Legends of Amacia Rise of the Caverias
Chapter 17: Knowledge of the Machinery

“This place is one vast machine with many smaller devices in it. Some of the machines work and some lay dormant,” Enoch explained as carried Hanna into the bowels of the tower. They made a turn and Enoch said as they entered a room that was an exact copy of the healing chambers in the Temple of Tiamat, “This will be our first stop.”

Hanna gasped as she saw the tables and the crystal machine in the center of the room. “I know what this room does,” she declared. “This is a healing machine like the ones we have at Tiamat.”

“You’re correct, little sister,” Enoch answered as he carried Hanna over to the table with Nathanael following beside him. “Your knowledge of the ancient machinery is impressive.”

“That’s only because I was blitzed by the Teaching Machine at Tiamat,” Hanna said, “I didn’t think I’d ever get back to normal after it scrambled my brain. Please sit me on the table, Enoch. Maybe this thing can fix me. I’m getting tired of not being able to walk around on my own.”

“Just what I had in mind,” Enoch declared, gently laying Hanna down on the healer’s table. Immediately, the crystal hummed and glowed. A beam of light suddenly sprang from the crystal and enveloped Hanna on the table. In seconds, Hanna lay fast asleep with a strange melody emanated from the crystal as it pulsed and resonated in harmony with the music.

“Intriguing,” Enoch commented, “This is the first time in ages that I’ve heard the machine sing like that. Hanna must have been really hurt for it to start singing.”

“You have no idea how devastating the wounds were,” Nathanael stated. “Nor can you fathom the sheer diabolical evil she experienced at the hands of the Emperor. I marvel that she survived at all.”

“From her comments, I take it that you and Hanna are familiar with the healer,” Enoch surmised as he and Nathanael stood beside the table.

Nathanael nodded, saying, “Yes. We have several in the Temple and we use them all the time.”

Enoch looked at him, replying, “Indeed, you say. It seems that Hanna knows much more than she lets on. Can you tell me exactly how she and Selina were fused together telepathically? I know that her encounter with the Teacher caused it.”

“Yeah,” Nathanael replied, becoming more at ease with Enoch. “This happened well before Hannibal’s ill-fated encounter with the Emperor that turned him into Hanna.” With that, Nathanael shared the story of their initial encounter with the Teaching Machine in the Temple of Tiamat. It took him almost a half hour to tell it as Enoch listened intently.

When Nathanael finished telling the tale, Enoch looked down at Hanna on the table and said, “That explains much. She has knowledge that she has yet to apply from her encounter with the Teacher. Each day, she’s forced to apply more and more of it. When she has truly mastered the knowledge, her power will be unrivaled even by the Emperor. That’s why the Emperor seeks to destroy her. It also explains why she could initiate telepathic contact with Electra and Kida. The fusion she has with Selina combined with the knowledge from the Teacher has jumpstarted her telepathic potential.”

“I cannot argue with you on that,” Nathanael stated. “What I do know is that Hanna’s fusion with Selina has allowed her to tap Selina’s knowledge and skill as a telepath. She’s using Selina’s telepathic prowess to teach her how to safely access the gift. I still marvel that Hanna and Selina share everything through this fusion, even physical and mental pain.”

“That’s impressive,” Enoch admitted. “Kida and I have a similar connection, but nothing that deep. No one since Thoth and Ariel has ever had such a deep telepathic connection.”

“No kidding,” Nathanael replied, genuinely surprised by the information. “I didn’t know that.”

“I believe we’re just beginning to see what Hanna is capable of,” Enoch stated. “I have the distinct feeling that Hanna doesn’t truly know who she really is.”

“Funny you should say that,” Nathanael said softly. “Just before we left Ezra’s watchtower, Hanna said something I found very odd.”

“What was it?” Enoch queried.

“Well, when we first stopped at Ezra’s tower, she said she felt like she’d been there before in another life,” Nathanael stated. “She said the feeling was very strong.” Enoch’s eyebrow rose with his expression. “Then just before we left the tower this morning, she said she felt like she was finally going home. Hanna was very adamant about it and both Argus and I warned her not to get too enthusiastic because we didn’t know what kind of being you’d be. I wasn’t at all sure you’d be friendly to us coming in like this. I’m glad Hanna’s instincts about you were correct,” Nathanael reported.

