2.7|Sin in Subterfuge

 

2.7|Sin in Subterfuge

 

The next several weeks passed in a blur. The sightless watched as the other Ooht scientists examined what they themselves had seen, over the one they were now nicknaming The Flicker... Protlyn's strange energy was observed by them all. The accumulated essence of the Cascade, when looked upon by the blind Sightless's visage opened the way to new pathways of abstraction that proved scientifically revolutionary. While they studied and learned from the girl, Amity took the Baron under her own care. She would administer anesthesia and use her sophisticated tools, everything the Oohts offered to perform mechanical surgery on his system.

To that end, Amity devised a few more experiments for Baron to experience before performing the actual surgery. She brought them to the sightless, who watched in rapture as Baron underwent their new experiments. The initial attempts to revive him failed due to the logistics of the energy requirements being impractical. By the end of the month however, the Oohts had begun mastering a breakthru in what Protlyn had offered them, something none of them could explain or anticipate. With this new light, this new power that she'd given Ooht society, Amity persevered. She pulled her torchmask on and going over the data charts, the diagnostics and finally took a deep breath. "Let's bring you back baby.." She activated her lasertorch, and got to work.

She was so busy with the surgery, she barely noticed the fact that Novus Intellica was watching from the window, wearing labcoats and blended gently.

"Those two were not part of the experiment." She griped. "You cannot simply fail to account for unexpected variables. You cheated, death monger sister of mine." Novus stared as Amity began reconstructing Baron. "Still, it seems the residual Cascade was a benediction to our test subject. Raelyn, was it? A rosenite child. A Llavalite offshoot..." She placed one hand on the glass, her breath fogging it up. "One of Yulentka's. They're known for controlling and absorbing the Cascade." she blinked. "It seems the properties of both my daughter and of a Llavalite Brood have led to optimalization of the Cascade’s computational signal energy. That's admittedly quite unexpected."

Baron, previously cold deactivated metal was recrafted and repaired right before their eyes in a flourishing of hues, the clear plates and armor bright with the spectrums of the Hex.

Amity lifted her torchmask. "Welcome back to the world... Monarch."

The synth slowly rose, coming to consciousness once more in a gracious new

world.

 

 

With a pearly white chrome shell, the synthoid sipped a mug. Where tall smoking stacks were just 8 months prior, spires collecting the ratios of sunlight and converting it into a conduit for the Hex. Living conditions had risen dramatically, policies had to be completely reexamined in the shifting focus of a scientific advancement more shifting and shaping of Ooht's society than thousands of years of sterile stargazing since. Amity sat back in the terrace with a black labcoat, looking over her newly crafted Comm.

The word MATRUS flashed across the top of her screen as she swiped. Amity had been at the helm of this project for roughly two months now, and in that time she had seen this process of evolution come to an end. The planet's people weren't ready to go from living life in an atmosphere of complete chaos to life in complete safety. But the planet was ready to evolve, and she would guide it towards it.

"With the latest construction of the automated magnet tracks, will we be able to add the eastern resources according to our estimations?" He asked.

"Yes," she said, pulling up a map on her screen. "This large metal deposit here is just on the outskirts of the city, it's more of a living arrangement than a dwelling right now, but we have plenty of empty areas out there to expand it to. If this is good, more is better."

"The Oohts will have a strong role in this. They're brutally strict urban planners I've observed." He leaned on his arm.

"Miss Byte. May I please ask you a question?" Monarch asked, the centralized intelligence in his bandwidth connected to her tablet and the spacial data networks of the Oohts.

"Shoot!"

"When you rebooted me to incarnation X, why did you deprive me of my memory modules?"

Amity put down her comm, fixing her hairbun. "It was a maintenance measure when upgrading your specs. I kept them backed up and meant to reinstate them immediately, but, a part of me felt like I was dragging you back from hell. I wanted to give you time to accumulate first before throwing the weight of our history together. But you're free to install them anytime you wish! Your decision, should you make it. Protlyn has them kept if you want them.."

Amity stared into his glassy eyes, at the man who seemed to have a way of getting inside of her and guiding her through the hardest parts of her life. She looked towards the tall spires and crystalline generator plants.

"I have had your own chassis researched. For the longest time, I saw a certain aura surrounding you, the same residual signals of the Cascade that Protlyn has. But that disappeared sometime after we met, it started to come back after I rebooted you. You didn't even know it. A simple mistake in my own data retrieval made me realize you were intended to go with her or, any variant of her as a pair. The more I looked at it the more it became clear, you were designed to specifically be a guardian of sorts for her."

Monarch walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, the two stood close together. "I know this was a long time coming, but do you know what she is now? Does Protlyn know what she is?"

"What do you mean? She's already told me everything about her history. I

don't have much else to add."

"But what was she before?" Monarch pressed. "What was I.. to her?"

Amity turned away, hearing those words spun pins and needles inside her chest. A glowing form arrived in the backdrop, a crowd following behind her. "Speak of the devil.." She waved.

