Chrome Butterfly Prologue

There was no light in the room save for the muted, low glow of lines of code scrolling across subdued and dimmed screens. The occupants didn't need the ambient light, with visors fixed over their eyes or entire helmets in place to provide a display directly to the wearer. The occupants worked in silence, save for the occasional soft beep of equipment.

One shadowed figure drummed his fingers across a desk-top, before raising his hand. With a flicking click of his fingers, a holographic interface appeared for him to interact with.

A small crackle indicated someone activating a communicator, followed by a voice. Female, with a light rasp.

"How are the readings looking?" she asked.

"All systems green. We're seeing some minor interfacing and integration issues, but they're all well within estimates and tolerances." a worker responded, quickly and precisely.

"Good. No problems with the cognition systems?" she pressed.

"No more than usual." a different worker commented. "The systems are experimental, after all. It's to be expected that there will be some bugs to iron out."

"Yes. That is, in fact, your job." the woman responded, voice stiff and dangerous. "And yet every time I inquire, I get the same tired lines trotted out about inevitable errors. Need I remind you that I have the power to terminate you for failure? Gentlemen, what we need is a stable, consistent, reliable product, just as much or more than we need it to reach or exceed benchmarks of theoretical and practical output. These constant deflections have not convinced me that you will be able to deliver on your promises."

"There's only so much that can be done with laboratory conditions. In some ways it's too clean and sterile. No random factors introducing unexpected elements that haven't been prepared for means that there's no way to get a good gauge on response to such unanticipated situations." the head worker cut in, making quick reassurances. "There's no need to be concerned, however. There are more than a few proposed methods to expand on the testing, all very innovative, and we have already scheduled implementation for the most viable seeming prospects."

".... Hmph. Very well then. Forward the details to me through a secure channel, with the usual encryptions." the woman said. "I expect results, gentlemen. See to it that you achieve them, or there will be consequences for your future."

The communicator shut off with an ending crackle of static, leaving the laboratory almost silent, except for a quietly muttered curse before everyone was back to work

The beeping slowly but steadily increased in tempo and volume.

-

The shrill tone of an alarm began at a low and subdued volume. Like the buzzing of a fly, or the wings of a mosquito some distance away, but building up slowly until it reached an irritating level, as though the insect had begun to hover directly next to an ear canal. From there the volume began to increase until it could not be ignored, the only variance being a steadily increasing intensity until the occupant of a bed groaned and reached out to slap repeatedly at his phone until the sound cut off.

With a groan, Alexander Damon sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"This has been your six AM wake up call, as requested." a calm and distinctly feminine tone came from the phone, synthesized and accompanied by a single dot on the screen swelling and retracting with the cadence.

"Thanks, 'sis." Alex grunted on the way out of bed. "Genesis, sorry. Still half asleep."

"Truncation of my designation is tolerable for conversational purposes. However, I do not consider our relationship to be one of siblings." Genesis' response came from the phone speaker as Alex nearly tripped over his shoes on the way to the bathroom to wash his face.

Brown hair. Brown eyes. Skin just on the edge between pale and beginning to tan. Not particularly tall, and not particularly short. Clean-shaven, with a slightly square jaw. Alex was neither skinny nor fat, and while he had some muscle he had not particularly worked for definition of it. In many respects, he was nearly perfectly average in appearance.

After toweling his face dry, he pulled on a button-up shirt with long sleeves and a pair of slacks. As he stepped out of the bathroom, a click from the kitchen indicated a hot plate turning on and beginning to pre-heat a pan.

"Estimated spoilage times indicate that your eggs will need to be replaced shortly. Today's advised breakfast is: Omelet, with left-over fried-rice filling and ketchup topping, with large glass of milk."

"Ah, close to spoiling, huh? Better not waste those, the prices are rising." Alex remarked in passing, as he patted the surface of a standing pillar.

Set on a stable platform, this cylinder was where Genesis' primary processors, critical data storage, and network relays were housed... in organic terms, the synthetic assistant's brain. Rings around the standing pillar's surface could revolve, bringing camera lenses to bear in a three hundred and sixty degree field of vision around the pillar.

"Thanks for looking out for me, Genesis." Alex said, setting a piercing that contained both a micro speaker and audio receiver into his ear before heading to the kitchen area of his apartment, where the hot plate sat on a counter above a small dishwasher and between a sink and full sized fridge and freezer.

"That is my primary function." was Genesis' discreet response through the piercing.

Cooking was quick, resulting in a lopsided and imperfect omelet that wouldn't meet the standards of restaurant quality, but which was delicious all the same. Once he had finished the meal Alex set the cooking implements and dishes he had used in the small washer to automatically clean them before stretching and heading out for the day.

The dawn shone bright on Mechalopolis.