“You were wise to advise caution when approaching me,” Enoch admitted. “At the time, I was an unknown to you. All you had was our psychic contacts with Hanna. You didn’t have first-hand knowledge of us. Fortunately, as you’ve now seen, I’m an ally and a friend to you and Hanna and all people who resist the evil of the Emperor.”

“For that, I’m thankful,” Nathanael stated. “I’d hate to have you as an enemy. Getting back to Hanna’s mysterious comments, the first time she said she felt like she was coming home was at the Watchtower. The second time occurred just before you brought us down here. I heard her say distinctly that she felt she’d finally come home. I think Hanna subconsciously or even genetically may believe that she’s from your world.”

“That’s an interesting hypothesis,” Enoch replied, “Hanna definitely has the blood of Thoth and Ariel running through her veins.”

“How can you know for sure?” Nathanael asked bluntly.

“The healer can provide the answer,” Enoch replied calmly. “Once a person uses a healer, it records their genetic structure, which has that person’s genetic history.”

“It can do all that?” Nathanael asked.

“Yes, my Kaitian friend,” Enoch replied, patting Nathanael on the shoulder. “You apparently have only known about the healers from your experience at Tiamat. However, I grew up with the healers as a fact of life. My father taught me about the healer and the other machines of this tower, as his father taught him. I can show you right now, if you like.”

“I certainly would like to see how that’s possible,” Nathanael stated.

Enoch stepped over to the control panel and his fingers danced over the controls. “I must be sure not to interrupt the healing cycle while I do this,” he explained, “...so this may take a few moments.” Nathanael watched with great interest as Enoch worked the controls. “There we are,” Enoch said with a smile. “I found it. Now watch, Nathanael. Here’s my genetic code with Thoth and Ariel’s code buried inside it.” Enoch pushed a button and a holographic image of his image and DNA appeared with Thoth and Ariel’s code highlighted. Nathanael’s eyes grew wide. “Now, let’s look at Hanna’s DNA,” Enoch stated, pulling up a separate image of Hanna’s DNA next to his DNA. “Even though Hanna has had a riot in her genetic structure because of the Emperor’s mutation, it does not affect her past genetic history, only her present structure. Now look here.” Enoch zoomed in on a particular segment of genetic code that revealed a small, but distinct copy of Thoth and Ariel’s DNA buried in Hanna’s code.

“Oh, my god,” Nathanael breathed, looking back and forth between Enoch’s code and Hanna’s code. The exact same piece of code lay highlighted in each DNA strand. “You’re right. Hanna does have the blood of Thoth and Ariel flowing through her. This is a marvel of genetic ancestry. We never achieved this level of genetic science on Kaitia. It boggles my mind that the ancient peoples of this planet could create such high technology and map the human genome to the extent they could use it to determine accurate ancestry.”

“I cannot argue with you on that,” Enoch agreed, “They had the knowledge and ability to create machines to do this. It’s a knowledge that has been lost since this land was buried in the Kragonar. Even the Emperor and his Cadre cannot duplicate this science and technology, which is why they seek it ruthlessly.”

Nathanael looked at the holographic image of Hanna’s code, and then to Hanna. After a few moments of silence, Nathanael asked, “Can this machine reverse Hanna’s mutation?”

“I honestly don’t know,” Enoch replied, “From what she told me in our psychic palavers, the Emperor not only mutated her genetically, but surgically altered her as well. The healer may be able to reverse the genetic mutation, but I don’t know if it would be able to reverse the surgical changes. Let’s take a look and see exactly what the Emperor did to her.”

“Do it,” Nathanael urged.

Enoch’s fingers danced across the controls again. The image of his genetic helix vanished while Hanna’s code shifted to one side. Seconds later, a holographic image of Hanna appeared beside Hanna’s code. The image showed every inch of her body inside and out, looking much like a three-dimensional MRI. “Oh, my,” Enoch said softly, “Look at the damage to her skeletal structure. No wonder she can’t walk.” He pointed to the healing fractures in her hips, lower spine, and femurs. “These fractures are preventing her from walking, though it does look like they’ve been set and have healed some already. Did someone set her broken bones?”

