It only took a few minutes for the stripping process to happen. Then a robotic arm extended down from the ceiling, dipping into the tank and returning a minute or so later with what was obviously Tatsu’s brain case. It was a metallic, brain-shaped lump containing what was, when it came down to it, the real Tatsu Yamada. On its underside were a couple of connectors, currently without anything connected to them. Two smaller ones dimpled the front of the case.
‘The underside connectors handle the main data feeds from the body,’ Izanami explained, ‘and the support feeds. Oxygen and nutrients in, waste and carbon dioxide out. The two connectors at the front are the feeds from the eyes.’
The arm lifted the brain case across to the new body. Smaller manipulators lifted cables out of the chassis and began locking them in place.
‘And that’s what I’d be,’ Mika said. ‘A brain in a metal case.’
‘Yes,’ Izanami replied. ‘Though I’d argue that what you are now is a brain in a bony case. Your chassis is organic instead of synthetic. What is you moves on into a cybernetic state.’
‘I suppose that’s true…’
With the connectors locked in, the case was locked into the chassis and, for the first time, Tatsu looked almost complete. ‘Now for the messy part,’ Izanami said, and several metal limbs extended up from the base of the cylinder dragging hoses with them. Almost immediately, they began spraying semi-transparent gelatinous material over various parts of the skeletal frame. There was little wastage, but some of it did end up glued to the cylinder walls, dribbling down before setting into streaks. Sachiko began giggling. ‘It is a little funny,’ Izanami admitted.
‘It looks like something out of a hentai,’ Sachiko said. ‘It’s even got tentacles spewing the goo.’
Mika began giggling too. ‘I have no idea what you mean, of course,’ she said, ‘but you’re right.’ Her brother’s cheeks coloured, probably at the thought of his sister watching hentai. ‘How does it know what shape it’s supposed to be?’ Mika asked.
‘Nanomachines,’ Izanami replied. ‘The answer is always nanomachines. Except when it’s not. The gel contains nanobots which collectively know how they’re supposed to form up.’
‘So I see,’ Sachiko said. Two of the sprayers were pouring large quantities of goo out over Tatsu’s chest and, against what one might expect given gravity and physics in general, breasts were forming. Sachiko started giggling harder.
She just about had herself under control when the colour of the goo changed, and it was apparent that the skin was now being formed. Once the skull was covered, another arm extended from above and began pressing hair into place, rapidly forming Tatsu’s usual style. It took about five minutes before they were all looking at a stark-naked cyborg who looked far too real and detailed for Nakano. He turned his back.
The arms withdrew and the cylinder was lifted upward into the ceiling. Tatsu opened her eyes, looked around as though checking that everything was working, and then stepped down from the platform. ‘Anyone would think he’s never seen a naked woman before,’ she said.
‘He’s being a gentleman,’ Mika replied.
‘Mm. So, what did you think? Has this scared you off? Either of you?’
‘Not me,’ Sachiko said. ‘I don’t really care what’s under that skin. Except for the part in the brain case. That’s important too.’
‘Good so far. Mika?’
‘I think… I think I’m ready to do it. It’s a little scary, but the alternative is scarier, and that… That wasn’t as bad as I thought it might be.’
‘Excellent,’ Izanami said. ‘I’m so glad that you’re willing to choose life over a silly societal prejudice.’
‘Yes,’ Nakano said in a voice so low it was obviously not meant to be heard.
‘Since you have decided to go through with it,’ Izanami went on, ‘would you like one of these chassis?’
‘What?’ Mika asked.
‘Not exactly the same. A more commercial model with less armour, but the same self-repair systems. Frankly, Tatsu needs it far more than you do, but it would be a service to me to give a more civilian view of the operability of the new system. Two testers are better than one.’
Nakano forgot the naked Tatsu for long enough to turn around. ‘You’d do that? It would be safe?’
‘I would do that, and it would be safe. This is more like customer testing than beta testing. I want to be sure the technology holds up in real-life situations, including the stress Tatsu will undoubtedly put it through.’
‘Anyone would think I tried to get damaged,’ Tatsu muttered.
‘But more normal use would also be informative. And Mika is a first-time user who will likely give opinions Tatsu, more used to the circumstances, would not.’
