Chapitre 171: Chapter 36: Transfer
Anozee appeared to have treated Absolute Being as a group that she needed to look out for, rather than necessarily being enemies for her. Realizing that, Hong Fu carefully picked out the chunks of his past and what he has learned over the years and shared with her. Starting from Zero's goals of uniting and training up all of the artifact users in preparation for the eventual threat the galaxy will be facing, about how he strayed from his paths and stopped caring about the means for the ends, and how what he did to Elmyra kicked started the chains of events going on in the galaxy right now.
He also touched on the developments of pseudo-artifacts, and how Infinity is merely a front of Absolute Being in the settled regions. Anozee listened it all with interest and rarely interrupted him with questions, now flipping the scripts totally and behaving completely different to before. Regarding Brakagi and the groups of artifact users he is in control of, Hong Fu is the least certain about that particular aspect of it all.
For those beings in the galaxy that truly believes the existence of such meta-physical and supernatural items, it makes perfect sense that the deviation of Olympus B might be a result of an artifact usage, and it also makes sense to point towards the major beneficiary of this crisis and suspect that he may have something to do with this. Obviously, the GBI isn't going to release the facts that they were attacked and raided by two Rockies with superpowers, so the public won't know any better. However, everybody for sure know about the sudden displacement of Olympus Prime as an act of artifact usage too.
It makes sense to assume that only artifacts and fight against each other. If the second act to undo the first was done by an artifact user, then perhaps the first act to start it all was also artifact related.
'And you plan to join Brakagi as a Rocky?' Anozee asked, 'practically offering yourself to him? Why?'
'Because he is simply way too dangerous to be allowed to roam around freely...' Hong Fu said, looking directly into the eyes of Anozee, 'artifacts are not to be used to alter the destiny of the galaxies, and I can barely tolerate what Absolute Being is doing.'
'Somehow, I feel like you aren't exactly the altruistic type.' Anozee teased Hong Fu as she turned into a dark hallway before spinning around to face him, 'You have ulterior motives, don't you?'
She reached out and places her hand around Hong Fu's cheeks and pulled herself closer to him, her breasts practically rubbing against his body. Hong Fu didn't move, and allowed Anozee to do what she wanted.
'Tell me, what's your special mission.' Anozee whispers into his ear, as her exhalation brushes against the edges of Hong Fu's sensitivity, 'are you still working for this Zero person?'
'I don't work for anyone.' Hong Fu stiffened.
'Sure.' Anozee chuckled lightly and squeezes his cheek gently.
'Are you happy with the information I have provided?' Hong Fu asked.
'You are so uptight, it's a little boring.' Anozee said as she licked alongside Hong Fu's hear, sending shivers down his back as she does it. Then, she backs away, leaving him in her aroma, 'Fine. I don't want another crazy guy running around the galaxy swinging around his artifacts and doing whatever he pleases...it's bad for the business.'
'It's bad for all businesses.' Hong Fu said, to which Anozee agrees.
'The procedure won't take long, but the rehabilitation would.' Anozee said, finally moving the topics onto what she will be doing, 'the conscious transfer isn't exactly a new science, but it's always been delicate.'
'I can take of the rehab.' Hong Fu said, 'I went through the enhancement procedures before. I know what it's like to have a new body.'
'Not quite like this, trust me.' Anozee said, as she grabbed onto her chest and pushes up and out, 'you humans have some interesting physiology, you know that?'
Trying to not stare, Hong Fu ignored that comment.
'Anyway, I did it on myself, and I had to relearn everything.' Anozee said, looking down at her fingers and around the body that she has finally gotten used to, 'You will get a full manual for this, but you will essentially need to experience as many different things as you can, you will need to be a baby, and explore all of your sensory, motor learning, proprioception boundaries.....All that. Understood?'
'Yes.' Hong Fu said.
'And obviously I trust that you will do exactly what you said,' Anozee said with a nonchalant shrug, 'to make sure of that, we will keep your original body around. A basic token of trust.'
