Written in 365 Parts: 49: Memories

“The other guy? So you are saying there was a third person in the vehicle and they presented as a male? Is that what guy means?”

Marsh stared at Krennar for a long moment, “I don’t know. You people don’t really look that similar to anyone I remember meeting before. There are a lot of differences between you. I mean as individuals. It is hard for me to work out which of you are what sex.”

“By sex I take it you mean something similar to your word, gender? Well that’s fairly easy to explain, most of us are neither. We are usually quite adrogynous. As in we don’t present as either a binary or non-binary being unless we have a specific desire such. Our features and our bodies can be shaped to present features and characteristics from either of what you consider the primary sexes. Since the ease of physical manipulation, especially in tank grown organics, almost a thousand years past we have moved to a society and existence where the choice is not only personal but easy to make. One can have genetic manipulation or surgical procedures done with significant ease so that almost any particular desire or need can be catered for. The vast majority though prefer what you might consider a base, or null, state. We would not use such terminology. In fact it is rarely discussed. We also have transcended the pitiful arguments over what is better, preferred or natural. They are merely choices.”

“Then how do you, well, how do you know if someone has chosen a particular state, or what their preferences are?”

“We all have identity tattoos and there are common enough symbols. If you are presenting as a specific form it is shown. If you look at my wrist and wait a few moments.” Krennar held out a wrist and waited until the symbols rotated around, “there, now the group of symbols that went past would have…”

“Some text just popped into my head. You prefer to be termed as a Legal or by the name Krennar. Your only strong other  identification preference is as masculine dominant for language purposes so often use the strong personal pronouns. Where did that come from?”

“The language implant, it auto-translates. Because you were focussing on my identification band it filled in a translation for you. It is wired into the language areas of your brain and can understand when you need a translation. If you focus more on language and symbols that need translation it will start to pattern your mind to understand.”

“Can I stop it doing that?”

“I am not sure that you can. I am curious why you would want to?”

“Because it is freaking me out.”

“I’m sorry, do you mean that it is making you uncomfortable?”

“Dude, it is making my skin crawl to think there is some clever device burrowed into my head and rewiring and writing to my brain.”

“I see. To us that is perfectly natural, in fact deeply desired. Those who cannot afford implants, or the few who reject them are seen as disadvantaged to the point of being severely disabled.” Krennar smiled politely, “however you mentioned the other person? Tell me about what you can remember, let me try and help you piece things together. Are you recalling more?”

“I think I am, it’s starting to come back in flashes.”

“Well, let’s see if we can encourage it a little more. Maybe we could eat a little food, have a drink of a stimulant and see if that teases the memories a little more. I could continue to explain a little more about the time you now live in and that might help clarify the memories and clear some confusion?”

“It’s worth a try.”

“Good, then let’s start with the other guy, as you called them, and the person who died. What is your first memory of them?”