Replica (Original Work)

Chapter 1 - S.I.D

April 01, 2076. 08:21 hours.

My emergency holocom was making an infernal racket, but I couldn't answer it. Needle like diagnostic devices inserted into the ports up and down my body made moving problematic. I shifted my gaze over to the doctor, who I could just make out nodding with approval at her flat, holographic tablet out of the corner of my right eye.

"All finished Miss Lucy. I'm happy to report your muscle enhancements and neural interface chipset are all functioning normally," she said in a polite, cheerful voice, ignoring the incessant beeping coming from my wrist.

I winced as the devices extracted themselves from my arms and legs. The ones behind my ears were the most sensitive, and they extracted the fastest. Similar logic to ripping off a bandage, or so they say. Either way, it downright hurt. Such is the price of augmenting the human body with technology, not that I had a choice.

"I'll go get you something for the pain." The doctor left the room, and I sat upright. Finally, I could shut the com up. I activated the device with a slap, determined to see what was so important I had to be interrupted in the middle of routine maintenance.

Harlan Cutter, my three year case partner, had been trying to reach me for some time judging by the annoyed look on his projected face. Even on the tiny holocom, you could make out his sullen, timeworn features, and just graying hair. He looked particularly gloomy today. It was early, and he had probably been called in off shift.

"What have I told you about opening two way video feeds while I'm checked in? Use my phone, not my damn EH." I said, trying my best to maintain my dignity in nothing but a hospital gown.

"Adorable, are you afraid of being seen all helpless like this?" He said. "Your phone is off and you know it."

I was tempted to close the feed then and there, but I put up with it.

"What is it this time, Cutter?"

"We've got a case. You think you can be in Oldtown in fifteen?"

I rolled my eyes. Fifteen minutes, right out of a session like this? "I think you can be there in fifteen."

The doctor walked back in, with a couple of pain pills and a glass of stale hospital water. I downed them, hoping they'd work quick.

"It's marked high priority Luce'. The whole department has to show up this time, maintenance or no." Cutter said.

"Do we even have any facilities in Oldtown?" I asked.

"Not officially."

At about this point I realized I wasn't getting out of this.

"Okay Harlan. What's the situation at the site?"

"See for yourself, switch your neural chip off of isolation mode and onto our encrypted channel so I can feed you my visual input"

After switching over to Cutter's visual input I got more questions than answers. There were three nude corpses at the site, and three smashed life support containment units along with them. It was clear from a casual glance at the scene that the victims were inactive genestock, and the "high priority crime" a simple act of vandalism according to the North American Union's Artificial Persons Act. I didn't inspect the scene very closely over the feed. I prefered a more tactile investigative method. I switched back from Cutter's visual data and continued our conversation via the direct channel.

"Cutter what the hell is this? Now they have us working vandalism?"

"I think there's more to it than that. Just get down here Luce'."