Futuristic A Final Dawn

[Icerex]

Octavian~


As the girls horror rose, Octavian could tell that she was going to make this difficult. Very well then, if she wanted to waste time, then so be it. His face turned to a blank mask as she mentioned the Threat, doubting his motivation and will.


He broke out in a sharp bark of laughter as she mentioned her resolve to die for her tiny planet.  


"You know nothing!" He snarled at her, eyes bright.


"You speak as if you have a choice in the matter, yet even if you were to somehow kill me and go warn whatever puny form of government would actually listen to you, you would still have lost." His right hand clenched into a fist as he paced the floor.


"And you have the audacity to think that your tiny insignificant planet even matters!"


His head snapped around as he sensed, something. Octavian covered the distance to her, seeing her writhe in pain on the bed. She must have tried to use her powers. Foolish girl. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up till she was face to face with him, her feet barely touching the bed.


He leaned in close to her, his alien eyes mere inches away from her own, whispering.  


"For the Night is dark and full of terrors, and as millions cry out in anguish, begging for mercy, they are answered only with the snarl of the beast and the ravings of the mad, thus sayeth the Emperor. And you my sons, shall go forth with fire and blood and cleanse the Dark." 


"All shall feel our wrath, and the Imperium will stand as a beacon in the Night."


He dropped her back onto the bed, taking a step back, his eyes seeming to lose their luster and his breath coming erratically. "I gave you a drug that suppresses your powers. Well that I did or this would have ended poorly." 

 

[volchan]

Nike was too focused on the pain to give much of a response, but as Octavian approached and grabbed her by the shoulders, raising her effortlessly until they were face to face, he got her attention. The pain was still coursing through her body, but it was trumped by the intensity in his eyes and the dark whispers he began to recite. It was disturbing, to say the least; especially considering she was currently unable to defend herself.


He dropped her and seemed to come back to a slightly more sane state, explaining that he'd given her something to suppress her abilities. Well, at least it wasn't anything invasive or permanent. Still, the fact he'd suddenly become so intense and recited such strange things to her was unnerving. It almost sounded like something he'd been forced to memorize; like brainwashing. Was she going to end up like that?


The pain lasted a few more moments before fading away, leaving her curled up panting. It was quite a relief that it was finally gone, but how long would it last? What was she going to do? What could she do? Even with her powers, she couldn't even take on one soldier. How could she possibly take on an entire army?


“Please, don't do this!” She pleaded. It was all she could do at the moment. How many people would die in two days? What would happen to her friends and family; to the world? No, she was certain Earth wasn't anything spectacular compared to what might lay out there in the universe, but it was her home none the less.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian sighed, pulling up a chair that was near the wall and wearily sat down, his forearms resting on his thighs, head slightly bowed. "Look, I understand what you must be going through, I've seen it enough times myself." He looked up at her, a sharp look in his eye. 


"Tell me, does the ant understand the doings of men? Does he worry or care about the wars, the hopes and dreams of those species above him?" He studied her, his mind debating how much to tell her.


"The Universe is so incomprehensibly vast that it can cause those that gaze to long into its depths to go mad. It is filled with innumerable marvels, vast expanses of beauty.............And horrors that will strip you of your sanity."   


Octavian grew quite for a moment, chewing on his lower lip in consternation. "Do you know what it's like to see a trillion souls exterminated in an instant?" He looked up at her, eyes haunted. "To see your comrades, friends, lovers, torn apart by unimaginable horrors? Worlds destroyed with apocalyptic fervor, and each one only a minuscule drop in the cosmic pool of destruction."


He balled is hands into tight fists, the knuckles growing white. "You may think that the invasion of your planet and the annexation of all its people a terrible tragedy," his voice dripped with false remorse. "But be thankful it was the Imperium that found your planet first, and not something else."   

 

[volchan]

Nike listened quietly as Octavian spoke, describing the horrors he'd apparently witnessed over the years. She didn't know what to say; she didn't even know if she could believe him. After the way he'd behaved earlier she didn't exactly trust him. His body language and tone seemed sincere, but how could she be certain he wasn't lying to her or trying to manipulate her?


“What will the Imperium do with this planet?” She asked, observing him.


“What is going to happen to the people living here?”

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian sighed, leaning against the chairs wooden back. At least she seemed to have calmed down and was starting to listen to reason, at least that's what she wanted him to think anyway. 


