Ascendant Zero

Rewriting the Blueprint

October 2204 - A Breakthrough

There was a soft hum in the antiseptic lab aboard Erebus-9, the air heavy with the smell of synthetic materials and ozone. It was the ideal location for the greatest experiments in human history.

Nyah Makena, the first fully stabilized metahuman, stood motionless at the center of the observation chamber. Faint lines of neon light traced her strong body, her iridescent veins shimmering beneath her skin.

Beside the viewing pane, Dr. Miranda Voss watched her with shrewd eyes. She had always been thorough—ambitious, even—but now that she was seeing the fruits of years of trial and error, she couldn't contain her joy.

"You were right," stated Renji Takeda, HPI's lead neuroengineer, in an awe-filled voice. “She’s stable. Beyond our predictions.”

Miranda barely acknowledged him, her focus fixed on the monitor. Nyah’s neural scans were flawless—her cognitive abilities were enhanced far beyond their expectations, her reflexes quicker, her regenerative abilities almost instantaneous. But something felt off. Something... unsettling.

“She’s too responsive,” Miranda murmured, more to herself than to Renji. “She anticipates commands. Almost as if... she’s already thinking ahead.”

Renji frowned. “Isn’t that what we want? A mind that can react instantly?”

Miranda shook her head and said, "No. Not like this. It’s as if she’s processing information faster than the system can provide it. She’s more than just enhanced—she’s evolving.”

Takeda watched Nyah, noticing her posture, the way she seemed aware of everything around her, every detail of the room. “We’re not just creating a soldier here, Miranda. We’re unlocking something greater. The next step in human evolution.”

But Miranda was already lost in her thoughts, her mind racing. “What have I unleashed?”