Away to the stars...

When the guard came to our cell with dinner, he didn't come alone, but the two others behind him stood less of a chance than he did. As quickly as the door was opened, 5 and Switch ripped holes through the walls and pulled the guards' bodies through before crushing each's positronic brain. The first guard was shocked and immediately moved to call for backup, but Trigger broke his arms so quickly he didn't even feel it until his head was shattered against the door. Kernel looked at me mutely and smiled approval.

Without saying a word, Kernel led us through the complex and began telling me - through Switch, of course - the truth behind the Holy Family's power. Their entire method relied solely on their subjects' minds being absolutely useless. Thus, he explained, the medications prescribed to every human being on the planet and the specialized educations given to every student.

Thinking about my so-called specialized education made me smile. I was originally scheduled to be a communications drone, but somehow I failed a test that made me immediately eligible for the programming department. I realized that if I passed their test, I'd be separated from the havoc I had begun to associate with Trigger. So I purposely failed and was given diagnostics in the rehabilitation centre for a month.

Turns out they only wanted me to design the new service robots for one of the friends of the Holy Family. Like I would want to design a machine to open some bitch's mail for her because she's too stupid or rich to do it herself. Right. I think I understand the uselessness of all society. Most people barely know how to tie the laces on their own shoes, let alone repair their own neural network when it goes down.

But as for the bit about the drugs, I'm not sure that I can completely agree. I mean, even if I haven't always taken my own medication, I've taken other people's. I understand Trigger's obsession with trading medications with people. Their ingredients were originally designed to balance every person's brain chemistry almost perfectly, weeding out the mental instabilities that are fairly normal for nature. But what the government did not expect was that a drug custom-designed for one person would have a very different effect on someone else. What started out as an illegal but almost religious practice quickly became a commonplace occurrence on any street corner. And just as the prostitutes support the system that keeps them where they are, so does every other human being. That is, of course, why I stopped taking my own medication in the first place. I don't like having my mind controlled by anything or anyone.

And that is the primary reason I don't like having an important piece of programming code in my head unknown to my brain. Even though I know my companions are searching for an escape, I know I must find the Mother Mary to ask why those codes are even there.

At this point, I know that if Mary had wanted me destroyed, she would've done it herself a long time ago. But if X wanted me dead, he would have to go around her to do it. But that still leaves a question: why does Mary want me to live and her son want me to die? And then: which is good and which is wrong? If X should kill me, it would not be to his benefit unless I am of use to his enemies or his mother. Either that or it could merely be for a higher reason, to protect the state or something -but why? Why would not reprogramming be easier?

Trigger insists to me that I've asked enough questions already and to please shut the fuck up. I hadn't realized I was thinking aloud so I thank him. Then I realize that we have stopped walking. Switch leans over to me and tells me that if I want to talk to Mary, now would probably be a good time. I must have had my head up my ass a decent mile because there she was in front of me, surrounded by a guard of about thirty 90s.