Matching Key (JoongNine AU)

Code III

Another Earth

Joong

The year was 3020. Technology was very advanced that procreation could be done in laboratory, almost liked cloning, but there wouldn't be two of you. This is another earth, 500 years ago, it was found that with the mysterious and confusing time quantum, there existed a parallel world almost liked earth except more advanced. It was said, the ancestors came from an already old and damaged earth, using a bend in time, they brought technology from the future, earlier, in hope to recreate a controlled world. No more damage, no war. Balance. Thus, in 3020, you are a body with a pair. They are your key. A match is when a key would leave an imprint on your skin. Nobody knows who their key is until that imprint happened.

But, as in any form of technology, glitches happened. Sometimes, the body is not perfectly made, causing it not able to function well, haywired, putting the hope of a perfect world again, in jeopardy. Thus, the Enforcer, a circle that managed the system in this world, put orders, that a body that has matched with a key, must be tested, to ensure that only an almost flawless pair, could survive.

I am a defective body. The reason, I am made, without the ability to feel, but could function based on logic. In another word; intelligent but heartless. So, my judgement of good and bad are almost non-existent. What I wanted to do, then I'll just do it. All that existed, is my own logical thinking. The Enforcer has tried to find a match to be my key, but up to now, non of the key imprinted on my skin. They're at a lost. The test could only be done once you find a matching key, so I roamed Another Earth freely, for many years with no limit nor fear to bind me, until now.

A fresh set of keys, is again produced. I am again, called to be tested with a few other bodies. Again, I am the only one left without a match. When I have almost walked out from the facility, the call to return back to the top floor came in. I am brought to the top floor, which only housed the highest Enforcer.

"Archen. We meet, finally", the Lead Enforcer looked kind. But look couldn't put a true heart in place, so I am a bit skeptical of this sudden call to meet. Though I could guess, I just nodded in acknowledgement of his greeting.

"You must know the difficulties that we are in for more than a hundred years of trying to find you a matching key. But, we accepted that since the default of your making placed on our shoulders, we can't simply put your energy out of life. Luckily, aside from a few misbehaviour, you could be categorised as manageable, but also highly threatening too, because we also couldn't predict your true nature too, since, without feeling, you could be both good or bad based on your logic of thinking alone".

"Cut the crap of a well-known fact and go directly to your point", I said, refusing to be lectured on my defective self.

"As you already knew, the key sequencing came from the actual earth that our ancestors brought upon, taking the data of the earth population recorded from birth till their death. From there we developed bodies, such as you. From the report of our Intellects, it seemed your key sequence defunct in transfer, and after years of trying to recreate the sequence, they couldn't reproduce it. But, fortunately, just now, we got a hopeful news from the Hunters. They found a trace of the origin of the sequence, meaning the actual person the sequence came from, in earth, a thousand years back. Just as we used the time bend to bring the technology of Another Earth 500 years early, then we shall do the same for you, to be with your key".

"I'll be sent to the earth then? Sound interesting..."

"But, they could only detect the time and place, but not the person itself. So, that would be your task. Find your key, let it imprint on your skin voluntarily. You will feel a severe burning, and then a marking only visible to your eyes, liked a glowing tattoo will appear. Once done, used the first connection to release the imprint, and thus signalled the Hunters to start a move. Since this key is not a product as others in Another Earth, rather than coding sequence, all you could do, is to invade his thought and feelings, but every time you do, the Hunters that will be tasked to test you would get an entry to that info too, thus the more short cut you use, easier for the Hunters to strengthen their test and made it more difficult for you to pass. Remember, we are trying to create an undamaged world, lesson learnt from past mistakes of earthling, thus a failure, would cause you to be deleted from Another Earth".

"Well, are the Hunters ready then? Tell them to bet on my passing of the test".

"How are you so confident in that statement?. You know the passing rate even in Another Earth, with all the advantages of advanced technology, is very low, that's how we preserve an almost perfect earth for hundreds of years".

"Easy. There are two logics for all this hassle to find my 'key'. One, my defect maybe something that would trigger a rebellion that you so fear to mar your 'controlled' world, because I don't give a damn to please anyone or fear imperfections. And another one, rather than my key sequence defunct in transfer, I guessed, someone from this time already knew a big change would happen during my creation and thus, mess with my key before it's time of use. A thousand years back, you say? Isn't that a huge disadvantage indeed, not only in terms of technology, but also I will be paired with an actual human, who are full of weaknesses too?".

"That's a severe accusation, Archen. But, because you must not understand the arrogance that you projected right now, we reserved our usual punishment for such insolence".

I smirked and answered, "Set the time of transfer, I'll be ready..." with that final words, I walked out with the determination to win.