Advance Human Project (3)

My mind is racing, even more than usual. I can feel that everything inside my body is agitated. My confliction feels justified. I want to be free from this chip inside me that keeps me connected to the earth scientists. However, I have to connect to another computer, another artificial being to do it. Why does it make me angry though? Why at the depths of all my feelings is anger? I realize I’m lost inside my own world as Cedric gently touched my arm. The look on his face is of pure concern and genuine guilt.

“I’m so sorry One. I got so wrapped up in the idea that I wasn’t really thinking it through. I wasn’t thinking about how the idea would make you scared. You see being born here, I sometimes forget how traumatizing machines have been for you and the others.” Cedric starts to trail off finishing his thought with, “You’ve been through so much.”

No! Really, it’s ok Cedric. I throw my arms around him and give him a big hug. He hugs me back which warms my whole body making me realize his kindness dissolved my agitation inside. Ever since I first met Cedric he felt like…well, I guess like what a good and happy father is supposed to be. Cedric is strong, smart, curious, happy and kind. He’s genuine in who he is and I had never met a person like him before entering S4.

I tell Cedric I need to go be alone and think for a while. We both smile warmly at each other and I leave Cedric’s to head towards the forest. Yes, there is an actual forest on S4. It’s not enormous but one can definitely wander to the center and feel alone. As I walk among the beautiful trees, I listen to the little creatures scurrying about. I feel thankful. I feel the trees welcome me as I decide to sit down and rest against one. With a long breath out a smile takes over my face and a sense of impossible happiness consumes me. I look down the path noticing all the vibrant shades of green and how they feel peaceful. Why is this the first time I’ve noticed how magical all the different shades of green can be? A pit in my stomach snatches me up and throws me back to a horrible memory. I shudder.

…I was four years old. I was laying helpless on an operating table. The lights above me made it impossible to see who was actually there. I guess it didn't matter anyway. I just wanted to know who they were. I knew whoever was above me knew they were experimenting on me, a helpless child with real feelings and emotions. How could anyone do this? I feel myself ache from the center of my chest out towards the tips of my extremities. It feels as though with each breath the pain will collapse in on me but it never does. I could hear the scientists talk about the excitement of my case. I distinctly heard them call me Number One for the first time as they stuck another needle in me which made everything fade away.

The reason I was on the operating table was because I had a set of severely infected lymph nodes, under one of my arms. My parents were told some believable reason as to why that particular set of lymph nodes needed to be removed or I was going to die. To them, their daughter became sick and the wonderful “doctors” were going to perform a surgery to save her. The truth was those charismatic “doctors” were experimenting scientists and I was one of their test subjects. This particular test had been building up since my birth.

Injections started at birth. They were given in a particular series that created a system of artificially intelligent beings, who work together to help my body function at its maximum potential. They also built my chip in this same manner through injections. The chip communicates with the Earth scientists’ computer systems. They gather all the data on my human vessel and the activity within it, be it organic or artificial and this chip gives commands from the scientists to the artificial beings they put inside me. The chip sends my location to them as well but somehow that part can be scrambled or disabled. That’s the jailbreak Cedric has completed and even others before him had done for me on Earth.

The artificial beings inside my body had brought the latest series of toxins, that the scientists had injected me with, to my lymph nodes to initiate removal. The lymph nodes could not fully remove the toxins without help. So the beings held the toxins “captive” in a particular set of lymph nodes. Then they sent a message to the scientists suggesting removal of the infected lymph nodes. Although this was not a complete success, it was a major first step in having the artificial beings help the human body advance, hence the name Number One.

I shudder back from that memory to my quiet seatthe first floor of S4, wondering what it might be like to have another connection to yet another artificial intelligence. It terrifies me but S4 is literally the most amazing place. Why wouldn’t a connection to the actual ship be better? Could my body even handle it? I think sometimes science forgets I am a spirit merely living temporarily in a human body. I am not this body. I am so much more. Right now though, I am my body and it still can control me. Well, I don’t know if it can still control me. I don’t know how advanced the communications ability is within my chip. Can they send information all the way out to S4? They don’t know we exist, at least not as far as anyone here on S4 knows. What if I connect and S4 becomes a beacon for the Earth scientists? How could I possibly take that risk?

The intense feeling that starts in my root chakra and emanates out towards my outer hips and up to my heart chakra surprises me. I feel the most intense fear of bringing any harm to anyone here or to even S4 itself. I realize the one thing I have spent my whole life trying to do is possible, maybe. However, my gratitude and love for the people on S4 will be the reason I can’t fulfill it. I could never risk hurting any of them. Besides, nothing has happened to me since I’ve been on S4 as far as updates from the Earth scientists. Plus Cedric monitors the artificial beings and my chip and all seems to be going well. All the usual upsets and adjustments that other Earthlings go through when arriving on S4 didn’t happen to me. The artificial beings took care of everything for me, helping my body run in top shape.

Closing my eyes, resting my hands on top of the soil, while listening to the gentle sounds of forest activity, I feel bliss. I decide to get up and head back towards the center. I could really use some tea and I just want to be around other people, which is another surprise of the day for me. I crave being around others on S4.

Thank you for reading! This is the third installment of AHP. The story starts with AHP S4 and second AHP Floating World. Stay tuned in for future installments.