Biomech - Part Six

People got at her throat now more than ever, as well as each other’s throat just as quickly, just as fiercely.  No one cared anymore who was injured in these brawls, not even she did as she simply fought her way out, fists flying, one hitting with more accuracy than the other most times, and with more devastating results while the other was—nine times out of ten—simply cradled at one side.  She sent several people’s front teeth down their throats—the ones who got in the way, at least—and kept going strong, simply battling to escape the raging crowd that had once been a mosh pit.1

Something had triggered a reaction to those battling further back in the crowd and simply trying to get through, asking where she could and shoving where she had to caused all of this—it made her look as if she were simply shoving people around at random when she was simply trying to leave.2

A second time, something else triggered—painfully.  She let out an ear splitting scream and fell to her knees, covering her own ears.  Whatever it was, it was targeted specifically at her.  The last thing she remembered was an explosion of some sort that she was unable to hear, fire, pain, and a sudden darkness.3

She awoke in no pain at all, only a numbness.  She stared at the ceiling for some time—a totally dark mass of tubes and wires, some transparent and others like a dryer hose or something, most carrying odd liquids or even more wires off to different places—one of the smaller ones lead down toward her.  She had been put on a respirator for one reason or another, but that was hardly what bothered her.  She looked to one side after attempting to move that arm and her eyes widened.  She opened her mouth to scream and got nothing due to the tube down her throat.  She proceeded to break down, sobbing instead, silently.4

She had the feeling that she had been here before but had absolutely no memory of the place—it bothered her, the thought toying with her head the way it did.  The sight at her side was no more comforting than the de ja vu she was having; a metal limb laid out flat on the table she was placed upon, small parts ticking away at every attempt she made to move it—small mechanical parts that had yet another machine intently working away at them, tweaking and perfecting until they ran silently and smoothly like a normal human arm.  This was the one she had kept cradled at her side for so long, and now it could move—not on its own, but it still moved and disturbed her greatly.5

“Subject 30-05-12 is awake and functional,” a small, monotone voice uttered to someone who was likely not even in the room.6

Her dark eyes narrowed and she gave a small cough.7

“Vital signs: Normal,” it droned, “Removing breathing apparatus.”8

As this was said, the tube down her throat was slowly, carefully removed with the help of her heavy coughs.  She so wanted to let a hand grip her throat, but she did not have the pleasure of doing so.  She was breathing on her own, at least, and was glad of it…but what was she doing here?  Where was here?9

“Incomplete,” she heard the voice say—it was about all she heard before the sentence was repeated, “Subject 30-05-12 incomplete.”10

Just as incomplete as that single sentence, she was sure.11

The next thing she knew, however, was a small prick in her good arm and then darkness again.  Sedation, that’s what it was—to add to it, she felt, even in her unconscious state, a warmth against her skin, like a lukewarm bath that she was stood up in versus laid down in.  A mask covered her face—another respirator—and small tubes attached themselves to her.12

The metal used on each subject before was now coating her bones, and the respirator was only helping to keep her sedated with an anesthetic that acted like a heavy sleeping medication as well as, perhaps, morphine.13

The few seconds that her eyes were open, all she saw were the blurred figures of Zane and Ger, the first to get to his feet from their ‘little’ upgrade.14