'Deal.' Hong Fu said.
'In that case, let's begin.' Anozee said as she rubs her hands excitedly together, 'I haven't done a human to Rocky before, so this is gonna be exciting...'
'Huh?'
When it comes to consciousness transfer, it's done in a similar fashion to brain uploading, or rather the level of technology required to perform this procedure is at nearly the same level, as long as both the scanning and storage of full brain mapping can be performed. Historically, what's been limiting this technology has been that of destruction of the original tissue as a direct result, and the interesting ethical question of whether you are truly alive, and which of you are truly alive at the end of the procedure.
These are the questions that Hong Fu is now thinking about when lying on the table. This procedure isn't inherently riskier than any other, but there is a certain strangeness to it, particular in the existential sense as his human body will be left behind and replaced with a Rocky body. However, this is different to a brain transplant in the sense that his human brain will remain in his body, and only his consciousness will continue onward in a Rocky body. So in short, this version of him housing the human body will be put into sleep, or dead, depending on the amount of skill the practitioner has.
Would anyone accept death, if a copy of themselves are to live on in another body? That copy carries on the exact same memories, personality, purpose and mission, and it will go on doing exactly what the original copy would have done. Knowing that, would anyone be happy to 'die' peacefully, knowing that their purpose would have been fulfilled regardless of whether the original owner was the one to do it, or would they struggle and back out in search of the fragile idea of their original identity?
Hong Fu was more so in the former camp, and it doesn't really matter what happens to him as long as the job was done. When the job is done, then he will truly be free and settled.
What about the artifact? Thankfully, Anozee has had experience in this particular department, as the artifact followed her over to the human body, so the same should be said as long as the artifact is nearer to the newer copy of the same consciousness. This is really akin to hacking the relationship in between artifact and users, but it's also about as much as anybody can interfere with the inner workings of the artifacts.
Nodding towards Anozee as she prepared for the procedure, Hong Fu thought of what he will say to Vindy at the end of all this and gradually fell asleep, entrusting his mission to the next holder of his body.
'Hong Fu' awakened, and his eyes see a slightly different color palette to what he remembered. He felt short, but much stronger in his arms and legs, and the fur on his body...actually felt good? He had no sense of how many days have passed ever since the original went into sleep. No...he is the original. HE IS THE ORIGINAL RIGHT HERE. This idea is the single most important idea to be imprinted into one's consciousness to avoid any adverse mental effects of consciousness transfer.
The pod he is sleeping in slowly lights up in response to his waking consciousness, and Hong Fu sat up slowly as the pod is opened and his back was gradually pushed up. He looked at his short and stout arms and legs, and started processing the sensations feeding back all throughout his body. Human and Rocky physiology aren't that terribly different on a systematic level thankfully, so the relearning process should be a lot easier to do compared to if he is to be transferred into an Aquarian body.
Originally, he feared that he will have certain subconscious stigma against how he looks, but it appeared the hormonal pathways in the Rocky brain that he now inhabits takes care of that.
'Hong Fu, you might feel a little dizzy and disoriented for the moment. Please rest if you could, but feel free to explore your body.' An Aquarian nurse appeared in the peripheral of his vision and said gently and slowly. He is still getting used to the Rocky's hearing and seeing, and the words sounded oddly jumbled up together.
'Are you okay?' A familiar sound came from his other side, and he slowly turned to see Vindy there. They stared into each other for a moment, and he felt his heart beating faster and faster. She is...beautiful..... When inhabiting a Rocky's body, he also carries Rocky's brain chemistry and instincts, and as weird as it sounds...Hong Fu wants Vindy.
'I...I...ah....' Hong Fu tried to speak, but the shallower and stiffer voice box of Rocky body is preventing him for doing so. Hot damn...so he can think perfectly straight, but everything else will need to be relearned from ground zero. He reached out to Vindy, and she caught her hand. Her fur on her face is standing up...Hong Fu noticed as their hands connect and their furs tangled with one another....she is rocky-blushing?
