2156: COMMODORE E. RAMMAGE PERSONAL LOG
A transcript from the personal logs of Commodore Earl RammageAderastos' fingers enclosed over Max's hand. The room swelled with a warm inner glow, light strengthened and receded with the beat of Aderastos' heart. Skin knit back together, a paltry bit of attention on his superficial cut. Max's breath caught, chin tilted back in rapture as once-broken bones reknit, old scar tissue tore and reconstructed.
Digging further, Aderastos felt for the timbre of Max's heart and poured a layer of protection around it. Dove into Max Allard's biological mass the way he couldn't with the corpse. Degradation of DNA strands crumbled in chaotic grains of sand through the filters of what once inhabited and lived.
No.
Max was wrong. Aderastos could stop death.
Origin Physiological
Cycle Chronic, Acquired
Rarity Extremely Rare
Affected Species
Homo Augmentum
Homo Sapiens
Affected Groups
Few have felt Aderastos' healing. Even fewer are immortal.
Transmission & VectorsThe only method of transmission is through the healing touch and concentrated effort of AD-001 Aderastos, something not lightly given or easily received.
Before AD-001 discovered the horrors of humanity, the people, and I use the term loosely, who knew his healing touch were gifted with a form of immortality. Initial reports showed only the beneficial medical effects of cured cancers, illnesses reversed and even the regrowth of limbs in amputees. Heck, Fridley got her hearing back.
Further research was needed to discover the truth of what Aderastos, ignorant to human lifespans, did, or how the unconscionable idiot I sent to retrieve him, Max Allard influenced the Bio-Mach.
While those made amortal are capable of being harmed, I've seen that myself, they remain in a form of biological stasis, or so Doc Gau tells me. For all he knows anyway, without more advanced diagnostic tech that might tip Lieben off, and I am not tipping Lieben, The Board or my grandmother Trudy off to this particular physiological powder keg.
They will, I'm assured by the healer himself, continue to survive without visible signs of aging, until some form of battle or accident takes them.
The first to experience Aderastos' healings were to a lesser extent the patients in Ucluelet Haven. No records indicate whether they too got this immortal gift and I'd give my left cheek to see any data. Having no surveillance, all I've got is the bumbling report of Max Allard, and the conversation Aderastos threatened me with.
Yeah, what a peach. Dangling amortality in a cancer patient's face for the freedom and lives of his fellows. Cunning, is the term.
Further study on amortal individuals as of 2156 has been conducted on a Most Secret basis only aboard my beloved CGM Ithavoll to the ignorance of The Conglomerate of Gaia.
To my knowledge, there is no artificial method of replication without Aderastos, and I wish there were.
Cause
Some form of wound or medical condition, which triggered Aderastos' innate instinct to heal. For the first amortal, Max Allard, it was Aderastos' witnessing of a recently deceased individual in Haven's cardiology unit which incited the desire to rid Max of death's touch.
Why Aderastos chose Max remains a mystery. How he selects the amortal remains known only to Aderastos, but seems to be based upon the relative ethics and personality of the individual, and their state of medical need.
Symptoms
Rapid healing, cessation of cell-based degradation, immunity to pathogens, lengthened lifespan.
Currently, the only proof of amortality is the rapidity of healing, a decrease in heart beat, and the removal of otherwise chronic or palliative conditions in the host organism.
Treatment
A bullet to the brain, decapitation or explosion. Some form of catastrophic damage. I'm this close to trialling a few of those with Allard.
One more sassy remark, I swear. Talk back to me one more time, kid.
Prognosis
Immortality. Heightened healing. Faster neuroceptor response. Lowered heart rate & blood pressure. Immunity to pathogens.
Prevention
Ethics
Here I am, sitting on news that could save or end the world.
The monster in the basement, the Conglomerate Bio Machs we created out of piecemeal DNA and one heck of a Hail Mary turned into the grace she's supposed to represent. These Assets were supposed to be our weapons. The game changers to challenge the Mater Machine and it's radically dawning on me. The truth.
The next stage in humanity could extend our lives indefinitely, if not for the fact Aderastos is a discerning douche.
