Cyborg - Emulating Life by Susann Greendragon (reading well TXT) 📕

"Dr. Juilin? Fine. Please come to storage room 7 on level 4. We need you medical assessment."

"What is it? An emergency? If so, what kind of emergency.", Juilin asked and a feeling of excitement spread inside his belly. Will this be his first task?

"No, it is not an emergency. Please take all what's needed for a simple assessment. Everything else you will see on-site.", Haskills voice replied accompanied by more cracking noises. Likely something unspectacular, Juilin thought sadly. The noises were unnerving. Hmpf, they have trouble with the electronics here, or?, Juilin asked himself. "Okay, I am on my way.", he snapped. Juilin stepped down the stairway to walk into the lighted examination room.

"Dakkie, Haskill wants me to do a medical examination. You will be present here?" Juilin gave Dakkie a quizzical glance and picked up the small medical scanner and his pad. Dakkie being in his 22, was not so much younger than Juilin, who has gotten his degree in double speed. Dakkie just shrugs and grunted a "hm" back at Juilin. He was sitting in his light blue assistant clothes on the floor next to a big scanner, adding additional instruments and calibrating them. "I take that as a yes.", Juilin smirked. He liked Dakkie from day one. He preferred pragmatists over all other big mouthy fellows or those with big egos. After picking up his data-glasses he left the medical station and walked to the elevators.

Someone from the security guards was waiting for him at the second elevator. The man was armed, which was odd for Juilin. He nodded towards Juilin and opened the elevator doors with a keycard. The lower levels had not yet been reconditioned and were in some cases a perilous place. That is what Haskill had told to him yesterday. They entered the elevator and stepped out a fraction later on the next lover level. The doors had opened to a spacious corridor. Nothing beautiful but functional - like all storage places, he thought. A few lights of the corridor were flickering and others were off. So, they do have a problem with the electricity?, the thought passed his mind again. The security guard walked him to storage place 7. The heavy and big doors opened slowly and with a fizzy sound, revealing a large hall and a view of Haskill and two technicians. The latter two were in deep discussion working on the cables of a big, grey 'box'.

Adrian Juilins gaze paused at the box and he recognized what it was: a cryo-chamber; an older version without the transparent lid, which was now commonly in use.

Haskill had turned to face him after he had heard the door closing. Motionless Haskill watched Juilin approach and study the box. Juilins gaze told that he knew what it was. Haskill asked: "Doctor, please examine our 'guest's health status and explain to our technicians how to stop the thawing procedure."

Es ever the assistant to his boss used a stuffy way to express what he wanted and his facial expression was giving nothing away. The technicians had stopped discussing and were studying now Juilin and the guard. "Sure!", Juilin replied happily and could not deny the enthusiasm in his voice. That was far more interesting than unpacking and boxing the lab. Clipping the data-glass behind his ears he studied the control panel. Meanwhile he asked Haskill, "Who is in the box?" Then he focused on the displayed data and furrowed his brows sorrowful. The bio-signals were weak and he could also see that the thawing had started already two days ago. That was not good at all.

"Well, I cannot recommend to try refreezing as the thawing process has proceeded to far.", Juilin explained without looking up. He heard Haskill breath in heavily. Obviously that was not fitting to his plans. "Really, we have to see that the person in the box survives the cryo. He or she is not in a good state." He shoved the cover of the control panel away and activated some systems of the capsule, which still worked despite of lack of energy for the cryo. The freezing system generally used up the big batteries below the cylinder, but the control itself had its own power station. He knew that as he had to learn to handle cryo-boxes during his medical training.

They could hear buzzing mechanics inside the box and the lid was gliding sideways open. Cold, from thawing humidified air was evaporating as whitish fog. Juilin could not help himself; he had to whistle in surprise. That is not routine. He could hear that the security guard gripped his weapon a bit tighter and he could see that one of Haskill's brows had moved upwards. Even the technicians stepped up and walked around to have a closer look. Juilin picked up the small medical scanner from his pocket and walked around to his new patient.

In front of him lay a cyborg, which was so bleak that his body color was close to that of the 'anchor' he was lying on. May be it is the light, Juilin thought. Arms and legs had been replaced by augments, which lack lids but still looked massive. The lower torso was also covered by armor. Cannulas had been fixed to his body for the cryo-liquid as well as for tubes supplying and removing medicals as well as bio-substances. His eyes were firmly closed. He noticed the strange ears, which some wit had changed so that they had three small tips instead of common round earlobes. Juilins biggest concern was his breathing, which was very shallow. He had already forgotten the presence of all other people in the hall. He picked up the scanner and starts examining his first patient.

Text: Susann Greendragon, Susann Vollrath
Images: Susann Greendragon, Susann Vollrath
Cover: Susann Greendragon
Translation: by me
Publication Date: 09-12-2017

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