Page 69 of Human Reform
Daxon tapped his wrist communicator.“Helix, it’s Daxon.Alora completed the countermeasure protocol.Request your presence in her office.”
Within ten minutes, Commander Helix’s brisk footsteps echoed down the corridor.She entered my private office with that perfectly straight posture that made me wonder if she even knew how to slouch.
“Dr.Bridges,” she greeted me, her emerald eyes appraising the code on my monitors.“Daxon tells me you’ve completed the countermeasure protocol.”
I nodded, turning Tim’s bracelet on my wrist—a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to break, especially in Helix’s intimidating presence.
“It’s ready for implementation,” I confirmed, standing a bit straighter.“Would you like to review it first or proceed immediately?”
Commander Helix studied me for a long moment, her blonde hair catching the artificial light from above.“Your expertise has already saved this colony twice over.I see no reason to delay further protection.”A small smile curved her lips.“You’ve more than proven yourself trustworthy.”
The words hit me harder than I expected.Trustworthy.After years of believing myself the villain in this story, hearing someone—especially the leader of the cyborgs I’d once helped enslave—say those words made my throat tighten.
“Thank you,” I managed, swallowing the unexpected emotion.“That… means more than you know.”
Daxon’s hand found my lower back, a silent gesture of support that sent warmth cascading through me.
“Then let’s proceed,” Helix said.
We followed her to the central processing hub.The same space where Daxon had implemented my patch prototype, risking his memories of us to save his people.The same space where I had implemented the backup of his memories, helping him find his way back to me.The same space where Tegan had been executed this morning.I pushed those thoughts away, focusing instead on what needed to be done.
I inserted my datapad into the main console while Daxon hovered protectively behind me, so close I could feel his body heat.
“This countermeasure operates on a different principle than the individual patches,” I explained as my fingers danced over the interface.“Rather than working inside each cyborg’s neural framework, it integrates with the colony’s mainframe network to create an autonomous defensive grid.”
“It will preemptively identify threats?”Helix asked.
I nodded.“And neutralize them before they can take root.Think of it as an immune system for your entire digital infrastructure.”
“Proceed,” she commanded.
Taking a deep breath, I initiated the sequence.The screens around us flickered as the protocol cascaded through Planet Alpha’s systems.For several tense moments, nothing seemed to happen.Then the primary screen flashed green.
“Integration complete,” the system announced.“Colony-wide countermeasure operational.”
I finally dropped the last portion of my guilt that I’d been carrying around for the past nine years.With that simple notification, I’d finally undone some of the damage my original wartime code had caused.The code that had enslaved millions, turned thinking beings into weapons, would never harm anyone on Planet Alpha again.
Tears pricked at my eyes.“It’s done.”
Daxon’s arm slipped around my waist, pulling me against his solid chest.I leaned into him, unashamed of needing his support at this moment.
“This is extraordinary work, Dr.Bridges,” Commander Helix said, her usually stern expression softened.“I’ll contact our sister settlements immediately to offer this protection to them as well.”She looked at me with genuine respect.“The council would like to offer you compensation for your service to Planet Alpha.You’ve earned a substantial credit allowance.”
I shook my head without hesitation.“I don’t want payment.I never did any of this for money—not when I worked for CE and not now.”I glanced up at Daxon, drawing strength from his presence.“I left CyberEvolution when I realized that what matters isn’t just humanity’s survival, but the dignity and right to life of all thinking beings.I can’t undo my mistakes, but I’m done running from them.”
My voice grew firmer as I continued, “My reward is knowing I’ve helped make things right again.And…” I hesitated, suddenly shy.“Finding my true home here.”My eyes lingered on Daxon’s face.“And finding my soulmate.”
Commander Helix studied us both for a long moment and then nodded once.“Very well.Consider yourself officially welcome on Planet Alpha, Dr.Bridges.”With that, she strode from the hub, leaving us alone.
The moment the door closed behind her, Daxon took my hand and led me out of the security center.We walked in comfortable silence, following a narrow path that wound between flowering plants and massive tree trunks until we reached a small clearing I hadn’t seen before.Sunlight filtered through the canopy in golden shafts, illuminating a small trickling waterfall surrounded by strange, luminescent flowers.
Daxon turned to face me, his blue eyes intense as they searched mine.
“Did you mean what you said?”he asked, his deep voice unusually vulnerable.“About this being your true home?”
I reached up to touch his face.“I meant every word.I think I’ve been searching for home my entire life.”I smiled at him.“Turns out, it was on another planet.”
“And what you said about me?”His hands settled on my hips, drawing me closer.“You called me your soulmate to Commander Helix.”
