she done before after every hyper sleep. This time the oddity is the it's not her body. More man made then the first. One started with two hands coming together. the other started when a finger was laid on a computer terminal. The similarity run through her still human brain. She finds a set of clothing near the computer control unit to her left. She holds up the shirt and thinks that she went to the cabinet with out concusely knowing what was inside. She takes the shirt, paints, socks, shoes and places then on the bed in a neat row. No underwear she says aloud. After putting the closes on she feels more human. she jumps onto the bed and lands feet first. She amazes herself how little to took. Feeling like a kid drops to her knees and bounces. She lays on the bed and looks to the ceiling. The kid feelings drain her when the door open. She hears the sucking sound then His voice. Time we got you familiar with you new Job. She sits up and find the man standing before her. And what is this New job. He looks at her closes she wears and tells her that they fit her nicely. They should, you made the body that fills them out. she gets off the bed and stands face to face with the man. Her six feet puts her three inches over the man's head. She holds back to the fact he she likes the difference. How does this new job involve killing "them". The man hands her a identification badge. On the thin plastic badge has her fasten it. She looks at the Photo. In the man picture she has a big smile. Looks like I was enjoying myself. Never mind that, we better get going. Where? Just follow me. she reaches out and grabs his shoulder as he turns. what if I try to kill you and escape? You have the chose to do so. but remember the only way your going to eliminate you nightmares you have to help us. Nightmares, I haven't even had dreams. He lifts her hand from his jacket and lets it fall. We're not doing to let you forget what happened to you. she grabs him with both hands with rage. What! I can't live throw that again. you have to do something to stop it. Calmly he tells her to let him go. She looks into his eye. I need to kill them, but I can't deal with the nightmares, not again. He reminds her that he is only a human and she is not. Your staring to hurt me he tells her. She lets go of him. Now, if your finish We have A time table to meet up. the man moves over to the door and the sucking sounds says the door is open. The man gestures for her to lead the way out. She looks at him as she passes. The two walk into a hall.
NEILA BY BRIAN FOSTER
the man leads the woman through hall, down stairways, past busy women on their way to their duty stations. She looks at them but the looks on their faces hide any curiosity for her. She feels out of place. the people look different than her, in slight ways. the way they walk, hold themselves. The wardrobe that cover the familiar human shapes. Hair is the first thing that strikes her. the styles that these people ware are alien to her. he smiles at the idea that something is alien to her. the man looks back to her. the look of puzzlement gives her even more pleasure. He continues to lead the way through the never ending maze. after traveling through a airlock the man leads the woman into a lab room. the circle lab reminders of other labs that he used to know. only the equipment that seems to hum quietly with electronic live is different. The read outs displays look different, smother than the display that she is used to. Like the people he saw in the corridors the display have subtle different from the ones she worked on. The table's the hold the displays seem to grow out of the walls or like the ones in the center of the room strait out of the floor. the oddest pieces of equipment rest of the table, their functions beyond her comprehension or that's what she thinks. the man leads her to the fare side of the room. there he tells her briefly about what this lab does. the displays in the room blink to life as he presses the table to near him. the white table top changes before her eyes to the blank white to a flat pattern of a keyboard Nice toys... he pauses for amount then continues. ...with the patterns of the cells available, I was able to redesign the organisms. on the display a DNA pattern brakes up then is brought back together. another DNA pattern comes together next to the other one. The building blocks living, conscious, self present, he turns to her and the look in his eye are filled with wonderment. and unique. cloning, you clone them, right? No he tells her, I said unique. each one as different as one human is with another human. he looks back to the display. their are four DNA patterns. we only bypassed the standard "birthing" method that is all. no one has to die for your shits to live? she asks calmly. My subject are not born from the rim of death, the enemy does not use the same controls. why? this process involved an enormous starting capital, and sufficient back for the up keep. others companies feel the need to... he reaches down and turns the display of the now twenty images of DNA patterns off. use substandard methods. or as you would say, could give a shit how they hurt. she shakes her head. I don't believe it, ever since I signed on to this damn company it was always profit, property, and personnel, in that order. that is if something special got into the mix, then fuck personnel. Even now I'm being forced to do what ever you want. you do raise a question, are you personnel or property? she turns away from his gaze. Can you tell me what I'm supposed to do? the man reaches past her and presses a panel on the wall next to her. a female voice, her voice speaks. systems on line, current level status, operative, bio levels, normal, operational units, sixty seven. breeding status, eighty one, request for additional information proxy status only. you used my voice for the god damn computer. I only did it because to understand your memories it was easier to listen to you then the normal computer voice. but never mind that, status level proxy one. the computer responds. thank you professor "B", she looks at the man. "Professor B? its along story. Professor, what is your request? show me the data on the Synthesized Project. Professor, the synthesized Project is level one status, yes, he says understandingly. The other human here is cleared for level one status. thank you for the information. do you see the different in how computer work with us. she sighs in disbelief. I don't care how kissie kissie you get with the damn computer, it's still just a machine. anyway, the displays in front of them fade to a form of a human. so, whats the deal? the figure rotates to the left revealing that she's not looking at a human but her nightmare. beautiful, just beautiful. he touches the display screen softly. It's taken years to get to this point. I'm not going to continue until you tell me why you need... She forces out the words but what she really wanted to say is lost in her anger. "IT". your mission is only to destroy the enemy's creatures, not to know what ours do. her face becomes twisted with rage. unable to speak she lashes out at the man. her hands rap around his neck before he can protect himself. with her fingers like cold steel he finds himself unable to speak. you made me this way, if you don't tell me what I want I will kill you as easy as they do. her head shakes toward the display. he claws at her hands. she stand their looking at his bluing face. well? his feet kick out to try to fall but her arms Keep him in the air. he kicks her but nothing happens. she tightens her grip. a small squeal passes through his lips and then he mouths that he gives in She releases him and he falls to his knees. he coughs in relief the pain does not leave him for day but he is able to continue. Talk! He clears his throat. you just attempted to kill me, let me catch my breath.
