The Matrix

Looking at the star ships taking up bombarding formations in the orbit of Varganna, I could not help wondering if Blin had brought me here to get me killed.

I wasn’t so sure. Why did they think I would be able to handle forces such as these?

Did they assume that because I was a fully trained Bastion like them, although ones without vital and pressingly needed experience, that I would be able to help significantly.

Well, I failed to tell him about my limitations. Rather the limitations Primus had placed on me. Then again it might not have been just the Bastion of Genesis but the entire organization as a whole with the way he’d explained it so Blin might be aware. They might even be under the same limitations too.

My gaze returned to the coverage on the holographic display, I hoped my eight percent of my powers overall would be enough for the battle ahead.

In the next second, it turned out that I didn’t have to worry much. I wasn’t going to be doing any fighting. No, I might still fight, but I won’t be at the frontlines.

My surprise echoed in my speech as I asked, “What?”

Apocalypse, who was briefing everyone on their individual mission, nodded as if my exclamation had been an affirmation of his plan.

“Indeed,” he continued. “Myself and Ultimate will face the Invaders head on, lead the charge and the Varganna offense. Blin will coordinate the defense of the planet, make sure anything that gets past us doesn't make it to the planet's surface. And you, Genesis’i, will be the last line of our three layer defense. You will help protect the Vargannas from anything that gets past Bastion Blin, but as I’m aware of your limitations, I’d suggest you instead stall any invader in time for the Vargannas to evacuate and retreat.”

I, happily, nodded. As much as I’d have liked to be in the thick of it, I knew that with my current access level to the powers of Genesis it would be suicide for me should I do that.

“Our positions vary. Ultimate and I would be heading straight for orbit, taking the fight to them. Blin would occupy the atmosphere, where they would mount the second layer of defense. Genesis’i, you are going to be given a Varganna Matrix. It would let you move across the planet to any location any hostile that gets past the first two layers of defense may land.”

I nodded. I wasn’t completely sure what a Matrix was but I suspected that it was the band Blin had around their chest.

The meeting did not last much after that. According to reports Apocalypse was receiving, the Vargannas were stalling the invaders with a diplomatic greeting.

Once the meeting ended, Blin teleported me to the Varganna Administration of Technology.

The place was beyond impressive. It was like a paradise of futuristic tech. I could not stop staring at everything my eyes met. The walls were hard light holograms that served the purpose of walls and billboards, they were also the light source for the building.

Some parts of the walls were transparent, affording him an amazing view into labs and hangars containing all sorts of alien wonders.

It was one of those labs Blin took him to. There were several Vargannas there waiting for them. It seemed like they had already been informed to expect them.

One stepped forward and stretched out his hand in a gesture I didn’t know was universal. “I am C'os the Varganna, we are ready to begin the procedure.”

I shook his hand, and quirked an eyebrow inquisitively at him. “‘I’ not we?” I asked, curiously, referring to his preferred pronoun.

He smiled. “It is rare for a Varganna to be born with a single consciousness and I’m one of such rarities.”

I blinked in shock. “Vargannas have more than one consciousness?”

He nodded. “A Varganna, male or female are capable of parthenogenesis so-”

“What’s that?” I interrupted him, completely lost.

“Asexual reproduction. In which an organism can reproduce without fertilization by a gamete of the opposite sex. Every Varganna is capable of this, but due to our traditions, we don’t practice asexual reproduction but the common reproduction. During the process of procreation, because both Vargannas are capable of procreating alone, a phenomenon happens in which there is a fertilization of two or more ova from both of them. With the formation of a fetus happening while another fetus is already present in the uterus. During the last trimester, all fetuses are put through an in vitro maturation machine so science could be used to genetically operate them so they could be perfect in everything, from looks to health and Intelligence. A side effect of this operation is that all fetuses would go through a perfect conjoining in which they are completely conjoined due to a situation that forms parasitic twins among humans. And just like that, a Varganna is born with two hearts, two minds, and two genetic systems. Sometimes more. R'os here, for example, has five consciousnesses.”

I looked at who he was pointing at and smiled at Blin. “Your name is R'os?”

They nodded and immediately urged C'os to get on with the procedure. I was led to a high tech chair that looked more like a throne to me. I sat down and samples for personal identification were taken, from DNA samples to retina scans and fingerprint scans. It was for the Matrix’s system, they told me.

When I actually asked what the Matrix was, the answer I got was interesting.

“The Matrix is a collective of various powerful devices in orbit,” C'os explained as he placed a device as flat as a credit card on my chest which began to expand and take the form of a band, “hovering like artificial satellites. These devices allow us certain benefits on our planet. Some of which includes teleportation to anywhere that’s not restricted, self flight, an artificial intelligence guardian, summoning of any food that would then appear in your hands, access to our virtual reality internet and so much more.”

He took a step back after letting the band intertwine around me, smiled and gestured for me to go ahead.

I was just wondering exactly how I was going to do that, use the device that is, when I voice spoke in my head.

“Hello Premier.”

I looked around to see if anyone had spoken but everyone was looking at me in expectation, which meant the voice had indeed come from my head.

“Eh, hello?” I responded, reluctantly and aloud.

“You don’t have to voice out your response, Premier, I’m capable of interpreting your thoughts by deciding the alterations of your neural patterns when you speak.”

“Who are you?” I asked, though I already had a suspicion.

“You can call me VIS, the Varganna Intelligence System.”

Yup, confirmed, I have an AI in my mind.