Page 49 of Human Reform
“Are you certain this will eliminate the glitches?”I asked.
Her eyes met mine, and I felt a jolt of… something.Something I couldn’t name.
“It’ll fix what’s broken,” she said softly.“I promise.”
As she leaned over me to access the console, her scent washed over me—lavender and something distinctly her.My body reacted instantly, desire pooling low in my abdomen.
“Just relax,” she whispered, her breath warm against my ear.“Trust me, Daxon.”
And strangely, inexplicably, I did.
The screen of the main console prompted for confirmation to proceed with my neural framework alteration.Dr.Bridges hesitated for just a heartbeat and then pressed YES.
“Neural framework modification commencing,” stated the system’s voice.“Subject must remain stationary for complete integration.Shutdown imminent.”
My vision started to blur.I placed my hands on the armrests of the chair, feeling strangely calm.This was necessary—for the colony, for everyone’s safety.My duty had always been clear.
“Estimated time: twenty minutes.”
The darkness closed in around me.My last conscious thought was a hope that Dr.Bridges’ new patch would ensure the protection and survival of me and all the cyborgs here on Planet Alpha.
When I woke up, the world swam back into focus gradually, like emerging from deep water.I felt… odd.Fuzzy, like my thoughts were wrapped in cotton.
Alora stood over me, her expression a complicated mix of worry, fear, and hope.I knew her name.I knew she was here to fix the neural framework glitches affecting me and the other cyborgs.I remembered visiting her in the medical bay, and her setting up in her private office here in the security center.But there were gaps—strange blank spots where memories should be.
Her eyes searched mine with eagerness.“Daxon?How do you feel?”
I took inventory of myself.“Functional.Slightly disoriented.”Something pulled me toward her—not a memory exactly, but an instinct, like gravity.My body seemed to know something my mind couldn’t access at the moment.
“Do you… recognize me?”Her voice trembled slightly.
“Dr.Alora Bridges.Neural programmer.”I paused, feeling like I was missing something important.“Did the new patch work?”
Relief flickered across her face but disappointment, too.“It seems promising.”
Sage stood nearby, her usual sarcastic demeanor softened by what looked like genuine relief.“Welcome back to the land of the living, boss.”
I stood, swaying slightly.Alora’s hand shot out to steady me, her fingers wrapping around my forearm.The contact sent a jolt through my system—familiar and exciting at once.
“You should eat something,” Sage said.“Food will help ground you.We’ve all been through a lot today.”
“That’s…logical,” I agreed, though I wasn’t hungry.Something in me wanted to stay near Alora and to understand this pull I felt toward her.
We left the security center and stepped onto the stone pathways of the colony.The two suns were setting, painting the sky in stripes of orange and violet.Colony members moved around us, heading home or toward the marketplace.Some nodded at me.A few looked surprised.
“You’re smiling,” Alora pointed out.“You don’t usually do that in public.”
“I wasn’t aware I was.”But I could feel it—the upward curve of my mouth.It felt right somehow.
The marketplace buzzed with evening activity.Vendors arranged their wares as colonists browsed stalls filled with synthesized proteins, fresh vegetables from the gardens, and handcrafted items.The air carried the scent of cooking food and jungle blooms.
Sage led us to Nexus’s stall, where the lean cyborg greeted us with raised eyebrows.
“Look who decided to join the land of emotions again,” Nexus said to me with a grin.
I frowned.“What does that mean?”
Sage elbowed him.“Ignore him.Three protein wraps, please.One mild for our delicate human.”
