[That is a correct assessment. Not all of the Atlantians wished to depart the planet. The head doctor of the Atlanorobos outpost, Doctor Nikomedes Kenasus, rebelled against this order, citing a need to complete the project to improve the Atlan race. There was a struggle between the Atlantians, and eventually Doctor Nikomedes was slain. After his death, his outpost was the first to be cleansed of Atlantian influence.]
[All forms of Atlantian Language were removed and all records were destroyed. Each of the doctors and engineers who oversaw parts of the project did as instructed and deactivated the systems embedded within the human genetic makeup, forcing the nanites into a dormant state and becoming just another atom in the endless sea of cellular atoms. Material built of Atlanite was rendered useless or unrecognizable, and all structures were destroyed by various means.]
[Finally, the Project Black Fire crew and the selected humans returned to their ship, the Mul-Sir, which had been in orbit around the planet during the habitation. After thousands of years of occupation, Earth had been reduced to its former self in less than a week. The last recorded transmission from the Mul-Sir was that it had entered quantum speed shortly after passing the Kuiper Belt headed for Atlan.]
[With the loss of the Atlantians that were relied upon for everyday life, the human race on the cusp of air travel was reduced to their former Stone Age capabilities. Without the nanites to provide easy communication, humans were left vulnerable and isolated from each other. Millions perished due to the diseases that their nanites had once protected them from. Starvation was also quite common, as the population relied on machinery no longer there to feed cities that numbered millions. Without the technology, those who still held some knowledge of agriculture could only produce enough for a few hundred.]
[In conclusion, the human race would relearn most simple agricultural practices, and world population numbers would slowly rise to per-evacuation numbers in the following centuries.]
Leta blinked, processing everything the story that the words in her vision had told her. And it did feel like a story—a fantastic, unbelievable tall tale invented by an active imagination and a brain lacking air.
“Everything okay in there? Your heart rate is showing some changes.”
Leta gulped, “Uh, yeah. Sorry. Just thinking about how my mom is going to kill me for getting sent to the hospital.”
The technician chuckled, “Well, please try to think happy thoughts. We’ll be getting the contrast in you in a moment.”
Leta did her best to get comfortable and stay still.
‘Something weird though with this whole story. You said the Atlantians took everything with them when they left.’ Leta inquired, ‘If that’s the case, why was that nanite injector thingy still in the ruins?’
[Caches of essential data and materials were secured and stored in various secret locations so if the Atlantians returned they could quickly revitalize the population should the planet and its inhabitants.]
‘So… I got stabbed with a backup safe of specialized virus robots.’
[Correct. The Host had found the classified caches of Doctor Pherenike Chilonus.]
Leta’s love of history bubbled up at the mention of the doctor’s name.
Doctor Pherenike Chilonus.
Who was she?
What did she look like?
Why did she become a scientist?
What was she researching?
So many questions raced through her head that she didn’t even realize she’d asked the latter.
[Doctor Chilonus was tasked with ensuring optimal atmospheric conditions for population growth. off record, she was head researcher and developer of the program class Monarch. This highly specialized class was produced to be the pinnacle of class programs, providing countless benefits to the Host and removing set class status limitations to recreate a human into an Atlantian.]
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
‘Hold the phone.’ Leta frowned, ‘What do you mean ‘recreate a human’?’
[The Monarch system was designed to genetically reconstruct a human’s DNA to match the Atlantian. Over the next one to two years, the nanites within the Host’s body will slowly replace any human cell structures with that of an Atlantian, including incrementally integrating software programs that provide mastery over the human classes.]
‘Why incrementally? Wouldn’t it make more sense to do it all at once?’
[Software downloads can cause strain on the Host’s organs as cells are reprogrammed and adjusted. Multiple skill downloads in quick succession can have adverse effects, such as nose bleeds, nausea, vomiting, muscle strain and, in extreme situations, organ failure.]
Leta locked her arms and legs to keep herself still and not scream like a banshee.
‘I’m sorry, what?!’
“Ready for contrast?”
The machine started pulling her out to reveal the technician by her side with a medical needle. She tried to be a good patient but was positive that the look she gave him was akin to someone presented with extra spicy bugs to eat.
“Are you scared of needles?” The technician asked absently.
“Let’s just say I’m going through some things.” She grumbled as he inserted the needle into her arm before reloading her into the machine.
[Regarding regular classes, most would receive all their skills during installation. However, the Monarch class contains an extremely high amount of skills, some of which require specific physical and mental capabilities of the Host before download. As such, the software installation will occur in gradual intervals to decrease strain on the Host’s brain while the nanites create new memories and reflexes.]
‘Or your brain could explode.’ Leta thought sarcastically.
[In extreme situations, yes. However, it would require several skill downloads at one time for such an event to occur. Based on current host physiology, one skill every six hours would have no ill effects. The less time given in this time frame between skill downloads, the more likely an extreme side effect is to occur. Two skills back to back may cause a nosebleed. Three skills may cause a seizure, and four a stroke. While the Host would eventually recover from a seizure or stroke depending on your inert nanite count, five or more may cause irrepressible damage not even nanites can fix. In addition, adding too many stats at one time could also be dangerous. Sudden increases to these stats could cause the Host’s muscles to burst out of the skin or the Host's bones to liquefy as the nanites work overtime to upgrade past safe thresholds.]
She gulped, ‘Wow. That’s… gross.’
[It is by no means a pleasant experience. As one might say, skill and stat changes are a balancing act. At this time, the Host has the ability to increase stats by twelve at a single time with up to twelve hours of cool downtime without issue. However, a stat should never be increased more than six in a single instance. It is recommended to gradually increase stats by two or less when available.]
[Please remember, the skills that the Host will acquire are substantial. Considering the early humans worshiped the Atlantians as gods, and the Host is being remade in their likeness, there is much to look forward to. The Host need only be patient.]
Leta mulled that over. A quote from one of her father’s favorite authors and scientists, Arthur Clarke, came to her then.
“Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”
She took a deep breath. ‘Okay, so you just said I’ve got access to a metric ton of skills. You only showed a handful of skills a moment ago. Shouldn’t there have been a lot of options?’
[Skills available for download are based on the number of nanites available and what skills will cause the least strain on the Host’s organs. Other skills can be self-taught or learned by observation. Each new skill downloaded opens up new cellular links and access to other download options. For example, the Host learned the skill Magician’s Hand through the downloading process. Because those memories and synopsis were already created, new skills that link to the fundamental understanding at the root of Magician’s Hand are now available.]
‘Like a skill tree in a game,’ She reasoned. ‘Similar skills that branch off each other as you progress because their functions work off the same core principals.’
[Correct.]
The whirling of the MRI machine slowed to a stop before the technician entered the room again. “Alright, everything looked good from my end. I’ll have the nurse bring you back to your room, and the doctor will take a look at your results.”
The nurse from earlier stepped inside and helped Leta into a wheelchair before taking her out of the imaging lab.
“Just to let you know, you’ve got some visitors when we get you back to your room. I believe it’s the professor that was with you when you arrived. We informed her that you were awake a little bit ago, and she insisted on coming to see you.”
Leta sighed, “Oh boy… Doctor Galloise is going to be an absolute basket case.”
She could practically feel the nurse pushing her wheelchair smiling at her discomfort, “She’s… certainly protective of you.”
“Please tell me she hasn’t called you every ten minutes…”
“We haven’t had to get the authorities involved yet for a restraining order, but I think the doctor is considering it.”
Leta groaned, already feeling a headache forming in anticipation of the show that was about to come.