“Magnus did,” Nathanael reported, “He’s the Xenian prototype who rescued Hanna from the Arena and brought her out of Amacia. He set the bones after Amelia brought them back to Acheron.”

“You speak of the saber-toothed Xenian prototype?” Enoch asked.

“Yes,” Nathanael stated. “He was apparently acting under orders from someone called Nemesis.”

“Ah,” Enoch crowed, “You needn’t say another word. I think I can figure it out now. It’s good that this Magnus set her broken bones. But it isn’t enough. Hanna’s spine is still out of alignment, even though I see she has her spine braced. It’s putting pressure on her spinal cord. That’s why she hasn’t regained any feeling in her legs yet.”

“I agree,” Nathanael replied, “...but what about the mutation? From what I’m seeing here, Hanna looks like she’s always been a female. Even her skeletal structure is that of a woman. Where are the surgical scars?”

“That’s an excellent question, my Kaitian friend,” Enoch declared. “Let’s replace out.” He manipulated the controls of the hologram and zoomed in on Hanna’s hips and lower belly. The image showed a perfectly functional reproductive system from the outside in. Even Hanna’s uterus and ovaries seemed to be perfectly natural. “I must admit,” Enoch murmured, “...the Emperor and his Cadre outdid themselves with this mutation. They completely erased Hanna’s previous gender. If they did a surgical alteration in addition to the genetic manipulation, I cannot see it. This fact bothers me. It’s not like the Emperor to be this thorough with a mutation and alteration. When he usually does something like this, it’s much sloppier because most of the time, the victim is still aware when it’s done to him or her.”

“What?” Nathanael asked, looking at Enoch in shock. “Are you telling me that the Emperor does this sort of thing to people without knocking them out first?”

“Yes,” Enoch answered grimly. “It’s usually part of the torture process. There’s no greater pain than to be awake while every cell of your body is altered.”

“I can’t comprehend that level of evil,” Nathanael declared. “Only someone who’s truly a sick, sadistic fuck would ever do that sort of thing.”

“Well, the Emperor is all that and more,” Enoch stated as he continued to scan Hanna’s form, looking for any sign of surgery. After a few moments, he added, “This is fascinating, as well as baffling. If the Emperor surgically altered her, then we should see something. At the very least, he would have not been so careful about the use of the transplanted organs. There should have been some differentiation between the genetic code of the organs and Hanna’s code. But there isn’t. In fact, everything is matched perfectly to Hanna’s code, even her breasts, vagina, uterus, and ovaries are hers. Everything we see here is truly part of Hanna. This is a true enigma.”

Nathanael stared without answer for a few moments, pondering the mystery of Hannibal’s mutation into Hanna. “Maybe we are looking for the wrong thing,” Nathanael suggested. “We’re looking for evidence of surgery on her body. What if there wasn’t any surgery? What if this is actually a clone of Hannibal created from his genetic structure, only structured as female?”

“A curious theory,” Enoch stated, “The Emperor has been known to do permanent essence transfers into clones. But the only way to truly know is to have a DNA sample before the mutation. With a side-by-side comparison, the healer could determine if this is truly a clone.”

Nathanael’s eyes grew wide as he had an epiphany. “The little healing kit,” he breathed.

“What healing kit?” Enoch asked.

“As a precaution, when we left Tiamat we brought one of the little portable first-aid/healing kits we found with us. Both Hannibal and Selina were nearly killed in their sleep by a psychic attack by the Emperor right after we reached Arionath. The Emperor nearly beat them to death and they had the broken bones and damaged organs to prove it. We used the little kit in conjunction with the healing baths in Kaal Bek to help them recover.”

Enoch’s face fell with concern. “The Emperor tried to kill them with a psychic assault?” he asked, visibly angered by the news.

