The Aeon IV Project

so i don't think i need to describe it, do i?

So we're good with Aeon IV Project creating robots with extremely advanced AI?

Yep, sounds good to me.

The human mind is as complex as is nature - layers of contradictions piece together to create a multi-functional organism without equal. Thoughts, memories, emotions... all have surpassed the basic structure of life to create something immensely powerful. We humans take for granted the essence of our being, yet for centuries our ancestors contemplated our existance, our intelligence; it was what made us whole, feeling... and would eventually be our downfall.

It is the year 2102. The world is crumbling. Grey and forsaken, the hollow shell of New York City looms in the distance - a silent watcher, waiting patiently for fools to tear themselves apart withing its depths. Nuclear war is evident on every surface; no inch left untainted. In the shadows, a whisper goes unheard - movement, unseen. It rests, patiently. Metal mostly clouded with dust glows in the dim light. Heavy and impenetrable, the body of armor is flawless; made to resemble a human, yet with sharper and more dangerous reflexes.

The furious sound of fingers tapping away at a keyboard was the central noise in the Eastern wing of the laboratory. There were few people working that late- it was three in the morning, and the sun still had a few hours before it would rise over the ashes of New York.

On one of the worker's computer screen, a bright red and unexpected "Error." message popped up onto the screen, nearly making him jump. Frantically scrolling through his work, the twenty-four year old ground his teeth together as his mind raced, hoping that it was just a simple computer malfunction. When his data disappeared and was unable to be retrieved, he let out a growl of frustration.

"Well isn't that just fucking smashing," he said, his loud accented voice surprising a few of the tired workers nearby.

Instead of pounding his fists into the metal desk in front of him, he dug his fingers into his black hair and pulled on it in anger and annoyance. With a heavy sigh, he began retyping all the information he had spent hours and hours working on.

"Iago Monaghan, floor two, Iago Monghan, floor two," a tinny robotic voice said over the building's PA system.

This just wasn't the Welshman's day.

A few desks, a long walk down a hallway and an elevator ride away a young woman called Jessica entered the bathroom. She stood staring at the mirror for a few seconds before deciding how to best fix her hair. From one of the stalls, another woman asked, "Jessica, honey, is that you? Getting ready for the interview, I suppose?" She knew the voice; her boss, Maybel, was inquiring about the new recruit to the lab. A strange foreigner whom she was supposed to be interviewing, "Oh shit five minutes ago! Maybe, I have to go!"

As Jessica quickly marched back to her office, on the floor below, she noticed Monaghan's frustration at something. Taking no note, she walked past him and opened her door. Already waiting for her, the interviewee sat facing away from her. Dark auburn hair cut short with broad shoulders, he seemed ominous. Hesitantly she walked forward, clearing her throat as she went.

"You must be... Tyrael Rauhanen?" The chair swiveled around so that the man was facing her. Grey eyes looked up, and he nodded once. "Yes, ma'am."

Iago was too busy to notice the young woman brush past him in the hallway. He turned left into the the reception hall and headed towards the receptionists desk. The receptionist was lovely with lots a curves- one of the newest robots he had finished creating only a month ago. It was taller than he was- much to his dismay- made of brushed steel, and was formed to look somewhat human. It had a head, arms and two legs, but it was different.

"Mr. Monaghan, you received a package a few minutes ago," the robot said, lifiting a brown package onto the counter. "You are also to report to Ms. Belamo in twenty minutes. You're going to be training a new employee over the course of the next two weeks, possibly longer."

"Training?! I don't have time for training!" Iago shouted, but knew the robot would no longer respond.

He lifted the package off the counter and returned to his cubicle promptly to prepare himself for this new 'employee'. He took off his lab coat and straightened the black wife-beater he was wearing. He made his way to the bathroom, and noticed that he was the only one left on the floor.

In the bathroom, he let the water run for a few seconds and wet his hands before fixing his hair. He slicked it back and adjusted his glasses so that they weren't sitting crookedly on his nose. If he was going to be training someone, he was going to make a good first impression on them. Satisfied with the way he looked, despite his facial hair that was in desperate need of maintenance, he made his way back to his cubicle and waited patiently.

Tyrael sat still in the uncomfortable chair. He contemplated the nervous woman standing before him and resolved to get the interview over with as soon as he could. It had not been his choice to come here - the missing weight of dogtags around his neck was proof of that. It annoyed him just to think about the current circumstances.

Jessica moved behind the desk and sat down. "Let's begin then, shall we?" She began shuffling around with documents in front of her. No doubt fake information about his past and present. There would be schooling, family position, income... Things that existed on paper, but that would never manifest into real life.

