The Protogen Generation

Light and thunder

BANG!

I flinched as the violent crack of thunder hit the house. Everyone's hands went to their ears, sending Averas tablet flying to the floor. The lamp behind me shut off, along with the TV. A couple moments later they both came back on.

Garrett shook his head back and forth, he was probably suffering from the ringing as I was. “That was a loud one…” Oscar remarked as he peered out the window.

“Have any other useful information?” Avera spat out as she slowly moved to pick up her fallen tablet.

Winter quickly came running into the room, “You guys good? She asked, looking around at everyone. I put a weak thumbs up, “head hurts now.” I replied.

Vita leaned her head back on the chair she was in, “Don't have anything for that, sorry…” she said as she rubbed her hand on the top of her head.

“It will be gone soon.” Avera said. She raised herself up off the couch, “Garrett, have you and Michael had any luck getting information off the storage bank?”

“Well,” Garrett said, looking around. “Where is Michael?”

I turned my head back and forth, and noticed the giant towel covered lump that was crouched on the floor, right next to the couch I was on.

I leaned over towards him, “Michael? You alright bud?” He didn't respond. I slowly worked my way off the couch and towards him. I put my hand on his shoulder and tried to turn him around.

He still didn't react. His only movements were heavy trembles. Vita and Garrett joined me on the floor as the others watched on to see what was wrong.

“Hey we're all here, you'll be okay…” Vita said softly to him, “it's alright.”

Michael let out a low, unsettling grumble. After a couple of tries we were able to turn him around so he was facing us. His visor was dim and emotionless. I could sense he was confused. And scared. we all were.

Vita fruitlessly waved her hand in front of him, to which he didn't do anything. “What did that lighting do to you?” She asked in a voice heavy with sympathy.

I got up to get out of Vita's way, “How do we snap him out of this?” I asked.

Garrett looked at Michael a bit longer… “I think I know.” He said. Everyone immediately looked at him, curious about his answer. “Way back when we were controlled by the Primagens… they used loud noises as a psychological trigger. It made it easier to quickly stop a protogen in whatever they were doing. A sudden loud noise stuns our brain, making it ‘trip on itself’. This causes all cognitive abilities to momentarily seize.”

Winter and Oscar shared a look of complete confusion when Garrett finished his explanation. “Controlled by primagens?” Asked Winter, yearning for a further explanation.

“Who's going to explain?” Garrett asked in defeat.

“Ah, I will,” Avera said. “You see, many hundreds of years ago we were a very simple species. until at one point, we were found by a group who were called primagens. As advanced as they were, they still took us for their own needs. We received mechanical augments, such as our visors. We were upgraded into their image. We fought their wars, followed their orders, and did what they wanted. We became drones. A hivemind. It was that way for a long, long time. Nobody had a conscience. For reasons unknown, a small group of protogens became aware. They gained what they had lost, individuality. They fought back, revolted. It was our uprising. The primagens did their best to quell it, but they were pitifully outnumbered by their own creations. By the time we left Zenith, the primagen and protogen homeworld, all the primagens had been killed and along with most of the protogens. Those who had survived went off in exploration of the unknown. One of the groups of protogens found the planet Aureon. That was 100 years ago. I do hope this explanation helps.”