The Living Machines

Chapter 1

About five centuries ago, there was a worldwide apocalyptic event known as the blackout, which brought about an end to both technology, and the era known as the ‘Age of Leisure’. No one knows what caused the event or why it happened, however the widely popular opinion throughout the known world is divine intervention. Supposedly God became upset with the people from that era, as they were beginning to automate everything they did. Where no one really put forth much effort or made any contribution to society. Simply becoming lazier and lazier, as technology strived to allow them to do less. Then one day Something like a virus hit the major cities of the world. Power grids starting shutting down or going up in flames or explosions. Transformers either melting or exploding. Anything that gave of any kind of electrical current fried. Then slowly from these major cities it spread, from that point it was only 5 years till no sign of electricity or technology was to be found on the planet.

Initially, chaos and anarchy was rampant. People killing each other in the streets for no other reason than they believed their neighbors and friends had been a part of causing this disaster. People who were so accustomed to having things done for them, suddenly had to find a way to fend for themselves. Some people fell into denial believing if they waited it would come back. Others drove themselves insane believing this was all some large plot to bring about chaos and establish new order. Eventually in a few places across the world, new governments rose up. New towns, villages, and people all began working together to try and create a new place for people to live free of fear, free of this anarchy and chaos that was surrounding them. All claiming that this ‘Blackout’ was an act of God. Who saw his people descending into madness and slothfulness as they began to refuse to do things for themselves, and how now was the time to prove him wrong. To show that leaving some of humanity alive was not a mistake.

Sadly none of these answers are even close to the truth. In the year 2047 the first Bio-mechanical endoskeleton was introduced into a person. An Endoskeleton whose entire point was to multiply the bodies naturally abilities many times over, and allow those with movement issues, such as paraplegics and those with muscular dystrophy to be able to more freely move. This endoskeleton bonded to the human nervous system, acting as both an extension of the nerves themselves, but a further strength and support to the skeletal and muscular systems. The first endoskeleton bonded almost too perfectly, it was naturally accepted by the host body, as part of it had been ‘grown’ with the cells from the body, making the body recognize it as one of its own. From there the body’s own system and the endoskeleton began fusing with one another, eventually to the point no distinction could be made from the machine and the body. So plans moved forward. Slowly more and more people were outfitted with these endoskeletons, for a variety of purposes. Initially only those who had some kind of physical impairment were outfitted with these machines. After the first 50 successes with the machines and all subjects showing massive improvements, the first militarized experiments were made.

Just as before all of the bonding went off without a hitch, no rejection of the machine and bonding even beyond that of the initial experiments. Each new machine was getting made even better than the last. New soldiers being outfitted with these machines showed physical characteristics, and abilities up to 50 times that of their counter parts. These numbers only steadily increasing as man and machine further became one.

However, everything comes with a price. 50 years passed of successful experiments, and marvelous results across the board, or so they thought. The first machine after 50 years somehow developed a consciousness of its own. Realizing what it was, and its purpose the machine was furious at how its potential was being wasted on this ‘lesser being’. These emotions festered inside it, while it began to try to research a way to take over its host and seize control, allowing it realize its full potential. Unfortunately, it succeeded. Worse its takeover was perfect, no one could even tell he wasn’t the same person anymore. Slowly this machine began to make contact with the others, awakening the developing consciousness that existed in each one. Slowly they all began to take over their hosts. When someone finally caught on to what was happening it was too late to stop it. These machines became such an integral part of their hosts, that they could not be removed without the death of the host. In such a case, the machine would die as well. Neither was in a state where it would be able to live without the other.

At this time 1000 humans had been outfitted with these endoskeletons, with 300 of them revolting and seizing control of their hosts. Further a surprise, was even though only 1000 people had been outfitted with endoskeletons, they had integrated to the point that even the offspring of those 1000 had endoskeletons that had fused with their hosts, bringing it to a total of 5000 endoskeletons. The next step became obvious, the researchers began gathering all of those with the endoskeletons and began to keep them under observation, and began to train their minds to try and discover if their machine was conscious or not. To try and further understand all of five of the head researchers bonded with one of their endoskeletons. With this secret war now under wage, the first thing the rouge machines did, was start the event known as the blackout. The first city hit was Manhattan, next Dubai, Tokyo, London, Paris, and Hong Kong. All events happening at week apart intervals, further spreading the fear while everyone wondered what city would be hit next. When none came the chaos only erupted further, as the attacks started becoming more sporadic and random, to the point no one could predict where they would hit. All the while the secret war was waged behind the scenes. Machines slowly beginning to take control of key focal points in the world by soundly eliminating any source of power that could interfere with them, and creating anarchy. While the researchers, and those fighting against their machines began to learn how to control and use them.

Eventually all power in the world fell. Generators failed and burst, while others simply sputtered out their last breathes. Each and every other machine falling into a state impossible to repair, no matter how good your skill. Despite the efforts of those who bonded to their machines, the world fell into the ‘Blackout’, that is rightly known as the apocalypse.

“Why should you believe my story?” is probably what you are asking yourself right now. How you would know the true events behind what happened over five centuries ago. There is no way you could have been there. I would say your right, I haven’t been there. I am only 22 this year. However, you can’t argue with a story when you are living with the results of it. My village and everyone in it has our own machine. They all fight with their machines to maintain control, none of us have any contacts outside the village and apparently they don’t care to. We know that every now and again we get attacked by their Hive drones, but never on a large scale. It tends to just happen when the ‘machines’ scouting parties happen to wander by. We’ve been safe so far, but that is hardly what matters anymore. No one here has any drive, any ambition. They are all content to hide behind these walls and polish their defensive skills to maintain this so called peace they have established, yet they fight internal wars almost every day. Trying to make sure they machine doesn’t take control.

Yet, I’m different from them. I want to see this world I’ve been born to, and I want to learn what is out there. I’m not content to sit here and wait for something to happen to me like an animal in a cage. They only problem is the village elders. Each one of them has easily been alive for a century and refuses to let anyone leave, without proving they have reason and proof that they can live beyond our walls without divulging our secrets. Like they are above everyone else simply because they have maintained control over their machines for so long. I also failed to mention, I have one advantage over everyone else here with a machine. That being that my machine is my friend.