Information retrieval procedure

Manz waits for his opportunity. This battler won't be the end of the war, but it's going to be his last for a while. In two days he'll wash the blood on his hands, he'll hold his children instead of more dead nameless little bodies. They can't be that far away. Any minute now. Their helmets appear among the hubris, and he'll have a target. It will be their end.

-We found him unconscious. Yes, sir. He's still alive. The first aid were successful.

-He'll have a chance, son.

-Thank you, sir.

-We'll take it from here. Go and avenge him.

-Yes, sir.

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When a civilization makes dancing with Death a way of life and transform their entire planet into a theater of operation, the consequences of dying are bothersome. Not because they care about the people. No, they care about the knowledge the soldiers have on their brains. Knowledge is power. The warlords of planet Enis are aware of this truth.

When a soldier is mortally wounded in a battle, and it's possible to retrieve the body before they die, their comrades apply a procedure to keep them alive long enough to take them to medical facilities. What they don't know is that these places are not meant to heal the soldier, the purpose is much more efficient and profitable.

Bright lights, strange sounds, no voices. His captain is there. That's good, Captain Kress is an efficient fellow. Damn little rats. Ambushed. It doesn't matter. Home is closer now.

-Lieutenant Manz is a perfect candidate for the procedure.

-Are you sure?

-Yes, my men are well-trained in first aid.

-The internal bleeding is in the abdomen.

-If we hurry, he can make it.

Every soldier has important information stored in their minds: special abilities, secrets, muscle memory, the plans of an enemy's building, the image of the new weapon that took their life. Anything could be useful, one could never know.

Although the army has put in place strict controls to how, when and why the information is delivered to the soldiers, they are still surprised of what is possible to find out after one of them dies, and their superiors are finally allowed to take control of that last piece of them: their thoughts. After all, they are dead, who cares if the government owns all their secrets too?

Darkness, numbness. The doctors will perform an abdominal surgery. They said something about the state of his mind. The opportunity they've been waiting for. Home.

-Patient 475. Abdominal wound. Lungs and liver with internal bleeding.

-Inject the drug.

-Heart rate stabilized.

-Brain waves in optimal condition.

-Start the procedure.

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The Information retrieval procedure was the achievement of a group of scientists who experimented with dying soldiers for almost ten years until they found a way to connect the brain to a computer and download all the data.

The government's investment in the military's labs science was rewarded when the scientist managed to discover what was needed for a dying mind to give up their secrets: the recreation of a desire. It was fitting the soldier received a last payment for their sacrifice.

Elias is so tall. Lina is still a baby. They don't smell like death, smoke and decay. They are warm, their smiles pure and innocent. The garden is blooming. Celina's kiss was loving as always.

-Check the vitals.

-He's gone.

- We did it, sir!

- We have it. All of it!

-Good job, everyone! Now we can celebrate!

This military secret is covered by layers of rumors, half-truths and comforting lies far better than the truth.

The bodies are returned to the families along with a big check. Soldiers are buried with honor, get a postmortem medal for their service.

No one needs to know some of them remains transformed in raw data as classified files under government protection.

Yes, the scientists's minds are stored too.

by Unsplash