The Nature of Change

The Shape of Us (Andy 04)

First order of business; get my metabolism working. I need to be on full alert now, and that means food. Conveniently, there's a bowl of assorted fruit molded into the box.

I scrutinize the fruit.

<It's safe,> Jeff thinks at me.

I nod, scarfing down a strawberry like an industrial shredder. A hunger I didn't even notice begins to fade almost instantly - fast metabolism, good to know - and soon the bowl is clean. Within minutes, strength replaces a subtle weakness in my limbs. I'm ready to fly, ready to fight.

Time to gather every scrap of intel I can.

I slam my body into the cage, just to be sure it moves, and it does.

Good.

Next, I try to speak, very softly so as not to disturb anyone.

What issues forth is not the words "bravo six reporting comms free," but a stream of chirps, clicks, and squawks bearing zero resemblance to my intended speech.

What? That can't be right-

More bird sounds.

No.

My brow furrows.

I focus on the forming of the sounds that make up the words themselves, shaping tongue and mouth- but it's all too stiff. The only sound I form is a slurred mess.

This can't happen.

<JEFF! WHAT THE FUCK? WHY CAN'T I TALK?!> I shout.

Jeff laughs through the mindlink. <Yeah. They messed with our speech centers somehow.>

He... laughs? This is not a cause for humor, this is the stripping of a sapient being of their most fundamental, unalienable right. Their right to a VOICE. THEIR RIGHT TO BE HEARD. I WILL BE HEARD-

<You are being heard.>

Fury burns in my chest, a powerful tension pulling my rib cage together and forcing air through my vocal cords into a shallow hiss. My face contorts from the rage - and my anger is justified. These scientists - no, these beasts - they cannot do this. It is indescribably wrong, taking a human being - whose entire existence is carried on the back of communication - and stealing that very communication from them. It is not physically possible to do something like this. This is not possible.

<And yet they did it.> Jeff again, resigned.

<Then by... by fuck-all knows what, I will PROVE THEM WRONG!>

<Go ahead and try.>

I hate his resignation. I hate these "researchers" or whatever they are.

I'm hyperventilating.

I hate, hate, hate hate hate HATE-

<Uh, kid, you good?> someone asks.

I have a release vector.

In an instant, I funnel everything into the mindlink. It needs to get out of my system. I need so desperately to be rid of this intensity, and yet there's nothing I can do about it...

There's a sound.

The chatter amidst the mindlink that I've only subconsciously noticed all suddenly drops silent.