"Tyrael Rauhanen, age 23, experience in nano technologies and AI creation, as well as field work. What field work? This gives no reference." The woman looked puzzled as she searched for papers she would never find. "I used to work for a lesser known Law enforcement group." Lies... blatant lies... thought Ty. Flashbacks of the real fieldwork flashed before his eyes. Those memories he still tried to force to the back of his mind, and yet he wished they weren't as fragmented.

Why couldn't he remember his life before Oscion?

Iago tapped his fingers impatiently on his cold metal desk, his ring on his index finger clicking every time it made contact. Beneath the lab coat and glasses, Iago was an entirely different person. Black wife-beater, tight pants, vintage leather Italian shoes in pristine condition. A hint of his tattoo could be seen on his left shoulder. The lab coat changed all of that. He slipped the white jacket back on in order to look more professional.

Although he was only twenty-four years old, Iago had been working for the company since he was seventeen. If there was one thing he demanded, it was respect. He'd trained many people over the years, and only less than a quarter of the people stayed. If someone slacked or disrespected him, he'd make a point of 'showing' them. He might've been shorter than the average man, but oh, did he ever have a punch.

Glancing down at his watch, twenty-five minutes had passed. "Lovely. Already late."

Tyrael tugged at his cargo pants as Jessica fired question after question at him. Everytime he answered, he was forced to look up and find new inspiration. Little did she know the she was helping him creating his new persona.

"Well I guess that's it. Here's your key to your desk - in it you'll find the password to your cubicle. You're free to go, Rauhanen." The last part Jessica added with a slight wink.

He got up and stumbled out of the office, tired from all the lies. Without really paying attention, he trudged off in the direction of his cubicle. "213... where's 213..." Unsure where to go, he walked into the nearest entrance to ask for directions.

Immediately his body tensed when he saw the man sitting in the chair. He looked so much like Sky it was frightening - or perhaps that was just his flawed vision. Still, his facial features twiched ever so slgihtly as he regarded the man.

Out of the corner of his eye, Iago saw someone stop at his cubicle. The man looked white as a sheet, and also somewhat confused. Iago turned to face the man and gave him a one-over before deciding to break the silence.

"This is restricted area, what are you doing here?" Iago questioned, staring into the man's grey eyes.

If this is my trainee... he thought with a shudder.

Hostility... something about the way the man held himself seemed unwelcoming.

[Flashback]
"This is a restricted area. All personel are to return to their posts." The same message play over and over on the loud speakers. Tyrael was tired of the automatic voice mispronouncing things. He was running beside Sky in a long tunnel. It sounded like guards were chasing after them; the pitter patter of feet was growing louder.
[/Flashback]

Ty shook his head, trying yet again to clear it. "Uh.. I was looking for room... 213?" And with that, he fainted.

"Room 213?" Iago began to say. "That's here- shit!"

Iago lunged off his chair, sending it flying, as he tried to catch the man before he hit the ground. He managed to do so only slightly and was somewhat surprised at the man's weight. He then realized that he was considerably taller than him. Iago lay him down gently and supported his head, hoping that this was just a momentary collapse.

"Come on, come on! Wake up damn it!" Iago urged.

When nothing happened, he let go of the man and spun over to his desk. Pulling open one of his drawers, he searched through a pile of syringes until he found the one he was looking for. He ripped open the package, tested the needle, and jabbed it into the man's leg, hoping that it would bring him back to consciousness.

A blurry haze covered Tyrael's vision as he felt the insisting sting of a needle penetrate his thigh. He sensed body heat somewhere near, but his head was spinning too much for him to want to exert the effort it would take to open his eyes. He kept still, as he was still unaware of the reason for his collapse.

When the buzzing stopped, Ty heard the voice of a man cursing from somewhere close, yet above. His eyes opened slighty, just enough so that he could see; glasses, black hair, lab coat. From the position of his torso, he could tell that he was lying down in his... lap?!

Startled, he quickly jumped up and moved back against the wall. As the man looked up at him, he could feel the heat flooding to his face. "What the hell were you doing?! You go around sticking things into every guy you meet?"

"Excuse me?" Iago scoffed, standing up and throwing the syringe in the garbage. "You do realize that you fainted, right? It was either that or call for a medic droid."

Great, just great.

Iago looked at the man and held back a scowl. Next to him, he felt like a midget. The man fidgeted as he pressed himself against the wall, almost as if he was a skittish cat.

"You were asking me where room 213 was. Then you fainted. I caught you but you were out for a few minutes.

Anyway, this is room 213. I assume you're the one I'm going to be training?"

"I get that I fainted, thanks. I don't make a habit of blacking out and winding up on another guys lap."

Ty was disgusted. Being caught unawares that close to another man put thoughts in his head that made him feel all kinds of weak. This snappish man wouldn't know his secrets. The price of shame is high these days...

Inhaling deeply, Tyrael stepped away from the wall. He shifted back into his aggresive demeanor. "Training? Jessica never mentioned that. And if you think I'm going to take a lick of advice from the likes of you, you're sorely mistaken."