let you die, that's what I should do. He slowly gets to his feet rubbing his neck as he does. What do you what to know? She takes a step back confused. Her face becomes twisted in finding something to ask him. I... you don't understand, do you. His words, even thought said with pain, affect her like acid on human flesh. Her voice sounds like a child as she tries to tell him what she wants. Just tell me why. she holds out hands as if showing him something ghastly. Why? You don't get it yet, your not suppose to! and with that his hand slams down upon the control panel. time stops.
The next thing she knows is the sound of his voice ordering her to open her eyes. She prays that the nightmare is over and everything will be peaceful. She opens her eye and her hopes sink. Inches from her face is his. The grin on his face distorts his features giving him a devilish look. Back with the living, his hand rises and he snaps his fingers right in front of her face. I being the only living thing in the room. The man steps away revealing the room to her. Where am I now she questions him. This is the prep room for the Drop, witch will happen in, He consults his wrist watch, ten minutes. He watches her as she takes in her new surroundings. Like a babe in the woods. Rover missiles, steath bombs, and oh this is good, scatter missiles. The suplies are nesasary, the enemy has equal build up. Building the perfect warrier wasn't good enough... I will not discuss the politics involded, he tells her. The stein tone does not alow for any recoil but she returns with question. How will this hardware be used? He knows that the question belittles her but dealing with the company being belittle is a status quoo.
she stands taunt in full armor ready for battle. the creature before her sits balled up. it's head lifts up to look at her. with it eyeless face it looks at her. she sees for the first time right over it's mouth where the eye should be is the number "1". she looks at it closely. it looks like it is embedded like grown on. the creature speaks.
The waiting is the worst of all, she tells her nightmare. The creature head swings around towards her and tilts tothe side like a comon dog hearing a high pitch sound. You don't understand, don't you. It stays moatinless like some grotest statue. Self unit, it says in its strange gravely voice. It continues. ...verberal description untrue. after its last word ehcs out, the head whips back into postion, ready for action. ????, she tells it, eather it your programming or in your geans or whay ever, I think your a bastard!
The drop ship shakes violentlly makeing her remember the last time she was in this simular situatuon. The only different is this crew of this drop ship is silent. Warrors, it seemed to her escort where ever she goes. Her only fear still are what if the geeks at the company made her companion, forgot to put the right controls on them.
Her thoughtss are suddly disrupted by a humming sound comming from her control pannel. Warning lights flash and the moniters to her left buzz to life. Displays of vidal signs grow stronger. Then from all around her the silent warrories start to stir to life. ???? lets out a blast of screams that, if she was human would bust her ears. the fact that she knows no matter how loud ???? could get her ears where built take it. She does wish she could cover them though, but the straps that hold her hands againts the chair. The screema of ???? stop to her pleasure and the shaking of the drop ship worsens. The head is tosted to the side like a dice in a gamblers hand. one by one the warroirs lift their head to annolage ????'s comands. After eatck one has wakened ???? turns to Ellen. Ellen, it informes her, unit preped and wait Ellen first comand.
I'll thrilled, she tells the humless ????. Can you now tell me what my order should be? No one bothered to inform me on any of this situation. For crist sakes, I don't even know where I am? Planet cororents 0.5 0.05 sector 0. What does that mean? I need a name, dilgabarry. The dog look returns. A name for the planet, it has to have a name. her face distorts causeing her beutafull face to become as ugly as ????s. The head slowly straitens out as ???? prossess the information. Earth, it says on that garbled voice. Before total realiation can be made the drop ship bucks and rocks as if a giant had taken the tiny ship and was in the process in crushing it like a pop can. Ellen looks oner to her exteral moniter. The computer informes the detald of the mission and her sreams are not from the saverar shaking but from the knolage of the mission. Her screams of horror turn into commands of her silent warroiies. Five minutes to dust, you shits!
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