“Yes,” Nathanael stated. “Hannibal had this huge bruise that looked like a handprint around his chest and belly and Selina looked like a giant had tried to crush her underfoot. Thank God they survived and we had the kit and the healing baths of Kaal Bek to help. Otherwise, they would have died from the injuries.”

“The coward,” Enoch spat in disgust. “He’s going to pay for that.”

“I think he’s just beginning to pay for it,” Nathanael admitted. “Each time he tried to kill Hannibal, he bounces back that much stronger. Even in his mutated state as Hanna, he’s exhibiting a resilience that is baffling. The wounds we treated when Amelia brought him back to us as Hanna would have killed any normal man or woman. Something in Hanna just won’t let her die.”

“Intriguing,” Enoch murmured. “Did you use this healing kit on Hanna at Acheron?”

“We had to,” Nathanael stated. “Without the healing waters and bath of Kaal Bek to assist, we treated her wounds best we could and used the kit on her. It worked on her for the two weeks she was in a coma. Therefore, if the kit is what I think it is, it has DNA samples from not just his male form, but this mutated female form too. It’s in my pack with the other supplies if you want it.”

“If this portable kit is what I think,” Enoch stated, “...then it should indeed have those DNA strands recorded. Can you make it back to the living area without my help?”

“No problem,” Nathanael chimed, “I’ll be right back.” He darted out of the healing chamber on a mission.

Meanwhile, Enoch continued to scan Hanna looking for clues about her mutation along with the means to reverse it. Suddenly, he noticed something odd near Hanna’s spine between her shoulder blades. Rolling the hologram over, he zoomed in and examined the feature. “I’ll be fodder for the Cadre,” he murmured, seeing a tiny incision just to the left of the spine that had healed over, no more than a pinprick. “So that’s where they introduced the mutation, but why did the mutation take so perfectly. It’s not like them to do such a good job on an enemy.” Checking a hunch, Enoch scanned for other marks and found them all over Hanna’s body, particularly around her breasts, groin, hips, neck, and head. “Did they use nano-machines to do the surgery?” he murmured. He scanned for cybernetic parasites and didn’t replace any, only some infinitesimal scarring on a few of the organs. “Damn,” he cursed. “The nano-machines must have been flushed from her after the mutation so it couldn’t be reversed using them.” At that moment, Nathanael returned with the little first-aid/healing kit from Tiamat.

“Did you replace anything?” Nathanael asked, holding the portable first-aid/healing kit in his hand.

“Yeah,” Enoch replied. “Apparently, they used nano-machine parasites to instigate the mutation. Hanna has dozens of microscopic incisions all over her, seemingly where the bastards introduced the parasites. However, I couldn’t replace any of them left. She must have been purged of the machines after the mutation. Is that the portable healer you spoke of?”

“Yes,” Nathanael replied, handing the device to Enoch. “There are crystal disks inside the box we put on and near the injuries and then close the box to activate it. I have no idea if there’s a way to hook this kit up to your healing machine.”

Enoch examined it closely from all angles. He opened it, looking inside. A smile crept across Enoch’s lips. “You have saved us a great deal of trouble, my friend,” Enoch crowed. “We have the exact same type of kits here in this tower. Hooking it into the machine is no problem, and to boot, we’ll be able to test your clone hypothesis. Let’s try it and see what comes up.” Enoch pressed a button on the main control panel and a drawer slid out of the side of the console.

“Well, I’ll be,” Nathanael breathed, “I bet our healer has one of those drawers too.”

“Most likely,” Enoch stated as he sat the kit into the drawer. It closed and the tone of the healing machine changed slightly. A holographic menu appeared and Enoch pushed the genetic code storage option. Three names appeared with codes beside them: Hannibal, Selina, and Thomas. Two distinct genetic codes appeared in a list by Hannibal’s name. Hannibal’s original code sat in one spot with a branch to a second code. Enoch selected Hannibal and Hannibal’s code appeared with the branch code of his female form as Hanna side-by-side. “Oh, this is excellent,” Enoch crowed. “Now, let me download these into the healer’s mainframe.” His fingers danced across the controls, downloading the two codes into the healer. “Computer,” Enoch called out. “Analyze the two codes and determine if one is a clone replication of the other.”

