章 134: Epilogue 1: Physiological Enhancements
'At last, we have returned...' As the ship descended through the coarse atmosphere of Athena 3, Rydel stood by the open shuttle door and breathed in the rough air and declared with a low dramatic voice, 'DAMN it felt like an eternity ago!'
'So much has happened.' Valerie said, joining him by the side, and before the ship touches down, both of them jumped off the ledge and dropped ten meters down onto the ground before rolling forward to negate the impact. For the enhanced individuals, this drop is nothing but a cake walk, but Torelamri was there swinging his hands and complaining about the impatient humans.
'It was certainly full on with things.' Ol said, touching the ship down gently as the two humans ran back into the compound and returning not long after to grab their stuff, then, as he raised up from the pilot's seat, he said in the voice channel, 'get settled in, and in the next few days, I have arranged for a physiological enhancement expert to come here.'
'For real?' Rydel popped his head from behind the corridor, carrying both his and Valerie's gigantic luggage box one in each hand.
'For real.' Ol replied, copying Rydel's phrasing, 'it will be for all of us, so we would at least all have a fighting chance. Well, Cellica will try to get the same thing done in the capital, and Zel should return by then. We can also get her to take a look at Elmyra.'
'Is this person any good...?'
'The best private surgery I have found, yes.' Ol said, 'charges a handsome sum too.'
'Well that sounded a little dodgy.' Rydel said, his hands still gripping onto the comically large boxes with ease.
'It was indeed until I verified her skills with the Scroll.' Ol said, 'Is she suitable for our task? I asked, and the answer is more likely than not.'
'Ah, great.'
It took no time for the bearers to settle back into their home, and they connected the cryopod into the grid and left Elmyra in peace with the pod still trying to figure out the strange condition of this human and sending weird readings to Torelamri's personal interface every fifteen minutes or so. Zel has returned and he looked to have gained a few pounds from whatever bender he has went on, but his mental state at least looked a little better. He is more welcoming of the news of the physiological enhancements than anyone, however, and it was understandable since he constantly blamed his lack of strength for the troubles he has caused his friends.
Then, a few days later, a heavily augmented shuttle crashed into the landing pad of their home base. Or rather, the landing was rough even by crash landing standards. Among a pile of smoke and fire, a female human emerged as Ol and Rydel greeted her at the front desk.
'It is I! The biohacker you have paid a half of a handsome sum so far!' With two hands raised in the air and chest propped up and forward, she declared her arrival.
'A biohacker?' Rydel turned to the stoned Aquarian next to him, but Ol was simply not able to process what has happened.
'Hello??? Is it your voice box that you want me to hack?'
'Um...You are Alrith, right? I am Ol and I was the one who made the appointment.' Finally, Ol has spoken as he approached towards the female.
She is quite tall, standing at 170 cm with a slim build. It was hard to tell from her outfit and appearance what she actually looked like with the smoke and fire coming out of the ship ruining her brown outfit, to be honest, she looked more like a mechanic than anything, but when dealing with altering the human body, it is hard not to feel a little iffy about the way she presented herself.
'YES!' Alrith nodded, 'but before we get started, can I take a shower somewhere? I stink.'
Elmyra's shower room was offered to Alrith, and as Rydel dropped a stack of cleaning supplies and clothing outside of it, he could hear the happy humming escaping the shut toilet door.
'So?' Valerie leaned against the door frame with her arms crossed, 'what do you think?'
'Wacky.' Rydel said.
'Who's wacky?' Alrith's voice came from behind, and she appeared with foam covering her bare breasts before grabbing the basket full of supplies and disappeared back into the showers.
Rydel made a face towards Valerie, and she sighed, nodding back to him.
