Thread: Pilgrimage (Books and Echoplex)

Malik regarded his opposite with a look that was absent anything beyond a business-like demeanor. He was slightly annoyed at her tardiness but was willing to overlook the lack of punctuality. The smoke leaving her nostrils irritated him more than anything else. The smoke drifted slightly from her face before dissipating. Narcotics were a dangerous thing in his mind and he avoided them like the plague. He wrinkled his nose as he stood and smoothed out his lab coat. The Fabricator moved out from behind Omoroses desk and gave her a polite incline of his head, for all his disapproval he respected her abilities. Omorose. Punctual as always. Shall we get this over with? I have my own appointments to get to today. Malik said, his accent possessing slight traces of his Iraqi descent. He was not blind to the unusual circumstances of their situations. He sought to escape the bounds of the flesh and yet was an expert on fixing the human body. She was the pinnacle of fleshlings and yet had great knowledge regarding technology. He supposed that was why Nascents and Fabricators tended to get along for the most part. Unlike most of his fellows who needed to pay for such upgrades he had worked out a special arrangement that took advantage of their balance of skills. A useful thing really. His left optic swiveled a good bit as he examined the surface of her skin and up towards her eyes, seeing how they dilated. The narcotic substance irritated him medically as it would likely interfere with the examination later. He was not overly concerned she might get ill as her enhanced biology shrugged off most abnormalities in the body. Even still it showed a lack of forethought on her part. Malik clucked his tongue in displeasure. I see you ignored my advice regarding using narcotics. I do hope you are aware it will throw off some readings. Lets handle this upgrade first so your body settles a tad. Oh, yes. Ill need to conduct a blood test this time as well. It has been six months since your last one. Malik stated as though remembering an afterthought. Nascent biology was essentially the same as normal human biology only it was much more robust. Malik prided himself as an expert of their biology and physiology so he also knew it came at a bit of a cost. Namely that the experiments to make them had not worked out every kink. Symptoms were wild and varied but most Nascent went through phases in their long life cycles and he was one of the few that could recognize the early signs. Why you insist on abusing your body so gleefully is beyond me. In any event, standard questioning is in order. Have you had any trouble sleeping lately? Migraines? Going to the bathroom frequently? Any chills when you wake up in the morning? Any nausea? Vomiting? Issues with balance? Frequent nose bleeds? Can you provide a full list of any alcohol or narcotics you frequently use? Malik inquired, sitting himself down and going through the list of symptoms from memory. He approached this professionally and with a clipped tone, like going down a checklist. His lab coat and shirt had been shed and his cybernetic arm was full on display. It was a marvel of engineering, part artificial arm and part artwork. The Fabricators crafted augments for their members specifically for that member, though certain firmware came from outside sources. The metal ended at his shoulder, ugly skin grafts melded with metal. Most did not understand the Fabricator philosophy nor did they wish to. Most were too attached to their flesh. Malik was not such an individual. He, like so many others in the order, tended to believe that only through technology could humanity evolve.