Endless Ebb (The Möbius Strip)

Originally published 7/8/2019.

The following is a novella based on the events of the game The Möbius Strip. Complete spoilers for the game are below.

With the world in chaos over a destructive war, a company will try and fulfill an idea sought for centuries.

____________________________________________

On days like these, you don’t usually come across such a request… It’s not like I had nothing to do. I had a whole idea in mind for a brand-new project, but I couldn’t turn down the offer when I was given it.

I’m Lawrence, an engineer and scientist. I’m the one who invented the S.K.Y.L.A. system, the nifty device that rests underneath the ear of most people. It’s a wonderful gadget. It allows for people to increase or decrease sensitivity to aspects of everyday life. For example, if somebody has poor hearing, they can increase it with my tech. If somebody is going through an incredible pain, such as labor, they can just decrease it with this. Pain medications are no longer needed.

There’s nothing wrong with simplifying life, is there? Especially not in here, with the war going on…

Since my endeavors, I’ve lived alone in my mansion. I have all the money I need now. I’m set for life. And yet, there’s something missing. Perhaps it’s family, but I don’t think I’d like to settle down yet. But everything is going to change, because of what happened today.

While I had been peacefully reading a novel about the future, I heard a knock on my door. I hadn’t planned any company, so I checked my door cameras. There was a man in a white coat standing outside my door. He was silently waiting there for me with a suitcase. Whoever he was, he wasn’t somebody I knew.

I opened my door to talk with him. The man told me he had a project for me that he feels I may be interested in. He said his name is Jovan and had come from the Silver Bed Foundation, a group that excels in technological advancements. They have been working on some secretive project for a while, but I heard they ran into some difficulties.

I questioned the legitimacy of this person being part of the Silver Bed, and he presented a recorded message requesting me to join by the founder, Earl Celvar. Earl stated the project would be involving something fantasized in legends and stories that have lasted for thousands of years.

It would be an attempt for immortality.

To do this, a cloning device shall be created. By making a replica body, the mind can be transferred over to the new one, allowing somebody to just do a body transfer indefinitely.

I decided to accept the project. On days like these, you don’t usually come across such a request. A project for immortality… Perhaps this is what I’ve been longing for. Another new project for something so ambitious.

It may just make the world a better place.

____________________________________________

The Silver Bed Foundation has two locations. Its main office lies at the edge of the Old District, despite how the streets are heavily monitored by the Lunatic’s soldiers. The second location is the laboratory, which is buried deep underground to protect the technology from being damaged by the war. I was to work in the lab. To keep the location secret, my transportation was in one of the new “Gordan” vehicles. The car has no windows in the back seats to prevent me from seeing where I was being taken.

It wasn’t long before I arrived, and to my surprise the Gordan was inside the facility. I was escorted out of the car and brought down a hallway to where I would begin the project. I noticed as I was going to the lab that there was a confidential room that I was not allowed to go into. There were many different hallways and paths, but everything felt devoid of people. It was as if I was the only one there working. After finally arriving at my workspace, I saw Jovan standing in the corner. He approached and greeted me before explaining the scenario. The lab was spacious, with a main office and numerous tables with monitors.

“Welcome to your new workspace. You'll be designing some beautiful things here. I'm going to be busy today with a meeting regarding a different project, so I won't be around to answer questions.” Jovan reached for a small mechanical piece behind him and turned back to face me. “Here, this piece will be required for your project. We have some designs and ideas set up for you, so they should help.”

“What do I do if I need your help with something?”

“Everything you need is in these lab rooms. Just explore a little and you should be able to find what you need. I'll see you later tonight. Good luck with everything!”

Jovan quickly departed, leaving me to my devices. It looks like it's just me alone here, and it’s time to work. My job would be to develop a memory extraction device that can store personality data and other necessary info to be inserted into an empty clone body. The cloning pod has existed for many, many years, but as there were no previous methods of transferring the brain’s data, the clones would be treated like a twin.

If I can succeed, then maybe the world will change even more than when S.K.Y.L.A. was finished. It may be what the world needs.

____________________________________________

The project had been going well. Since my arrival, we’d progressed greatly. We were almost ready for testing. We needed a subject, and even though it’s probably safe to transfer the mind, it would be best to use a subject with their own health issues; somebody who this could benefit and would consent to testing. It was almost time. At that time, however, it was time to just get some rest…

"But... and then we’ll start…”

I heard somebody. It sounded like Jovan. Who would he be talking to?

“you must… at all costs…”

I increased my hearing. I have an implant of S.K.Y.L.A. too, after all.

“We’ll start the second phase soon. We just need to finish testing and then it can begin.”

Second phase? Isn’t the second phase just testing?

“Alright, but stick to the plan. Earl has very carefully constructed the projects and how everything will be finished.”

