Lazarus Rising

1.10 Charisa the Synthiod

Her new host was at once both disconcerting and outwardly highly fascinating. Charisa was the very thing that Cheyenne believed could not exist in this world, an android based lifeform of seemly mystifying origins. So completely alien to her experience was this encounter that she found herself wholly perplexed as how to react.

"It's all right Investigator, she won't bite." Ventner reassured her.

Charisa's appearance defied comprehension. Without doubt she was not a development of the heavily aug'd females Cheyenne encountered in the downbeat areas of New Europa at night. Resembling living automata, they could be found hawking for business for the illegal Aug. shops and chop dens that spread along the narrow lanes of Mossen like a rash of infectious diseases.

On first inspection she appeared of chromoidal construction. Her long lithe limbs, covered in a highly reflective, flexible, mercurial membrane, blazed mirror red against the flames of the crackling fire. Within this fluid outer skin pulsed a blue neon glow that emanated a peculiar pale hued light that lingered over the surface her body, shedding an aura of radiant energy. The perfect roundness of her silvered cranium encapsulated a face of flawless white silver pierced by bright pair of bright blue flux filled eyes that had now fixed themselves, unblinking on Cheyenne.

"I'm sorry Doctor but how is this possible. I've never seen anything like this?"

"You can ask Charisa as she takes you down to the plant. She can explain."

"Please, this way Investigator." The anatomical wonder beckoned to her with a long chrome fingered hand and moved toward the door. Cheyenne walked with her marvelling at the way her body caught the reflections of the room as they moved toward the door, fracturing the lines of her body into a thousand tiny mirrored surfaces like the late evening sun on the waters of Grafton Lake.

Outside the vestibule they entered a levi and descended rapidly toward the base of the building, the floors flashing by in a hypnotic show of light and shadow.

"You have some questions for me I believe, Investigator? Don't be concerned, I will not find them uncomfortable. Ask what you wish." Charisa's voice had a soft accent-less lilt to it that made it impossible to determine its origin.

"The light, within you?"

"Is harmless to you Investigator. It's my power source. It's a hydrogen based adiabatic cell, its blue incandescence is due to the reaction of molecular radicals within it. The small fissures in my skin, that give it flexibility, allows the colour to leach out. I understand the effect is somewhat exceptional to watch. You find it so?"

"I do, it's strange. You were created by the scientists of the Beicker Collective on Mars?"

"I was." The skin on her face gently rippled like the warm glow of a spreading blush.

Cheyenne felt if she were to touch her face, the surface would yield, allowing her to push her hand through her head and see the surface ripple outward like the surface of a flat ponds waters on the drop a pebble. "I didn't know that it was possible to create....the technology?"

"The evidence is before you Investigator. Is that not what you do, assess evidence to build theory's? I am here as a result of fifty years work by leading scientists sent by Earth to work on your problems here."

"But I thought they were working on disease prevention and the production of Poppers."

"We were created on Mars, bought to life by the scientists at Beicker to assist them in their work and development of the facility there. We are immune to disease, strong and adaptable, just what is required in an environment which is both hostile in the laboratory and on the planets surface. I understand the technology may appear confusing to you as it would be to most of the humans on Mars as well. We exist only at the bio at Beicker and as the Doctor said I am the only Synthiod to have ventured outside. I am here to observe the creation of Risers and to see if it has an impact or any relevance to the anti-viral research being undertaken on Mars."