Original X-roads-2003

    “People are not for experimenting on.” Casandra chastised him.
    Mark smiled, “I always liked your fascination with the moral code.” Mark mimicked a Casandra he knew from long ago, “It’s the right thing to do.” He stood up and turned his back to her, “I think it’s time you learned something different.”
    “Mark…” Casandra warned.
    “Don’t threaten me, Casandra! There is no team to back you up this time! The best you can hope to do is escape here.” Mark brought up a painful memory of Lilah, “You do remember, not so long ago.”
    “It’s been decades since Lilah.” Casandra defended herself.
    “Not so long that it’s not fresh in my mind!” Mark snapped and restored her silence. “You convinced me to let my control of her go!” Mark was filled with rage now, “Since when is the Right Thing to do ever the Right Thing to do?” He turned to face her, “When is it, to Me?”
    He could kill her now, no one would miss her. Last of her tribe, she could be reunited.
    Mark straightened himself and regained composure. “I want you to stand by the side of the Man you help create. I want you to witness the fruit of your Moral Virtues. I’m going to steal your humanity, like you stole MINE!”
    Casandra could speak to defend herself, “I didn’t steal your humanity, Mark. You made the choice…” She began gasping for air.
    “You made the choice, to take this mission.” he released her airway, but not her voice. “I’ll not argue with you Casandra. The nights of our long conversations and trading advice are long over. The endearing qualities I was so fond of in you are all that’s keeping you alive. Memories, that’s all any of you are anymore. Ghosts from the past.”