Infusion

Infusion (revised version)

Author's Note - I wanted to tidy up the story so I made some edits to it. I've shared the new version here.

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At the magistrate's command the silver walls shimmered and shifted. The translucent intellipolymer glass unveiled a sweeping vista. Light spilled over the robotic assistants that swarmed around the client.

Morgan Veldt blinked and turned his grizzled head.

"At my first infusion this planet was a wasteland," he croaked. "And now look at it! Glory be to the human race."

"You have created a paradise for our people," said the magistrate as he adjusted the controls.

A doorway opened and the clone was brought in. Naked and trembling he was half dragged by two augmented guards. Blood dripped from his nose and his left eye was swollen and blackened. The magistrate gasped in surprise.

"What is this?"

"Infusee put up a fight your honor," muttered a guard, shifting his weight "Had to subdue him."

"This is an outrage!" hacked Veldt as a robot wiped blood from his lips. "My new body should be pristine, not beaten like a dog."

Breathing deep ragged breaths the clone raised his head. Through his one good eye he marvelled at the sunlight outside, the first he had ever seen. Until now his existence had been in the depths of the facility. Each day filled with demanding physical rigor designed to condition his body to the strongest possible level. Now, the clone knew his time was coming to an end. Today was his infusion, where his life would end and where the client's would begin anew.

The doctor beckoned to the medbed beside Veldt's. Above the jagged stamen of the infusion device unfurled from a circle of steel. Cables vined their way to a blunt needle housing the tools that would at once wipe his consciousness from his mind and infuse the soul of Veldt.

"Magnificent," said Veldt and the clone looked to him. He recognized himself in the withered face. A reflection through time.

"Well done magistrate. The specimen is perfect. Even if your guards were overzealous."

"We aim to please sir. We shall begin. We look forward to welcoming you into your new vessel."

"Excellent," chuckled Veldt. "I look forward to celebrating my five hundredth. It was worth bringing this infusion forwards a few years. In this form I'll be able to enjoy the party a lot more!"

The magistrate chuckled politely as the guards moved the clone forward, one of them barking a harsh command.

Outside in the sky above the clone watched for the sign. In the room machines hummed into activity and pulsed with energy. His skin tingled.

Outside the metallic clouds broiled. The clone marvelled at the colors. Then he saw it. A streak of light that left a burnt vapor trail in its wake.

As the guards unlocked his enerbinds the clone pretended to fall but spun around quickly, grabbing a scalpel with one hand and kicking the table up into one guard's face.

The clone leapt up and smashed his two hundred pounds of muscle into the other guard who crumpled against the wall. As the first reached for his stunblade the clone swung out with the scalpel slitting his throat and sending a shower of blood out onto Veldt.

Alarm bells rang and the magistrate yelled for the clone to stop. The clone ran up four steps at a time and threw the magistrate to the ground below with a sickening crunch.

Veldt screamed as the window exploded. Outside the fastship had used its cannon to blast a hole in the glass. Wind roared in and a doorway opened in the ship's side.

The clone watched in awe as his rescuers beckoned.

"Such insolence!"

The clone turned to the old man who spat in anger.

"You were made, not born! You have no freedom, no life. No soul. You are my body made anew!" He coughed and more blood spilled. "You dare to defy us? We shall destroy you. All of you!"

The figure in the ship beckoned, making an urgent sign with his hands. The clone knew that the sentinels would soon rush in.

Walking to the old man, the clone tilted his head and reached out. With one hand he tenderly wiped the blood from the man's lips.

"Your time has been long and rich," intoned the clone. "However you are well overdue."

Raising his fist high the clone smashed it into Veldt's chest. The brittle bones snapped and crunched and the old man bleated in pain.

The heartbeat indicator began to spike erratically. With a smile the clone ran and leapt out the window, catching a glimpse of the ground hundreds of stories below.

He fell into the waiting fastship and stared into the eyes of his rescuers.

As the sentinels burst in the fastship soared away, a flare of light in the morning sky.