After a long warm shower that felt like the entire water supply of Athena 3 is ran out, Alrith has finally showed up in the main room. With all of the dusts and dirt washed off, Alrith's natural red hair is visible again, as it was tied in a cute bun behind her head. She has freckles on her cheeks and her eyes are bright and wide. Her cheekbones are her best features, however, and it actually reminded Rydel of Valerie from their looks. However, Valerie is more on the cold side of the spectrum in terms of personality while Alrith seemed to be the bubbliest person he has met in a long time. She wore a thick grey work suit with sleeves rolled up and big trousers, but her build is still rather athletic, especially looking from behind.
'So, what's the deal?' She asked, slurping away on a juice drink as Ol gathered everyone here in a circle.
'We would like you to perform physiological enhancement procedures on most of us here, and include the use of nanodrones if you have access to them.'
'Ah, nanotech, yes...' Alrith said, tapping her finger against her head, and Rydel noticed the tattoo on her forearm, 'That would cost a little more?'
'Cost is not an issue for us.'
'So...you are those kinds of people.'
'What kinds?' Rydel asked, curious.
'Thooooooose kinds...' Alrith puts both hands up and made her voice eerie and spooky like the host of a horror show, 'Fine, I can do it. I just need a place to stay while this is going on.'
'That can be arranged.' Ol said, 'We wish to have the best materials for the enhancement, I presume you have brought it along with you?'
'OF COURSE!' Alrith screamed, jumping to her feet, 'is that all? Who is first? WHOOOOO I am excited!'
'Also, there is another.....' Ol was about to mention Elmyra's condition, but Alrith has already sprinted away from the room. Rydel's guess was that she is returning to her ship, which Torelamri has been dying to work on just so it can be of an acceptable shape. The engineer's itch is real for him here.
'Is she a kid or what?' Zel said, shaking his head, 'are you supposed to trust her on this? I am not going to be the first one through if that's the case.'
Even Ol can't really defend his decision at this point, but she is the best reviewed private surgeon in the entire region despite her price and personality. Ol looked to Torelamri, who also shook his head.
'Guess I will have to be the first subject.' Despaired, Ol gave in to the peer pressure.
When Alrith returned, she brought alone a big box of materials and a spherical droid that is accompanying her as it rolled a step behind her wherever she goes. Compared to the shape the ship is in, the box is actually shiny and clean, showing special care is at least given to that.
However, that isn't enough to convince Zel to trust Alrith just yet. Whatever happens, Ol will have to be the first one under the knife. An empty room is prepared for the procedure and Alrith quickly began her set up in the area. Rydel elected to watch her work on Ol just to make sure nothing funny is going to happen.
'Only watching no touching!'
That was the only rule Alrith has given him.
Then, as Ol is put under anesthetic, the general procedure began. The droid transformed from a sphere into a robot that is completely programmed with the instructions to perform the bone replacement as the first step. Then, the muscle enhancements will be done by the droid also before the overlay of a new outer skin is done by hand for Alrith. For Aquarians, due to their innate physiology, the first step is greatly simplified, but the second step was quite a bit more difficult.
'Don't worry, the droid is programmed to handle Aquarians too!' Alrith said, as the droid started absolutely cutting up Ol as Rydel almost couldn't continue watching. Then, she suddenly appeared extremely close to him, his nose can feel her excited exhale and some strands of her hair tingling against his forehead, 'you! What's your name?'
'I am Rydel Daera.' Rydel replied.
'You look different.' Alrith said, turning her head and leaning even closer to sniff on Rydel, who took half a step back but was pushed into the wall behind him with nowhere to go, 'I have handled many humans, but you and the blonde girl is different. You move different. No procedure for you two?'
Rydel couldn't help but be impressed. Those that has gone through the enhancements become different beings altogether, and their subtle movement tendencies also change as a result of how easily their skeleton is animated by their enhanced strength and endurance. Alrith showed that she has truly done this enough times to be able to tell the subtle difference, especially in slower movements. For those that are capable of moving super fasts, moving at what others consider to be normal speeds are actually not an easy task.
'No, we have already been enhanced.' Rydel admitted finally, 'could you step back a bit?'
'Ah.' Alrith looked a little disappointed, 'you two are a thing? A thing a thing?'
