Fallout - Edited 11-9-2018

I didn’t get any visitors for three weeks. I didn’t even see the doctor. I was fed through the tubes shoved into my body, and my blood was filtered continuously. On the bright side of things, I did manage to wake up after the third day in a medical rehab version of the Game. Primarily it was there to make it so while I was bedridden, I wouldn’t forget how to walk and all the joy that comes along with being an engineer.

Part of me thinks that it was so they could do whatever tests they needed to do without having me ask any questions. Possibly even because they weren’t sure what happened during that last firefight. I know that we lost several Marines, but because I hadn’t seen anyone I was unaware of what that final count was.

The bonus of being in Medical Rehab, I could conjure whatever I wanted to run experiments. Originally this was so that personnel could study up on their equipment for their rate and rank tests. If someone is down due to a medical issue, why not give them the ability to study, right?

It sounds a lot better on paper than the reality of having someone who’s in shock from having their arm ripped off by some machinery plugged in, and while surgery is being performed make them learn how to use other machinery. Marines had a big advantage as they would usually just summon weapons and a firing range to increase their accuracy. Same with pilots and flight.

As for me, I had a ton of data from scanned equipment on the last Escort. I may as well start by taking an in-depth look at that cloning room. If we could figure out how to use it to increase food production, then that was a bonus. If we could use it to regrow limbs quickly as well, even better.

Taking apart the system piece by piece gave me a very intimate understanding of the gear, and I was able to translate the displayed language into Terran Standard English. That took a lot of time, but the work was tedious, not difficult. They had a scanner that would do a lot of what a DNA scanner would do, though it would also get involved enough to determine where the differences were in the active DNA and RNA samples. I saw something else that it would do, but I was still pissed off at Observer and didn’t want to ask him about the helix structure of the different races. The inputs I was looking at looked like it could take up to an octo-helix structure.

How complex was the alien genome? Come to think of it, was it just one race or were the three of them (four of them if you count the membrane as sentient) even from the same planet or system? It seemed likely if they could consume each other. The goliaths appeared to be able to eat the bugs with no problem. The big question being how sentient were the bugs in comparison? Where they another species that evolved with the goliaths, similar to humans and canines? That was a train of thought for another time.

What is it that I actually knew about these aliens? Our Arks were taken over, leadership first. The creatures I knew of that could manage a psychic attack all had one of Observers people inside of them, like how I have Observer and his two friends. What was the possibility of them being inside of the other humans and me so that they could reconnoiter for the “dragons”? I really needed to stop that line of thought before I went down a rabbit hole there was no escape from.

Neith, what do you know about human muscle weaves?

-Little. It is something I can interface with your biomonitors to learn more about-

Please do so, lower priority, though. Also, any thoughts on non-toxic graphene or carbon-based weave that could be grown around the bones to strengthen them? Other options are also acceptable as long as they are non-toxic and allow for healthy blood production and flow. We have a cloning vat, why not look at how to utilize it to maximum effect?

-Interesting thought. Graphene would be out. It is conductive enough that a high voltage charge hitting someone could cause their bodies to combust.-

Okay, skip the graphene. Let’s also look at ways to strengthen the organs. Chances are I’m going to be losing most of mine, so if we could grow replacements and have them be stronger, then huge bonus.

-What about enhanced cloning with a Neural transfer?-

That’s kind of scary sounding shit. Can you explain better?

-Yes.-

I waited for him to continue for a moment.

Please explain it for me then?

I could have sworn he laughed. Is he getting a personality?

-The question that has been plaguing humanity is “what is a soul” or “where is the soul located.” This has been asked by the philosophers and theologists since recorded history. It is accepted that a person’s brain and electrical signals are that “soul.” Creating a body without a brain would obviously not work. But if we could clone a full copy of a brain as well, would we duplicate the soul?-

Getting a little too deep for me.

