Star Bridge (Space Rogue Book 4)

by Jay Toney

  The data couldn't have been further from the truth. New Terra, it wasn't. I wasn't sure if any plant life could survive with the level of pollution that surrounded the planet. The presence of orbital factories showed that they had a thriving industrial economy. Resupplying our ships would have to wait. I was curious as to what happened, and how the planet changed from agriculture to mass industry, in such a short period of time. I wasn't curious enough to stick around to find out though"

  "Nugget lets get out of here. Set course to... ."

  Searing pain and bright light flooded my senses. I collapsed curling into the fetal position. I could hear Persephone calling in my mind, and the voices of Amber, Jewel, and Nugget calling to me.

  Loud and clear, I heard another voice say, "You are a cyborg, but you are not of the collective. This must be remedied." Hundreds of ships flew to intercept the Persephone. The rest of the fleet was ignored. Their ships were impervious to our fire. Their shielding absorbed our blaster fire without damage. Our defending Marauders, Vipers, and Keshian fighters were either ignored or disabled.

  They closed on my ship, ignoring every attempt to stop them. The cyborg units were drawn to me. They homed in on the neurochip implanted in me. Any who tried to stop them were stunned.

  They were after only one thing, me. The cyborgs found me in sickbay. I was overwhelmed by the flow of information flooding into me. The synapses in my brain couldn't respond fast enough to the flow of data. I couldn't think or even begin to function.

  "Unit what is your designation?"

  My head ached with all of the information flowing into me. I couldn't answer.

  "What has happened to your implants? You are malfunctioning. We will repair."

  Doc and Miranda tried to stop them from taking me with them. They were stunned and pushed aside for their effort. I was carried to their cybernetic ships and taken to their planet.

  The pollutants in the air made it difficult to breathe. I fought for each breath, struggling to breathe the toxic mix of chemicals in the air. My lungs and chest burned with every breath I took.

  I was taken to what I thought at first to be a medical center but was, in fact, a repair facility. Probes and diagnostic test equipment were attached and inserted into various parts of my body. If a diagnostic port didn't exist, and none did, they simply made an incision and inserted the probe into my body. All I felt was excruciating pain with the probes being inserted into me. Then there was a new sensation, like something crawling under my skin. Whisker-like wires branched out of the probes seeking nerves endings and making connections. Then the voice was back in my head.

  "Unit what is your designation?"

  "I am Nathaniel."

  "There is no unit designation Nathaniel, in our files."

  Next, there was a loud grinding noise in my head. It seemed to go for an eternity. They were drilling a hole in my skull. Satisfied with the hole that was bored into my head, the cyborg gently inserted a probe into my brain. Feelers immediately began branching out into my brain, connecting to my brain's synapses. There was no sensation of pain this time, in fact, every sensation of pain faded, I was completely numb now.

  "Unit designation Nathaniel, diagnostics will now begin."

  I felt a crawling sensation in my mind, then everything went black.

  "Nathaniel, hold on. We are trying to find a way to help you."

  I heard Persephone's voice. I couldn't see her or respond to her with the probes feelers crawling throughout my brain. I gathered what comfort I could from her voice. I could feel the diagnostic probes being retracted from my body. This time I felt no pain. The probe in my brain remained in place.

  "Unit Nathaniel, diagnostic checks are now complete. Your central processing unit, (CPU), remains functional. It is much too slow and has errors. It will be upgraded. All other cybernetic enhancements are nonfunctional. We will effect repair."

  I was enveloped in darkness again. Astrea appeared with Persephone in my mind. This time it was Astrea who spoke to me. "Nathaniel, it is not yet your time. You need not suffer this torment. I can offer you peace if that is your desire. Tanya waits for the company of her friends. You can join her now."

  "Nathaniel, we are doing what we can to help you. Nugget has formed a rescue team to bring you back to the ship. We all want you back with us. Please wait for us," Persephone begged.

  Persephone was crying. I had never heard of an AI crying or expressing real emotion. I saw Natasha cry on a few occasions. That was different. It was a function built into her avatar and programmed into its personality matrix, to make it seem alive. Randolph's tinkering caused her to feel emotion to some degree, and express it, but is wasn't real. She never even mourned her avatars death. She just ceased to exist, by erasing her backup files and resetting her CPU.

  I struggled to answer, and managed to get out, "I will wait."

  I had no idea what was to become of me. If I had I would have chosen differently. "Level 1 repairs to commence." I felt the incision that was made on my chest and abdomen. It didn't hurt, I still felt the pressure of the scalpel cutting through my flesh and muscle. Then a pulling sensation, and cracking noises as my chest was spread open. "The biological lungs are inefficient. Scans show recent damage to the heart. They will be replaced."

  Somehow I was still alive. The familiar rhythm of my heart beat and the feel of blood pulsing through my arteries was gone. It was replaced by the high pitched noise of the pump that replaced my heart. My lungs stopped their burning, but I continued to be able to breathe. I felt other sensations in my abdomen, but couldn't identify them. My chest and abdomen were closed and sealed.

