Ætherglow #167

“What’s it like being a plural system as technopaths?” you say, as you ride along the tunnel.

“Oh! I think they go hand in hand,” Lexi says. “Gives you more perspective you know? More diverse thought patterns. More unpredictability. Good stuff for a technopath. And ætherside, it’s really kind of validating? Euphoric even? When we switch there our body can physically change, so nobody has to compromise on anything. We can really be ourselves.”

“That’s so cool,” you say.

“Trisha and El have been with us since childhood,” she says. “But our other syster T we actually created ourselves, after starting training. It’s a very interesting exercise in thoughtform control.”

“Wow, that’s amazing,” you say.

“Yeah, I guess it is. They said we could be a natural SySpec with that ability! But ultimately our heart was in EvoTech, just like Synth.”

You look over at Synth. “What about you?”

“Oh. Well, that’s complicated, I guess. I’ve known technopathy as long as I can remember, and I don’t remember a time when we were a singlet either... But my system is a little different than most...” they say.

It sneaks up over the horizon, a whole city sector under a dome. You go into another tunnel as you approach, then start to go up a somewhat steep incline. When you emerge back into the light, Synth stops the vehicle at a train platform.

“Well, here we are,” they say. It’s very quiet here, and nobody is around. You climb out and up onto the platform. From this elevated vantage point, you can see most of the sector--a few large buildings that look like apartment complexes and stores. They all surround a large facility, a large warehouse with walls of black sheet metal, surrounded by a tall fence topped with power lines. But not one person can be seen in the neighborhood.

Synth steps onto the platform, acting like serious Synthesis-02 again, with Électricité beside them holding their hand. Synth looks toward the central complex, staring past it with a dissociative gaze.

“I think I can better answer your question in there.” They lead on, down the stairs to the street level, and toward the fence.

The buildings look empty--abandoned, but not in a hurry. Metal shudders cover the windows. Closed signs mark every shop. Long dead, dried out stems of shrubs linger in grey soil beds along the street side and in front of houses. The ripples of sunlight filtered through the water above flow over the street, the only thing here that moves, besides you.

“I’m surprised the life support and environmental control and everything is still up,” Lexi says. It’s hot here, but no more than where you came from.

“Chamber of Commerce seized ownership after the company collapsed,” Synth says. “They keep it connected to the life support grid and everything since they hope to find a buyer soon.”

You follow them down the street and up to the gate at the fence. Beyond is the black warehouse. Synth lets go of Lexi’s hand and draws their gun. Pointing it toward the facility, they pull the trigger, and its coils accelerate a bullet that strikes the metal wall, making a sound that echoes through the empty dome.