He touched his own face with the other hand, and felt the spikes of his own furs.
'It's okay...' Vindy said, her voice sounding so different to what it used to sound like. It's so smooth and calming like massaged for his auditory systems, and now he finally realized why she is able to travel as a singer and musician...'I will help you.'
Still struggling for his words, Hong Fu simply squeezed Vindy's hands a few times before letting it go.
Probable. Hong Fu looked to the side, and saw the artifact that looked like an opaque marble resting against his body. He places a finger on it, and recalls the mental commands that he used to activate it. Flashes of blurry images appeared inside his mind just like before.
Anozee chalks this up to them hacking the mechanisms of the artifact/user relationship, but somehow, Hong Fu felt like this is exactly one of the intended functions of these artifacts. The technology level continued within each and every one of this is so much further beyond post-modern science that it's impossible to think that they haven't taken everything into account.
'Anozee gave me the entire manual for rehabilitation,' Vindy said in her ever calming voice, still holding tightly to Hong Fu's hands, 'we can do it back on our ship, if that's what you want.'
Yes, a safe and personal environment. It should accelerate the relearning process. Hong Fu nodded towards Vindy and squeezed her hand once more.
Everything is so tall....
Once Hong Fu returned to his ship, he realized that obviously the biggest differences are that of perspective changes, and also how everything that he now uses must be the Rocky-friendly ones. He stumbled around the ship as he went from place to place, and eventually realized that despite the names of it all, none of it is truly convenient for Rockies, just due to their shorter stature.
Perhaps there is a reason for the anti-human sentiment that exists.
Now, Hong Fu is able to pronounce more distinct sounds, but Vindy was still the one to teach him how to speak. The process is so extremely frustrating, especially when Hong Fu's thoughts are so far ahead of what he can verbally convey. At times, he even got angry at himself for how slow he is moving. Typing is so much faster than him struggling to talk, and yet he know that he needs to learn it as soon as possible. Anozee did offer a version of the Rocky body that is enhanced, but an enhanced body would only draw suspect from Brakagi, as no normal Rocky would actually go through such a procedure. However, accelerated learning patterns in the brain is a different matter (quite literally).
His learning and rehabilitation involves all aspects of childhood development, despite the fact that he is of a human adult's consciousness in a fully matured Rocky body. It's really all about rewiring and establishing the internal connections for him. And as the ship leaves the Poseidon system, Hong Fu can finally speak in painfully slow phrases.
'Vindy, my reason.....why I here.....stop Brakagi.....' Hong Fu said, reaching out to Vindy and trying to physically yank out the right words from inside him, 'Mission, no more artifacts, crazy...dangerous uses...not alone, I agree...Zero...'
'Slow down, Hong.' Vindy shuffled closer to her Rocky friend as their furs touched tips with one another. Why does Anozee have to give him such a handsome and well built Rocky body? She wondered, no complaints though...'Your mission?'
'Mission...' Hong said, swinging his hands in an attempt to convey the ideas, but it also slowed everything down further, 'dangerous...spy on him....stop him...you don't have to come...I want you safe...'
'I will stay until you are fully rehabbed, then you tell me everything, okay?'
'Promise...promised...' Hong nodded, then he reached out towards Vindy, 'beautiful Vindy...'
'W....why are you saying this now?!' Vindy almost jumped up as she looked away. The furs on her face all saluted into the sky as her heart skipped a beat. Hong's hands are still outreached, but Vindy left it hanging. She turned her head back to Hong Fu, but he is now the one that's looking away.
'Sorry.' Hong Fu said, and Vindy realized that he sounded a little hurt.
'No, it's not like that...' Vindy said, grabbing strands of hair on his arm with her fingers, 'I just didn't expect it...'
'I don't know...' Hong Fu said, looking down at his hands, 'strange, feelings...never before...not like this...thank you.'