  What other enhancements they did while inside of me, I didn't know. What I did know was that room had to be made for them. That meant the removal and replacement of most of my bodies organs, for space, and what they thought would be more efficient units.

  Next came my left eye. My head was clamped in place. My eyes were forced open, and I was forced to watch as a medical device was lowered over my left eye. It made contact with my eye, causing a burning sensation. A suction device sealed around my eye, removing my eye from its socket. The muscles and optic nerve were torn away. Another device was lowered above the exposed orbit, It positioned and placed a cybernetic eye in the ruined socket. Nanofilaments found their way to the damaged remains of my optic nerve, the thread like conductive wires connected between the artificial eye and the optic nerve, reestablishing the torn connection. My new eye was tested. Servo motors replaced the torn muscle and moved the new eye through a series of diagnostic commands. Next, a black and white test pattern appeared. More connections were made and the test pattern changed to color test bars.

  Another hole was bored in my head, this time on my right side. It wasn't painful, but it still played havoc on my nerves. Another chip was placed in my brain, Again thread like structures borrowed their way into my brain, and I began seeing random flashes of light in my mind. Next connections were made between the new chip and my new eye."

  The new chip must have been some type of ocular controller. Pixels of every color imaginable appeared in my mind. Adjustments were made to its programming, the pixels formed into images. I was able to see again.

  The cyborg repairmen were satisfied with the new eyes function. He sealed the hole that was bored into my skull to implant the control circuit for my left eye. When I looked around, not only did I see the different equipment in the room, but I was made aware of its distance from me. I also saw tags with the names of the various devices and an explanation of their purpose. "Level one implantation complete. Implanted cybernetic units performing within specified limits. Proceeding to level 2."

  I was taken to another operating room. It was larger and had more technicians ready to
augment my body with more cybernetic implants. For this phase, I was rolled over onto my stomach. My head was positioned, for my next surgery, and clamped into place. Other devices were used to fasten my body to keep it still. I was locked in place, unable to move. I had no idea what was going to happen next, and my imagination started to run away with the horrors I could imagine.

  "Nathaniel, hold on just a little longer, help is on the way. I have your coordinates and am guiding the rescue party to you."

  "Persephone, I'm scared."

  "Have courage, Astrea and I are with you."

  I could feel what felt like cold fluid being poured along my spine. Then I really got scared. Just like the last series of surgeries, I was kept conscious. I didn't feel any pain but could hear the cutting of bone. The noise was nearly as bad as the pain would have been if I could feel it.

  I could barely see the device below the operating table and its umbilical cables extending to my brain. The noise and the sound of what I thought of as pieces of bone being dropped into a metal pan lasted for hours. Finally, it stopped and cold fluid was again poured along my back.

  Next came the implant. My back was measured and the appropriate size selected. I couldn't see what they implanted but could imagine what it would look like. I knew they were replacing my spine, How I was kept alive, or not paralyzed was beyond me. The cybernetic spine was lowered into place. It was a self-guiding unit. It found its own connections to the rest of my skeleton, settling in position. As it moved down my back it gently cradled my nerves, sealing in place around them. A gel replaced my spinal fluid, keeping my nerves safe. Tendrils sought out bone and guided the displaced bone back into position before fusing bone and implant together. The incision was closed and the restraints released. I was rolled back onto my back. I experimented by moving my feet and fingers. They moved as if nothing had happened. A cyborg announced, "Level 2 implantation complete. Proceeding with level 3." Restraints were placed across my chest to hold me in place.

  The device that was feeding instructions to my brain let me move my fingers and toes earlier. Now prevented me from moving even than those. It completely stopped all movement. Measurements were taken of my legs, feet, arms and hands. Every joint was measured, then remeasured" My skin color was matched, and my palm and finger prints were taken. Even the fine downy hair on my arms and legs were sampled and measured.

  I had a bad feeling about what was going to happen next. I wasn't disappointed. I was kept from screaming or arguing by the device attached to my brain. Persephone and Astrea both appeared in my mind. There wasn't much they could do to help me. I kept trying to scream in my mind, I wasn't ready to die just yet though. Their company helped to assure me that help was on the way.

  "Nathaniel, these things have caused great harm not only to your body but also your soul. We will do what we can, to ease your suffering. I am sorry. I cannot take you to the other side now. You would not survive the transition, in your condition. You must survive."

  Their presence within me helped. They kept my mind away from the surgeons that were removing my arms and legs. The sockets for my hips and shoulders were replaced before installing my new legs and arms. Synthetic skin covered the bionic devices. It blended and melded with what was left of my natural skin. The sight of the new skin gave me some assurance. I thought I would be faced with seeing exposed servo controllers, hydraulic actuators, wires, and other circuitry. At least that was one fear safely set aside.

  Diagnostic tests of the arms and legs were performed. Adjustments were made to my sense of touch and dexterity. The articulation of my joints and their range of motion seemed to satisfy my captors. The probe was removed from my brain, and my skull sealed.