"And here's is the Sightrunner's Garden! It was formed in the 192th cycle as a donation from Ooht navigator Sani Ashir. It was renovated recently since the surplus efficiency has showcased-" she saw the two and perked up. "Hey guys! Good to see you again. I see you’re rebuilt and well Monarch! Surprised Amity found all the parts."

Monarch raised his cup to her. The Oohts had been following her all day, they'd come a long way. Although they were still groomed, cared for and guided by the Oohts and Protlyn's guidance, they'd learned much of the technology and innovations that civilization offered them. Their dwellings had grown more sophisticated, they were acquiring medicine, writing and their work along the electronic railways had advanced their knowledge significantly. The children hung to Protlyn's jacket closely, looking up with snouts, gills, tentacles and claws, watching her become the envy of the world.

Dragging behind another group of Oohtlets on tour, an effeminate boy holding several bags dragged his way in back. "If you're trying to turn me into a mule, you should've brought a saddle."

Protlyn turned to Theo. "Quiet buttboy. They said you could go out for good

behavior. Don't misbehave."

"You can be such an asshole." Theo scowled and stormed over to a park bench.

"Is it really okay to just let him run free?" Amity asked.

"I've got him on a tight leash, don't worry. What's up my little gizgirl?" She ran her hands through the girl's green hair, noting the white highlights she added into the bangs,

"Come with me to the Research Center, I have something to show you! You're going to be amazed!" Amity hopped off her chair and gestured to Protlyn.

"Wait! I'm coming too!" Theo yelled.

Monarch picked up the bags and followed along with Amity. He hadn't been out of the cell for more than a few weeks and already, he'd forgotten all the instructions Ooht gave him.

Monarch and Amity walked through a maze of buildings, passing by one after the next. They walked along the cobblestone, noting the new vehicles, lights, devices and even cafes that weren't there months prior, the light of the Hex powering the land. When they arrived in a new structure labeled as the Research Center, one connected to 6 railways going out on every side, she saw the doors already open and Monarch had dropped the bags by the door. Inside they waved to the Oohts guarding and headed to the main structural chambers where massive screens broadcasted untold algorithmic wavelengths of information. Amity tapped her comm, a hexagonal shape in pink with a heart in the center appearing.

"What, is this?" Protlyn asked, folding her arms.

"This is, MATRUS. I upgraded their old AI-Mainframe system. I wasn't able to at first due to technological limitations, but the escalation of the Citadel we came in has reached 86% completion. We powered up MAT, or Mainframe Artifact Terminal and added UPGRADED SYSTEMATICA with some old modules we found in from the citadel wreckage. It was a little hard, since MAT was very ancient and had a lot of confusing kinks in their code sure. But as a piece of technology that can learn and reason by itself, it’s as good as any. The machine in this facility has just begun to learn, they are still being programmed in order to help facilitate the mining and rail operations that bring in resources and coordinate with the employed Oohtlets." Amity explained.

"This is so cool! I didn't know the station we crashed in had so much left over technology! I'm so impressed and amazed by your progress!" Protlyn exclaimed. "I'm very proud of you for the work you've done with your technological program for managing the Oohtlets. You have done a wonderful job. I didn't realize they were so adaptable. This machine is doing all of it for them?"

Theo sat back against a control panel, noting the array of bright neon screens and buttons in immense display. It wasn't anything like the facility he operated as the Courtier, the technology was virtually foreign to him.

"Well it's still primitive, atleast barely a few notches above MAT, but MATRUS is self-learning and will perform many tasks. Like for example.." Amity swiped her finger and it turned to the prison complex. "We were able to utilize it to analyze the biodata of the Jezinkahalon disease. MATRUS is working it out with complicated self-learning algorithms. Hopefully within a reliable amount of time, it will find a cure. I'm hoping to work on other inventions that would help Ooht's and everyone's life. After all.. I do owe them so much for letting me play lab here."

She went through various monitoring stations they had on hand.

"What.. is this?" Protlyn's eyes grew wide. "That's-"

"The Geneticist lab and medical centers, we retrieved were surprisingly intact." Several tubes of Protas's other selves, the deceased clones remained in their fluid tanks. Besides them were bodies in pods, craddle position.

"And THOSE?" Protlyn was shaking. 

"We call them, the Santri. Using the genetic data of the Oohts we created after we figured out how to synthesize the disparate genes. Not to be crude, but we simply altered Protas's genes to create other similar human sized Oohts-"

"Who.." Protlyn's fist slammed into a wall, creating a small crack. "GAVE YOU

 PERMISSION TO PLAY GOD?" She ran over to Amity.

"HOW COULD YOU??!" she yelled.

Monarch shook his head. He could only stare at the two of them in shock.

Theo rolled his eyes. "Do YOU really have a right to be mad? This is my life's

 handiwork this brat stole from me.”

"I don't intend to play house." Amity said defensively.

