Above is a link to the previous and first entry in the story of Ezra-9 I'm getting some grand ideas for these fanfic grimoire cards. But I'll wait to talk about it until I've got some headway on Ezra-9, this next entry is the story of how Ezra became involved with Clovis Bray and their work, pre-collapse. "We pursue immortality with such curious trepidation; we desire eternal life but fear the obligatory cost" Ezra loved the morning in springtime; It was the only time he could wake up feeling refreshed when waking. He had little time to marinate in the splendor, though; he had an important job interview to make himself ready for. If excitement were the perspiration from his slumber, he would have flooded the room. 'ew' he thought. but quickly went about his morning routine. Clovis Bray; he had heard the name so many times. He had watched the corporate videos and heard the news about all of the wondrous new technology they had created; medical advancements that bordered on pure science fiction; cybernetics! Nano-technology! Was he living in the future? His application had been tapped out of a likely hundreds and Ezra only barely dared to wonder what qualified him for the Job. He was only a Veterinarian, and before that he had been a researcher for prominent technology firm where they studied the viability of AI tech; he had never received high-level clearance from them, though! ..................................... His interview was with the head of medical technologies at the main Clovis Bray office in Freehold. The interview started and rolled along smoothly. The officer asked him questions about his ethics and accomplishments, and Ezra asked about the company. His involvement, he was assured, would be intimate with a project that was just beginning its formal testing on animals and cell cultures. The head of the department seemed like a good man, but there was always an air of knowing when it came to superiors; Ezra likened it to the face someone makes in a crowded room when they've passed gas and the occupants have yet to notice "Mr. George we are most impressed by your resume and your professional presentation today, your care of animals will be put to the test here. We at Medical tech believe in ethical treatment of our test subjects, we do engage in testing but maintaining our many species and ethically implementing the tests are what set us apart from Gene-grafters back on Earth. Now, I won't lie, we lose test subjects all the time; it is a necessary loss..." Ezra had considered his feelings carefully before this. Death was part of his profession, he could handle it. "...We don't want bad press" the interviewer finished. "Well, sir, I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said I didn't feel the cost of losing a patient, but there are necessary evils, and if one animals life can help us learn to save the life of a young boy or girl, we must pursue it." It was a bullshit answer but it seemed to take because the interviewer nodded and stood up. He then pressed the call button on an intercom next to his desk. After asking the receptionist to bring in coffee, he turned to Ezra with a curiously raised eyebrow. "... Oh, and tell the boys in RnD to send up Miko" The receptionist affirmed the order. "What's Miko?" The interviewer laughed. "you'll see soon enough, she's been getting faster lately" Ezra had only a second to ask "who...?" before a hair ball made of white with black spots charged through the doors and began immediately assaulting his face where he sat with sloppy canine kisses. The Dalmatian was beautiful, but Ezra was astonished. The overgrown pups two rear legs and much of her hindquarters were made of sleek, and intelligent Bray-tech. He ran his fingers along the border between her skin and the implants; it was seamless and the articulated metal responded to his touch the way skin did. George exclaimed,"She's amazing!" before looking into the Dog's eye and realizing that one was an implant as well. This Dog had been through hell- maybe even close to death- but here she was: wagging her tail and happily greeting a new visitor to her home. .................................................. After the interview, Ezra was offered the job, ad he entusiastically accepted. He would be the head Veterinarian to every colony of animals being used in testing, his recommendations would be strongly considered when the project leads decided to begin future phases of the project. It was one that he was over the moon to be participating in; the conquest of our own mortality. The interviewer had given him a few details and his head was already spinning with the implications. He had things to prepare, in only a months time he would have to close the clinic on earth and move to Mars. He thought of his wife, as he stepped out into the Arid Mars midday, the chill of the winds pulling on his coat. Would she have been proud of this decision? His feelings were still a bit muddled by the shock of it all. A small nagging part of his humanity struggled with the cost of it all, what would the life of a human-minded construct even be? If his phase of the project succeeded and they did move into human trials, would the successes even be Human anymore? As he rode the transit car home, his imagination ran wild with daydreams of the EXO-project.