"Your planet will be annexed and incorporated into the Empire, probably assigned to the Mari'stella sector. I know the governor, and he's a decent man, so I'm sure no drastic measures will have to be taken." He tapped his forefinger on his knee for a moment as he thought.


"It honestly all depends on how stubborn your governments act. We have a few of our people higher-up in some the larger nations, this one included, but these tend to be very delicate situations, and any number of things can happen. All in all, if everything goes to plan, incorporation should only take about five to ten of your earth years."


He folded his arms across his chest and studied her. "So, any more questions?" 

 

[volchan]

Listening to Octavian talk, she was reminded of the empires of old; especially the Roman Empire. Looking at it from a larger perspective, it could actually end up being good for the people of Earth. They would have protection, be equipped with better technology and higher knowledge, and perhaps even obtain a more peaceful state overall. The thing was; what would they have to sacrifice for that? They would no longer be able to make decisions for themselves; they would probably be forced to work and fight for the Imperium. She already knew there would be bloodshed; humans were stubborn creatures. They would submit eventually, but how many would have to die before that happened? Needless to say she felt gravely concerned.


"Every empire that has existed here has crumbled; what makes you think yours will be any different? What's even the point of all this? You said yourself that this world is barbarian; it's obvious from your technology that we're far less advanced. What does your empire have to gain from snatching up a place like this?"


She didn't try to move anymore. She was too weak from the drugs, and after the torment she'd just been put through she felt even more lethargic.


"What will happen to me?"


She watched him closely. She already knew they planned to make her fight, but what did that entail?

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


"Yes, empires fall, turn to dust, are conquered. We all die as well, and in trillions of years the last star in the universe will slowly burn out, leaving only darkness. Does that mean we shouldn't try and do something with the small fraction of time we are given?"


He started undoing the buttons of his coat as he continued, feeling a hot flash for some reason. "No, even though your planet my be considered backwards and primitive by some standards, it still has worth. It's resources and people will always be needed, and truly habitable planets like this one are hard to come by." He tossed the jacket to one side, rubbing his upper arm through the black sleeve of his flight suit, his voice growing quite. "This place may even be the key to winning, as small a chance that may be."  


He shook himself and stood up. "As far as you are concerned, well, you have two choices. You can either accept what you are and join the Imperium, whether that be as warrior, or in a support role of some sort. Or you can continue to use your powers without guidance, slowly going mad and eventually losing your mind to the vast power you have the fortune to be able to access."


He nodded at her bound wrists. "Now, do you want out of those?"     

 

[volchan]

Nike was lost a bit in thought as Octavian went on speaking. There was no way of knowing if anything he said was true; for all she knew the Imperium could show up and just slaughter every person on the planet. On the other hand, she knew nothing about this 'threat' they were facing. If it was real, and he was telling the truth, the planet could be in danger anyway. With the little information she had, it was impossible to make an informed decision. All she could do at this point was go along with it and see what happened. She had no idea what she'd do if the Empire turned out to be evil; she supposed she'd die dragging as many of them down with her as she could. It wasn't a great plan, but for the moment she had nothing better to work with.


She focused on Octavian again when he explained her two options. Honestly she didn't like either of them. She didn't want to work for an organization she didn't know or trust, but she also didn't know enough about herself or her powers to understand the full danger of using them ignorantly. She'd already found out the hard way that she could do real damage...but she also couldn't remember doing it. Was that her slipping into madness, or something else? She wanted to ask Octavian about it, but something pressed at her not to; a sort of instinct that told her it would be best to keep such things to herself for now.


"I don't see myself having much choice." She replied, glancing to the restraints on her wrists.


"I have no intention of being used to hurt others, so if that's what's in store for me you should go ahead and kill me now."


She looked very serious, and it was obvious that she wasn't kidding. She'd made a promise to herself years ago that she wouldn't use her powers for selfish or dark reasons, and she had no intention of breaking that promise.


When Octavian asked if she wanted out of the restraints, she responded with a small nod.


"I wouldn't fight you on it, no."

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


He grunted, leaning over and unlocking the restraints with a quick motion. "Sure, if you want to think that way. But I'll warn you that this is a very unforgiving universe, and when you see your friends and innocents being butchered before your very eyes, I can guarantee you won't have any compunction against killing another being." He laughed sardonically. "If you can even call them that." 


