Wiped

The energy surges

The next day I was booking the train tickets and lodgings for the three of us and our packages for the festival. It wasn't easy. People from all around Scarom were gathering to watch the show.

The coronation was an annual event, it was more for entertainment than anything else. The Royal Lesbians were there for show, sometimes used as a lenient gesture towards certain groups, like the Prism, to keep the populace at bay.

From the outside the Isle of Scarom was an ideal society, accepting, open. You could rise like a star if you found something that caught the public's interest. But you could fail and have a spectacular fall from fame too. Some of those descents were also remembered annually.

At the same time, no matter how glamourous and bright the royals shone, their glimmer could not hide the governing system. The Handlers, the treatment of the people of the Rurals, the deep seated animosity between the castes. Sure, you may rise, but behind your back you were still referred as your origin. Noone could change where they came from, noone could trancend. Individual failures always fell back to the entire caste.

The fact that I could live a relatively comfortable life in Z City was because I gave them tech they didn't know they needed desperately. But I always remained a tech caste from the Rurals. Never trusted completely.

Cuss-Bert came in to inform me that Jack is healing nicely, the rejection stopped, and the implant is sending signal. According to the readings he was ready to for another round.

- The support? - I asked, but he shook his head. He switched to being male earlier.

- We can't take him off that yet, but I think the Halo is not needed to keep him calm anymore.

- What if he has another seizure? Can you be sure that he's not just dormant?

- Nah, once the implant is accepted, it's very rare that something triggers rejection again – he said reassuringly.

- Have you met him? He is not your average, previously enhanced family dad coming for a top up.

- I'm well aware of the risks, but with the support we can supress him. And you need a scan.

- There is no chance in hell that you'll let this go, is there? - I sighed. - Fine. But you keep him in deep sleep until I come back.

- I will. Promise.

Forests. I was in the woods again. As the leaves moved to the rythym of the wind I could feel my circuits buzzing. Cuss-Bert was extremely thorough. Synaptics opened and closed, thoughts rushed by me but I remained unaffected standing amongst the trees. The feeling of emptiness lingered.

The sound of steps and movement trickled towards me and suddenly I saw him. A familiar face, but nothing specific, not one I remembered. A deep longing, airy, not anchored anywhere in my being. Sadness.

All faded, meaningless. Nothing of note.

The only violence happened before. When I unplugged him, Jack grabbed my arm and looked into my eyes. I saw myself, a stoic face, devoid of expression, entrenched in whatever memory left within. His gaze was filled with fear and rage. But behind his anger there was love, and joy, the magic of the Rurals. A radical. Pure, as nature, spoiled by me.

Cuss-Bert sulked. I could tell, because his whole demeanor was sullen, closed off and hurt. Just like I predicted, the scan didn't find anything wrong, and it became pointless to investigate further.

- I don't understand – he pointed out the obvious. - You two have a connection, but it's something the machine can't pick up.

I shrugged as the Halo reconnected to Jack. There was a sting of sadness within. I knew that I was about to destroy him. Taming might work, but the price will be high, maybe even cost him his life.

He is not me – I decided, but the pain lingered. I pushed through and sat down to try the enhancement again. Cuss-Bert sat next to me.

- Look – he said -, see these here? Energy surges. At the exact times you were connected to him. It's a back and forth, but I cannot deduce from here where it originates. Are we completely sure that he is feral? Are all the radicals untamed?

- I don't know. I haven't been there for decades, things could have changed. I know I was feral when I came.

- Yes, but there are cities in the Rurals now. Did you scan him before going in first?

I looked at him, a hint of embarassment creeped up on my face.

- My god, woman, what came over you? Is a pretty face enough for you to forget safety and brains apparently, to jump right in without checking out whether he has tech?

- The Halo would have picked it up. I designed it that way.

- Yes, but what if it only picks up tech that we know and use here, not that of the Rurals.

- There is no tech in the Rurals, that is the whole shtick. Being all natural and one with life.

- Does it work for them?

- For some I imagine. And there are those who go for implants, like me.

- I want to do a scan on him too.

- What for? Want to see how the implant is doing?

- I want to see the other side of this energy surge. His side. Maybe we can get an answer.

- Or better yet, we can do it while I'm going in – I offered mockingly. To my surprise, he took me at my word. - See what comes out of that.

- Wouldn't that break it?

- Let's hope not. Once I had three men in it the same time having adjustments. It's not easy but can be done.

- Cryo, you know you don't have to kill yourself for this, right?

- I know. But I also want to know what he does to me before it is too late. Even before I went in, I knew he was trouble. How? Was it just that he is from the Rurals, or something else?

Cuss-Bert looked at me for a long moment and then nodded.

- Give me a minute, I'll set up the test.