2078-U23-A
The subject was found on the battlefield. Preliminary triage indicates minor scrapes and bruises. Subject is male, age: mid 20’s. Subject has been under holographic surveillance for the last 24 hours. Subject has asked to speak to a medic. Deliberations have begun as to how we should approach the subject as accounts of his injuries are conflicting.
The Major chewed on his vapor cigar. The tip began to glow a dark purple before a cloud obscured his face. His the edge of his irises began to flash. Both went black before they began to pulse with light.
“What’s he...”
“Quiet.”
The AI’s voice filled the private’s ears. “It’s best if you keep quiet. The Major is reviewing all relevant information and will speak when he is ready.”
His pupils moved around like he was dreaming. The private looked away after a while. Worrying that be might be caught staring.
The Major clenched the private’s arm, giving him a start. His irises were brown. He had finished. He chuckled as the private adjusted his watch.
“This doesn’t add up. Where is his chip?”
“His body has been scanned 10 times. There is no trace of implants with the exception of 4 dental fillings.” Said the AI
He shifted the cigar in his mouth. Another cloud formed, with a purple orb in the center. The private imagined a nebula deep in space in its heart a purple sun.
“How old... Doesn’t Matter. Let’s start at the beginning. Walk me through the play by play kid.”
“Uh, Yes Sir. The private stood at attention failing to detail his report.
“I don’t got all day kid. Spit it out.”
“The Subject, known simply as The Subject, was found in the ruins of Chicago. He was in a standard U23 uniform. Subject sustained minor injuries. He was found unconscious with what appeared to be an entry wound in his stomach. The only evidence was a burn on his shirt. There was no evidence of a wound on his abdomen. He woke after 7 hours and complained about discomfort in his eye. After sedation, his eyes were checked for any foreign objects. Nothing was found that would cause the discomfort he described. It is the opinion of the medical staff that the discomfort is likely psychosomatic.”
The private paused as he adjusted his glasses. “Computer, please play the visual data collected by the holodrones.”
“While the subject was found unconscious, exactly 40 individual holodrones recorded video relevant to this investigation. The following is a holographic reconstruction of the injury that is believed to be the cause of the subject’s unconscious state.”
Several holodrones hovered into the room. The formed a large cylindrical tube in the center. The subject rushed into cover from enemy fire. Three Red pulses of plasma slashed around him. The first hit to his left causing a video ad to overheat and explode. The next two landed on either side of him melting the rubble as he reloaded his weapon. He stood up when a black blur struck his stomach. A large black cloud obscured the subject and then dispersed. His body lay on the ground expressionless. A Big Dog drone happened on the scene knelt down and scooped the subject unto its back before returning to base camp 1 hour later.
The Major shook his head. “Go back to the impact. I want to see that projectile.”
The black cloud returned before slowing receding into the stomach of the subject. The hologram slowed before zooming into the stomach milliseconds before it struck him.
“Are you seeing this?” The Major asked the private while pointing with his cigar at the projectile.
“Yes Sir. It looks like the image is pixelated. Computer. Can you please filter this image for any pixelation? I want a clear image of the projectile”
“I am sorry, but this is a clear image of the projectile. It appeared to be composed of an unidentified metamaterial. It does not match any known weapon. It is at this time of unknown origins.”
The subject began to stir. He sat up and began to run his left eye. The lights in his room slowly brightened. The color slowly shifted from red to yellow then white. There was a large one-way window and a blue door. Beside his cot was a small white table and a stool. He looked around the room as if he was disoriented.
“Good morning. How are you feeling.” Said the AI on a loudspeaker. The private winced.
“What’s a matter son? Never heard a speaker before?” Scoffed The Major as he adjusted his seat to better see the man in the white room.
“I feel groggy and a little dizzy.” He looked around the room.
“I can help with that.” Said the AI. A fine mist hissed into the room.
“Thank you. Whatever that was was just what I needed.” He looked visibly awake as he oriented himself towards the mirror.
Once again be began rubbing his eye.
“Is something wrong with your eye?”
“Yes, it’s like something is rubbing my eyelid. Something dirty. Like something is crawling under my...” He stopped and looked straight at the center of the mirror. “Say, who am I speaking to?”
The Major leaned forward his eye implants zoomed into his face in order to track for micro expressions. “You’re in quarantine. We’ve got footage of you getting hit hard with something new. What do you remember?”
“I don’t remember much. Just explosions and stuff melting around me. It looked like a city street, but most of the buildings were burning and...”
“Sir. If I may. The private straightened his glasses.
“He doesn’t sound like a soldier and he doesn’t carry himself like one either. Something’s not right about this.”
“Son, tell me the last thing you remember.”
The subject hunched over and closed his eyes, then sat up.
“I remember waking up and feeling something crawling under my eyelid.”
“Pull up footage of the subject waking up earlier.”
“There is no footage.”
The Major looked visibly upset clenching his metal cigar in his fist.
“What do you mean there’s no footage!?!”
“The subject has been asleep since he was sedated.”
The private’s face lit up. “Playback all footage of the subject sleeping.
The cylinder reappeared a smaller version of the bed in the center. A dark figure tossed and turned in the bed then suddenly his arm moved.
“Slow the feed.” The private said excitedly.
The subject slowly reached for his eye opening it as if he was inserting a contact. There was a hiccup in the feed.
“Roll it back and play it again. Slower.”
The feed zoomed into the face of the subject. His placed the index finger of his left hand over his eye and used the middle finger of his right hand to open his eye. Then his entire body vibrated. It was reminiscent of hundreds of ants crawling, each a perfect cube. Then they collapsed flat before quickly snapping into a human form.
The Major stood up at once. “Is this room sealed?”
“I am afraid that there has been a breach. Quarantine measures are in place.”
The private rushed to the door and began jiggling the knob. The Major blew out another cloud before scratching his eye.
END OF REPORT
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The Quanton Project
Science FictionA collection of short stories about a powerful technology and the people who try to control it.
