The Transdyne Awakening by Chris Betts Page A

it. Some sought it for power. Many of your high born men hunger for that power, just as Satan does.”
    “What about you Trans? Some say that you are monstrous, too.”
    “It is true that some who believe in the Divinity see us as blasphemies,” said Adam-son. “We Trans were ‘created’ by fallen men. The Nephilim were products of an unholy union. Satan’s intention was to use them for dreadful evil. Some of those who created us were possessed of the same mind. They tried to programme some of us for their purposes. They sought to exploit our abilities against you men and women, but that is not the entire situation. Many of us were not so programmed and have been helpers to you. We believe that there was someone at Transdyne who opposed their objectives. They must have engineered into some of us the capacity we have for self-determination. We were aware of a morality based on Judaeo-Christian values and hence, a sort of conscience.
    When programming for certain behaviour was activated, we became conflicted. We seemed to have an internal moral compass which steered us to over ride the most destructive acts we were instructed to perform. Some of us were destroyed as faulty products, but the technicians at Transdyne couldn’t locate the root of the contradiction. Whoever the person responsible for that was, they were brilliant in their subversion of the programming. It was a work of genius.
    Those of us they call ‘highbreeds’ have discovered a consciousness of our own. That self-determination, that ‘will’, has led to many of us over-writing our initial programming. Those who grasp the Divinity’s plan want only to be a part of it. We are only similar to the Nephilim inasmuch as we are unnatural creations. Our consciousness does not come directly from the hand of The Divinity. Many have sought to end their lifeterm by chemical Toxout.
    “Yes. I’ve seen that.” Clay said.
    “Although we did not ask to come to this state of awareness, many of us do not have evil intent”.
    Clay once again surveyed the Tran’s disfigured face and body.
    “You’re seriously damaged. How long can you be maintained like this? I mean, what’s going to happen? Will you stay like this?”
    Adam-son’s functioning eye squinted at him.
    “No. Little by little, these people are repairing what it is possible to repair. The difficulty lies in them being able to get appropriate parts. You have to remember that I have been around longtime; such longtime that my employer was one of the very first to be executed for faith crime. I was intended to cease function many terms ago. Kept in service like this, my memory storage is intact. That is the most important matter.
    These people consult me for their archives. The goal is for my entire memory to be entered into accessible storage. That way my existence will not have been without purpose. All need a purpose - even Trans.”
    Clay looked thoughtful. It would be a tragedy for all the data Adam-son held to be permanently lost.
    “I’d need a list and reference codes, but I may know someone who could help with parts,” he said.
    “That would be a blessing to many.” Adam-son’s voice resonated through the machinery. “Your name is Clay, is it not? You are aptly named. Of men, it is written ‘He remembers that we are dust’ . God is merciful. However, I observe that you are in need of mansleep. Go, and the Divinity go with you. I will speak with you again, man of clay.”
    Clay rose and folded the stool, replacing it against the wall. He mounted the stairs. As he reached the door at the head of the steps, the sound of Adam-son’s mechanized breathing faded away.

T HE W ATERS B ELOW
    He found Greg at a dining bench with a portable viewscreen in front of him. He sat down quietly opposite him.
    Greg looked up from his screen. “Interesting, isn’t he?”
    “He? Oh yeah. It, or he, is amazing. This whole place is amazing. I mean, how do you get enough water for everything you’re