“Yes sir.”

There were two different voices, and one was unfamiliar. It was probably nothing. Jovan was just giving a status update. I decided to just get some sleep. It would be better in the morning.

____________________________________________

I worked nonstop for ages, and it was finished after all my hard work. It was finally time to test the device. I began to follow Jovan through the facility to the testing room, where we would begin to finally see the result of work. Jovan started speaking to me while we walked to the room.

“You can pat yourself on the back, it's almost a finished project.”

“If this works, then we'll be able to make a massive advancement in healthcare!”

“Of course. We’re almost at the testing room. It's on the right.”

Once we arrived at the room, I noticed a man standing in the corner. He had an elongated beard and looked very frail. Behind him was a table with a display, and to the right was the cloning pod. Jovan began to speak to me. “Lawrence, meet Stallone. He's the one over there. He's our subject today.”

I greeted Stallone before questioning the plan. “Jovan, what's the issue regarding Stallone that allows us to have him as a subject?”

“He's another case of Baringer's Death, so if we can replicate a body for him and transfer his memories, he can survive.” Jovan slowly walked towards me. “The cloning pod... it's great, isn't it? A technology that has always been just available for us, yet never truly used the way it could... Hand me the memory extractor you made.”

I turned to give him the extractor. He proceeded to go towards the machine again to prepare the device, and then he came to Stallone’s side. The pod could be used for age acceleration, and in this case, it was used for cloning from Stallone’s genetic data and an egg to create a vessel for him and afterwards accelerating the clone to an age that satisfied the requirements.

The LEDS indicated that the pod began to develop the clone, and a newborn baby emerged. The baby grew rapidly to an adult before stopping, and a mechanical device with a port was inserted into the skull. The pod’s view was somewhat obscured by a protective liquid around the clone to protect it as it had grown from the egg, and after the liquid drained the clone was clothed.

While the clone was growing, Jovan used the extractor on Stallone. They would kill and fry the brain of Stallone, but since his conscious would be transferred into that of a new body, it would not matter. Having multiple Stallones wandering around wouldn’t be ideal anyway. Stallone went limp after the extraction.

Jovan walked towards the pod with the extractor. He placed the extractor into a slot of the pod, and the pod pulled the extractor instead and was used on the back of the clone’s head where the port was. Shortly afterwards, the pod opened, and the clone was released. The clone slowly stood up, and while his eyes adjusted, he started to try to speak.

“What's... Oh my... is this...”

The clone looked down at himself as he realized what the machine had finished.

I exclaimed happily about my success. “It... worked! He looks so much younger, too. Jovan, we did it!”

“Was there ever any doubt?”

Stallone begins speaking clearly and he begins to stand up straight.

“Thank you... thank you! I feel like new! I feel so much better... healthier. The pain is gone too. I...” Stallone’s voice trails off as he looks around the room.

“Did my old body die? It’s just limp over there.”

“Yes, it has. We’ll incinerate it soon. You’re cured. Go wait outside in the room on the left, Lawrence’s quarters. I have to quickly do something.” Jovan didn’t change his posture or look towards Stallone while he responded. Stallone silently walks out the door while Jovan begins to bring me by the hand towards the corner of the room.

“Jovan, we succeeded! I feel so proud, thank you so much for this opportunity! We managed to achieve the impossible! Something that will- “

It only took a moment, but an intense pain emerged, and my body was thrown backwards. My head starts to feel warm and damp with blood, and I try to look in front of myself to analyze what happened. All I see in front of me was an incoming metal rod towards my head, being grasped in Jovan’s hands. I tried to defend myself but kept being dealt blows across my body.

I start to lose my vision, but I still throw myself at Jovan and tried to hurt him. The only indication of pain is him screaming when I scratched at what likely is his face, but it was no use. He keeps swinging his weapon against me.

It felt warm.

____________________________________________

“Took you long enough… now to take care of Stallone and report a success. Then it’ll be on to the second phase.”

____________________________________________

On days like these, you don’t usually come across such a request…

It’s not like I had nothing to do. I had a whole idea in mind for a brand-new project, but I couldn’t turn down the offer when I was given it.

I’m Lawrence, an engineer and scientist. I’m the one who invented the S.K.Y.L.A. system, the nifty device that rests underneath the ear of most people. There’s nothing wrong with simplifying life, is there? Especially not in here, with the war going on…

While I had been searching for a book of mine, I heard a knock on my door. I hadn’t planned any company, so I checked my door cameras.

There was a man in a black suit standing outside my door. He was silently waiting there for me with a suitcase. Whoever he was, he wasn’t somebody I knew.

