《Humanity’s Next Steps》I Am/He Is Tom
Advertisement
I Am/He Is Tom
————
I Am Tom
————
Captain Thomas Watson anxiously looked forward to reuniting with his family.
His tour of duty came close to an end.
Tom felt extra lucky—unlike his subordinates—he kept all of his original body parts.
Medical science advanced biorobotics to the point it could replace or upgrade nearly every human organ. It wasn't too uncommon to see someone willfully take a risk in the hope of a cybernetic upgrade.
But Tom proudly boasted himself as "100% human through and through."
Jim, a medic and Tom's best friend, promised to keep him organic if anything ever happened. Even if it meant the loss of limbs or death and Jim's insubordination ...
———
Yet, something did happen on Tom's final mission …
He led a communications team to set up in a supposedly hidden and undetectable area.
Someone shouted, "Incoming!"
Tom heard a swarming buzz and a loud pop.
A searing pain penetrated his scalp.
Everything went black …
————
Tom woke up to a light shining in his eyes. "Jim?"
"Captain Watson, I'm Dr. Susan Smith. I'm sorry, Jim died. You're the only survivor. A swarm of exploding micro-drones killed everyone else in your company."
"Give me a mirror, Doctor."
Bandages covered Tom's head.
"Captain, you've suffered a trauma."
"Dr. Smith, I feel fine. Whatever you did, I've never thought so clearly, and I remember everything in vivid detail. Did you upgrade my brain?"
Dr. Smith smiled. "The clinic will debrief you after your return home. Recovery policy dictates that those treated for traumatic brain injury such as yours must first talk to a counselor."
"It's because of PTSD, right? So I'll be fixed. Fantastic!"
Dr. Smith nodded.
————
On his arrival home, Tom spent his leave with his family—BBQing, playing games, and, later, one evening, he made love to his wife, Mary.
Advertisement
Mary caressed Tom's face—"How do you feel, honey?"
"Surprisingly well. No headaches or pain. In fact, I've never felt better. My thoughts are sharp, and my ability to recall is incredible."
"Wonderful! I agreed to the procedure. You have an appointment with a counselor tomorrow."
"Huh? What did they do? Can't you give me a hint?"
"Sorry, honey. I promised. I can't. Just remember who you are, Tom."
"I am Tom, of course. Who else would I be?"
Mary kissed his forehead. "That's right!"
————
Tom arrived at the cybernetic clinic.
He sat in a private room to speak with a counselor.
"Hello, Captain Watson. I'm Dr. Frank Gonzalez, but you can call me Frank. Before you discuss the procedure with the other doctors, we need to prepare your mind."
"I'll follow your orders, Dr. Gonzalez."
"Captain, please sit up and take a deep breath. Imagine yourself with your family, and say the words 'I am Tom,' aloud three times. Do this whenever you think about your injury or your recovery. Let's try it now ..."
"Alright, Frank. I am Tom. I am Tom. I am Tom. "
"Excellent, Captain!"
————
Tom laid on a stretcher in a lab. He overheard two doctors discuss his MRI scan and mutter something about it being a success ...
One of the doctors approached him.
"Captain Watson, I'm Dr. Sheila Jung. Your recovery is coming along perfectly. You spoke with Dr. Gonzales, right? He taught you the self-hypnosis technique?"
"Yes, Doctor, for whenever I think of my recovery or the injury. Like right now, I must imagine myself with my family, and say 'I am Tom' aloud three times.
"Perfect! About your procedure ... "Dr. Jung pulled up an image on a tablet screen. "Here's an MRI scan of your head."
Advertisement
"What? All circuitry? No gray matter? Where's my ... Do I have any brain left?"
Dr. Jung shook her head.
Tom's eyes welled up as he nervously chanted, "I am Tom ..."
————
He Is Tom
————
The doorbell rang ...
"Karen, watch your brother."
"Yes, mama."
Mary opened the front door. "Yes? Oh, no ..." She cried. "Karen, take your brother upstairs now!"
A uniformed officer asked, "And you are?"
"Mary… I'm Mary Watson."—Her voice strained as she spoke.
"Mrs. Watson, I'm Major, Samuel Jacobs. The commandant of the Marine Corps has entrusted ... "
Mary nearly collapsed, sobbing.
The Marine officer caught her.
A goateed man stepped up. “Enough of this nonsense! He doesn't have to be dead!"
Mary gasped. "Is my husband alive, or isn't he? Who are you?"
"I am Dr. Ion Ionescu … Mrs. Watson, your husband, Captain Thomas Watson, doesn't have to be dead. We can save him and your family."
"Doctor, you're confusing me. Where's Tom?"
"It's complicated. May we step inside for privacy?"
"Yes, of course." Mary gestured for them to sit on the living room couch.
