[Please input a name you are comfortable with for easier command processing]

The same, monotone female voice repeats in my head.

What is this?

[Please specify inquiry]

It reads my thoughts?

[Affirmative, a thought bridge is …]

Shut up! I don’t give a fuck what a thought bridge is, who… what are you?

[I’m your Virtual Assistant, model SUH42-2121007]

How does that answer my question… wait, don’t answer that, I feel that if i don’t clarify that i’m not expecting an answer i might just get one. So, let me get my mind clear… i knew there were some projects around 2197 about AI’s connected to the brain, so this might just be it, right?

...You can answer now.

[Affirmative]

Ok, so… I need to input a name, you said.

[Affirmative]

Let’s go with Halle for now.

[Registering Hallie as codename, done. Every request can now be processed by including the codename on user’s thoughts or verbal commands]

Omitting the fact that a foreign and unknown artificial intelligence is lodged in my brain and reads my thoughts, it’s a pretty cool tech. I can understand the logic behind what the Arman dude said, that this would be a convenient way to get answers.

I look directly at him, his unmoveable smile still in place.

- What is this thing? - I ask.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

- Around 20 years after your eh, incident, we were in the middle of negotiations with other species, mostly tech exchanges, and one of the most groundbreaking things we got was the blueprint for AI assisted neural chips, which have become a staple of culture in the Stellar Union, and most of the other space civilizations for that matter.

- So everyone has one of these - I say while tapping my head with my metal hand, creating a metallic sound that reminds me of the reflection I saw before. Right, not only were my right arm and both legs made of metal now, the right half of my face as well.

I touched my face with both hands, trying to get a feel of what’s there.

Arman signals one of the white robed guys and they promptly bring forth a device that looks like a pen, and with a slight nudge it produces a mirror in front of me.

The left side of my face looks exactly the same, a rough complexion with some minor scars, wavy long auburn hair, and a bright green eye. The right side, well, at least I have my nose intact. There’s a silvery metal plate in the whole area around what would have been my ear that gives me a quite punk hairstyle, and that metal plate covers the area from the start of my neck through my chin to the top of my head, and the finishing touch is a round, deep red orb in place of an eye. I move my arm in front of it to verify that I have eyesight in it, to much of my surprise given that i actually forgot about it.

- We’ve spared no expense - Arman said, with some pride mixed in his voice - You currently hold the apex of what we currently can do with body modifications, and hope to continue advancing humankind with you help.

- Yeah, my pleasure - I said, not buying much of his flattery. It’s pretty clear that I hold some kind of value as an experiment or a test for this group, and I'd rather maintain that status while I really understand where I'm standing.

Arman pointed at my artificial eye - You can activate the HUD functions of the Tracer via your VA.

- The what of the what now?

He sighed, pointing again at the eye.

What the hell does he mean by HUD? Hallie?

[The HUD stands for Holographic User Display, do you wish to activate said function?]

I guess so?

The moment I respond, there’s a flash of light and then, a lot of digital options appear in my vision. I can suddenly see a distance indicator, a selector of elements that gives me detailed biological information, and there’s even a monitor of what i’m guessing are my vital signs.

There were some advanced gadgets and lenses that had these functions back in my day, so this is likely an amalgamation of those.

- We installed an onboarding software in the Tracer that can give you a briefing or various topics that you are sure to have questions about, so feel free to ask your VA.

I don’t even formulate a question, but when I just have the thought of asking, I get the answer.

[When user desires, i can display the information requested]

I’m gonna need some time alone to really get deep into this, so I’ll wait for now.

- That’s pretty cool, ok, so what comes now?

Arman, and the rest of these old guys have a slight twitch in their eyes, as if annoyed by my question.

- Cool huh… well, Miss Lilith, do you not have any additional questions?

- Not for now

Silence descends on the room.

- Are you sure?

- Why wouldn’t I be? - I answer, now I'm annoyed as well.

- Being asleep for a hundred years i’d thought you’d want to ask more things… - He answered, with his smile finally trembling a bit. They probably just wanted to be smug answering questions, i guess - But no issue, you should now rest and get used to your body, tomorrow there’s gonna be another examination, so need to rush things.

I simply nod.

- Ambrose, please guide Miss Lilith to her quarters - A tall dark skinned old man bows to Arman, and walks to my side, signaling for me to walk alongside him. As we leave the white laboratory, I can hear how they start talking about me with some tech jargon I'm not familiar with. I need to make a mental note about how i need to get myself up to date with stuff so I don't get blindsided, and how none of these people seem trustworthy; having too much caution is never a problem.

[Note recorded and archived for future use]

Goddamit Hallie, that wasn’t I meant!