Althea suffers a cloning accident during combat, and nearly dies; Julianus Soter applies Sleeper emergent intelligence technology to bring her clone of its coma. And someone entirely new is born in the process.
The Malediction yawed starboard, then accelerated through a high-G maneuver, and Althea Ekran, capsuleer, launched another barrage of rockets at her Caldari foe.
Suddenly, there was a lurch through the interceptor's structure. Hull integrity breached... light missiles from the Crow had hit their mark, impacting near the engines. A coolant line was breached... the reactor core was going critical.
And finally, a bright light.
...
A gallentean was standing in her peripheral vision. She knew him.
“Althea... if you're listening, we're going to try one more option.”
...
“Subject's brainwave patterns are degenerating. Estimated time to brain-death is 20 hours.”
...
Light again. Lab lights.
“Subject status nominal. Activating microcell energy supplies. Begin Emergent Intelligence integration.”
“EI startup initialized. Orbitofrontal cortex crossovers established. Subject rejection rate to nanotubules is 5.7%, within operation limits. Recommend to proceed with EI activation”
“Activate.”
A rush of pain, and a burst of heat through the front of her head. She couldn't cry out or move. In silence, she accepted the pain, embraced it, as the first sensation in days. Slowly, there was a new sensation. A building pressure. And then, there was a quiet, pervasive coolness that dulled the pain.
Althea looked down. She moved her right index finger. Almost out of astonishment, she rose and sat up upon the table.
Assistants moved to her side and injected something into her neck. Fading, dropping, and then darkness.
...
Ekran. Your..... my name is Althea Shoriya tal nar Ekran. My family... prosperous, large. A line of knights, years of service to Khanid and its King. Kaalakiota wanted them removed from the political picture of my homeworld: too traditionalist, too religious and too stubborn. The King... obliged them. You were gone at the time. At the Imperial Academy in the Empire. Enrolled in capsuleer program... perceived as a threat, but not major enough to necessitate personal attention. Upon graduation, exiled from Empire.
General Julianus Soter. Used Federation Customs connections to arrange question-free passage and employment... half a year ago. Since then, working in Federation, earning my keep and place in society as an immigrant. Fought the Federation's wars.
I almost lost my life. One of the rare cloning incidents... not often reported. Swept up in the stream of Cluster events. I have... changed. Who am I? I am Althea Shoriya tal nar Ekran... but in that name, there is a greater pull, a greater gravity, than before. I have changed. I am greater than before. I am Althea Ekran, capsuleer.
...
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Topic: [Character] Althea Ekran (Read 1825 times)