————
Dr. Ionescu spoke …
"Mrs. Watson, a drone struck your husband on the head. His autonomic system failed. He's declared clinically braindead."
"Where is he?"
"His body's in stasis. All I need is your permission."
"Permission to do what, Doctor?"
"Mrs. Watson, to make your family whole again. To transfer Tom's consciousness into a cybernetic brain."
"Has the military done this before?"
Major Jacobs spoke up, "Yes, ma'am, on many laboratory animals ...
"Tom will be the first human recipient."
"A computer brain with his personality, officer?"
"Quite frankly, Mrs. Watson, does it matter? Most of us have upgrades. He'll be your husband and a father to your children. They need him … and you need him."
Dr. Ionescu nodded. "The brain will have his every thought, memory, emotion, and love for you and your children."
"Will he know?"
"Eventually, he will…" Dr. Ionescu stroked his goatee.
"I know my husband. He'll hate what he'll become ...."
Dr. Ionescu nodded. "I understand. I'm confident our counselors will come up with a coping mechanism."
The officer chimed in, "Tom's a loyal, duty-bound man. His love for your family will make him realize it doesn't matter what he really is. All that'll matter is he is Tom, your husband, and the children's father."
Advertisement
An Edge With No Blade
There are two ways to gain superpowers. By drinking one of eight vials filled with powerstuff, or having a really bad day. Lucy wants friends, and is prepared to make bad decisions to get them. In Streamrock City the supervillains outnumber the heroes by three to one, and their feeder gangs have widely impacted life there. The Bad Dogs dominate, and freely run underground fighting rings. The Junkrats spread their supply far and wide. Agni’s Aatma eye their neighbors patiently, preparing to take more territory. The remnants of the Hellrider Angels refuse to fade into obscurity. And the Courtesans have a history in the slave trade. The Sentinels and Sentries on the hero’s side are understaffed. Worse, their strongest heroes are underaged. And somewhere, an entity writhes, watching and waiting. [participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge]
8 633That one time i was killed then i was Transported to an alternative world where i had to fight in a dungeon to survive
man gets killed then he is enslaved then he has to escape but he is a hero that the world has a story about him saying he will come and he will help humans and monster co-exist
8 148Daemon Born
A boy with an unknown origin who lives in the modern futuristic-medieval cultured world of 2090, where strange massive portals, known as """"Rifts"""" that lead to other worlds started opening up, releasing all kinds of monsters and demons. The current world government consists of an Order of Holy Knights, who never believed that magic was real, until now.Being brought into this world by the same means as the creatures from the Rifts, he wants to know how and why he was brought in this world in the first place. Thus leading him to believe that the Holy Knights hold the answer to all of his questions.But as he does this, he faces beasts, bounty hunters, knights and demons, while meeting friends and making allies on the way. Before he get's any answers, he has to fight through both a figurative and literal hell.
8 126The Age of the Sentinels
Ynnam is a young boy, disenchanted by working on a farm. He craves adventure in the far away city of Deadshell. His father is distant and cold towards him and his brothers are away hunting, but when they fail to return Ynnam is concerned they may never come back. Anders is an Imperially trained Sentinel, sent on a puntitive assignment to guard a prison on the frontier. His assignment may not be as dull as he’s imagined however, as events beyond his control begin to manifest. Zalu is a postwoman from Deadshell’s undercity. She’s caught between two worlds, the opulence of the surface and the homeliness of the undercity. She discovers a sinister conspiracy that forces her to take sides and join a revolution. Each of them is linked, thought they don’t know it, and all play separate parts in a larger story beyond their imaginings.
8 172Imaginary Numbers
In a place of eternal dusk, where the sky is no longer blue, stygian walls of sable forts keep the night at bay.A former bastion of knowledge, where weeping angels dance, lifeless in its depths.A dormant stronghold, where forlorn ravens sing, dim-lit by the midnight hues, yet no stars stood.An endless night, locked in twilight, and bound by the unseen moon.A place where the fallen king resides... where he sleeps.This is the story that he made.Isn't that right... Nonary?
8 108Lies [✓]
[Max X Reader]"Just tell me the truth, and no, not the 'truth' Max, I mean the REAL truth! I'm sick and tired of all of your lies!"-The art cover is not mine, credits to the artist. -Achievements (Thank you guys so much!)15 in #campcamp (july 25th 2019)6 in #campcamp (august 9th 2019)5 in #campcamp (august 12th 2019)4 in #campcamp (august 28th 2019)3 in #campcamp (September 18th 2019)1 in #campcamp (september 27th 2019) [OMG TYSM]-I do not own Camp Camp or any of the cannon characters, this is a fanfiction -I hope you enjoy this Max X Reader [remake is being written, first few chapters will be posted once i've finished writing the fifth chapter]-
8 202