-The how about this? If we cloned a body, perfectly, then implanted a Neural that could then copy the brain entirely and would duplicate the pathways. Could we perhaps create immortality? If you went on a mission and died, what would the worth be of climbing out of a cloning vat in a new body, with all memories up to the point where you left for the mission and could no longer sync up with the equipment?-

Okay, you are asking some interesting questions. What would prevent the leaders from creating super soldiers and having us turn out like them?

I didn’t have to say the aliens, at least I don’t think I did.

-Point made.-

Is there any way to just clone specific body parts? I would really like having a fresh set of lungs, kidneys, liver arm and leg.

-In theory.-

So that is what I spent my time doing. Reverse engineering, taking apart and rebuilding the cloning rooms. If I could finish this and figure out the reactors, then that would be a major boon for us. During the three weeks in Medical Rehab, I figured out absolutely nothing. I say I figured out nothing, but really, I only had time to work on the translations and learning how to rip apart and put one together. It seems that I was getting a lot of additional processing help from Hera, Yama, and Rasputin along with the time dilation.

Twenty-two days after I had first regained consciousness, I woke, expecting to find the empty rehab room. Instead, I was looking at the ceiling of Medical. I could feel the tubes this time, so I’m going to count that as a loss. I screamed, or maybe I cried. Not sure which of the two it was, all I knew is that I was in pain. Lights were on, but none of the equipment was working.

“Merlin, please tell me you’re there.” Well, that is what I tried saying, though it came out more like “ooooaoaouaoau.”

Neith, can you connect me up with Merlin, please?

It was hard concentrating enough to send that message. I laid there with no answer, just one exquisitely long period of pain. It may have been my mind playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I heard similar cries of anguish. Finally, the pain became too much, and I passed out.

WHAT DID YOU DO!

The shrill scream of failing machinery brought me back to my senses. This time, when I woke up, I was back in the Rehab Simulation.

Neith, what is going on?

-You flickered. Just for a moment, then Observer and his… “goons” started to scream. They have been at it for a couple of minutes.-

That is when I heard myself asking Neith if he could connect me with Merlin.

I… what? I asked that when I was awake.

-You haven’t been awake in a while, closing in on 522 hours.-

Twenty-two days? That’s roughly how long I have been in the Rehab area.

Are you sure about those numbers? I was awake when I made that request before I passed out from the pain.

-I am positive. You have not been awake since they put you in here.-

A woman’s voice filled the virtual compartment

“Preparing for Gated travel in five minutes. Please report any issues that arise and disable any non-essential electronics. Jump complete. Your cooperation is appreciated. Jumping in 3… 2… 1.”

Okay, that is interesting. Are med pods considered non-essential? I was experiencing severe lag. It made me wonder what sort of tests were done on the gate travel. Skipping through space had none of those effects.

Observer was still shouting questions to me. Maybe it is more accurate to say, “at me.” Doesn’t matter. I was not going to listen to him for a while. It would be his punishment for lying. As of now, I had no idea how to get him out of me without him voluntarily exiting. I kept working on the cloning issue with the vats.

It took another four days before I noticed any movement. I was transferred back to the rock and stuck in what amounted to a storage room. Me and twelve others. We were all aware of our surroundings and were all seeing each other. My fire team was partially there, represented by Wilhelm and Goldstein. Then we came online inside the Game.

“Welcome back, Commander.” A trinity of voices said.

I was greeted by Yama, Rasputin, and Hera.

“What did you screw up?” Rasputin cut straight to the point. At this point, Yama introduced the three of them to the Marines freshly transferred to Theta. They broke off to go and explore.

“Well, if you want to get technical, we all screwed up by not immediately isolating me, and dropping me out an airlock once I was infected by Observer.” I then explained to them what had come out during the discussion with Observer.

“That is not good. What is this I am hearing about a way of you torturing them?” Hera was asking. Her eyes flashing pitch black.

“I did no such thing. What I know of is that once Ark-11 used the jump gate, all hell broke loose.” I then had Neith package up my sensory data from that, showing the out of sequence data near the jump time. There was no trace of any sensory input while I was awake. The only clue that something had happened was that I clearly recalled asking Neith to connect me with Merlin before it occurred in the Rehab sim.

