Immortal

10. Awakening

The screening room in front of me was sealed in by a clear glass door. The latest art form's soul had finally been finalized, and inserted into their chest. Its data was stored in a thin metallic disc. From a distance it looked like it was asleep. Although it would be waking up. The body, muscle tone, skeletal structure had been hand made. All of it was made of a flexible steel like material. The lab grown skin for their body was stitched shut with almost perfect surgical technique right were the soul disc insert was. It barely left a visible scar. This art form had organic tissue inside of it. Its heart was a machine that let out a barely audible hum. The wiring it was hooked up too read normal levels. I watched as the skin went from cadaver pale to a normal living flush pink. I monitored everything without making much noise.

Izen was standing next to me was reading the data I was inputting into my device aloud. Its eyes fluttered and he fell silent. We watched as it tried again and it finally opened its eyes. It blinked a few times, its breathing becoming more profound. Stage one was complete, it was awake. I waited to see what it would do first, I shut off my device.

I watched as it looked around a little confused about its environment. It moved its hands and body. Blinking a few times rapidly as if to readjust its sight, it looked uncomfortable to the light in the room. I placed my hand on the glass door and a digital pad glowed green and pulled up a keypad for a code. I typed it in and the door opened. "Hello." I greeted the art form and it focused its attention on me. The sound of my voice startled it. Izen stepped into the room behind me, and the door shut sealing us into the room.

" You may feel some stiffness in your joints." I spoke calmly, and it began to move more. All body functions seemed to be running smoothly. "Thirsty." It coughed out and I nodded gesturing to the cup full of liquid already on the table at its side. It grabbed the cup drinking the liquid rapidly. This Art form was modeled mostly as a woman. Her features were soft, her skin was fresh. She had tanner skin, and there was features about her that made it clear she wasn't normal. Her hair was as white as Eliam's but her eyes where a pitch black. She had two sort of antennas that stuck out slightly from her hair. I could feel the warmth her body was already radiating into the room. I didn't give her a name yet.

"Where am I?" Her voice chimed out, there was a light sort of bell tone to it. "You're in a facility, you just woke up after awhile of being asleep." I gave a generic answer. "Nothing to think too much on."

"Who are you?" That was always the next question.

"My name is Sam, this is my partner Izen." I pointed to him and he gave her a basic greeting.

Stage two was cleared pretty quickly, motor functions and speech were coming through very clear. I began removing the wiring on her and she stared watching my movements. "This might pinch a little, but you don't need these anymore." I assured her. "Ow." She whispered. Stage three cleared. I had pinched her intentionally. Her nervous system was working. She could feel pain. 

"Can you move your legs?" I asked and she looked at me with a strange expression. She wiggled her toes from under the blankets as an answer. I smiled. "Try to stand." The command registered and she moved. Stage four cleared. "We need to move you to another room, to make way for someone else but I assure you, you'll find this new room most accommodating to your needs." She understood me and smiled. Stage five was emotional responses.

Izen was already opening the door, and we both silently lead her to the room she would be inhabiting. Inside the room there was already another art form who had been alive for a bit longer. We stopped at the door and unlocked and lead her inside. She had already surpassed quite a few earlier models. Inside the other art form was lounging about on the ground reading a book. It looked up at us and set the book down.  It acted naturally, and she stared.