Along The Way

Orion remained silent and observed his surroundings. Then he asked with his brow furrowed. "Cybernetic enhancements? Like… machines inside them?"

Uruey, the tall man with silver hair and a commanding presence, stepped forward, his deep voice resonating. "Not just machines, Orion. It's a fusion of biology and technology, of human ingenuity and adaptability. The Moon's harsh conditions pushed humanity to its limits, and some of us chose to push back by enhancing what we already had. Strength, speed, precision, even senses—we've unlocked abilities that were once thought impossible."

Uruey raised his arm, and Orion watched as the veins under his skin glowed faintly. With a sharp motion, a pulse of energy radiated from his hand, activating several machines across the room without him even touching them.

"Some of us, like me, have neural interfaces that allow us to manipulate energy systems," Urueyexplained. "Others have different upgrades. Sound modulation, like Meera over there"—he gestured to the woman whose fingers emitted faint sound waves—"or enhanced reflexes and perception, like Shiv here."

Orion turned to Shiv, who smirked and flicked a small metallic disc into the air. In one fluid motion, he drew a knife from his belt and threw it, pinning the disc to the far wall with pinpoint accuracy.

"Cool, huh?" Shiv said, grinning. "You should see what I can do under pressure."

Uruey took a step back, overwhelmed. "This… this is insane. You're telling me everyone here has been modified? Why? What's the point?"

Adi's expression darkened. "Because we had no choice. The Federation controls everything—resources, information, even people. When they discovered the first enhancements, they labeled it as illegal experimentation and shut it down. But not before they harvested the technology for themselves. They created soldiers, spies, and enforcers using this same tech. The only difference is that we're fighting against their tyranny, not for it."

Uruey spoke again, his voice calm but firm. "Your father was one of the scientists who helped develop these technologies, Orion. But when he saw what the Federation was doing—turning them into weapons of control—he defected. He believed this technology could be used to empower people, to liberate them, not enslave them."

Orion blinked, struggling to process everything. "Wait, wait. Are you saying my father… created this technology?"

Adi nodded. "He was one of the pioneers, yes. But when he realized the danger, he sabotaged their efforts and fled. Before he disappeared, he left behind his most important work—a failsafe that could disable the Federation's control systems. That's what they're after. And he entrusted it to the one person he knew they'd never suspect."

Orion felt his stomach drop. "Me."

"Yes," Adi said, his voice heavy. "Your father didn't just hide the failsafe. He embedded it in you, Orion. A neural implant, dormant until now. It's the key to turning the tide in this war."

Orion ran a hand through his hair, his mind racing. "So what? I've been walking around with some kind of secret weapon in my head this whole time, and no one bothered to tell me?"

"It was the only way to keep you safe," Adi said. "If the Federation had known, they would have come for you long ago. But now that you're here, we can activate it and use it to fight back."

"Activate it?" Orion's voice rose. "You're talking about messing with my brain! What if it goes wrong? What if it…"

Rose stepped forward, her expression softening. "We understand your fear, Orion. None of us chose this life lightly. But your father trusted you. And we're here to help you through this."

Uruey nodded. "You don't have to decide right now. But know this—the Federation won't stop until they've taken everything from us. You have the power to change that, Orion. The question is, are you willing to fight?"

Orion looked around the room, at the faces of Pratirodh—people who had risked everything to stand against the Federation. He felt a surge of something unfamiliar—responsibility, maybe even purpose.

"Alright," he said, his voice steady despite the storm inside him. "I'm in. But if we're doing this, I need to know everything. No more secrets."

Adi smiled faintly. "Agreed. And believe me, beta, this is only the beginning."

Just then, Adi gripped Orion's hand tightly—too tightly, his knuckles turning white. His eyes, which had been warm moments ago, now carried a weight Orion didn't understand.

"Thank you," Adi said, his voice low and strained, as though forcing himself to say the words. "Thank you for your sacrifice."

Orion's chest tightened, alarm flaring through him. "Sacrifice? What are you talking about—"

Before he could finish, a blood-curdling scream tore through the chamber, reverberating off the walls. It was raw and primal, filled with pain and terror.