The mind is a wonderful toy. A tale of a woman with no past and every future.

[Siren Stone]

Siren sat quietly in a chair. Her vision - dark. Her mind - hazy. She couldn't remember where she was or what she had been doing, yet the weak, steadily growing voice calling her name seemed to be pulling her back to reality.

-...son. Mis... ars... Miss Larson. Rebecca Larson, FRONT AND CENTER!

- Sir! -
Rebecca jolted forwards, quickly standing and saluting.

- Miss Larson, I hope you know that nap time is not allowed while on board the Rio Grande. - Said the senior Liberty Navy recruitment officer.

- I... I'm sorry sir. I... don't know what came over me. - Rebecca responded. Her mind was still a bit foggy though aware.

- Right then. Miss Larson, I first need to inform you that the Liberty Navy does not take just anybody off the street. It takes a certain type of person to pilot a fighter, to man a turret station. A certain will and drive to hold a gun and do what needs to be done even in the bleakest of uncertainties. Do you understand this? - The Recruitment officer asks the young woman.

- Yes sir, I do.

- Good, then take a seat and we can begin filling out the paper work.
The officer said with a smile as he moved to the chair in front of his desk. As Rebecca took her seat, her vision started to go hazy once again as the sound began to trail away.
- First I'd like to ask about this incident on your record regarding a near fatal attack on one of your fellow students at the High School you attended. It says here...
The man asked but the last bit of his question faded away. The woman was sitting in a dark fog now for what seemed like hours as hazy images passed by her in shadowy waves.

-...you und... rogram...

-W... what? -
Siren asked looking up into the fog.

- Do you understand? -
A faint voice asked her once again, this time clearly.

- Under.... stand? -
Siren asked with glassed over eyes.

- Yes, do you understand what this program entails and that you can never go back once you begin. This will be a life time commitment Miss Larson and you could very well die because of it.
A man wearing an LSF uniform with a strange insignia on his shoulder told her as they were sitting in a deserted diner in one of Manhattan's smaller towns. She looked around herself and noticed the menu glowing on the holo-boards above the counters and the waitress outside having a smoke break with an LSF guard standing just inside the entrance, seeming to be keeping watch on who may be approaching. She turned her attention back to the older gentleman with a bit of a frown.

- How dangerous will it be... I mean... you mentioned there would be surgery... I think? -
The man set a briefcase on the table and opened it before setting a large file on the table.

- Yes, there will be surgery. Quite a few actually. In order to undertake the assignments that you will be given, certain measures must be taken. First and for most Miss Larson, would be the removal of your ability to have children.

- My... MY WHAT!? - Rebecca cried out in shock
- Why the hell would that need to be done?! -
The man calmly passes her a small stack of papers, each containing a short summary of past female deep cover agents and the incidents involving unexpected children.

- Miss Larson, while a part of this project you would more than likely be in a deep cover situation for years, even decades if need be. Relationships would be garnered, broken, love found and lost. If during an assignment, certain intimate circumstances were to befall you, would you want the fall out to be simply a night of regret or a lifetime of remorse for the child you had to give up.,. just as you were at such a young age. -
Looking away, Rebecca clenches her fists remaining silent for a few minutes. During this time, the man began packing his belongings and stood.
- Miss Larson, perhaps I was mistaken. If you cannot get past your own history, then you will never be able to take part in...

- I'll do it. -
She suddenly said, interrupting the older gentleman's speech
- I would never want to bring a child into this world if it meant they would end up as I did, growing up in orphanage after orphanage, looked down upon by normal society simply because I had no parents. If losing the ability to bear offspring will help win this meaningless war... ANY war... then I will gladly do so.

- That's a good head you have on your shoulders Miss Larson. Here's what we will do. In two days time at 14:00 hours, take the third shuttle from Meridia dock in South Wall Street. Give the captain this card and tell him, you will be "Taking the long road ahead". He will know what to do. Make sure you pack nothing but the cloths on your back. -
He handed her the card then put his hat on, adjusting the fit so that the crease is at just the right angle.
- This was a nice talk we had Miss Larson. I will be seeing you soon but remember, what you do now is for the good of the people of Liberty.
As the man began to walk away, Rebecca seemed to stare thoughtfully at the card in her hand. After an unknown amount of time, she stood taking her jacket and turned to exit the diner, though as she stepped into the sunlight, her view suddenly took the form of a long white hallway in which a nurse seemed to be leading her towards a set of white doors with a medical insignia on them.

- Miss Larson, today we will be taking more blood samples as well as checking on the progress of the auto immune DNA re-sequencer. -
The nurse looked back at Rebecca with her pale figure and weak body barely holding her upright
- Is everything ok today ma'am? Were you able to sleep last night?

Weakly shaking her head, Rebecca refrained from talking in order to keep what small amount of her breakfast she was able to eat down. The nurse gave her a caring smile as she helped her through the doors over to a large chair in which she sat.

- Rebecca, we'll be taking six samples today. I was told this morning that you should only have two more weeks of the auto immune DNA re-sequencing before the surgery. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make you comfortable.

Rebecca simply nods as she rested her head on the back of the chair. As the nurse went about scanning her body while drawing blood, Rebecca found a small amount of strength to ask a question that had been bothering her for a few days.

-Te... ressa...

-Hmm? What was that Miss Larson? -
The nurse asked, suddenly ceasing her work to pay close attention to Rebecca.

- Is... th... this... all worth... it? My... my body... and... the tests... I... I don't know... if I... should have done... this. -
Rebecca started coughing roughly once she finished speaking. The nurse sat her up, helping her lean forwards so that she didn't choke.

- Miss Larson... Rebecca. I think what you are doing is very brave and that you are one of the few people in this universe that could possibly do something like this. I don't know what it is that drives you, but any other person would have died by now. You have a strong body and sense of duty and I think that is what has kept you going.

- But... should I... have done... this... I... I mean... I... I can't even... walk... without someone help... helping me.
The weak woman tried to make a fist now, though all she managed was a shaking hand. The nurse placed her hand on Rebecca's holding it gently.

- That is something only you can decide Rebecca. As for me, I need to finish these tests. Hey... just two more weeks and you will have your auto immune system replaced right? Two more weeks. Just think of it, two weeks and you will be good as new again. -
The nurse slowly sat Rebecca back up in the chair, helping her lean back so that she was comfortable.

- Y... yeah... two... weeks... two weeks and... I'll be ok... just... two... weeks...

Rebecca fell unconscious at this point. Her mind was once again hazy as Siren returned to the dark fog. Standing still, hearing nor seeing anything whatsoever, Siren sat on the ground and held her knees to her chest. She looked like a scared little girl lost in the woods. Finally after a few hours, sounds slowly began to creep in from the darkness - the sounds of hospital machines, surgery equipment, and doctors speaking in multiple languages all seeming to be standing around Siren in the darkness. Clasping her hands to her ears, the now scared young woman cowered in fear as the sounds grew louder and louder before suddenly stopping all together. After a few moments, Siren looked up, finding to her surprise that a blue holo-terminal seemed to have appeared in the darkness right before her. On the screen was a single word.

- Rebooting.