We went over all the data, that was when I got the news. Janssens was not going to make it. He was permanently in game, for now. His pod in Medical. I would probably not make it without going for a full cybernetic conversion. The twelve Marines were the ones that survived the firefight because I had called for a Medic before my charge into the bridge.

As a “reward” for returning me, Ark-5 was going to transfer Marines in equal number to those lost during the capture of the Escort ship. We had managed to pull it through the gate using the Assault Craft as tugs. Both ships researchers were going through it looking for anything they could recover. I decided to break my silence on the thoughts for using the cloning vats as a resurrection chamber.

Hera looked at me, stunned.

“In… theory. It could be possible? Though I don’t like the implications of it. Who could we test it on?” She looked at me for a moment, then realized what I had in mind. “Are you sure? What happens if it goes wrong?”

“He’s going to be dead either way, isn’t he?” I had gone clinical, separating out emotion from what I wanted.

“The damage from the impact seems to have damaged his intestines beyond conceivable recovery. Due to vacuum and temperature, he is missing his bladder, most of his colon is damaged along with his stomach, pancreas, liver, and both kidneys. Also due to the vacuum, one lung ruptured. Fortunately, it had a place to drain thanks to the extra room left in his body due to vacuum damage. You also misapplied the pulse regulator, due to the vacuum damage, so only every third or fourth beat was pumping blood.” Hera explained to me.

“Yesss, he wasss lucky you were able to manage that much. Thissss plan of yourssss, It isss againsssst the natural order. Do you thhhink it would be acceptable? Would he agree?”

“Ask him. He’s in-game, right?” Hera and Yama looked at each other.

“Sort of.” Rasputin conceded. “There was a lot of brain damage. Without new organs, I do not believe any change of him will be possible.”

“Can I see him?” I lost my ability to be clinical at the thought of him being a vegetable, trapped in his own mind.

Neith, can you tell me if Utu is still online?

-He is, though there seem to be some data integrity issues. He is stuck in a logic loop.-

Can you break him out of it?

-Possible, but I will need the help of one of them.-

Then ask Hera or whomever.

-No. one of THEM.-

Oh. Shit. Let me make peace first.

“It is not advisable. We have not been able to make any connection with him at this time. There seems to be some unusual growth on his Neural.”

“It is most likely one or more of Observers people. They possibly didn’t have a chance to move to a new host before we ran for Medical on the Ark. You’ll also see additional growth on mine, most likely. On top of Observer, I have two more in me. Hera, could I ask you to get one of your processes to help me understand the alien tech for those cloning vats? As well as I understand it, there are thirteen or fourteen of us that are going to die if we don’t do something, and soon.”

Okay, Observer. I am done punishing you for now. You and the other two passengers. They need names. In fact, they ALL need names. Use personality traits to name them if you must.

JAX, WHAT WAS THAT PAIN!

I assume you mean when the ship used an inter-spatial wormhole to traverse the distances between where we were and Outpost Theta, where we are now. No control over it. All I can do is make sure it doesn’t happen again while I am on a ship.

We talked. They pleaded with me, feeding me apologies. I was aware that it wouldn’t help, but that didn’t make me stop them from doing so. Hera, Rasputin, and Yama had disappeared to manage their systems. I was told I would be given an allotment of time in the future to discuss the matter of the vats more.

I did manage to convince Observer to help Neith with bringing Utu back online. One of the others, who decided to call itself “Grace” agreed to help me with the cloning vats. My next few days were spent as such, in a research room (isolated) with Hera, Grace, Observer, and Hades- Heras latest process dedicated to helping me cheat death.

There was no change to Janssens even after bringing Utu back online. Utu couldn’t even asses how to obtain consent from him. When we asked Utu if he could pull the data, it was sure that it was possible.

When we finally cracked the machine, we started getting new organs cloned for all the Marines first. Kidneys, hearts, lungs all of it easy and all of them were perfect matches genetically. Just some minor scars and light duty while we healed. Then we cloned Janssens and did a full conversion for him.