Octavian straightened, then scowled as he felt his skin grow burning hot, his breath burning his throat as he exhaled. Great, just great. Now I have to deal with this as well, it wasn't supposed to happen for another two weeks! He thought about re-cuffing the girl, then shook his head. I can handle her in my state. "Now," he spoke, pushing aside his discomfort. "Do you want something to eat?"

 

[volchan]

Nike managed to sit up a little and rubbed her wrists a bit now that they were free. She couldn't argue with the man's logic; she had no way of knowing how she'd respond if she saw people she loved suffering or dying. However, she also knew what it would cost if she let herself be consumed by what lay inside. She'd only seen a portion of what it could do, but she knew well enough that letting it out would be a grave mistake.


"You may be right, but I still have no intention of using my abilities at the whims of others." She replied.


She shook her head a little when he asked if she wanted food.


"No, thank you. I don't really feel like eating." She replied. If anything she felt a little sick to her stomach. She just wanted to leave and spend time in the world while it was still in a state of innocent bliss. She doubted she'd get to leave though; it seemed Octavian planned to keep an eye on her until things had run their course. She didn't know what would happen once his reinforcements arrived, but for now it seemed she wasn't going to be forced into fighting alongside them.


She still felt weak, but she didn't really want to lay back down either. Taking a moment, she tried standing again. This time she didn't fall, but she did wobble. She managed to get to the wall, where she braced herself against it to keep upright. She wasn't sure what she was allowed to do, but as long as he didn't say anything she supposed it would be alright to look around. She didn't really have any experience with kidnapping, after all.


Stepping out of the room, she glanced around. It looked like an apartment; a basement from the size and placement of the windows. She could see some gym equipment, some computers, and some other objects she wasn't familiar with.


"...Are you hiding a space ship down here?" She asked curiously, glancing at him. She still felt uneasy towards him, but as long as she was stuck here she figured she might as well do her best not to make things any worse.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian followed the girl out of the bedroom, keeping an eye on her in case she fell, or made a bolt for it. He chuckled at her query. "No, not here anyway. Although, I've got the parts to assemble a short-range cursora if I need it." He pulled aside a canvas tarp covering a stack of metal crates near the far wall of the apartment. "You can poke around, but don't try and kill me with anything you find, as it won't work." His skin was still burning hot, so he decided to just work it out then take a cold shower. Hopefully it would hold off for a few days. Mentally cycling through his music collection off of his implanted computer, he set it to play in his mind, walking over to the weight set. "Let me know if you need anything," he mumbled, stripping off the upper portion of his armored black body glove. He laid down on the bench and started on a set of thirty bench presses, breathing steadily and humming to himself. His body was soon covered in a sheen of sweat, some of it pooling in the divots and ridges from the numerous scars that crisscrossed his body. The black metal ports of the exposed implants along his spine and torso glinted in the light as he moved, and the raised sections could be seen flexing just underneath his skin.    

 

[volchan]

Nike blinked at the man's response.


"Cursora?" She asked, obviously confused. She guessed it was some sort of short-distance flying contraption, but she couldn't be sure. She moved closer to the crates to examine them, wondering what kind of parts or instruments could be inside. What kinds of technology existed out there in space? How many planets were there, and how many different kinds of creatures? If it weren't for the fact they were about to be invaded, she'd actually feel very excited at this moment. She'd always been a bit of a nerd, and stories of aliens, monsters, super humans, and fantastical quests had always intrigued her. Having grown up with strange powers, she'd dreamed of being a superhero one day, or at the very least saving a person or two. Now it seemed stupid, thinking she could actually take on everything alone. Maybe she'd been too full of herself.


"Huh...?" She asked, seeming a bit off guard by the other's words.


"...I wouldn't kill you." She said, staring as she watched him head over to the weights. Sure, she'd bust him up if she needed to, but she honestly believed it would be wrong of her to kill anyone. Maybe it was a naive way of thinking, but it was what she stood by.


As Octavian worked out, she couldn't help but stare. She couldn't say she'd had many interactions with the opposite sex growing up; not the romantic kind anyway. She'd spent most of her younger years focusing on her studies, sketching, coming up with stories and characters, and generally 'nerding out' with her friends. Besides all that though, she was most facinated by the numerous scars and strange metal ports covering his body. Was he some kind of cyborg? Why did he have all those metal parts? Could he plug into computers? Was he a computer?


