# Victernus - Chapter 6

Author: Nazca
Tags: Cybernetics, Mind uploading, Science, War, Wolf, corruption, dystopia, implants


            For the next few hours, Namara laid
on a soft bed of white feathers in one of the rooms below the platforms, or
control stations, as they had come to call them.  A black wooden dresser stood on either side
and a waterfall came down just outside of the glass walls.
He was conscious and aware of what was going on,
gladly accepting Mahalia's attempts to comfort him. The fire was gone, but he
could barely muster the mental strength to say anything. Few thoughts ever
entered his mind, and the ones that did were very repetitive. A great internal
struggle raged within him, and he was ready to put the Koanthanatus aside for a
while.
            He felt Mahalia's hand on his head
again. For the first time in hours, he spoke.  Where's
Hector?
            Her voice came from behind him.
"Home... He's had enough for today."
            Namara lowered his eyes. Oh...
            "You can talk to him later. I have his number."
            Well,
that's good...
            She rubbed his shoulders, "What's up?"
            I
think... I'm going to drop this thing for a while. I don't know what happened
today. And Hector... was he alright?
            Mahalia lied down beside him, "He
was. But, this setback is no reason to give up now."
            Oh,
I'm not giving up. I'll still be looking, but... less.
            "That's very odd of you... What do you
mean?"
            Namara stirred and then sat up. There are other things that need to be done...
more important things. He paused and looked down at her. There's something I saw on the way here... something
that always disturbed me. It began when I was younger. He shifted his gaze
out of the open door, staring at the lowest control station. Nothing has changed since then. Not in a
long time. And now, everything is falling apart slowly. Some people genuinely
tried to fix the problem, but not before it was too late. You know.
            She nodded, "Yeah, and now most of
the western states can't be lived in, not to mention most of Europe, thanks to
the war and the droughts."
            He sighed. This problem begins with what each person is taught and what they are
born into. I was forced into the American education system, as were you and
pretty much everyone here. I was taught so many things useless to my life and
then told, to my face, that it was okay because the whole thing was just for
"the experience." But instead, the system creates a nation of crippled children
who don't want to think for themselves. Not everyone, but a lot...
            Mahalia was silent, listening attentively to the
thoughts being projected into her mind.
            You
knew I was different. I wanted so
much more out of it, but the only way I could get that was to do it outside of
the system. While I was achieving something great, I was still treated like
dirt... He paused. I wasn't even
recognized in the end... The system does not value people like me. They actually
want those mindless slaves, and few people have the know-how or the care to do
anything about it. Now... they've been denying the end for years. I want to warn
them. As for this thing in my head... I can't keep chasing it. It is the most
depressing thing to me, and I just... I can't do it anymore... He stared down
at the bed.
            Mahalia sighed, "I understand that...
I'm starting to see it in you. But, you know that it'd take a hell of a lot of
effort to get anyone to listen to you, right? Like you said, nobody cares about
those things."
            He nodded. I know... But if just one person listens, it would be enough for me.
I'd rather have one person know why their society is falling down around them
than have everyone drown like sheep. And if we can find those people, we can
save them from it, right?
            She patted his back and then stood
up, "Right."
            Wait...
Where are you going?
Mahalia ruffled the fur on his head, "This
conversation is good and all, but I've got to go do some things in Denver right
now. Get some rest while I'm out. Don't think too much."
            Namara lied back down and watched
the water fall outside the room. Fine... I'll
see you later, I guess. He looked back up and saw that she had left, so he
plopped back down on the bed and sighed. Someone's
gotta do it...
---
            Mahalia left the sanctuary and drove
away in an old black Mustang hidden beside the road. It just past dusk, and she
was heading to the backup facility. The others stayed there most of the time in
order to keep suspicions from rising about the presence and location of their
sanctuary. It held many of the same capabilities, but it also had a built-in
lab so that Theo could do his own research there.
            She switched on the car's radio to
see if there was anything interesting playing. It was tuned in to a nearby news
station and a man's voice came through scratchily, "...and Bill five-oh-three was
passed this weekend, ensuring equal opportunity for men and women all over the
country.  Doug, how do you feel about
this?"
            "I think this bill will be the
turning point for many Americans. The number of science and technology jobs
will be cut back, and that'll give us more workers to help rebuild our
infrastructure."
            "And what about the new mandates
regarding the improved security system?"