  "Unit Nathaniel, what is your primary function."

  "I command the Starship Persephone."

  "You hear the collective, yet you resist?"

  "I am not of the collective. I am one. I am or was human, I am not sure what I am now."

  "You have been enhanced. You are now both human and machine. You are now cyborg."

  "Will I be allowed to return to my ship?"

  "Biological units are on the way to retrieve you. You have the option to remain as one, or join the collective."

  "I would prefer to remain as myself."

  "You are now fully functional."

  I stood up. The feeling felt normal as if no changes had been made to me.

  "May I see what I look like now?"

  My naked body was scanned and a full sized holographic projection appeared. I was afraid that I had been transformed into some type of monster, or that I at least looked part machine, like the cyborgs that enhanced me. I was glad to see that I looked normal.

  A gown was brought to me to wear. The uniform that I was wearing when I was captured had been cut away from my body and disposed of. I didn't think it was possible, but I had to ask, "Can I be returned to human?"

  "Biological replacement of cybernetic implants is not possible. The biological units are here now. They will convey you back to the Starship Persephone."

  Nugget entered the room. He lead a team of both Keshian and Vorg with him. Nord and Beck were amongst his team. They were not only my rescuers but also my friends. The Cyborgs went about their business, ignoring my rescuers. No resistance was made to stop us from leaving.

  The cyborgs had completed their mission. They repaired what they thought was a malfunctioning cyborg. What was done to me was done out of kindness. I could not hate them for helping what they thought was a malfunctioning comrade.

  I understood in part what had happened to their planet and people. Rapid industrialization led to pollution. Their planet's atmosphere became toxic, and they needed to enhance themselves in order to survive. At some point they lost their individuality and became a collective conscious. More enhancements were made to themselves to increase their industry. The people were now more machine than human. They lost any care for their environment, completely destroying it while building their industry.

  I was taken directly to sickbay, by the rescue team. Doc put me in an autodoc and began scanning my body. He ran test after test, each confirming his fear. He finally let me out of the autodoc.

  "Nathaniel, I am afraid there is little I can do to help you. I can regenerate limbs and nerve tissue, but not on the scale of damage that was done to you. I don't quite understand how they did it, but they reprogrammed your brain to accept signals from your cybernetic implants.

  I could replace your arms and legs, but you would be left paralyzed. You would never regain use of them again. There is nothing I can do for your spine or internal organs. You would die long before I could remove and replace them. The network of filaments throughout your brain make removal of your eye impossible. There is a surrounding net of nanofilaments surrounding and interweaving with your brain. Changes have also been made to your neurochip."

  The cyborg I talked to had said the same but in less detail. I would have to spend the rest of my life part man, part machine. Doc released me from sickbay. Amber and Jewel were there waiting to take me to my quarters. They were both crying. I wasn't sure if they were happy seeing me alive, or saddened by what had been done to me. Maybe a little of both.

  I was sure that Persephone had already explained to them, the changes that I had undergone.

  "Nathaniel, I was right in choosing you to accept a chip. I wouldn't have expected anyone to be able to maintain their sanity with what has happened to you. Your will to survive is very strong."

  "I would have lost my mind if it wasn't for you and Astrea staying with me. Thank you, both."

  It had been a long day for all of us. Amber put me to bed, joining me.

  "I'm glad they didn't change everything," Jewel s
aid, climbing over both Amber and I, before cuddling with us. My wives were asleep long before I was.

  Persephone's avatar appeared in my room. "I am sorry about what has happened to you. We tried to rescue you before you were harmed. It took to much time to get past the cyborgs guarding you. I will he here to help, or just to talk, whenever you call. You may learn to accept or even appreciate the changes made to you. Think of them as upgrades, or improvements."

  "What am I?"

  "You are what you have always been. If anything you have been made into something better, perhaps Nathaniel two point zero, (2.0)."

  "Amber and Jewel are afraid of me."

  "They are adjusting. They still love you very much."

  "Do they love me, or what I was."

  "You are still you."

  I got up early. It was time to find out just how the changes affected me. I knew that the vision in my left eye had been enhanced, but not how much. With concentration, I was able to turn the tag labels on and off. I was also able to concentrate on a single item and bring up all the information the ship's database had on it, through my neurochip. That wasn't the only enhancement. I could see in the dark, using either night vision or infrared.

  With night vision, I saw everything in shades of gray. Using infrared, my vision was still monochromatic, but in shades of green. I saw using temperature variations instead of amplified light. The only time I saw in color was when using normal vision.

  I was also able to use my vision to magnify objects in the distance, or up close. When I focused in on a button on my shirt, an adjustable scale appeared allowing me to increase my vision up to 100 times. I discovered that when I used the increased magnification from my cybernetic eye, the vision from my right eye shut off and returned when I went back to normal vision.

  From breathing the air on the planet's surface, I already knew that my lungs were able to filter toxins. I inhaled, absorbing the needed oxygen, and expelled the toxic gasses when I exhaled. What else they were capable of I didn't know.