My head feels heavy, and I can't control my arms. I'm on that thin line between life and death, held in someone's embrace like a new bride being carried to bed. I open my eyes; John Crowrift is carrying me in his metal arms. Then darkness finds me.
I open my eyes. I'm in the cave… John Crowrift is still carrying me in his arms. IVA and Connor, the healing computer, want to intervene. Jose emerges from beside John and points his laser finger at them. IVA is shot in the head, and the sound of metal falling echoes. Before Connor can even gather his casing, he's hit by Jose's laser and explodes into the air.
"No, it can't be! Please, no!"
Then darkness finds me once more.
I open my eyes. I've been placed in a capsule bed. John Crowrift is by my head. He's taken off his clothes, his cybernetic body exposed. He's talking to Jose.
"VFA-210…" John begins. "…Can you heal Arthur without the healing computer?"
"I can perform procedures to keep him alive. But only enough to keep him alive."
"It doesn't matter. Just keep him alive. We only need his brain. I spent quite a lot of time creating that brain back then. I'll bring another computer to scan it. We won't need that body."
"I believe I can keep the brain alive, sir."
"What happened to the other simulations?"
"I can tell you we have millions of simulation results. All saved in the black box."
"I haven't visited here in a long time. There are too many. Let's filter them a bit, okay?" He stroked Jose's head. "Then you can continue simulating. It seems I'll need to strain my memory a bit."
"Of course, sir."
Then darkness once more.
This time, when I open my eyes, I find John Crowrift dressed in his space suit.
"I'll bring a more advanced healing computer. We'll scan this brain once more and transfer it to the new body we've created. Until then, keep Arthur alive, alright?"
"Of course, sir."
"When the other body wakes up, ensure he retires. Take him to a star system far from the war. Let him live a happy life with these filtered personalities."
"Of course, sir."
Noticing I had opened my eyes, John Crowrift came closer and leaned down. His helmet became transparent once more, and I came face to face with myself. He placed his metal hand over mine.
"Don't worry, my friend. I will fight in hell so you can live in heaven. One of us will be in heaven, and the other in hell."
I remember the metal hand moving away from me. As John Crowrift's footsteps faded, the glass dome above me slowly closed. Jose stood before me on his wheels. I looked at his lifeless gaze as the glass dome filled with gas. I tried to reach out, I stirred, but it was futile… "J…O…S…E…" the letters escaped my lips like a whisper.
Then darkness once more.
I was already used to the darkness.