Fallout - Original

I didn’t get any visitors for three weeks. I didn’t even see the doctor. I was fed through the tubes shoved into my body and my blood was constantly filtered. On the bright side of things, I did manage to wake up after the third day in a medical rehab version of the Game. Essentially it was there to make it so while I was bedridden I wouldn’t forget how to walk and all the joy that comes along with being an engineer.

Part of me thinks that it was so they could do whatever tests they needed to do without having me ask any questions. Possibly even because they weren’t sure what happened during that last firefight. I know that we lost several Marines, but because I hadn’t seen anyone I was unaware of what that final count was.

Bonus of being in Medical Rehab, I could conjure whatever I wanted to run experiments. Originally this was so that personnel could study up on their equipment for their rate and rank tests. If someone is down due to a medical issue, why not give them the ability to study, right?

It sounds a lot better on paper than the reality of having someone who’s in shock from having their arm ripped off by some machinery plugged in, and while surgery is being performed make them learn how to use other machinery. Marines had the big advantage as they would usually just summon weapons and a firing range to increase their accuracy. Same with pilots and flight.

As for me, I had a ton of data from scanned equipment on the last Escort. I may as well start by taking an in depth look at that cloning room. If we could figure out how to use it to increase food production, then that was a bonus. If we could use it to regrow limbs quickly as well, even better.

Taking apart the system piece by piece game me a very familiar understanding of the gear, and I was able to translate the displayed language into Terran Standard English. That took a lot of time, but it was tedious work, not difficult work. They had a scanner that would do a lot of what a DNA scanner would do, thought it would also get involved enough to determine where the differences were in the active DNA and RNA samples. I saw some thing else that it would do, but I was still pissed off at Observer and didn’t want to ask him about the helix structure of the different races. The inputs I was looking at looked like it could take up to an octo-helix structure.

How complicated was the alien genome? Come to think of it, was it just one race or were the three of them (four of them if you count the membrane as sentient) even from the same planet or system? It seemed likely if they could consume each other. The goliaths seemed to be able to eat the bugs with no problem. The big question being how sentient were the bugs in comparison? Where they another species that evolved with the goliaths, similar to humans and canines? That was a train of thought for another time.

What is it that I actually knew about these aliens? Our Arks were taken over, leadership first. The creatures I knew of that could manage a psychic attack all had one of Observers people inside of them, like how I have Observer and his two friends. What was the possibility of them being inside of me and the other humans so that they could reconnoiter for the “dragons”? I really needed to stop that like of thought before I went down a rabbit hole there was no escape from.

Neith, what do you know about human muscle weaves?

Little. It is something I can interface with your biomonitors to learn more of

Please do so, lower priority, though. Also, any thoughts on a non-toxic graphene or carbon-based weave that could be grown around the bones to strengthen them? Other options are also acceptable as long as they are non-toxic and allow for normal blood flow. We have a cloning vat, why not look at how to utilize it to maximum effect?

Interesting thought. Graphene would be out. It is conductive enough that a high voltage charge hitting someone could cause their bodies to combust.

Okay, skip the graphene. Let’s also look at ways to strengthen the organs. Chances are I’m going to be losing most of mine, so if we could grow replacements and have them be stronger, then huge bonus.

What about enhanced cloning with a neural transfer?

That’s kind of scary sounding shit. Can you explain better?

Yes.

I waited for him to continue for a moment.

Please explain it for me then?

I could have sworn he laughed. Is he getting a personality?

The question that has been plaguing humanity is “what is a soul” or “where is the soul located”. This has been asked by the philosophers and theologists since recorded history. It is accepted that a person’s brain and electrical signals is that “soul”. Creating a body without a brain would obviously not work. But if we could clone a full copy of a brain as well, would we duplicate the soul?

Getting a little too deep for me.

Okay, how about this, then. If we cloned a body, perfectly, then implanted a neural that could then copy the brain entirely and would duplicate the pathways. Could we perhaps create immortality? If you went on a mission and died, what would the worth be of climbing out of a cloning vat in a new body, with all memories up to the point where you left for the mission and could no longer sync up with the equipment?

