Perched on his apartment's rear balcony, Crane lets his feet dangle while witnessing the sunrise. The brisk morning breeze, the slightly moist floor from dew, and the melody of early birds hunting for worms accompany the departure of early-rising cars. Gazing at the sky, he fidgets with his new neckpiece, a tad uneasy but marveling at the unexpected turns his life has taken.
"These past few days have been quite a journey... I can't believe this actually works." He rubs his stomach, noticing an absence of hunger or thirst. It's an unusual feeling, as if his body has finally achieved perfect contentment after a prolonged search. No parched mouth, no stomach noises—just a sense of equilibrium.
"These contracts are something else, aren't they? They'll probably become even more extraordinary soon. Maybe I should take a moment to concentrate on my programming and explore its potential... I wonder if these nanites in me can respond to commands directly from my brain, remotely... perhaps?"
Hoisting himself up, Crane steps into his apartment and settles at his workstation. After a satisfying stretch, accompanied by the cracking of his fingers, he swiftly begins typing on his collar. The peculiar technological device illuminates as Crane hovers his hand over his computer and closes his eyes. After a brief moment, electricity crackles around him as the nanites infiltrate the computer. Sensing it as an extension of himself, he issues a simple command, "Power on." Instantly, the nanites swarm into the laptop, penetrating its circuitry. Suddenly, every component springs to life—the fan whirls, power courses through, and the screen lights up as Crane opens his eyes.
"Fascinating..."
worth.