'Yes, a thing.' Rydel said squarely and firmly, 'are you sure you don't need to look at the procedure?'
'Well, I have programmed.....' Alrith said, spinning around to look at Ol before seeing the droid was stopped by something. It was the Scroll, as it sits inside Ol's body! Rydel always thought that artifact is external, but perhaps it really only is removable.
'What the heck is this?' Alrith ran towards the operating table and looked at the scroll that is dug deep inside Ol's chest, 'you know what this is?'
'Well...' Rydel scratched his head as he hesitated about telling the truth. Sharing information with someone who he has just met is foolish, so he will try to bullshit his way out of here, 'it's his.....personal memorabilia!'
'Are you trying to bullshit your way out of here?' Alrith looked at him sharply, 'I told him to remove everything! Aruggghhhh people never listen!'
Reaching out to try to remove the artifact itself after quickly disinfecting her hands, Alrith went and touched the Scroll. It lit up and pulsed an orange light before it sent Alrith flying backwards. Rydel looked at her and saw her flying directly backwards into the outreached arm of the transformed spherical droid, with a knife tip that is about to pierce right through her!
'Shit!' Rydel immediately sprung into action, activating his artifact and grabbing Alrith away before the knife could have skewered her. Then, he released her right above him before catching her in her arms.
'What is going on?' Valerie came in after feeling the shock wave from Ol's artifact, and saw Alrith freaking out in Rydel's arms.
'Urgh.....' Rydel was about to say Ol's artifact just sent Alrith flying, but he doesn't want to utter the words of the artifacts, 'Ol's.....'
'What the hell was that?' Alrith jumped onto the ground from Rydel's arms and hopped away from him, 'you! Your glove too! It's shining the same color as the strange rod thing in the Aquarian's chest!'
'Ah shit.' Valerie said, realizing what has happened and that Rydel has not cheated on her with someone he has met on the first day.
'Yeah.' Rydel said, and he knew that Valerie has understood the dilemma, 'what do we do?'
'What do you mean what do we do?' Alrith asked angrily, marching towards them, 'also, how did I end up in your arms?' She poked a finger into Rydel's arms and demanded his attention, 'how am I supposed to continue with a stick in his chest?'
'I mean.....can you work around it?'
'WORK AROUND IT?!' Alrith repeated what Rydel said with an exaggerated tone before pointing a finger as she blushes, 'Our physiology is a system! A SYSTEM! It moves and works all together! I need to know the nature and purpose of everything in your body to configure the enhancements in a way that won't kill you, or make you wish it would have killed you! Also, how did I end up in your arms?'
'Shit.' Valerie said, 'what do you think we should do?'
'You think I can't hold secrets?' Alrith crossed her arms and stomped her feet as the bun behind her head jumped up and down, 'I have done it for mob bosses, GBI agents, top athletes and more!'
'This...is different.' Knowing that keeping this a secret could possibly compromise the whole of the enhancement procedure, Rydel finally gave in, 'this items are called artifacts, and they each contain an immense amount of power while being unique. My power was to warp things in and out and away from other things, which is why I save you from being stabbed by your droid.
'You...saved me?' Alrith placed a hand on her chest as she blushes, 'that is sweet, but I am also enhanced so that wouldn't have hurt me anyway. But you are nice. Fine, now tell me what the purpose of the artifacts are?'
'To be frank, none of us really know.' Valerie said, 'each different one manifests differently in different places, and our theory is that they are used to fight in an upcoming war.'
'No, what the physiological and anatomical purpose of artifacts! Not their philosophical purpose!' Alrith said, rolling her eyes towards Rydel and Valerie, 'really, Rydel, this is your girl?'
'What did you say?' As the raging fire boiled over in Valerie and showed in her face at last, Rydel had to separate the two before they pick a fight over Ol's unconscious body.
'Let's focus please!' Rydel said, 'it's kind of like a muscle, you get tired if you use it for too hard or too long, and you can activate and deactivate it! But just don't augment it, treat it as a strange muscle!'