Okay, you are asking some interesting questions. What would prevent the leaders from creating super soldiers and having us turn out like Them?

I didn’t have to say the aliens, at least I don’t think I did.

Ahh, good point.

Is there any way to just clone specific body parts? I would really like having a fresh set of lungs, kidneys, liver arm and leg.

In theory.

So that is what I spent my time doing. Reverse engineering, taking apart, and rebuilding the cloning rooms. If I could finish this and figure out the reactors, then that would be a major bonus for us. During the three weeks in Medical Rehab I figured out absolutely nothing. I say I figured out nothing, but really, I only had time to work on the translations and learning how to rip apart and put one together. It seems that I was getting a lot of additional processing help from Hera, Yama, and Rasputin along with the time dilation.

Twenty-two days after I had first regained consciousness, I woke, expecting to find the blank rehab room. Instead, I was looking at the ceiling of Medical. I could feel the tubes this time, so I’m going to count that as a loss. I screamed, or maybe I cried. Not sure which of the two it was, all I knew is that I was in pain. Lights were on, but none of the equipment was working.

“Merlin, please tell me you’re there.” Well, that is what I tried saying, thought it came out more like “ooooaoaouaoau”.

Neith, can you connect me up with Merlin, please?

It was hard concentrating enough to send that message. I laid there with no answer, just one exquisitely long period of pain. It may have been my mind playing tricks on me, but I could have sworn I heard similar cries of anguish. Finally, the pain became too much, and I passed out.

WHAT DID YOU DO!

The shrill scream of failing machinery brought me back to my senses. This time, when I woke up, I was back in the Rehab Simulation.

Neith, what is going on?

You flickered. Just for a moment, then Observer and his… “goons” started to scream. They have been at it for a couple of minutes.

That is when I heard myself asking Neith if he could connect me with Merlin.

I… what? I asked that when I was awake.

You haven’t been awake in a while, closing in on 522 hours.

Twenty-two days? That’s roughly how long I have been in the Rehab area.

Are you sure about those numbers? I was clearly awake when I made that request, before I passed out from the pain.

I am telling you, you have not been awake since they put you in here.

A woman’s voice filled the virtual compartment

“Preparing for Gated travel in five minutes. Please report any issues that arise and disable any non-essential electronics. Jump complete. Your cooperation is appreciated. Jumping in 3… 2… 1”

Okay, that is interesting. Are med pods considered non-essential? There were some serious lag issues happening. It made me wonder what sort or tests were done on the gate travel. Skipping through space had none of those effects.

Observer was still shouting questions to me. Maybe it is more accurate to say “at me”. Doesn’t matter. I was not going to listen to him for a while. It would be his punishment for lying. As of now I had no idea how to get him out of me without him voluntarily exiting. I kept working on the cloning issue with the vats.

It took another four days before I noticed any movement. I was transferred back to the rock and stuck in what amounted to a storage room. Me and twelve others. We were all aware of our surroundings and were all seeing each other. My fire team was partially there, represented by Wilhelm and Goldstein. Then we came online inside the Game.

“Welcome back, Commander.” A trinity of voices said.

I was greeted by Yama, Rasputin and Hera.

“What did you screw up?” Rasputin cut straight to the point. At this point, Yama introduced the three of them to the Marines freshly transferred to Theta. They broke off to go and explore.

“Well, if you want to get technical, we all screwed up by not immediately isolating me, and dropping me out an airlock once I was infected by Observer.” I then explained to them what had come out during the discussion with Observer.

“That is not good. What is this I am hearing about a way of you torturing them?” Hera was asking. Her eyes flashing pitch black.

“I did no such thing. What I know of is that once Ark-11 used the jump gate, all hell broke loose.” I then had Neith package up my sensory data from that, showing the out of sequence data near the jump time. There was no trace of any sensory input while I was awake. The only clue that something had happened was that I clearly recalled asking Neith to connect me with Merlin, before it happened in the Rehab sim.

