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Description

From the original characters Andy Swinburne, Dr. Kemp, and Robbie Cassale, by my friend and cowriter J-T www.deviantart.com/j-t-baker

Setting: Kemp Advanced Survival Center, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Kemp stands at a control desk behind a one-way glass, pushing some buttons, bringing the cybernetic being on the other side at least partially out of hibernation. “Okay Andy, you should be all set” Dr. Kemp motions Andy Swinburne to enter the room.

The room where Robbie Cassale, the now 19 year old protagonist of this story, has been resting and recuperating for the last eight months is part hospital room, part space pod, and part teenager's bedroom. The biotechnology components of the room are obvious, for engineering and training the most advanced cybernetic human project the institute has yet undertaken. The sports memorabilia, movie posters and car pictures on the walls are on the contrary, a selective attempt to reorient the resurrected young Marine to some sort of stable “American dream” kind of life.

Robbie, sitting up in his sleeping pod, is slowly opening his eyes as Andy enters the room. “Hi Robbie” Andy starts and then repeats, as the spacey glaze behind Robbie's eyes fades and his bluish gray eyes appear. …. “Hhhhi” Robbie starts drowsily, making a quizzical face and stretching the muscles of his torso. “Hi me? … no or uhhm uhh Andy” “Yes hi, I'm Andy, you're Robbie” Andy replies with a puzzled look on his face. “If you're Andy then why do you look so much like me?” Robbie replies. “Well hmm, in some ways, you are me, but a red version” Andy responds, continuing “But I don't think we really look alike, do you?” “I mean, I thought we did, but I'm f'**kin dead so what the eff do I actually know” Robbie spouts, though with a little exasperated laugh at the end. “I don't know bro, I'm not tryna piss you off, I'm just here because, well, technically, we're the only one's like us, and we're definitely not dead” Andy replies in a very frank tone. “I knowww” Robbie responds… “I'm glad I'm not dead I think, but, I'm also just an experiment that they can turn variables on and off when they see fit. That doesn't feel very alive, heck, look at me” Robbie bobs his head and shifts his torso, but his arms and legs don't move. “I can't even feel right now”. Andy goes over to Robbie and squeezes his hand, getting no response, then his shoulder “That must suck bud” Andy says with slow emphasis. Robbie responds:“It does, and especially seeing you, an actually alive version of myself.” “Well buddy, if you trust me, I think I'm here to help with that.” “What do you mean?” Robbie replies. “Kemp wants to see if you've got my moves” Andy responds, sending a signal to Kemp, who though he hasn't been listening, has watched the interaction.

Andy reaches his arms, one cybernetic, one less so, out towards Robbie to help him up. Robbie instinctively does the same, grabbing Andy's hands, then stops, locking eyes with Andy, realizing that he's actually moving for the first time in ages. “I can move, I can feel, Holy Sh*t” he exclaims. “That's great! Now get up and start walking before this gets too gay” Andy sasses back. Robbie hesitantly pulls himself up to standing against the strength of Andy's cybernetic frame, but once upright, stands steadily. Andy lets go and backs away, still facing Robbie … “Okay, now let's dance. Copy my moves.” Andy says starting to do various calisthenics, with Robbie slowly but accurately following along (though not Andy's (in)famous prom moves).

After about ten minutes, Dr. Kemp pokes his head into the room. Okay boys, I think it's time we let Robbie rest for awhile, since that's the most real movement he's had in a long time and his cybernetic body needs to process that. Andy leaves to talk to Dr. Kemp, and Robbie is put back into his cybernetic sleep.

Description

From the original characters Andy Swinburne, Dr. Kemp, and Robbie Cassale, by my friend and cowriter J-T www.deviantart.com/j-t-baker

Setting: Kemp Advanced Survival Center, Bethesda, MD.

Dr. Kemp stands at a control desk behind a one-way glass, pushing some buttons, bringing the cybernetic being on the other side at least partially out of hibernation. “Okay Andy, you should be all set” Dr. Kemp motions Andy Swinburne to enter the room.

The room where Robbie Cassale, the now 19 year old protagonist of this story, has been resting and recuperating for the last eight months is part hospital room, part space pod, and part teenager's bedroom. The biotechnology components of the room are obvious, for engineering and training the most advanced cybernetic human project the institute has yet undertaken. The sports memorabilia, movie posters and car pictures on the walls are on the contrary, a selective attempt to reorient the resurrected young Marine to some sort of stable “American dream” kind of life.

Robbie, sitting up in his sleeping pod, is slowly opening his eyes as Andy enters the room. “Hi Robbie” Andy starts and then repeats, as the spacey glaze behind Robbie's eyes fades and his bluish gray eyes appear. …. “Hhhhi” Robbie starts drowsily, making a quizzical face and stretching the muscles of his torso. “Hi me? … no or uhhm uhh Andy” “Yes hi, I'm Andy, you're Robbie” Andy replies with a puzzled look on his face. “If you're Andy then why do you look so much like me?” Robbie replies. “Well hmm, in some ways, you are me, but a red version” Andy responds, continuing “But I don't think we really look alike, do you?” “I mean, I thought we did, but I'm f'**kin dead so what the eff do I actually know” Robbie spouts, though with a little exasperated laugh at the end. “I don't know bro, I'm not tryna piss you off, I'm just here because, well, technically, we're the only one's like us, and we're definitely not dead” Andy replies in a very frank tone. “I knowww” Robbie responds… “I'm glad I'm not dead I think, but, I'm also just an experiment that they can turn variables on and off when they see fit. That doesn't feel very alive, heck, look at me” Robbie bobs his head and shifts his torso, but his arms and legs don't move. “I can't even feel right now”. Andy goes over to Robbie and squeezes his hand, getting no response, then his shoulder “That must suck bud” Andy says with slow emphasis. Robbie responds:“It does, and especially seeing you, an actually alive version of myself.” “Well buddy, if you trust me, I think I'm here to help with that.” “What do you mean?” Robbie replies. “Kemp wants to see if you've got my moves” Andy responds, sending a signal to Kemp, who though he hasn't been listening, has watched the interaction.

Andy reaches his arms, one cybernetic, one less so, out towards Robbie to help him up. Robbie instinctively does the same, grabbing Andy's hands, then stops, locking eyes with Andy, realizing that he's actually moving for the first time in ages. “I can move, I can feel, Holy Sh*t” he exclaims. “That's great! Now get up and start walking before this gets too gay” Andy sasses back. Robbie hesitantly pulls himself up to standing against the strength of Andy's cybernetic frame, but once upright, stands steadily. Andy lets go and backs away, still facing Robbie … “Okay, now let's dance. Copy my moves.” Andy says starting to do various calisthenics, with Robbie slowly but accurately following along (though not Andy's (in)famous prom moves).

After about ten minutes, Dr. Kemp pokes his head into the room. Okay boys, I think it's time we let Robbie rest for awhile, since that's the most real movement he's had in a long time and his cybernetic body needs to process that. Andy leaves to talk to Dr. Kemp, and Robbie is put back into his cybernetic sleep.