The machine rumbled slightly as it continued to work on Hanna. A soft mechanized voice rose from the console, saying, “The branch code is not a clone of the original. It reflects a genetic riot in the original code. The two codes are of the same individual...only one is male and the other is female.”

“Can the mutation be reversed?” Enoch asked.

“At present, no,” the healer replied. “My matrix has been damaged, rendering that part of my programming inoperable.”

“Could it be done if your programming and hardware were repaired,” Nathanael asked.

“Yes,” the healer replied. “But it will take some time to do it. The mutation is down to the chromosomal level. The code will need to be reset at that level before the gender switch can take place.”

“Theoretically, how long would it take to reverse Hanna’s mutation?” Enoch queried.

“72 hours for a full reversal of the mutation,” the healer reported, “which will include surgical removal of the female reproductive system to be replaced with the male reproductive system grown from the original code.”

“What are the odds of successfully returning Hanna to being a man?” Nathanael asked.

“80% probability of success,” the healer stated stoically. “The patient’s genetic structure has many anomalies in it beyond the mutation from male to female that creates uncertainty in the probability.”

“What kind of anomalies?” Enoch asked.

“The patient has several different strands of non-human code within the code matrix,” the healer announced. “Only one of these alien codes can be positively identified: the Lynxian segment. The others are unknown to my programming. Moreover, this patient has 24 chromosomal pairs instead of 23 as all other humans have. It even differs from Enoch Caverias’s code. These and other anomalies create a heightened level of uncertainty in the probability of a successful reversal of the patient’s present mutation.”

“Whoa,” Nathanael murmured, “It seems you may be right about Hanna not knowing who she really is, Enoch.”

“I’m a bit stunned myself,” Enoch stated. “Computer, how much longer before the present healing cycle is finished for the patient?”

“Three minutes,” the healer replied.

“Thank you, computer,” Enoch replied, “Record the two genetic codes downloaded from the portable kit for later use.”

“Already stored,” the healer stated. “Is there anything else you require?”

“No, that’s all for now,” Enoch answered, “Thank you for your assistance.”

“Yes sir,” the healer stated, going silent afterwards.

“I didn’t know the healers had a voice-activated function,” Nathanael said. “I’ll definitely have to look into that back at Tiamat.”

“You may want to, providing you get back there,” Enoch said as his fingers danced across the controls. The holographic image of Hanna’s body disappeared along with the images of her genetic codes.

As Enoch shut off the holograms, the music ceased and the light from the crystal discontinued as the healing machine finished with Hanna’s injuries. “Ah, it’s done,” Enoch commented as they watched Hanna closely.

For a few moments, Hanna lay as if she were dead. Then she twitched and stirred, opening her eyes as she yawned. “Feel better now?” Nathanael asked.

Hanna smirked, saying, “Quite. These machines always amaze me. I’m feeling pretty darned good now. My ribs and back aren’t hurting me; my head is clearer than it has been since we left the Temple; my hips aren’t aching and I’m starting to get some feeling back in my legs for the first time since I walked into the Arena. But damn, I’m still a woman. I thought that maybe the healer could reverse the mutation. This is a real kick in the teeth.”

Nathanael reached out his hand and Hanna took it. He pulled her up to a sitting position and steadied her. “Don’t be so quick to judge the machine,” Nathanael stated. “Your instinct that the healer can reverse the mutation isn’t wrong.”

“Talk to me,” Hanna insisted. “What’s going on?”

Enoch touched Hanna on the knee. “The machine can reverse the mutation,” he reported, “...now that it has a copy of your original male DNA from the portable healer you brought from Tiamat. However, just reversing the mutation is not that simple. Your code is far more complex than any normal human, Hanna.”

“I’m listening,” Hanna stated, as she rested her hands in her lap.

“While you were under,” Nathanael stated, “I wanted to know why Enoch said you were the blood of Thoth and Ariel, so Enoch scanned your DNA and found the same code fragment from Thoth and Ariel that he has in his code.”

“No kidding?” Hanna asked.

“It’s identical,” Enoch stated, “I’ll show it to you later if you want.”

“I’d like that,” Hanna answered.

“But beyond that, Nathanael posed the question about reversing the mutation,” Enoch stated. “So we used the apparatus to scan you inside and out to see where the mutation began and where the surgical alterations were done. But you know what we found?”

“What?” Hanna asked softly.

“We couldn’t replace any evidence of surgical alterations at all,” Enoch reported. “The only thing we found were dozens of microscopic incisions scattered around your body in strategic locations where apparently nano-parasites were introduced into your body for the genetic alteration. Then when the mutation was complete, they flushed your system of the parasites, leaving only some nano-particle sized scars on your cells. It doesn’t look like you were surgically altered on a macro scale, but altered on a cellular level. They completely reorganized your body into a female, doing it down to the chromosomal level. It astounded me how precise and perfect the mutation was. It’s not like the Emperor to do the mutation like this with such precision. Something else beyond the Cadre’s involvement influenced this mutation.”

“So I can’t be returned to normal?” Hanna asked, feeling her spirit sink.

“Not so fast,” Nathanael intruded, seeing the defeat crossing Hanna’s face. “We’re not saying that at all. We’re just saying that other forces beyond the Emperor and his Cadre were involved with your mutation. It’s more than just that. Tell her, Enoch.”

“As we said earlier, your code is far more complex than a normal human,” Enoch declared, “When we scanned your code as you are now, beyond the obvious mutation caused by the Emperor, the machine uncovered several segments of alien DNA perfectly merged with your human DNA.”

“One of those alien strands happens to be Lynxian, Hanna,” Nathanael stated.

Hanna’s eyes grew wide. “I have Lynxian DNA in me?”

“Yes,” Enoch stated, “...and it’s a sizeable portion too compared to the other alien strands, which as of now stand unidentified. Furthermore, you have an extra chromosome pair in you. Instead of having 23 chromosomal pairs, you have 24, which make you different from the rest of humanity. Where this extra set of chromosomes came from is a mystery, but it’s definitely there and not causing a riot in your cell structure. It’s part of you and apparently always has been. Furthermore, I didn’t say anything to Nathanael, but when I scanned your brain area, I noticed that your pineal gland is five times the size of a normal human. It seems to be pulsing slightly, but not causing any internal pressure on your brain, which has apparently adapted to the larger size. Why is your pineal gland so much larger than everyone else’s pineal glands? I know it’s far larger than mine is.”

“Oh, dear,” Hanna murmured, “So that’s why you said what you did about the mutation reversal being more complicated. I’m apparently not just a normal human and have never been a normal human. My pineal gland problem is something I inherited from my childhood. I don’t remember much about that time except that my dad told me that I had a special gift and that I should use it for good when I use it. The pineal gland was apparently part of that gift.”

“You have missing time from your childhood?” Enoch asked softly, leaning on the table.

“I do,” Hanna stated. “It looks like the Emperor’s mutation didn’t affect my memories, only my physiological structure.” A deep troubled sigh arose from Hanna. “I must admit, my childhood was not a happy one by any stretch of the imagination. I do remember being constantly picked on by my peers because I was different.”

“I’m sorry,” Enoch apologized, “I didn’t mean to drag up bitter memories for you.”

“It’s okay,” Hanna stated bravely, though her face betrayed her pain. “It’s that pain that made me the person I am now. But getting back to reversing the mutation; tell me plainly: can it be done?”

“Yes,” Enoch stated, “But not with this healer right now. The program and hardware is inoperative for that option. If we fix the hardware and reset the program for that option, the healer should be able to reverse the mutation. But even then, there’s a risk. There’s a 20% chance the procedure could fail because of your unique genetic makeup. If we had access to the machine that did this to you in the first place, I’m sure we could reduce the risk to nearly zero.”

Hanna’s eyes grew wide as she had an epiphany. “Josephine,” she whispered.

“Who’s Josephine?” Enoch asked.

“Josephine is the wife of Bolthor Sai Keleb…the original Emperor,” Hanna stated. “She was forcibly merged into a cybernetic apparatus back in the time of Thoth and she controls everything within Emperor’s house, including the sex floor and Hell’s Kitchen where the prepare people as entrees.”

“Are you telling me there are places in the Emperor’s Black Fortress where people are sexually tortured, mutilated, and ultimately cooked?” Enoch asked, not believing his ears.

Hanna looked him in the eye with the seriousness of an executioner prepared to drop the deathblow on her victim. “Yes,” Hanna answered icily, “I have experienced these places first-hand. These are places where the darkest vilest evil is perpetrated on hapless victims for the Emperor’s amusement. I’ll not describe it to you. It’s so gruesome and depraved that I come unglued emotionally when I try to describe it.”

“Okay,” Enoch replied, “I’ll not ask about it until you are ready to share it. But what about this Josephine: why do you think that this cybernetic monster is responsible for your mutation?”

“Josephine is not a monster,” Hanna retorted sharply. “She’s just as much a victim as I am. She’s forced to do these heinous things to those poor people because of her programming. She must do as the Emperor tells her. He doesn’t even see her as a real person, only a pet.”

“Oh, forgive me,” Enoch replied, “I didn’t know.”

“It’s okay,” Hanna replied. “Now you do. But to answer your earlier question, I believe she may have been the one who mutated me because she was the one who put my mind into the clone avatar that was ravaged on the sex floor.” Hanna shuddered visibly. “And she was the one who put me back into my own body. She has the apparatus and programming to do the mutation the way you speak of it. I’m sure of it. When I last saw her before being returned to my own body, I discovered her name and it shorted out some of her programming, making her more autonomous from the Emperor than she was before. She was the one who actually talked the Emperor into returning my mind to my real body. I think she’s why this mutation is so perfect. Didn’t you say that I have dozens of microscopic incisions in strategic locations on my body? It makes perfect sense since the apparatus Josephine is merged with has hundreds of mechanical tentacles that she is able to control with such precision that each one can do a different task. She has to be the key to getting my true form back.”

“You may be right,” Nathanael agreed. “I remember you talking about this machine Josephine shortly after waking up in Acheron. You said that she was as kind and gentle to you and the other girls as she was vicious, and that the brutality was a direct result of the Emperor’s decree and immediate presence. When he wasn’t around, this Josephine was in fact very kind and gentle.”

“That’s true,” Hanna whispered. “I also remember that just before she returned my mind to my original body, she said that if I ever escaped and returned to free Selina, to replace the core and free her. She yearns to be free of a cybernetic immortality imposed on her that is a living everlasting hell.”

Enoch rubbed his chin. “You may be on to something, little sister,” he murmured. “If this machine Josephine mutated you, she may be able to reverse it. But where her core processor is presents a problem. We’d need to infiltrate the Emperor’s domain, replace the cyborg, and convince her to reverse the mutation without the Emperor seeing; that is if her programming will even allow it.”

“Nemesis would know where her core is,” Hanna blurted out. “He was ultimately responsible for my escape, so he would know where Josephine’s core is.”

“Are you speaking of the prototype cyborg bear Xenian, Nemesis?” Enoch asked.

“One and the same,” Hanna answered. She held up her hand, showing a prominent scar across the palm of it. “You see this scar? This scar is the proof of a blood pact I made with Nemesis before I left Amacia. He swore to watch over Selina and keep her safe until I return.”

“You’re indeed full of surprises, little sister,” Enoch stated. “Not only is your knowledge of the ancient machinery impressive, but you have managed to make allies inside the Emperor’s own house. And your ability to deal with the heinous crimes committed on your person without letting it destroy you is truly a marvel. However, if this Josephine is truly the machine we need to reverse your mutation safely, then we have a quandary. From what you say, this machine lies in the very heart of the Emperor’s domain, in his very house. How do we access it without being seen?”

Hanna sighed and shook her head. “That I don’t know,” she admitted. “But it seems Josephine is the key to reversing this mutation, if she actually performed it and not the Cadre.”

“I suspect that your instincts may be correct,” Enoch declared. “I’ve seen the Cadre’s work up close, including the mutations they do to people. Their work is nowhere near this precise. It tends to be somewhat sloppy. Do you remember if you were awake while the mutation was taking place? I do know that the Cadre will mutate victims while awake as a means of torture.”

“No,” Hanna answered softly, “I don’t remember being awake at all. I remember going to sleep after waking up restrained in a cell in my own male body. Then when I woke up again, I was in this form tied down to a table. The Emperor took great delight in proving to me that I was not dreaming; that I was a woman.”

“What did he do?” Enoch asked. Then as quick as he asked the question he withdrew it saying “Wait, don’t answer it. I don’t think I want to know. I can only assume he violated you in some way.”

“You could say that,” Hanna growled coldly. “But it wasn’t an outright rape, for which I’m thankful. I got a bellyful of that in the clone, literally.”

“Enough said,” Enoch stated, knowing he was intruding into a realm Hanna didn’t want to share yet. “But still, I’m very impressed with your entire conduct, particularly with your knowledge of the machinery here.”

“I appreciate the compliment,” Hanna said softly, happy Enoch shifted the conversation away from her time in Amacia. “But the only reason I know what this machine does is because I used one just like it so many times back at the Temple.”

Enoch smiled, saying, “And modest too. Nathanael told me about the encounter with the Teacher that caused your telepathic fusion with Selina. He also told me about the downloads and your subsequent deliverance from them. You have managed to tame the beast of knowledge from the Teacher, but you’re still to master the knowledge.”

Hanna pivoted and dangled her legs off the edge of the table with Nathanael’s assistance. Looking up into Enoch’s face, she said, “It’s true. We tamed that beast with many prayers and much help from many people, including Argus. In fact, he was pivotal in helping us tame that monster. But I’m still trying to deal with the knowledge that was imparted to me. Most of it I have not been able to corral, use, or apply for that matter. I know very little about the machinery itself. What I do know I replace is instinctual.

“Finding and using the scepter to access the portal and the Archives was a perfect example. I did all of that by instinct like there was someone else inside me guiding my steps. It’s very unnerving. I don’t like it when powers like that try to override me. It’s very dangerous.”

Enoch put his hand on Hanna’s shoulder, saying, “I understand. But believe me when I tell you that you have mastered more of that knowledge than you realize. When you can control and use all of it properly, you will be a force to be reckoned with, especially when you discover who you really are.”

“I realize that,” Hanna replied. “I just hope it doesn’t cost me my soul in the process. I replace myself in a position that I never wanted and still don’t. But my will is insignificant. It’s the Lord’s will that must be done and I do it now without hesitation. I’ve come to realize that my only option at this point is to let the Lord drive this thing. I’ll do as He says willingly because I love Him. He has always done me right. So I follow his command without question, even though sometimes I may not like it.”

Enoch smiled and said, “Spoken like a true follower of the Ancient of Days. Come, dinner should be just about ready. Let’s go and eat.”

“Do you think you can walk, Hanna?” Nathanael asked.

“I do have feeling in my legs now,” Hanna stated, “But I’m not sure if I can walk just yet. My hips and legs are tingling like they’re waking up from being asleep.”

“Try to stand up,” Enoch suggested, “If your legs buckle, we’ll catch you and know that you’re not ready to walk just yet.”

“Sounds good to me,” Hanna said. “Okay, here we go.” She slid off the table while Enoch and Nathanael hovered around her like a couple of worried fathers. The moment her feet hit the floor, her legs buckled and Enoch caught her. “Thanks for the catch,” she murmured. “It doesn’t look like my legs are ready yet. I guess I’ll have to be a cripple for a little longer.”

“Don’t worry,” Nathanael reassured her. “You may have some muscle atrophy from not using your legs for two weeks. We just need to retrain your legs.”

“But the fact you’re feeling anything down there is a good sign,” Enoch added as he cradled her in his arms, “It means that the nerves are starting to regenerate and before you know it, you’ll be walking again.”

“I hope so,” Hanna stated. “But can we go get something to eat now. I’m starving.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Enoch replied, carrying her out of the healing chamber with Nathanael at his side.