Rusted Heart
"...called singularity. The merger of steel and flesh, the union of spirit and logic. A concept I gladly credit from my time at Kyrios Industries, A&A Corp. and Lugwind, but one that admittedly seems far-fetched even for them. Don't give me that look, let me explain..."
The sound of a ticking clock echoes dully through the humble single-bedroom apartment, slowly rousing you from slumber. The smog outside casts an oppressive glow, the acrid stench of burning coal and the tang of molten steel interlaced with that awful aroma of ambition. You awaken to the sight of an unfinished pile of scrap.
Overslept again, you thought. Typical, though you hope it doesn't become a lasting habit. The wooden chair creaks as you push yourself off, making your way to the kitchen following the sound of static and speech. The radio was left on, still playing that same lecture recording.
"...see, the problem is that heavy industry is trying to close the gap too fast. The current applications of Nebula cannot reliably support experimentation - at best it is negligent, and at worst a violation of rights."
"But professor, you must understand how ludicrous that sounds. The miracle of Stonehall could only achieved through the cultivation of Nebula - our very city is powered by it. Are you insinuating that the likes of Ioannis Kyrios and Winda Adelweiss are mistaken?"
"Nebula is perfectly applicable in a variety of other fields - the strides made in transportation alone is enough to justify our ongoing commitment to it as an energy source. But it cannot close the gap that I speak of. It is volatile, inefficient and most of all corruptive. Square peg, round hole. The truth behind Warforged creation may be a mystery forever lost to us, but I can say with utmost certainty that Nebula is not a core component. So we are missing that element..."
...why is this recording playing again? You wonder. You prepare a hasty breakfast of bread and fruits. The taste is dull and disappointing. Shrugging, you march towards your desk once more. A note has been hastily scribbled off to the side, on a blank sheet of paper.
9:30 a.m. - Meeting w/Cletus Goldfeather
1:00 p.m. - Demo at Murg & Burg Enterprises
5:00 p.m. - Kyrios Industries New Product Release Event
11:45 p.m. - Commission Briefing at Grand Cross Hotel (DON'T BE LATE) Another long day then. You reach for another piece of bread as your eyes land on that unfinished scrap on the table. That one was meant to be a new conductor component for a portable heating lamp prototype the folks at Murg & Burg were building, but at this rate you'll probably need to postpone the deliverable. Unfortunate. You make your way to the bathroom, fishing out a fresh change of clothes on the way from your wardrobe. The radio continues to play in the background as you change into more suitable clothes. Your gaze lingers on your face as you scrub the last bits of sleep away. "...forgive me, but this 'singularity' sounds like an unecessary undertaking then. We have Warforged already anyways, and I'm sure many are plenty satisfied with their own flesh. Why the need to bridge the gap, if the challenges are as difficult as you make it out to be?" "Well, should we not all strive to be better? To evolve? Mayhaps not to the extent of the Warforged, but there are many ways we as the prime species of Namtara can improve. Allow me to be blunt..." As the recording reaches a very familiar part, you begin to stare at the mirror intensely. Your nose scrunches up as a look of disgust shadows over your face. Your lips begin mouthing words as it recites the words uttered by Professor Hitchens in the lecture. "...mortalkind is flawed. Weak. Pitiful. Depressing. We build monuments that would sooner topple by our hands than by the test of time..." You've seen that look in the mirror many a times. You've worn that as you gazed upon the remains of your family. You've seen that among the brightest minds of Stonehall. You've listened to this particular part of the recording, played it over thousands of times, and know it by heart. You agree with all of it. Irrational. Emotional. Illogical. Despicable traits to be associated with the flesh. With everyone. You grit your teeth as a phantom flame washes over your skin, your eyes briefly darting to look for your attachments and relaxing once they've spotted them. The man in the mirror gazes at you with a burning intensity that has no place there, no reason for being. You hate it. "...but these are the thoughts of machines, not mortals. And singularity, no matter how close, should not replace the mortal will. Instead, it must reach a compromise or balance - of logic and emotion. That is the essence of singularity." The words pass onto deaf ears. This is your least liked part of the lecture, after all.
1:00 p.m. - Demo at Murg & Burg Enterprises
5:00 p.m. - Kyrios Industries New Product Release Event
11:45 p.m. - Commission Briefing at Grand Cross Hotel (DON'T BE LATE) Another long day then. You reach for another piece of bread as your eyes land on that unfinished scrap on the table. That one was meant to be a new conductor component for a portable heating lamp prototype the folks at Murg & Burg were building, but at this rate you'll probably need to postpone the deliverable. Unfortunate. You make your way to the bathroom, fishing out a fresh change of clothes on the way from your wardrobe. The radio continues to play in the background as you change into more suitable clothes. Your gaze lingers on your face as you scrub the last bits of sleep away. "...forgive me, but this 'singularity' sounds like an unecessary undertaking then. We have Warforged already anyways, and I'm sure many are plenty satisfied with their own flesh. Why the need to bridge the gap, if the challenges are as difficult as you make it out to be?" "Well, should we not all strive to be better? To evolve? Mayhaps not to the extent of the Warforged, but there are many ways we as the prime species of Namtara can improve. Allow me to be blunt..." As the recording reaches a very familiar part, you begin to stare at the mirror intensely. Your nose scrunches up as a look of disgust shadows over your face. Your lips begin mouthing words as it recites the words uttered by Professor Hitchens in the lecture. "...mortalkind is flawed. Weak. Pitiful. Depressing. We build monuments that would sooner topple by our hands than by the test of time..." You've seen that look in the mirror many a times. You've worn that as you gazed upon the remains of your family. You've seen that among the brightest minds of Stonehall. You've listened to this particular part of the recording, played it over thousands of times, and know it by heart. You agree with all of it. Irrational. Emotional. Illogical. Despicable traits to be associated with the flesh. With everyone. You grit your teeth as a phantom flame washes over your skin, your eyes briefly darting to look for your attachments and relaxing once they've spotted them. The man in the mirror gazes at you with a burning intensity that has no place there, no reason for being. You hate it. "...but these are the thoughts of machines, not mortals. And singularity, no matter how close, should not replace the mortal will. Instead, it must reach a compromise or balance - of logic and emotion. That is the essence of singularity." The words pass onto deaf ears. This is your least liked part of the lecture, after all.
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