He began to walk back towards the door when a thought struck him: Can this place, this man who looks so much like him help me?

He turned around suddenly to find the man still glaring at him. "Alright buddy, you can train me. But it had better be worth my while."

'The likes of me'? Iago thought to himself. Great, I'm stuck with yet another arrogant asshole.

The man turned around and headed for the door, and Iago was ready to throw something at him, but then he turned back. A thought seemed to waver across the taller man's mind, and he stepped forwards.

"Alright buddy, you can train me..." the man said, further infuriating the Welshman.

Jessica also failed to mention that you were a prick... Iago thought to himself, biting his tongue so that he wouldn't speak his mind.

"First things first," Iago said, stepping closer to the man so that they were barely inches apart. Although he was shorter than the other man, his shoulders were broader than his and he seemed to be a bigger build.

"You will address me as Doctor Iago. And may I have the pleasure of knowing your name?" he asked almost mockingly.

Ty's breathing quickened, and a slight shiver ran across his body. He was close, too close. Once again he had to gather his composure.

"Alrigt shorty, keep your pants on." Dammit! Why does that sound... Looking away, he said with a smirk, "Tyrael Rauhanen. But I'll let you use my nickname, Ty, okay Doc?" He put extra stress on the last word in hopes of getting a rise out of Iago.

"Now would you mind backing up slightly? You're a little in-my-face."

"Alright shorty, keep your pants on."

Must not hit him. Must not hit him... Iago thought to himself, seething.

"Okay, first things first. Quick tour of the building so I'm not stuck looking around for you," Iago said, ignoring the rest of what Ty said and turning back towards his computer.

He quickly typed a few things into the system and watch with satisfaction as numbers started floating across the screen as his computer started processing some data.

"First stop," he said with a smirk, "bathroom."

Tour of the building? Have I suddenly returned to being a five year-old? Ty wondered exactly how much of an idiot this guy thought the was.

Noticing that Iago was doing something at his desk, Ty curiously stood on his tiptoes to get a better look. "What the hell did you just enter into the computer?" Ty leaned over his shoulder to look at the alphanumerical formulae that ran across the screen. Strangely, it reminded him of the codes they had taught him at Oscion.

The doctor turned around, completely disregarding his question. "First stop, bathroom." Panic simmered inside his stomach - he hated bathrooms, mirrors in particular. Shadows of memories flickered at the edge of his vision, but he tried to remain calm.

"Then let's go." he headed out of the office.

The trip to the bathroom was a quiet one, and Iago wondered what was wrong with Ty. The man seemed so afraid, held back. It bothered him, being around someone like that.

"To answer your question, I typed in a series of combinations into one of the programs I invented. The program will strip though each combination and unlock a new set of combinations. I'm hoping to break through enough combinations to reach a new potential of artificial intelligence."

Iago entered the bathroom and stopped in front of one of the mirrors. He took two cases out of his pocket, and then proceeded to take his glasses off and put them in one of the cases.

"I only wear glasses when I'm on a computer," Iago explained as he placed his contact lenses in his eyes. "Otherwise, the glare of the lights in the building is a pain in the ass."

Quickly messing up his hair, he slipped off his lab coat and left it on one of the couches in the bathroom. It was more of a lounge than a bathroom. It was a large room with a few couches and a few bathroom stalls. He didn't quite understand why, but he never questioned it.

"Okay, first I'll bring you down to the subterranean levels. We hardly ever go down there, because it can get confusing, but it's worth seeing," Iago said as he scratched a spot on his shoulder where his tattoo was now visible.

Tyrael's head swam with a multitude of thoughts; in and out, they wove together to create a stiffling blanket keeping him locked out of reality. Automatically his body responded to the change, pumping him with adrenaline.

Iago appeared to have noticed no change, yet Ty's presence was now quite different from when they had walked into the bathroom. It began as the same energy a beaten wolf pup would give off, whimpering in their coward's stance. Now, however, its was emotionless, neutral. There was no expression on his face, and his eyes were glassy.

He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. Paralyzed on the inside, he blindly followed the strange man with the strange tattoo into the subterranean levels.

"So, the subterranean levels. As you can see, it's made up of a bunch of tunnels. The first four on either side lead to some of the experimentation rooms," Iago said, motioning to either side. "The next six tunnels after that are escape routes to even deeper rooms. We only use those if we get attacked. Luckily that hasn't happened yet."

"To your left here is the weaponry. It runs through every floor of the building, and you can access it from all five floors. There are floating pods that you use to bring you to what you need. I'll be registering you with a gun later on."

Iago continued walking, and then stopped abruptly in front of Ty.

"Are you even listening?" Iago asked, snapping his fingers in front of Ty's emotionless face.