'Thank you, baby.' Alrith said, wagging her finger towards Valerie, 'now, can you get your girl out of here so I can work, please?'
Rydel looked to Valerie for help, but she instead stomped away and left Rydel facepalming and realizing that he has got some explaining to do for her later.
After a long while, Alrith has figured out the work around for the droid, and finished the physiological enhancements for Ol. Then, she simply injected the nanodrones and let them automatically configure in his body before handing Rydel a complete retraining and relearning program.
Zel was even more objective to Alrith's antics, and it is even harder for him to be enhanced due to the close connections between the Pocket and his body. However, Rydel made sure to convince him to tell Pocket to stand down from any automatic response when being touched.
'Your lady looked angry, Rydel.' Zel said.
'I am not angry.' Alrith said, injecting the anesthetic into Zel's body and knocked him out in his confused expression, and that look continued for another five hours.
Five hours? Rydel thought the enhancement procedures are a lot longer, but it only takes five hours? That's when Rydel realized that all of the things Alrith has done is at the new normal speed for the enhanced, which meant her hands is moving at speeds that is incomprehensible for normal surgeons, and her brain is processing information at the same speed as Rydel and Valerie.
'Please don't spread any rumors...' Rydel said.
'Just you wait.' Alrith said with a smile and a cheeky wink, 'my prince.'
'Oh please...'
The next one that came in is Torelamri, and Alrith continued working like the past ten hours was nothing. The enhanced have a largely increased endurance, but the mental focus is still draining. However, Alrith maintained her focus effortlessly through all of this time, carrying a smile on her face as if she is having the time of her life. This is her life's work, and she is enjoying every moment of it.
The Rockies's muscles and bones are already stronger and tougher, so the procedure is actually more difficult. Torelamri will definitely be grumpy about how his beautiful fur will look after this, but it will grow back...eventually.
With all three that has gone through the procedure now resting back in their quarters, it was Rydel, Valerie and Alrith that is having an awkward dinner together. Valerie looked like she has put on special make up and a white dress and Alrith also cleaning up and letting her short red hair down.
'Um...nice job today.' Rydel had to break the silence, 'what Ol didn't finish telling you was about this other case we want you to look at.'
He glanced towards Valerie, who's looking down at her dish without a word.
'One of our friend is recently injured and we have put her in cryopreservation since then. We want you to take a look at that.' Rydel explained.
'I am not a medical droid,' Alrith admitted while looking and taunting towards Valerie, 'but I will take a look! I have dealt with strange cosmic injuries before.'
And after the awkward dinner finishes, Valerie went straight back into her room and Rydel had to go and comfort her before they spent a night together. Meanwhile, Alrith has made her way towards Elmyra's pod, and began the slow unfreezing process.
The next day, a much less grumpy Valerie and a fatigued Rydel walked out only to see Alrith sitting on the floor with the spherical droid completely transformed. Her hair was down and messy, and she was rolling on the ground all frustrated as the two walked passed.
'Alrith? What is going on?' Rydel asked, 'Did you sleep?'
'How could I sleep when there is such an intriguing problem in front of me!' Alrith said, scratching her head furiously, 'her condition is bad, so I froze her up right away, but I have done all of the examinations and testing I can, but there is nothing! I have found nothing! You were right to freeze her up right away, or she would be a goner!'
'So...do you have any plans?'
'Plans? No. Crazy Ideas? Yes.' Alrith said, spinning back onto her tummy, 'From where I was trained, I know someone else. She called herself Life Springer, and she is the best at dealing with this kind of issues.'
'Do we go to her then?'
'Well...Here's the problem.' Alrith said, propping her head up and looking at Rydel, 'she lives in Aquarian space, and she has a strict rule of two when it comes to people going there, so one of you need to come with me to see her!'
'And I have already made up my mind on who to bring!'
Just as things couldn't get any more awkward, it appeared Rydel will go on an adventure in Aquarian space.
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