Immortal

Chapter 1

I was the only one who took part in the Immortal program. Everyone else had decided to live out the rest of their lives in a fake world. The process to become an immortal was to halt my cellular ageing and reprogram and modify my genetic material. They said due to my age, the process would be more efficient and take less energy to do but the physical pain would be excruciating.

Once they injected nanobots into my system, they aimed this massive machine that looked somewhat like a cannon at me and fired this red beam of energy, flooding my body with radiation. It was like my whole body was imploding and exploding at the same time while my internal organs were on fire. I genuinely thought that I was going to die. 

3 days later I woke up in one of the apartments on the ship and my head was pounding as if I someone hit me over the head with a sledgehammer. My body complained as I pulled myself out of bed and stumbled over to the mirror. I searched my body for any change or mark but there was no change in my physical appearance. Not even 3rd degree burns from the procedure. My mind stayed the same even though I was rendered unconscious for 3 days. 

Even though I knew it, I began to realise what I had become. I was immortal. I was unable to die naturally and even if I was mortally wounded, my body would regenerate. The only way that I could die was if my body was completely obliterated. I laughed at myself for already knowing how I would potentially cease to exist. 

In the corner of my eye, I could see we were passing by a nebula. I staggered over to the window and stared at the giant blue gas cloud. Normally,  people were accustomed to seeing these kinds of things every day and wouldn't give it much thought but the reason it so special is that it could potentially be one of the last nebulae in existence.  With the universe expanding and all, there aren't very many seen anymore. 

"Good Morning Jack." 

"What the...Jesus!" I screamed loudly. 

"Apologies, I did not mean to startle you." the voice said

"What the...Who's there?"I ask

Suddenly a blue disembodied head was projected in the middle of the room. It had no features just like a mannequin but it had a distinctly British accent.

"Okay, now I'm seeing things. Maybe I should've gone into stasis." I said

 "Don't be alarmed. I am Aura, the ship's artificial intelligence."

"Oh, right, of course." 

I realised that nearly every ship in the beta century was required to have an AI built into it. If you were caught without one, you were fined 2 years off your life.   

"I am programmed to be your guide, mentor and protector on your journey toward the end."