Company

T W O

James
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I wince in pain as the droid working on my arm starts to replace another bone. Today is my birthday, which means another human part of me is going to be replaced by a robotic part. Today their replacing the bone in my upper right arm. I guess that's what I get for being adopted by Droid 001, the leader of this Company.

My mother died giving birth, so I never met her, and no one knew who my father was, so I was labeled an orphan. Droid 001, or 'D1' as I like to call him, adopted me. He didn't adopt me because he cared, he just wanted to try and turn a human into a droid, and I was the perfect "volunteer". If he could do that, then he could get rid of humans for good. Droids would be the only moving thing on this planet.

I say the "only moving thing" because all the toxins being released from the factories killed the rest of the animals and trees, so all of our food and oxygen is made artificially. Our lungs had to be changed genetically in order to be able to breath it, but it keeps us alive, so I'm not complaining.

"James 001 Rider" a robotic voice blasts through the overhead speakers of this white, paneled surgery room. "Please report to the Company office immediately, C1R would like to see you."

I sigh. Looks like D1 wants to say something. C1R stands for Company One Ruler, since this was the first company made, and D1 "rules" over it. He's the one who's in charge of everything around here.

I lift my other arm and curl my fingers into a fist. Bringing my wrist up to my mouth, I speak.

"I'll be up when the operation is done. I can't really just walk around with half of my bicep missing."

The recorder planted in my wrist sends the message directly to D1. The mesh lining surrounding it vibrates slightly as it does this, sending tingles up my arm.

I lean back in the operating chair, wincing as the robot working on my arm sends sparks onto the area that isn't numb. I watch it work, it amazes me that even after almost a thousand years, the droids still move with slightly stiff, animated movements. Humans use fluid, smooth motions, for example when we wave, our arms have arc-like movements, when droids wave, their wrists just move side to side. If they even wave at all.

They're quick though, I'll give them that, D1 could be one one side of a room, I'll blink and he'll be on the other.

"Finishing up soon sir." The droid working on me says. "Re-attaching the muscle now."

I clench my teeth, waiting for the pain to come. This is always the most painful part, they use some sort of tool to force my cells to reproduce and join together. This hurts so much with the numbing, I don't even want to think about how much it would hurt without it.

My whole body is tense, my hands clenched into fists and my teeth grinding together throughout the whole process. When it's finally done I let out a deep breath, my body relaxing and the fire in my nerves dying down.

"All done, sir." The droid says, beginning to clean the blood of his tools. "You may go now."

"Thanks." I toss my legs over the side of the chair and look at my arm, you can barely see the section of my bicep that they cut out, it's slightly paler than the rest of my skin, because there was no blood running through it for a little while, but otherwise it looks the same. It'll be back to normal within the hour. I sigh and stretch my limbs, I'm stiff from sitting in that chair for the past two hours. I do this after every operation. By now, my skull, right arm, right shin, and part of my foot is made of metal. My ribcage, though not made of steel, is surrounded in it. There's a reinforced steel plate over my heart, it's supposed to be able to stop a blast from a T5,000 blaster, but I don't know if it works, I've never tried.