Are we meant to be immortal? What does the application of seemingly infinite time do to our concept of self? Of worth and value? Our planet is already screaming at the bursting seams with population we can't feed.
Heck, half the Syndicate's exports are organs from donor farms. Disposable people. And now, we could live forever?
I ought to skuttle the ship, find a way to destroy these failed experiments. Make it all go away.
That's the problem with being in charge. It is my decision. All I have to guide me is a fear of the slow creep of cancer rotting out my body, and the vitriol in Aderastos' demands.
If Homo Neanderthal looked into the eyes of its successor and called for mercy, I call bullshit. If there's any truth to people on this planet having even a modicum of Neanderthal DNA, I'm thinking this urge to grab my spear and start stabbing comes from them.
Max Allard. The kid, the glorified debtor who weaseled his way into the hearts and minds of others. That slip of a bastard.
Immortal.
Epidemiology
Hosts & Carriers
“Can I shoot him? If I shoot Allard, will he get back up?” The whiskey tasted sweet on Rammage’s tongue, a fitting mouthful.
Aderastos paused at the door, eyes bore on gunmetal grey. “I would not advise…”
“Didn’t ask you for advice. If he gets shot, or injured and doesn’t flinch…”
“I made Max immortal. Not impervious to harm… if I’d known how violent you humans are to your fellows…” Aderastos turned one last time to face Commodore Rammage, a deep and growled snarl on his giant’s face. Rammage’s stomach flipped. He set the glass down with a slosh, eyes absorbed into Aderastos’ apoplectic gaze. “… I might have tried.”
NEON Lieben
Abundant and endless, love unwound the double-helix strands of Adelia’s DNA into their raw code. Every atom of the cloud which consumed her essential spirit ripped to their electrons & quarks.
She was nothing, a quantum stutter in the universe-storm.
The cerulean storm of Aderastos’ eyes. In a flimsy ‘distance’ Adelia could no longer feel, the back of her head was lifted up and forward, her hand slipped gently away from her hair.
“You will not fear me, little sister.” She toppled further into the Healer’s grasp, essence spiralled as the thrum of his voice turned once again into the rhythm of heartbeat and melody which flowed in eternal harmony. The fall Adelia expected became a flight of spirit too weightless to sink into the black, oozing waters beneath.
NEON Lieben
“I heal who requires it, Max. I do not work on your or anyone’s schedule. None of us do. Stay, if you wish. We shall be our own keepers.” Aderastos stopped before Ivan Letopaxa, and with one finger touched the man’s sternum. Ivan crumpled to the ground, hacked up masses of black and brown gobs from both lungs. The others stood in varied stages of mystification, until Ka with a keening cluck from what looked like plant seed pods clacked together, offered them fruit from her outstretched hands.
“Thank you, Ka… you know Rammage won’t let it stand, Aders. We’re here to give you a comfortable bunk and a fair shot, we aren’t your enemies.”
“You aren’t!” Aderastos thrust his index finger into Max’s chest hard enough to send the man stumbling backward. “You are not my enemy, do not speak for them!”
NEON Lieben
Amazon Top 300 Cyberpunk + Genetic Engineering Sci-Fi
"I never thought science fiction could be so beautiful."
AI meets gene-splicers, when the Idless & the Conglom fight to define Lieben and thus, the world. Seven decades later, Aderastos sets the human race against its’ next stage in evolution, if he can survive long enough to rescue his fellows, and Max.
Will Lieben help, or hinder?
Woah, having immortality seen as a real disease from the narrator's point of view is fascinating. Love the writing and the little remarks scattered across the article. And I got to say, after reading some of your articles while going through WAWA submissions, they make a great advertisement for your books! I'm growing more and more interested in Lieben's story!
Thanks, Rumengol! I had to take this one from Rammage's perspective. It was too delicious not to go from a commanding officer's perspective on whether or not Amortality ought to exist. The dilemma being his, and his voice with all things Conglom on the WA site. I really hope this does well in WAWA and thanks a ton for the comment. Hope you do read the book, if it's a style you enjoy! Cheers!