We went over all the data, that was when I got the news. Janssens was not going to make it. He was permanently in game, for now. His pod in Medical. I would probably not make it without going for a full cybernetic conversion. The twelve Marines were the ones that survived the firefight because I had called for a Medic before my charge into the bridge.

As a “reward” for returning me, Ark-5 was going to transfer Marines in equal number to those lost during the capture of the Escort ship. We had managed to pull it through the gate using the Assault Craft as tugs. Both ships researchers were going though it looking for anything they could recover. I decided to break my silence on the thoughts for using the cloning vats as a resurrection chamber.

Hera looked at me, stunned.

“In… theory… It could be possible? Though I don’t like the implications of it. Who could we test it on?” She looked at me for a moment, then realized what I had in mind. “Are you sure? What happens if it goes wrong?”

“He’s going to be dead either way, isn’t he?” I had gone clinical, separating out emotion from what I wanted.

“The damage from the impact seems to have damaged his intestines beyond conceivable recovery. Due to vacuum and temperature je is missing his bladder, most of his colon is damaged along with his stomach, pancreas, liver, and both kidneys. Also due to the vacuum, one lung ruptured. Fortunately, it had a place to drain thanks to the extra room left in his body due to vacuum damage. You also misapplied the pulse regulator, due to the vacuum damage, so only every third or fourth beat was pumping blood.” Hera explained to me.

“Yesss, he wasss lucky you were able to manage that much. Thissss plan of yourssss… It isss againsssst the natural order. Do you thhhink it would be acceptable? Would he agree?”

“Ask him. He’s in game, right?” Hera and Yama looked at each other.

“Sort of.” Rasputin conceded. “There was a lot of brain damage. Without fresh organs I do not believe any change of him will be possible.”

“Can I see him?” I lost my ability to be clinical at the thought of him being a vegetable, trapped in his own mind.

Neith, can you tell me if Utu is still online?

He is, though there seems to be some data integrity issues. He is stuck in a logic loop.

Can you break him out of it?

Possible, but I will need the help of one of them.

Then ask Hera or whomever.

No. one of THEM.

Oh. Shit. Let me make peace with them first.

“It is not advisable. We have not been able to make any connection with him at this time. There seems to be some unusual growth on his Neural.”

“It is most likely one or more of Observers people. They possibly didn’t have a chance to move to a new host before we ran for Medical on the Ark. You’ll also see additional growth on mine, most likely. On top of Observer, I have two more in me. Hera, could I ask you to get one of your processes to help me understand the alien tech for those cloning vats? As well as I understand it, there are thirteen or fourteen of us that are going to die if we don’t do something, and soon.”

Okay Observer. I am done punishing you for now. You and the other two passengers. They need names. In fact, they ALL need names. Use personality traits to name them if you must.

JAX, WHAT WAS THAT PAIN!

I assume you mean when the ship used an interspatial wormhole to traverse the distances between where we were and Outpost Theta, where we are now? No control over it. All I can do is make sure it doesn’t happen again while I am on a ship.

We talked. They pleaded with me, feeding me apologies. I was aware that it wouldn’t help, but that didn’t make me stop them from doing so. Hera, Rasputin and Yama had disappeared to manage their systems. I was told I would be given an allotment of time in the future to discuss the matter of the vats more.

I did manage to convince Observer to help Neith with bringing Utu back online. One of the others, who decided to call itself “Grace” agreed to help me with the cloning vats. My next few days were spent as such, in a research room (isolated) with Hera, Grace, Observer, and Hades… Heras latest process dedicated to helping me cheat death.

There was no change to Janssens even after getting Utu back online. Utu couldn’t even asses how to get consent from him. When we asked Utu if he could pull the data, it was sure that it was possible.

When we finally cracked the machine, we started getting new organs cloned for all the Marines first. Kidneys, hearts, lungs all of it easy and all of them were perfect matches genetically. Just some minor scars and light duty while we healed. Then we cloned Janssens and did a full conversion for him.