Without thinking she moved a little closer, her curiousity taking over her common sense. She really wanted to see what he could do. Had he been created by someone, or had he been implanted with those things? Was it the Imperium that had put them there? Were....were they going to do that to her?

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian grunted as he finished another rep, his muscles starting to sting as he continued to work them. He glanced over at the girl, seeing that she had lost interest in the stacked crates and had edged closer. "Curious eh?" He spoke as he continued to work.


"The ports are for maintenance, as well as allowing me to interface with the heavier battle-suits and mechs. They are directly connected to my nervous system so when they mesh with the combat-computer of the machine, it allows me much greater control and speed then if I was unaided."


Octavian grimaced in pain as the heat slowly building in his bones flared up. "It comes with a price however, the least of which is looking like a freak when outside the usual military circles."


He grunted again as he finished, racking the bar then swinging his legs over and sitting up over the edge of the bench. "And don't worry. Most normal soldiers outside of the Ferrous divisions don't undergo this level of modification." He spoke as he slowly rubbed his left shoulder absently, the location of a particularly ugly-looking scar.     

 

[volchan]

Nike got a bit of an embarrassed look on her face when Octavian called her out.


"Uh...well...yes, I guess." She replied, trying not to stare anymore. She couldn't help but gawk when he explained what the metal ports were for. He could merge with robots??? There was a part of her that couldn't help but feel a bit of child-like excitement at the idea. Of course, when he mentioned that there was a price to pay, one she assumed was heavy, she sombered a little. She supposed having such things attached to one's body probably caused some pretty serious side effects.


He seemed to finish up and sat upright again, assuring her that she probably wouldn't have to get anything similar installed. She watched him as he rubbed one of the more gruesome looking scars on his shoulder. It seemed to be agitating him, even though it appeared long healed.


"How did you get that one?" She asked, motioning to it.


"I guess you've fought a lot, huh? Did you choose to get those things implanted in you...or...well..." She didn't know if she was drudging up bad memories or not, so she trailed off a bit. She was curious about him, but she didn't really know what her boundaries were. Would he get mad or scary again if she asked the wrong question?


"Sorry, nevermind." She added, feeling a bit awkward. There were a lot of things she wanted to know, but maybe he didn't want to talk about them.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian glanced up, noting the tone of her voice. "No, no, it's alright, feel free to ask questions." He brought his hand away from his shoulder, slowly rolling the joint as a test. "It was either during the crash landing, or the subsequent fighting on one of the Oromathi homeworlds." He gave a wry laugh, a far-away look in his eye. "Now that was a clusterfuck. Those couple of weeks are in a bit of a haze, so I don't remember the specifics."


He stood up slowly, his overworked muscles straining against his skin. "There was no choice to be made, I was given an opportunity, and I took it. It is in my nature as a Romasii." He grew quite for a moment before speaking again. "They don't use painkillers you know. The body has to be fully awake and active in order for the modifications to be successful. You are not even allowed to pass out, and it is not uncommon for patients to die during the procedure." He shrugged. "But that is the price you must pay."  

 

[volchan]

Nike could understand a bit of what he was talking about. She certainly knew what it was like to have pieces of one's memory missing, though she couldn't relate to being on a battlefield. She couldn't image being in such a situation...though she supposed she might come to understand it in time. It was more than likely that Earth would become a giant battlefield in due time.


"A Romasii? So...what planet are you from? What is it like there?" She asked curiously.


"Were you born into the Empire...or was your planet annexed too?"


She gulped when he explained the procedure to her, breaking into a bit of a cold sweat.


"Oh....that sounds....very unpleasant." She said a bit awkwardly. She couldn't imagine ever wanting something that bad. Even the thought of giving birth made her shudder, and what he had gone through sounded even worse.


Wanting to end the awkward moment, she started wandering around a bit, making her way into the little kitchen area. She curiously opened up cupboards and drawers, interested in what kinds of things he ate. Did he know how to cook? What kind of food was he used to eating? Did he have any weird alien food here?

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


"I am a full-blooded citizen, and I was born in the Capitol of the Imperium." A slight touch of pride crept into his tone as he continued. "My family can try our lineage back to the very founding of the Imperium."


He walked over and leaned against one of the support beams facing the kitchen. "Nova Romae is an entire planet consisting of one giant city. Some say that the planet shares the original city's name, however that's up for debate. The great towers rise miles above the surface, and layers upon layers of tunnels and caverns stretch miles below." Octavian watched her as she peered through the contents of his kitchen, eyes intent. 


