Outrun - Chapter 479 - Surgery (Patreon)

I pushed into Nael’s clinic, and held the door open for Mira. She slid into the place right behind me with my box of chrome in hand. “Hey, Nael!”

”Mira, Shiro…” Nael snapped his book shut and looked up at the two of us. “When you said you were coming by, I didn’t realize you were bringing company. I would’ve cleaned the place up a bit.”

”The clinic’s spotless, Nael!” Mira hefted the Medtech chrome box in his direction. “Where can I put this?”

“Over there’s fine.” Nael waved to a counter and tossed his book to the side. “What are we looking at?”

”New NSI with Neuroports, my HUD augment, and a Universal Translation Suite. Should have 190 Neural Capacity, and I had Luna rig up some hyper advanced ICE to keep it uncrackable.” I joined him just in front of my box and popped it open. A rush of cool air escaped the box, revealing the pieces I’d prepared. “A new eye, too. It’s a straight downgrade, but it wouldn’t weigh on my NSI as much.”

Nael stretched forward. His hand shifted, skin pulling away to reveal the medical chrome underneath. His fingers, which had turned into robotic ones designed for precision, carefully picked up the Neural System Interface I prepped for him. “NSukuyomi 1.0?”

”Chek. I’m gonna give it some more features when I get the chance, but I was thinking about putting it on the market.” There was a distinct lack of chrome for people who wanted a high Neural Capacity but without the restrictions that mil-grade cybernetics came with. 

Sentinel was almost all military stuff, Raijin was all around the spectrum, and the closest one I could find without being right on the edge was a Shen Kang piece. ‘Course, there were smaller corporations that made some stuff, but I sure as hell wouldn’t feel comfortable getting that stuff chipped. 

I figured if I could add one or two more unique features, I could toss it to Sentinel and see what they thought. The marketing team would have a fun time trying to work NSukuyomi into it, but that wasn’t my problem. The Roughrider contract had included—

Oh… wait. Maybe giving it to Sentinel wasn’t that good of an idea? Right, I should send it to Raijin instead. If I kept giving everything to Sentinel, the other corps might put a hit on my head. Even if I could produce some lux goods, I didn’t want to turn into a ‘if I can’t have it no one can’ situation. 

“It looks good. You mind if I…?” Nael waved to the tech.

”Go right ahead. Access chips on the side there.” I’d done a decent job getting it upgraded, but having him look over it first was half the reason I brought it to him. That, and working on my own spine sounded like a decidedly bad idea. 

“You said 190 Neural Capacity? Why do you need so much, kid?” Nael took the NSI over to a bunch of equipment and plugged something into it. The access chip temporarily disabled Luna’s protections to give him full access so he could inspect the chrome. 

“I was thinking about getting a Cyberdeck.” I was kinda hopeless when it came to the Net, but that didn’t mean all hope was lost. If I could get some quick hacks from Luna on a cyberdeck and use them in combat, then maybe I could level up my Net Skill? 

‘Course, even if that didn’t work out, having access to some quick hacks would be extremely helpful. Watching the SCD Crusaders tear into Lavender drove home that I was still too weak and specialized. Sure, I had a bit of economic and social protection now. That didn’t equate to personal protection, though. I didn’t want to wind up like Dorren Gale and get taken out by a Nightrunner hit. 

“Could be useful. I have a few in the back if you want some references, but they’re older models.” Nael looked up from the NSI with a small frown on his face. “I could reach out to some contacts and see what's available.”

”I’d appreciate that.” I’d like to make my own, but having some references wouldn’t hurt. I needed to talk to Luna about it too when I got the chance.

”You’re being careful, right?” Nael asked. “The path of chrome is… tricky.” 

“Look no further than me for proof of that.” Mira waved her hand at us as if to say, yeah, I’m still here. Her smile instantly turned self-deprecating as her halo pulsed dimly. “I’m a freak of metal and skin.”

”You’re beautiful, Mira. Quit telling yourself otherwise.” I sighed softly. Part of me was annoyed, but a larger part was just sad every time she slipped into that tone of voice. It was like she was still thinking that everyone would be better off without her. 

“Beautiful, huh?” Mira rubbed at her arms. After a moment, she slipped into a bright small. “Beautiful enough to get a cute fox sprite to love me?”

“If you can find one that can put up with your obsession over fluffy things, then sure.” I blinked at her, and waved my eyes to Nael. Thankfully, the medic was too busy running through my NSI to pay much attention to us.

“Tch… I’m not obsessed, okay?” Mira plopped into a seat with her shoulders lowered weakly. “I just like cute things? Is that so bad?”

I didn’t even know what to say to that… so I didn’t say anything. Instead, I turned my attention back to Nael. “What do you think?”

“Much better than the last group of chrome you brought me.” Nael tapped on the NSI. “The actual neural connection points are incredibly well done. How’d you get them that small? There should be no issues interfacing with the cerebral cortex.”