"Then bury your own toys in the backyard next time, not mine." He scoffed,

checking himself out in a mirror.

Protlyn turned to Theo and Monarch. "You two. Out, NOW."

He walked out of the room while muttering to himself. "That woman should just keep her big mouth shut." Monarch leaned against a fountain with him, meeting his eyes. “The processes that used to clone her were basically all extracted as the components for the Santri. It's an odd relation and all but, her emotional turmoil is understandable."

"I'm not going to be lectured about emotions from a Synth." Theo snarked.

"Do you have no regard for biological life? Did cloning and bringing forth new specimens really fly for you and your father?" Monarch replied.

Theo shrugged. "My father wanted to murder them all. I was generous. More generous than you R.I.N.G freaks were towards organic life, gearhead." He turned, hearing Protlyn yell from behind them in the room. The argument escalated between her and Byte until the doors came open again and she ran out. She looked at the two men once and then marched away.

Amity came out slowly. "She's not happy about this.. She hates it."

"No kidding." Theo flicked Amity's forehead.

"Said that I and the Oohts could keep them but, as a counterpoint we're going

 to put limits their reproduction capabilities.”

Monarch leaned over to Amity. "We have our hands full already, I'll go talk to

her."

Amity nodded as Monarch left.

When Monarch entered the room, she was sitting at her chair in the corner still and glaring at the Synth.

"Why did you yell at her like that?" He asked.

"She didn't tell me until now my sisters were held captive? That they're

cloning new experiments?" She said coldly.

Monarch shook his head. "Hold up. Firstly, they're not your sisters- they're

your clones. secondly they're not captive, they're dead."

"They deserved a proper burial. I don't want a bunch of mutant mes

everywhere."

"Thirdly." Monarch continued. "They're not 100% you- they're just bioforms

based on the Oohts.."

Protlyn took a deep breath. "I don't care. It's too late for me to make a human life, I can never have a son or daughter and I had the perfect chance once.. I'm happy living life guiding these people and not trying to force anyone else to live like I do. People need freedom to live a life as they want it.. not to be controlled by some artificial society. Or created by one." She kicked a trashcan, watching the contents spilled out. "I thought we left our universe to get away from Xi, not re-create it."

Monarch continued to listen, picking on what she was saying.

"I'm not going to just let this continue on, this is MY life and I refuse to turn it into some Ooht-tastic, dystopian society." Protlyn crossed her arms. "What will these, 'Santri' have to live with? Their purpose, their roles? We cannot just make them like toys or playthings for our own desires, like.." she stopped slowly.

"Synths?" Monarch said. "Like I am."

"Right, forgot you got lobotomized when Amity rebuilt you." She rolled her

eyes. “Did she upgrade your schematics to ‘optimal asshole setting’ in the

process too? Your memories are still in a drawer by my lamp you know.”

"You think that was easy for her?" He asked. "Alot of what I know was gained from Amity.. not to be rude, but she and I.. from what she tells me, were very close in my last incarnation. There was some chemistry there. Her hopes, my desires, my needs, our bonds. She gave that all up and put it on a small drive. I don't take issue with that but.." Monarch hesitated. "She didn't know if plugging that into me and chaining me to that recall was right. Amity wanted a fresh start too.. I don't know if she made the right choice or not, but I do know at this point, taking those memories back in to merge with mine now would alter me irrevocably."

Protlyn's teeth were grinding. "WELL ATLEAST YOU WERE GIVEN A

CHOICE."

Monarch tilted his head. "We always have a choice. But in this life, we're more similar than we are different." He said slowly, watching her as she continued to look at the Synth.

The Flicker backed away, clutching her head and choking up, she sniffled.

"Noble, Baron, Monarch, whoever the fuck you are now.. look, I've been trying to make the best of this. I've put aside my issues, I gave up my dreams of a white wedding or nice military pension in a cushy flat. It's.. crowded in here, sir. I've had to repress everything, I cannot feel what I feel without feeling it twice. I get lonely at night, then realize I'm only two halves fighting myself. Sometimes I can't sleep at night because of the guilt." She hung her head, continuing to sniff. "My life, my memories."

With a direct look at Monarch, she wiped her eyes. "Look I don't know if these, Santri will be similar to me, or be meek maids or labrats, I don't care if they're lab grown whales. Anything that reminds me of myself.. Any more variations of me, I'm going to have a hard time with."

Baron nodded, throwing his arms around her. "You don't want to be lonely. But being reminded of yourself makes you more lonely? Maybe you should focus on the connections you already have.." Monarch pressed his body to hers, trying to caress and sooth her gently.

She put her hand on his face. She remembered why she loved her girlfriend once and what it meant to her. They stared at one another and shared a moment.

Theo tapped his foot in the doorway.

"What the hell do you want?" Protlyn glared.

He threw his arms up and scoffed. "Nothing." And he walked away,

disappearing into the flickering shadows of the halls.