"You know, I never got your name."     

 

[volchan]

Nike took note of the pride in the other's voice as he answered her questions. He certainly seemed proud of his heritage; she supposed it was only natural. Maybe that was why he seemed so unphased and cold towards this whole annex thing. He was on the stronger side, so it was only natural he wouldn't be able to empathize with the weaker bunch; especially if this kind of thing was normal for him.


She paused in searching through his kitchen cabinets and looked over at him.


"Oh...yeah...right." She replied. She hadn't exactly been in the mood to introduce herself earlier, but she supposed there was no point in ignoring the question now. Since she was stuck here for the time being, it would be in her best interest to try and get along with her keeper.


"My name is Nike; Nike Alese Habich." She clarified.


"It's a bit of a weird name I guess; especially considering the shoe brand." She said with an embarrassed sort of smile.


"My parents always had a thing for Greek mythology."

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


A cold feeling of dread suddenly flared up in the pit of Octavian's stomach at the sound of the familiar words. This revelation will be felt in the Empire for decades to come. The thought didn't detract from utter necessity of the findings, but Octavian was still uncomfortable thinking on, much less talking about, the subject. His skin radiated with an increased heat, and sweat was beginning to bead on his brow. "Ah, tell me more of these, Greeks."


As he spoke, he checked the projected vital signs from his implanted computer, 106 degrees and rising. Gods above this is shit timing.  

 

[volchan]

"Well..." She started, trying to recall some of the facts she'd learned in school.


"They were an ancient empire that, for their time, were actually very progressive. A lot of modern language and even political systems stem from the ancient Greeks. They also had a lot of gods and goddesses. My name, Nike, is actually the name of their winged goddess of victory. My parents were told I wouldn't survive birth, so when I was born alive and completely healthy they decided to give me that name." She explained.


"It's been a while since I learned about them, but even though their empire crumbled thousands of years ago their culture and ways of doing things still have effect today. They even had a sports event, called the Olympics, which we still hold today. The games and prizes are a lot different, but the idea is the same." She added.


She noticed suddenly the sweat on his brow. His skin even looked a little redder. He'd just been working out, so it would make sense for him to be hot, but it seemed a little too much.


"...Are you okay? You look kind of hot." She said, a slight look of concern starting to come over her features.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian nodded. "It is good for your name to hold meaning, many do not posses such a gift." He did not mention the uncanny similarities with her telling and his own people's stories. Another time maybe.


He waved her away, using one hand to hold him steady against the beam. "It's nothing, just a byproduct of my, unique physiology. Just unexpected really." He went to go get a glass of water, edging around Nike, then draining it in one long pull.


The water felt good against his parched throat, but he could start to feel the implants stirring. The larger ports in his sternum and on his back began to pulse a dark red, and the pressure behind his temples mounted. What was he going to do? It was almost certain that it was going to happen now, whether we liked it or not, and he couldn't just leave the girl, Nike, here unsupervised. What would she do while he was hooked up and, vulnerable. He didn't trust her not to try and escape, or attempt to incapacitate him.


Every muscle suddenly tensed, tendons and veins standing out against his skin. "Faex." Octavian swore with the pain, still formulating a way to contain the situation.  

 

[volchan]

Octavian brushed off her concern and got himself a drink. It did seem it had something to do with the implants, but whatever it was he seemed unwilling to share. She assumed he didn't trust her, but it wasn't like she really trusted him either. They were both sort of just stuck together at the moment, at least until his comrades arrived. Nike just watched him gulp down his water, taking notice when the implants on his back began to turn red. She could see his veins beginning to stand out...he was really, really hot. She doubted a human would still be alive at this point.


"Are you sure...? I mean, you seem uncomfortable...to say the least." She pressed. No, she didn't trust him, and she hadn't forgiven him for threatening, drugging, and kidnapping her, but she wasn't a monster either. It's not like she wanted him to suffer.


"If you're worried about me doing something to you, you don't have to be. I swear, I'm not out to kill you."


She doubted her promises would get far, but all she really had at the moment was her word. Besides, it wasn't like she could do much in her weakened, powerless state.

