“How long has it been?” he asked.
“Two weeks while we stabilized you,” the doctor said easily.
“Why didn’t you run me through the rejuve resonator right away and send me back to my team?” Cody demanded. The specialized ‘miracle machine’ was much touted in the military as a final resort for injured soldiers. Anger and confusion at having been denied the treatment clouded his mind. “My team needs me, sir.”
Dr. Nessa drew a chair closer and sat. “All right, this is going to take a while so bear with me. Your team was caught in an ambush on Remurjja Seven. There was an explosion and then the enemy shot the survivors. Do you remember any of the events?”
He had vague memories, soundless and in black and white. He supposed his mind was trying to shield him from the horror. “Kind of.”
“Another unit came in and took down the enemy, rescuing you. The medic was able to stabilize you—a medical miracle and she’s been recommended for a medal—and you were transported to the battleship and then the hospital ship and finally to us here at the Koradonn Institute. I’m afraid no one else survived. I’m sorry.”
Reeling, Cody heard the medical sensors shrieking and he blacked out. When he regained consciousness, Dr. Nessa and his colleagues were still waiting in his room and the nurse hovered nearby. All of them took deep breaths of relief when he opened his eyes. He and his team had been brothers and sisters, closer than a family. The loss was a blow so huge he wasn’t sure he could ever process it. A wave of guilt flowed over him like hot lava. And why was he the only one who survived? In what world did that make sense? He had no family, no loved ones whereas many of his teammates had. He should have died with them or instead of them.
He was in no mood to listen to the rest of the doctor’s remarks but the physician talked anyway. “As to your earlier question, about the resonator, I’m afraid the public has been a bit uh oversold on what the machine can accomplish. When a person is as badly injured as you were, the results can be um unpredictable. It’s entirely possible you’d emerge with too many limbs, or none at all—the AI which operates the device becomes confused when presented with a case as complex as yours.” He straightened and took on new energy. “Now, I do have three options for you, including one I think is clearly superior.”
Guessing the doctor wanted acknowledgment from him, Cody nodded. He wished the guy would shut up and let him grieve in peace but clearly there was a deadline these Institute pricks had to meet. Easiest to let them do their spiel and get out. “I’m listening.”
“First we can of course give mercy as you soldiers term it and provide a medically supported end of life. You’d be in no pain whatsoever, I give you my word.”
Cody was in no way ready to discuss ending his life in such a manner when he’d just woken up. There had to be a better solution. “Next,” he said in a hard voice.
“We can send you to a veterans’ long term care facility,” Dr. Nessa moved on to another unpalatable option. “You’re pretty much stabilized and the machines can keep you alive for something of a regular lifespan?—”
“Next.” Cody interrupted ruthlessly. He wasn’t about to spend however much of his life was left lying in a bed as a disembodied talking head while nurses and robos took care of him.
It seemed as if the doctor was figuratively rubbing his hands in glee as he got to the meat of his pitch. “We have a top secret project here at the Institute for which you’re the perfect candidate?—”
“I just had to get blown up and torn to pieces to qualify, doc?” Cody asked with venom. If he had control of his body and was anywhere near mobile, the physician would be in deep trouble. “Lucky me.”
Nessa blinked and wet his lips. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to be insensitive. Of course this is all deeply regrettable and I’m sorry it happened to you but I’m thrilled to be able to offer you a solution which only recently became available as our program was fully funded.” Dr. Nessa took a deep breath and motioned one of his colleagues forward. “Our program is dedicated to developing an army of cyborgs for the Sectors. The first step is proof of concept, which is where you come in. Dr. Asmaryl will show you the holo explainer now.”
Cody tried to pay attention as a short, snappy holo set to rousing music played in the middle of the room, describing all the benefits of fielding soldiers who were partially constructed of artificial components and thus had capabilities beyond the ordinary human and would be much harder to kill. The science of it went over his head, even in this condensed sales pitch. Cody let it wash over him, in one ear and out the other, while he focused on the man depicted doing a variety of physical activities. That could be him, whole and healthy, not tied to this damn bed, unable even to see the wreckage of his own body.
“I’d have my arms and legs intact again is what you’re telling me?” he said as the holo concluded with a scrolling screen of references and cited studies. “I’d be able to go back to active duty?”
Nessa’s colleague rolled his eyes, as if annoyed Cody had focused on a single point from the entire presentation.
Dr. Nessa himself seemed pleased by Cody’s interest. “Absolutely. You’d be our prototype so we’d be learning new things about the technology together, I won’t lie to you, you’d be our first human subject but we’re building on solid studies done before and numerous simulations and experiments with other types of bipeds.”
Cody didn’t much care for the explanation, feeling sorry for the test subjects, who certainly hadn’t chosen to be made into animal cyborgs. “How long does it take and when can I be back on the fighting line?”
The woman who’d remained silent to this point cleared her throat and came forward unbidden. “As our prototype, you’d be required to undergo a rigorous set of tests and training. We would of course be doing enhancements as the program moved into later phases. You’d be signing up to give us up to five years before the program moved into phase two, which would be you integrating into a combat unit and operating with the unit under actual combat conditions. The contract calls for you to serve in the Sectors military for ten years minimum. The program is quite expensive and the Sectors is adamant about recouping the costs.”
Out of my hide apparently. “I was a lifer anyway,” Cody said. He didn’t like the idea of being their guinea pig for five years but figured he could find ways to accelerate the schedule. He was determined to be the best damn cyborg in the Sectors and once he made his return to the fighting ranks, he’d live every day to honor the memories of his fallen brothers and sisters and extract payback from the enemy. “How does this affect my pay and benefits?”
“They continue uninterrupted with regular promotions on schedule,” Dr. Nessa said. “You’d still be an active duty warfighter but detached to our program. After the first year, you’d be allowed to live outside the Institute grounds in your own apartment.”
“What’s the catch?” he asked. The three doctors reacted with surprise. “There’s always a catch to these deals. Come on, doc, not signing on any dotted lines until you tell me everything.”
“I’m not sure what you’d consider a catch,” the physician replied. “The conversion may involve some pain although we’re prepared to medicate?—”
“How long to turn me into a robot?”
“We’re not actually turning you into a robot,” Dr. Asmaryl said with a sniff. “Did you not watch the holo? Do you need to see it again? We’ll be giving you prosthetics of incredible durability and strength, designed to meld themselves into your remaining body?—”
“All right, Asmaryl, enough.” Dr. Nessa shut his colleague up. “The process takes six months, after which you’ll have physical therapy of all types to enable you to use the new enhancements we’re giving you. There’s also the question of the nanobots.”
“Which are what exactly?”