“A lot of testing.” Quantum Automation was all about making small things. As it turned out, a lot of stuff in there was incredibly handy for chrome. Especially the kind of chrome that interfaced directly into the brain, which needed to be as condensed as possible. For the Neuroports to work properly, I had to add several hundred extra connection points for information to be transferred into the brain.

I was thinking about adding some kind of system that could interact with the cerebellum. That way I could create skill shards or something that could grant people muscle memory to complete preset actions. For instance, if I incorporated slicing a sword into a skill shard, even someone without any practice could almost flawlessly follow the same slice. 

It’d make the NSukuyomi stand out against everything in the market… though it was a massive undertaking for sure. Especially since it’d need a ton of experimenting on the brain and work to capture said skills. I definitely wasn’t going to set up a Savant lab to research that kind of thing either. 

“This one should be good to go. The eye, though…”

”What’s wrong with the eye? Did I mess something up?” How was that even possible? It was a pretty barebones eye. I hadn’t even bothered naming it.

”Nothing… you’re increasing your Neural Capacity, and also want to change to an inferior version of your chrome, Shiro?” He looked at me weirdly. 

”Why? Is that dumb?” I thought he’d be all for changing my eye. He seemed kinda apprehensive about it the first time. 

“… it’s a good thing you’re pretty.” He patted my head, and moved past me to gather up the equipment and medicines he’d need. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I glared at the medec, but he just kept moving without bothering to turn around. “Nael? Nael?!”

— — —

I woke up some time later like nothing even happened. It was weird how I could just be thinking about something one moment, and then out the next in an instant like that. 

A groan left me as I felt a combination of intense agony in my neck, and complete numbness. It swapped on and off like there was some sadistic devil out there hitting a switch over and over again. It was almost enough to make me pass out, so I mentally flicked on Cold-blooded to help regulate the misery.

“Her body heat’s dropping rapidly.” I felt pressured on my back, holding me still before I could move. “Heart rate too. Her neural activity is spiking. ” 

”Shit! Is she awake?” Mira called out. Her voice barely made it over the headache pounding throughout my entire body. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“Do it over there. I don’t want to even imagine having to clean that out.” Nael shivered in his seat. Seeing the usually so calm man shiver made my heart pick up speed even with Cold-blooded active. The situation must’ve really been bad if he was acting like that. “Mira, take my keys and run to the back. You’re looking for Concentrated Propofol and Medtech Levia-Fent. They should be on the left.”

”G-got it.” A shadow passed over me before vanishing. 

“Em’gen’cy an’thes?” He should have it on hand. I helped him prep more than enough before going under.

“Emergency anesthesia? You’ve already burned through…”

Nael teleported to my other side, and my entire body felt extremely hot. “… heat feeling better?”

My brain throbbed as I tried to pierce together what was happening. I… I must’ve passed out again? But he was talking like we’d just had a conversation. Was my memory—

Feeling below my neck cut out entirely once more and made me focus on the breeze that felt like it was brushing my brain. It was so fucking cold. Nael’s warm voice called down to me just as I was starting to panic, “easy, kid, don’t move. You still feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

”Ugh…” I swallowed thickly. It felt like my tongue wasn’t working, but that feeling faded after a few moments. Every breath I took made me feel dizzy. “Head hurt.”

Nael turned nozzle of a gas tank to the side on, and more gas flushed down through the breathing tube and directly into my lungs. ”Well, you being able to feel it is a good sign.” 

I blinked my eyes slowly as the world came back into focus. I was laying on the medec chair, strapped chest down onto it. Blood trickled down my neck to my throat. I swallowed once more at the disgusting feeling. “‘M still undaw?”

”About three quarters of the way through.” Nael grabbed a rag and wiped the blood running down my throat off. Sensation came back to my body just in time for me to squeeze my eyes shut through the pain. It thankfully cut off a moment later.

I couldn’t see much from the awkward position, but a wire ran from my neck up into one of the terminals Nael had set up around me. The man himself leaned over me seemingly unbothered with the fact that his patient had woken up mid surgery. 

“Cold.” It felt like there was the worst draft of my life running through the inside of my head. It didn’t help the splitting headache that threatened to break through even Cold-blooded’s effects. 

Oh… wait. Maybe splitting headache was more accurate than I thought. Was my skull—I cut that thought off before it could get anywhere. I definitely shouldn’t still be awake. That thought was proven as much as Nael touched something in my spine, and my leg spazzed out. A metal clamp kept me from hurting myself or throwing off his surgery. 

Nael once more teleported to my other side. “… grab some more just in case, Mira.”

“R-right. Is she going to be—“

I blinked, and it was like the whole world was warping around me. Confusion mixed with pain into a swirling mix of color and scents that made me want to frolicking in the rainforest. It took some effort before I could get my tongue working again. “Why ‘m I ‘wake?”