I opened my door to talk with him. The man told me he had a project for me that he feels I may be interested in. He said his name is Jovan and had come from the Silver Bed Foundation, a group that excels in technological advancements. In contrast, Jovan didn’t look very benevolent. Above his eye, there was a scar. I wanted to ask how he gained his injury, but I felt like that would be impolite.

But as for the Silver Bed… The foundation has been working on some secretive project for a while, but I heard they ran into some difficulties.

It would be an attempt for immortality.

To do this, we’d be creating a device to stop the body from aging, like those old stories of people searching for eternal youth. Death can only come from unnatural events.

It may just make the world a better place.

…

There’s my book. I left it near the door. That’s odd, I don’t remember placing it there. My bookmark is also misplaced. I’ll just take it with me. I can read it on the ride to the lab.

Things should go smoothly from here…

____________________________________________

It wasn’t long before I arrived at the facility. I was escorted out of the car I had been driven in and brought down a hallway to where I would begin the project. There were many different hallways and paths, but everything felt devoid of people. It was as if I was the only one there working.

After finally arriving at my workspace, I saw Jovan standing in the corner. He approached and greeted me before explaining the scenario. The lab was spacious, with a main office and numerous tables with monitors. “Here we are... this workspace for you to be in... I have some things to do, so I'll be gone... Don't go in my room. And here, you'll need this.” Jovan reached for a small metal object labeled “memory extractor” behind him and turned back to face me.

“What do I do if I need your help with something?”

“Of course, you'd ask that... just look around. Everything you need is here. I'll be leaving now. I expect progress when I return.”

The entire time Jovan was talking to me it seemed like his behavior was somewhat off. He wasn’t in a good mood. Jovan quickly departed, leaving me to my devices. It looks like it's just me alone here, and it’s time to work. My job would be creating way, probably through nanobots, to prevent aging and to use the memory extraction device so that extractor can inject the miniature machines. I set my book down on the table behind me and prepared to get to work.

If I can succeed, then maybe the world will change even more than when S.K.Y.L.A. was finished. It may be what the world needs.

____________________________________________

“The machine is ready, so follow me to the testing room. This will be fun...

“If this works, then we'll be able to make a much bigger healthcare advance!”

“Just follow me.”

Once we arrived at the room, the door closed behind us. I noticed a young girl standing in the corner. She was just a kid and looked around seven years old. Behind her was a table with a display, and to the right was the cloning pod. Jovan began to speak to me. “Testing once more... good thing the pod has a mode for age acceleration. Lawrence, the girl in front of the pod is Samantha. She is the test subject.”

“Hello!”

I looked towards Samantha and Jovan in confusion and outrage. Experimenting on a child? We could cause her death if things failed and if we succeeded, she would have lost all chances of having a normal life and be stuck, forever trapped the body of a kid. “Jovan, we're not experimenting on a child. Why would this even be a good idea? She's a kid! Who even gave the authority to do this? Is there even a reason to choose a child? Is she special? What's wrong with you?”

Samantha looked in confusion at Jovan, and she appeared concerned at what I was saying. Her actual words were not what I expected. “He doesn’t know his role in all this?”

What role?

“He doesn’t need to. He just needs to serve his purpose.”

Samantha glanced at me before casually turning back to Jovan. “Lock the exit.”

I ran towards the door, but it was already locked. That was a mistake. There was no way of escaping the room. My authority level was too low to manipulate anything. The last thing I saw was a metal rod as I turned around.

____________________________________________

“Samantha, mind helping me tie him up?”

“That’s the fun part. Paying attention in those military exercises paid off. If it weren’t for them, I’d have no clue how to tie a knot.”

“…is it weird, being in that new body?”

“Of course. I’d forgotten how it felt to be so young.”

“…okay. He shouldn’t be able to escape now. I’ll grab the modified extractor. It now doubles as a memory extractor and aging nullifier. It’ll feel like a medical shot. It injects nanomachines.”

“I’ll stay still, do it now.”

“…done. It should immediately take effect.

“Great. Should I enter the pod now to test age acceleration?”

“I have a backup of your consciousness, so sure. If you die, we’ll just bring you back. Let’s begin now… I’m starting the acceleration in three… two… one… zero… now to wait a bit… alright. Come on out. The machine is done… I don’t see any changes. Do you feel any different?”

“No, and I don’t look different at all. How many years was I set to age?”

“Sixty years.”

“Holy… that’s older than I was in my original body.”

“Well, we know it works. Go outside and wait while I finish off Lawrence.”

“Sounds good. What if he breaks free and hurts you?”

“I haven’t backed up my consciousness, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen.”

“Fair enough. See you later, brother. Just be careful…”

Samantha leaves the room.

“Alright.”

Jovan walks towards the tied up Lawrence.

“Wake up. Wake up!”