‘I’d love to do it,’ Mika said, her eyes shining. ‘I’d love to help Izanami develop a new technology. That’s like… I don’t know, but it’s good. It’s exciting.’
Tatsu turned, starting for the ‘backstage’ area where she had left her clothes. Nakano remembered she was naked and quickly turned his back. ‘You say that now, Mika,’ Tatsu said, ‘but just you wait until she’s turning up on Sundays to grill you about your social life.’
‘I am not that bad!’ Izanami almost shrieked.
###
About the Author
I was born in the vicinity of Hadrian's Wall so perhaps a bit of history rubbed off. Ancient history obviously, and border history, right on the edge of the Empire. I always preferred the Dark Ages anyway; there’s so much more room for imagination when people aren’t writing down every last detail. So my idea of a good fantasy novel involved dirt and leather, not shining plate armour and Hollywood-medieval manners. The same applies to my sci-fi, really; I prefer gritty over shiny.
Oddly, then, one of the first fantasy novels I remember reading was The Dark Is Rising, by Susan Cooper (later made into a terrible juvenile movie). These days we would call Cooper’s series Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy and looking back on it, it influenced me a lot. It has that mix of modern day life, hidden history, and magic which failed to hit popular culture until the early days of Buffy and Anne Rice. Of course, Cooper’s characters spend their time around places I could actually visit in Cornwall, and South East England, and mid-Wales. In fact, when I went to university in Aberystwyth, it was partially because some of Cooper’s books were set a few miles to the north around Tywyn.
I got into writing through roleplaying, however, so my early work was related to the kind of roleplaying game I was interested in. I wrote science fiction when I was playing Traveller. I wrote “high fantasy” when I was playing Dungeons & Dragons. I wrote a lot of superhero fiction when I was playing City of Heroes. I still love the idea of a modern world with magic in it and I’ve been trying to write a novel based on this for a long time. As with any form of expression, practice is the key and I can look back on all the aborted attempts at books, and the more successful short stories, as steps along the path to the Thaumatology Series.
Recently I took the big step of quitting my day job and taking up full-time writing. My favourite authors are Terry Pratchett, Susan Cooper, J.D. Robb, and Kim Harrison. Kim’s Hollows books were what finally spurred me to publish something, even if the trail to here came by way of Susan, back in school, several decades ago.
For More Information
Take a look at the Witches and Ray-guns blog: http://witchesandrayguns.wordpress.com
Links to book vendors and other information can be found there, along with a view on what I’m up to and when it might happen.
Other Books by this Author
The Thaumatology Series
Thaumatology 101
Demon’s Moon
Legacy
Dragon’s Blood
Disturbia
Hammer of Witches
Eagle’s Shadow
Ancient
Dragonfall
The Other Side of Hell
For
Whom the Wedding Bells Toll
Vengeance
Anthologies in the Thaumatology Universe
Tales from High Towers’ Study
Tales from the Dubh Linn
The Aneka Jansen Books
Steel Beneath The Skin
The Cold Steel Mind
Steel Heart
The Winter War
The Greatest Heights of Honour
The Lowest Depths of Shame
Hope
The Ultrahuman Books
Ugly
Shadows
Hunting Mink
Frostburn
Guardian
True Dark
Liberty
Royal Flush
The Unobtainium Books
Kate on a Hot Tin Roof
King Solamet’s Mines
The Fox Meridian Books
Fox Hunt
Inescapable
DeathWeb
Criminal Minds
Emergence
The Ghost in the Doll
Eden Burning
Dominance
The Hellas Find
Dancing with The Devil
Overwatch – coming in 2021
The Princeps Venator Books
Hunter’s Kiss
Be My Valentine
Blood Magic
The Misfits Series
Misfit Magic
Misfit Witchcraft
The Twilight Empress Trilogy
The Iron Princess
The Last Emperor – coming when it’s ready
The Death’s Handmaiden Series
Death’s Handmaiden
Bitter Wind
Freedom, Humanity, and Other Delusions
The Tatsu Yamada Series
Sign of the Dragon
Other
Reality Hack
The Zanari Inheritance
The Vanity Case
The Eyes of the Huntress
Gunwitch: Rebirth
The Girl Who Dreamed of a Different World
Age of Atlantis: Return
The Empress’s Mage
Sign of the Dragon – coming April 2021