Patricians: Power Politics (2 of 9)

Chapter 29: Experimental Warfare

Cold air blew from the vents into the grey pre-op room in the classified research facility. Only lifeless machines and empty beds filled the room. This was where a new breed of soldiers would be born. Henry Williams intended this cybernetic division to revolutionize modern warfare. Cybernetic warfare would forever alter the battlefield, and everything would begin in this secret facility. The sterile environment offered little comfort to the two men shivering in the room.

Robert and Richter were the first two people to undergo the experimental surgical procedure. Neither man knew if it was the cold air or the fear that caused their bodies to shiver. Robert had only had surgery once in his life, and that was for the neural implant. The young man had never broken a bone or needed serious medical care in his entire life. Richter knew he was terrified of the surgical procedure, but Robert hid the emotion behind an emotionless expression. Legal waiver forms had informed them that there was a moderate chance that the surgery could be fatal. Never before had anyone undergone such extensive modification all at once.

Focusing on breathing exercises, Robert tried to still his mind in preparation. Years of athletics had prepared the soldier for this trial. Memories of Julia flickered in the man's mind. Each memory reminded Robert of what he had lost, and what he was fighting to regain and protect. Determination rushed back into the center of the man's mind. Richter could see his friend's body language changing. Confidence and determination strengthened each muscle in Robert's body. Purpose burned in Robert's eyes.

The door slid open, revealing the approach of Dr. Young, the military surgeon responsible for the procedures. Several nurses followed behind the man. The nurses attended to the two patients and began checking vitals as part of the final preparations for surgery. For a moment, the only noise in the room was beeping machines and the flutter of the motion caused by the nurses. Activating the holographic display, Dr. Young looked at the two young men.

"Gentlemen, it's good to see you today. My name is Dr. Young, and I will be your surgeon today. I know that you're maybe feeling some trepidation, but let me assure you that everything will be fine. The surgical procedure were going to do today is extensive. Allow me to show you where we will begin." Dr. Young pointed to the holographic display, which shifted until the image of both men's bodies became visible. The display showed each nerve in the body. Dr. Young pointed out that the surgical procedure would begin by accessing the neural implant in order to fine-tune reaction time and enhance reflexes. Next, a series of microsurgeries would implant a cybernetic overlay across the current nervous system. Information showed that these new wired reflexes would increase speed, reaction time, and reflexes by two hundred percent in clinical trials. Dr. Young pointed to the information, but both men were lost in the blur of the rapid information rolling across the displays.

"The first stage is what we're calling wired reflexes. Once you awaken from the surgery, you will feel disoriented as your body adjusts. After the surgery, an increase in reaction time will make time slow to a crawl to your perception. Once your mind gains control of the new implants, everything will normalize. We called this the Fly Effect. Once your mind gains control, you will be able to activate the wired reflexes to trigger the speed bursts that will slow down time, comparable to the way a fly perceives it. This will give you ample time to react in combat situations." Dr. Young switched the image on the screen to now include every bone in his patients' bodies.

Microsurgery used machines smaller than blood cells to perform the surgeon's works. These nano-molecular machines reduced the invasiveness of the surgical procedure and increased survival and healing times. Next, the microsurgical devices would begin grafting metal to the skeletal frame. Layering the bones with dense nano carbon steel would increase bone strength and prevent breakage. Tensile bone strength would increase. Per millimeter squared, each bone would then have the strength to resist more than 6400 kilograms of force. Dr. Young could see the patients' interest growing with the assimilation of the new information.