The next few days went by, with Hong Fu continuously training and learning on all fronts, and he has finally gotten used to all of the basic movement skills, Rocky vocabulary and phrases. Everything is going great, and he is finally able to hold a full on conversation with Vindy on command. Truly, the most powerful weapon that intelligent beings have are that of the brain. A costly investment in terms of evolutionary tactics, but one with nearly unlimited potential.
After dinner one night, Vindy was the one to clear away the dishes as Hong Fu jumped off the seats. He enjoyed the extraordinary athleticism and physical toughness of Rockies mostly, as their strong musculature and shorter frame meant movements are effortless and safe. He followed Vindy around, and tugged on strands of hair on her back.
'Can we talk?' Hong Fu said, and Vindy nodded back, knowing that this is the talk where Hong Fu will let her know everything.
The two of them went ahead and sat in the main living room with a massive window overlooking the stars. He dimmed down the light in the room and let the two sit in the backdrop of nebulae, stars, and galaxies in silence.
'This started when I was still working under Absolute Being.' Hong Fu said, rubbing his fingers nervously together as he went on, 'Zero first had the vision of the destruction of the Olympus system, he began preparing for an eventual clash between groups of artifact users. Before that, he was simply going on about his normal business of trying to understand and replicate artifacts. Then, the tragedy of Nox 5 happened, and Elmyra Zin's artifact was found. That artifact showed a magnitude of power never before seen, and that formed the bulk of Zero's plan to change that future.
'I was independent from Absolute Being itself, but I did owe it to them for Probable, and I was one of their key pawns in the Olympus system for gathering information and hosting their agents and soldiers if they needed anything. I strongly objected forcibly activating artifacts, because this isn't how it should be. We shouldn't be trying to interfere with the artifact's inner workings. He forced me to go through the plans regardless.'
'What did you believe about the artifacts?' Vindy asked.
'That they are a great gift to us from the universe.' Hong Fu replied, 'and to that, I am thankful.'
'A gift....' Vindy looked down towards Wavestriker.
'He got in touch after we got away, and he left me a message of apology. as he realized that the future simply morphed once again.' Hong Fu continued, 'driven by fear and anxiety of the unknown or the inevitable is not the way to go, and I am sure he learnt the lesson now. He said that he saw me standing alongside Brakagi with someone else, and that his actions only made the future worse.'
'But he is wrong again.' Hong Fu said, 'Zero, Anozee and the others...they try to control the artifacts and use it to alter the destiny of the galaxy, but I don't believe those things are to be tempered with. With every action, there comes a price, and Olympus system is paying for it now.'
'I am never one to claim benevolence, but I cannot ignore what others are doing with the artifacts...interfering with the natural laws and orders of the universe just for their own benefit, or their own goals. This cannot be. Zero thought I will be joining Brakagi because of his mistakes, but I told him I will join Brakagi to save the galaxy. That's why I am going.'
'Hong Fu....' Vindy finally spoke after it all, 'I never thought...'
'I think I know you, Vindy.' Hong Fu said, 'this is a dangerous mission, but it is also one that is driven by every ounce of my beliefs. I have to go, but you don't have to. You are free, and you have a chance to travel around freely and do what you want.'
'In Zero's vision, was I there?' Vindy asked, 'or rather, will I be there?'
'...You don't have to...'
'Was I there?' Vindy asked again, 'do you want me to be there?'
'I do, if that's what you truly wish to do.' Hong Fu said, looking up but still not answering her question. He knew the truth, but he doesn't want the knowledge of the future to change what's in the present.
'Then I will come with you.' Vindy said, 'I will come with you, and help you. You saved me the first time around, and let me save you this time...'
'Vindy...' Hong Fu said, reaching his hands out in the dark, and Vindy grabbed onto his, 'I don't know what to say, except...'
Vindy yanked him towards her, and he pressed his body on top of her as his hands find its way towards her ribs. If anything, his human memories are perfectly in tact still.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone