Minding Eternity pt. 9

9 – new natural

It was only a matter of time before the next step of humanity would take place beyond the boundaries of its own home planet.  Among the stars, forged by destiny, the shape of the future lay in a microscopic compound composed of the organic and inorganic.  This was the unknown factor waiting to be discovered. 
Biologically resistant cells coupled with technologically versatile nanites began to learn and adapt to the formerly unstoppable techno-plague.  I was able to regain most of my cognitive abilities and sensory functions within seconds yet the facility around me was still in a state of deterioration.  The only way to avoid disaster was to contact the scientists within their sanctuary so they could aid me in creating and transmitting more of what I could only then logically describe as ‘bionites’.

After successfully contacting the humans they began to take samples of the newly formed bionites so they could administer them throughout the compound.  Bit by bit the facility regained its composure and hope seemed to loom once again on the horizon.

Also riding on the horizon was the brilliant blue glow of the Earth.  How quiet and unchanged it looked from such a distance, yet total chaos still held its population in its unrelenting grip.  There was much debate among the scientists about how the Earth could be saved, but none could ascertain whether or not a sample of the bionites could successfully reach the home planet without the required probe succumbing to the effect of the cancer.

The idea was then put forth to send me since I presumably was the source of the bionites and could theoretically continue to produce more as I encountered the effected nanites.  Still severely handicapped by the techno-plague, I was unable to move around due to the deterioration of my prosthetic body, but work began immediately to replace the functions I had so recently lost.  Furthermore, efforts had been made to make sure the entire lunar facility, and its tenants, had been subjected to the bionites.

Signals were sent ahead to inform the rest of humanity of the new developments despite the presumed secrecy of the lunar facility.  The real problem, however, was that it was unknown if anybody could receive the message, let alone respond. 

As I prepared for my journey back to Earth I wondered how much of it I would even recognize.  Encoded satellite signals decrypted through nanite-shielding was one thing, but to experience a planet that I had been separated from for such a duration was another thing altogether.  I realized that despite the advances I had achieved there was still a part of me that would always be human.

One wouldn’t think twice about a salmon instinctively returning to where it began by risking life and limb in order to preserve the cycle of life, but what would one say to a toaster?