Wiped

Dilemmas

When the operation was finished, Cuss-Bert sat down next to me. She was still a woman for today, it became a habit that she informed me of what she felt like for the time being. We needed that. Working together taught me to respect her and her people.

The Prism, the part of town she lived in, was full of flamboyant characters like her. At first it seemed open and accepting, but for someone like me, it closed off pretty quickly.

These people came from all over Scarom because here they could be themselves. Z City was famous for allowing the Prism to exist.

Sure there were the occasional raids, but as the Royal Lesbians took a turn for more leniency and acceptance, it became easier to live. Even the drug use dropped significantly.

But as we sat there, slowly wondering about things unsaid, she looked at me.

- What are we doing Cryo? Why are we doing this? - she asked suddenly. - There are many men, who would be willing to get all the prosthetics, enhancements or adjustments that you can give, just to get to the festival and be presented. Why do we have to do this one?

- Because they said so. It's not up to us to argue Cuss-Bert. You of all people should know that – I replied. I was so tired of this though. It was one thing that I wanted to get away from myself, it was my choice. But this man, strapped to the Halo, he was probably fine the way he lived. In the Rurals, technology and implants somehow couldn't catch on. People mostly lived the way they were born.

- I know – she sighed. - Do you still have your dragon tattoo?

The sudden shift threw me off.

- What? No! Not on me. When they took my parts they removed it with that.

- I see.

- Do you think it could be put back? Is that even an option?

- Reconstruction? Not very popular, but it's possible. I haven't done it in a long time though so I don't know if I could. But there are people in the Rurals who presumably can.

I knew this – sometimes those who got an implant against their will escaped and visited these butchers. Rarely did those ventures go well.

- You know, I can tweak my body, I can adjust just about everything. I can make the skin more sensitive to the touch, make reactions faster, slower, however I want. But that dragon never stopped reminding me of what happened. Always there. Now it's not. With it gone I could finally let go.

- Then why keep it? Why even bring it here?

- To remind me not to go back. To the raindrops, to the pain – for a moment a strange, shapeless cloud of sadness came over me, but then it shifted. I sobered up. - And it could prove useful. I can put sensors onto it, and see how the new implant works.

- Mhm – it seemed Cuss-Bert wasn't impressed by my interpretation. She was just about to speak when the monitoring pad started beeping next to me. The sounds came ever louder and faster.

- Connection is established, but something is wrong! - I shouted, as she jumped to the floater. - I need to get in. Can you stablize him?

She nodded and I grabbed for the headpiece. For a moment I found myself in a rapid frenzy of thoughts, not mine, but his. Pictures floated around, a chase, a manhunt in the woods. Handlers with their stunners and plasma shooters around, but soon the stream abated and I stood in a cold white room facing him.

- What's happening to me? - he screamed. - Who are you?

- I'm here to help – my voice was different. Old, more human. - You need to calm down.

- Who are you? - he screamed again. Men from the Rurals. They had the looks but rarely the mental capacity.

- My name is Cryo. Please. May I touch you?

- No! Why are you human then? What happened to the cyborg?

- Jack, you are panicking. I can help you. May I touch you? - I asked again.

- What's happening to me? - he curled down to the floor, as if he was in pain.

- Cryo, we are loosing him – Cuss-Bert's voice sounded strange in my ears.

I jumped forward. I knew that the unauthorized contact could fry me, but I had no choice. He was trying to reject it all. As soon as I reached his skin, the electric jolt sizzled through me.

A face, long forgotten swam in front of me. Sound of footsteps in the dark. 'Don't fight, just let it happen' but I screamed. The first implant, masked faces around me, and the woods again.