In the darkness of the Hexascan, Pauline felt the blue energy waves rolling over her and the buzzing of electrical pulses feeding into what looked like millions of cells within the walls. The cells remained illuminated with a bright, golden light for a second until the energy moved on from cell to cell, creating a honeycomb pattern rolling continuously.

She heard a voice reporting outside the Hexascan – assuming that it was feeding back to the cyborgs and the Overlord.

“Parasitic entity interfacing with host Doela 9. Human consciousness detected. Female Earthling via unknown portal. Requesting permission to eradicate parasite.”

Pauline started screaming, but a pulse from the blue waves shut the body down once more. Now she felt a double-whammy of claustrophobia – being trapped inside the cyborg body at the same time that she was trapped in the Hexascan.

Then she heard the Overlord’s booming voice from the…

Pauline took another sip of her tea and noticed how everything – inside and out – felt foreign to her. The way she licked her lips, smirked before she smiled, held her cigarette and tossed her long hair, were movements that seemed to be orchestrated by a program unknown to her own memories and impulses. Even though she had her own thoughts, she started to notice strange images, impulses and ideas swimming around her brain.

She realized that she was oscillating between her own imperatives and the motivations that came from somewhere within – something hidden – yet obviously known by this body. She felt like an invading entity in a shell that still maintained cellular memory. Then Gary jolted her out of her daze.

“You know, I have to be honest and let you know that I think you’ve either had a psychotic break again or someone really did…