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian's head began to pound, and he began messaging his temples with his fingertips as he listened to Nike speak. "Alright, sure, I won't throw you into cryo while I- ah, work through this." He walked back over to a bare part of the floor that was covered by an innocuous looking rug, which he deftly flipped over, revealing a hidden steel trap-door set into the concrete. He pressed his palm to the metal, waiting a few seconds util he heard a low beep, then grabbed the trap-doors handle and pulled it open. Sweat was beginning to pour off his body as he started down the ladder leading into the sub-basement, calling up as the top of his head disappeared into the gloom. "You can follow if you want, at this point I don't really care about protocol anymore."


He dropped the last few rungs to the sub-basement floor, lights starting to flicker on as we walked to the far wall. The majority of the space was filled with a complex network of machinery, metal tubes and power conduits snaking across the floor. Octavian gingerly stepped over these as he reached his destination. A large cylindrical pod was suspended at the center of the vast network of machinery, its walls made of a matte-gray metal and inset with large sections of observation glass. Octavian stepped up to it, and after fiddling with it for a moment, slid the now-revealed door open, exposing the pods interior. A cloud of vaporized coolant slowly leaked out from the open door, pooling in a swirling mass on the concrete floor as Octavian started pulling power conduits and hoses from the inside of the chamber.


The pod was slowly coming to life, lights starting to blink on and a low humming beginning to fill the space. After a few minutes of this, Octavian let out a low breath in anticipation, then quickly attached one of the power conduits to the port embedded in his sternum. 


He gritted his teeth and let out a pained grunt, as he did so, the lights around the port switching to a sickly green color. 

 

[volchan]

Nike was surprised that Octavian believed her. Maybe he just didn't feel threatened since she couldn't use her powers. It did make her wonder how long the drugs he'd given her would last.


“Cryo....? You mean cryostasis?!” She asked as she watched him open up some secret door leading to an even lower level. She supposed aliens would need such technology if they wanted to travel millions of years through space...and make it to the end of the journey.


He headed down through the trap door and invited her to come along. Nike, not wanting to pass up such an opportunity and feeling quite curious by now, followed closely behind. She was still wobbling slightly, but seemed to have gained a bit more of her energy by now. As the two of them moved across the room her eyes danced over the various machines, cords, and tubes filling the space. Upon noticing the pod at the other end, she perked up a little.


“What is that thing?” She asked, keeping back a little now as she watched Octavian approach.


She looked on with wide eyes as he opened up the side of the pod. Some kind of fog seeped out as he pulled out some cords. Was that the cryo pod? He'd said he wasn't going to put her in there, but she kept back just in case. What was he doing with those tubes though? Was he....was he going to plug into it?


The machine started to flash and hum and then suddenly Octavian thrust one of the conduits into one of his ports, letting out a sound of pain.


“W-Woah! Are you okay???” She asked.


'He must be using the coolant from the pod to lower his body temperature' she thought. So...he overheated easily? It had to be because of all those mechanical adjustments he'd had installed. How often would he overheat? Would he die if he didn't cool down?

 

[Icerex]

Octavian~


Octavian plugged in the second and third main power conduits, then started on the hoses. "Yeah, yeah. I'm- ahhh, fine." He winced as one of the hoses clicked into place. The burning pain in his bones continued to increase, and Octavian was having trouble concentrating. 


"So, if you haven't guessed by now, my body isn't the most stable of systems." He kept talking to distract his mind from the pain. "You see, every ten years or so, I have to go through this, process. My body is filled with a mixture of bio-engineered machines and antibodies. And every so often they decide to 'wake up' and, well, reconstruct my body. It's for my own good they tell me, extending my lifespan, killing any nasty diseases etc." The last conduit clicked into place and Octavian looked over at Nike before stepping into the chamber. "They don't go outside of my skin, which is why I still have all these scars, but it's a hell of an experience having all your insides melted down and replaced. Thus the slightly 'hot' look I have." He smiled weakly at the poor joke.


Metal restraints clamped down on his wrists and ankles, with a wider strip of metal snaking over his chest. He chuckled ruefully to himself. "There are only a couple of rare side effects or mutations that can happen, and thankfully, I can pass-out for this one."


Octavian's eyes grew intent as he gazed at Nike from inside the pod. "I've instructed my AI to make sure you don't do anything rash, like call in the local police force to get me while I'm like this. So I suggest you amuse yourself in the meantime. Shouldn't take more than a day." The last part was muttered as Octavian's mind began to shut down, the pain beginning to reach excruciating levels.