            Mahalia paid close attention. "Some
people may find it a bit harsh, but I've seen how it runs and I think it really
will work."
            "How much security are we talking
about here?"
            "Oh, there'll just be a tower every
fifty to a hundred miles or so. Anyone who hasn't been chipped will be detected
and brought to ISAF for inspection. It'll find anyone who's not supposed to be
here and send out the enhanced interception drones to disable or capture them.
To avoid this, citizens need only to apply for one of the chips. The
application is-"
            She shut the radio off, "Damn it!"
            A hover-car passed her, going the
opposite direction at a high speed. She thought for a moment and then turned
the car around. This road is a dead end...  
---
            As he began to fall asleep, a screen
appeared in front of him. A thirty-year-old British man in black leather
clothing watched him through a webcam. "Namara?"
            Namara opened his eyes. Theo?
            He smiled excitedly and spoke in his
accent, "You're awake! I finally found the key to fl..." The video chopped up,
distorting his voice and image. "...tried sending it to you earlier, but the
server seems to..." It cut out again. "...might want to run a diagnostic."
            Namara raised one of his eyebrows. The video is all choppy... I can't get some of
what you're saying.
            "Huh. There seems to be a..." The
video cut off and the screen faded.
            Darn.
Namara summoned another screen with his mind and set it to run a diagnostic on
the system. While he waited for it to complete, he returned to his paws and
stretched his body. But, when he breathed in, he smelled something a bit odd.
He jumped down from the bed and stepped out of the room, closing his eyes and
taking a deep breath. And then, he heard the hum of all his technology quiet
down. The power shut off.
He opened his eyes again and then ran to the center
of the control station, trying to bring the sanctuary back online before it was
too late. The blue lights under each station dimmed until he was left in
darkness. When he realized that his efforts were in vain, he sat down and
sighed, waited in the silence. But, as the silence intensified, he heard a
quiet, raspy breathing. He raised an eyebrow and called out. Who's there?
An older man's voice emerged from the top control
station, "Why, me, of course."
Namara growled. How
did you get in here, Lynn?
            Lynn paced around, "This sure is a nice place you've
got here. It's a shame I have to torch it."
            He snarled. What?! Why would you do something like that? There's so much here...
            "Because I hate you, and the public
can't be trusted with technology like this."
            Namara, his eyes fully adjusted to
the low light, climbed up the bridges silently. Why do you hate me? I never did anything to you, and all you tried to
do was use me.
            He laughed at him, "People like you
shouldn't be allowed to live. You're too different. You destroy the true order
of society and corrupt it with your wild ideas. Besides, I just don't think that
what you did is right."
            Namara smiled to himself and stopped
behind Lynn. What I did was harmless. I
did not steal from another creature. This body was made for me and me alone.
What you wanted to do... That was just wrong.
            Lynn shook his head, "My cause would
finally free humanity from death. Yours was selfish. You don't care about us. I
know you."
            He growled again, causing Lynn to
turn around, pull out his gun and point it at him. Namara stopped and smiled. Come on, Lynn. If you know me, you'll know
that you still need me. The research is all in my head now, and you won't live
long enough to replicate it again. He pointed his ears forward. You're doomed without me.
            Lowering the gun, Lynn stepped
forward and kicked Namara across the room in a rage. "You're going to help me,
whether you like it or not!"
            Namara whimpered as he was sent
back. He coughed at first, but then continued to smile when he settled down on
the floor. I could probably have you
arrested for animal cruelty.
            Lynn advanced on him in a rage. "Shut
up, dog!"
            He stood to his feet shakily and
then felt himself being grabbed up by his scruff. He grunted. I know you too, Lynn. You'd take another
person's life just so that you can live longer. You don't deserve any of this.
Besides... you'd only use my research for yourself. I can't bring myself to let
someone like you live forever.
            Lynn threw him down into the
hallway, making him roll and stop near the end. "I said be quiet!"
            Namara groaned and tried to get up again,
but felt too sore to do it. He fell back down and watched his attacker approach.
I will die before I let myself help you.
            When Lynn reached him again, he
picked him up and put him over his shoulder. "Yeah, we'll see about that." He
stepped down into the courtyard and pulled something out of his pocket. The
power returned and he stepped in front of the transporter. "Are you ready to go
back?"
            He growled halfheartedly. Put me down.
            Lynn laughed and then activated the
device, leaving the facility with Namara in tow. "I'll take that as a yes."

Source: https://sofurry.com/view/877057

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