“That’s a good question. Try not to talk, Shiro.” Nael tossed something to the side. It looked like a piece of bone? Bone from my spine. A sick feeling washed through me, though thankfully I couldn’t feel my stomach turning through the paralysis. I knew he’d be cutting me open to put the chrome in, but actually waking up in the middle of the procedure—

”Here!” Mira’s voice called, though it sounded distant. It was filled with panic like she was about to watch her best friend, me, die. Was I dying?

”Thanks.” I felt something prick my neck just above where Nael was talking from and my world washed out into unconsciousness once more… unfortunately, I woke up a while later only for the same thing to happen. I was in and out throughout the entire surgery until Nael finally finished putting my back together.

I woke up one final time afterward with a soft groan. The restraints vanished at some point, leaving me lying down with a splitting headache. Nael stood off to the side washing off his hand. “How you feeling?”

”Like hell took me, decided I wasn’t in enough misery, and spat me back out.” It took a moment before I could will my limbs to start moving around.

“Eloquent. At least I don’t have to worry that I messed up your brain.” Nael chuckled softly. “I wasn’t expecting you to wake up.”

”Chek, well… I didn’t have much of a choice in the matter either.” I sighed softly. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what went wrong. “Sorry.”

This was the first major surgery I’d had since getting Universal Donor. The eidolons could’ve warned me it’d have the added effect of making anesthesia wear off quicker. Then after that Cold-blooded was tossed in and only made things worse. 

“Nothing to be sorry over. You were the easiest patient I’ve chipped chrome into while they were awake.” Poor guy. I couldn’t even imagine having to go through what he just did and still put me back together in one piece. “I’ll have to double the doses next time.”

”Or try a new drug.” I shook my head, which proved to be a mistake as pain shot through me. “Maybe we test the anesthesia first?”

”Good idea… though your eye should be a quick in and out. You didn’t wake up till I was almost done anyway.” Nael sighed and shuffled over to check a bunch of sensors still hooked up to me. “How much of it do you remember?”

“Fragments. Fragments I’d rather keep locked away, if you don’t mind.” Locked in a place I could never reach for them again. I doubted even Aaron, my counselor, would want to hear about what just happened. “I heard about bad experiences getting chipped, but that was first.”

“First for me, too. At least while I’m in the middle of doing brain surgery.” Nael motioned for me to sit up. 

We quickly worked through all of the initial tests and scans to ensure I was still in one piece. Aside from being a bit sluggish and in pain, I was basically fine though. By the time Mira returned with a bunch of food from somewhere, I was all dosed up on new medicine and feeling dopey. 

It was three hours after that before Nael felt okay enough to release me. My brain wasn’t bleeding around the implant, my spine was already starting to recover, and I could move around without too much effort once again. 

The medek gave me a bunch of different medicine bottles before sending me on my cheerful way. He was only letting me go on the condition that Mira stayed with me the entire night until I could come back in the morning. Usually he’d keep patients overnight for that kind of surgery, but I wasn’t exactly normal when it came to healing.

That was how I found myself standing with Mira in the elevator and heading back up to the roof of the complex that Absolom Clinic was located in. “You okay, Shiro? That… that was rough.” 

“Probably going to just crash back at my workshop.” I gently rubbed at my sore neck. It felt like I had a crick in, but no matter how I turned it just stayed right there where it’d be annoying. “Thanks for helping.”

“Don’t mention it.” Mira looked like she’d honestly have me never mention it again. My skull had definitely been open back then… what would that look like? A certain sense of morbid curiosity went through me. 

A shiver went down my spine as my thumb brushed over the new Neuroports tucked just behind my ear. The feeling of disgust intensified even further as I probed at the stitches all around the back of my neck and head. Thankfully, they still lacked feeling from whatever drugs Nael shot me up with. 

”Oh! Come to my place!” Mira’s eyes sparkled as she grabbed my hands. There was a twist of something else there… her inner fluff fanatic was peering out at me through her eyes. That, and she was obviously trying super hard to put on a cheerful expression. “C’mon, you know you want to! And… and Nael told me to keep an eye on you! Just in case. You nearly gave me a heart attack back there.”

”Ugh, fine.” I didn’t want to. I was planning on sleeping as a fox tonight. Most of my waking hours were busy doing things that needed human hands, but sleeping as a fox was surprisingly comfortable. ‘Sides, that way I wouldn’t have to feel the new chrome in my neck. I wasn’t sure how all of that worked, but Fox was truly a genius for getting the Fox’s Fluffy Cloak to work. “No cuddling though.”

”I won’t!” As if scared I wouldn’t believe her, she raised her fingers into the air in a solemn vow. “Scout’s honor!” 

“I’ll scratch the shit out of you otherwise.” I promised.