“Ahg… what the… Jovan, where…”

“Where’s the mallet… oh. Must have left it with the old guy. I should have waited before waking him…”

He leaves the room. Lawrence tries to escape the chair. After pushing legs forwards enough, it's a success with standing. The arms are still tied and the legs too but standing isn't too much of an issue. Jovan enters the room again.

“Should have cleaned the mallet off before… what the- “

The chair is swung into Jovan. It knocks him into the open pod.

“No... no!”

The door is pushed closed with the chair. With little hand movement available, Lawrence locks the door. Jovan is trapped in the pod.

“Let me out!”

Lawrence tries to turn the aging amount higher and manages to make it reach 93 years. The button is pressed to restart the machine and the age acceleration.

“No… n… th.. ca… n’t…”

Jovan starts to rapidly age.

“S… mth… a…”

Something strikes from behind.

“Jovan! What have you done to Jovan!?”

Samantha repeatedly hits Lawrence with Jovan’s mallet.

“No… no… this can’t be… no… no!”

Samantha continues to swing the mallet.

“Jovan… no…”

All that remains in the pod is dust.

“Robert, please… come in. Something awful happened…”

____________________________________________

On days like these, you don’t usually come across such a request…

It’s not like I had nothing to do. I had a whole idea in mind for a brand-new project, but I couldn’t turn down the offer when I was given it.

But everything is going to change, because of what happened today. While I had been searching for a book of mine, I heard a knock on my door. I hadn’t planned any company, so I checked my door cameras. There was a man in a grey suit standing outside my door. He was silently waiting there for me with a suitcase. Whoever he was, he wasn’t somebody I knew.

I opened my door to talk with him. The man told me he had a project for me that he feels I may be interested in. He said his name is Robert and had come from the Silver Bed Foundation, a group that excels in technological advancements. Robert, however, seemed sometime rough. His smile was eerily smug and it was a bit uncomfortable to look at.

The foundation itself had been working on some secretive project for a while, but I heard they ran into some difficulties. I questioned the legitimacy of this person being part of the Silver Bed, and he presented a recorded message requesting me to join by the founder, Earl Celvar. Earl stated the project would be involving something fantasized in legends and stories that have lasted for thousands of years.

It would be an attempt for immortality.

To do this, we’d be building a brand-new world – a digital one – and transfer the mind and consciousness to the world, allowing people to live in their own personal realm.

…

I wonder where my book went…

____________________________________________

After finally arriving at my workspace, I saw Robert standing in the corner. He approached and greeted me before explaining the scenario. The lab was spacious, with a main office and numerous tables with monitors.

“Hah... welcome to your nice, glorious workspace! I'm going to be doing some maintenance in the testing room due to a malfunction in a device. Plus, the room is messy right now, so I need to clean it if we're going to test!”

“Can't you just wait for the janitor to clean everything?”

“No, it should be me! I need everything done quickly! Here, this is something you need for the project!

Robert reached for a small memory storage unit behind him and turned back to face me.

“What do I do if I need your help with something?”

“You're smart, you'll figure it out. If you need materials, there are plenty in Lab Room C. We're using it as a storage for now. Well, I must go. See ya!"

Robert’s behavior seemed somewhat bizarre. He was excited to work on the project, but he didn’t sound kind or excited about me. As narcissistic as that sounds, he just gave off an odd vibe. Robert quickly departed, leaving me to my devices. It looks like it's just me alone here, and it’s time to work. My job would be creating tech for a digital world or afterlife, so I would need to gather parts and prepare to program the world. It would be a long and hard project, but I have all the materials I need to do so and the harder parts, like that consciousness copying device, were already made.

The book… There’s a book on the table in the room. I didn’t mention it to Robert as he left, but I needed to check the book later. It looks so similar…

____________________________________________

The book... The book next to the display looks and feels exactly like mine, and it has the same markings. That must be my book. They're identical. Robert or somebody else must have stolen the book from me. But why? It could just be a different copy and be a coincidence, but it... it has the same marks. That can't just be random.

I needed to get into the confidential room on the left. I just needed to find a way to change my authority, so it is high enough for me to succeed. I won't tell Robert the machine is finished. If he tries analyzing it then he'll see it works, but I needed to explore that room first.

____________________________________________

After some snooping around, I found some codes and everything I needed to fix my authority to the level I need. First, I would enter the confidential room and then afterwards I would go through Robert’s room. If he’s not there, I’ll also check the testing lab. I began to quietly walk to the confidential room and unlock the door.

The room itself was surprisingly long and at the very end of it, it there was a computer and some other extra pieces of technology. I walked to the computer to see if it has anything at all, whether an application or files. The computer doesn't have any programs, but it did have a file labeled "project_möbius." I opened the document to see what it has.

____________________________________________

~PROJECT MÖBIUS~

Objective: Gain immortality in three main ways to prepare for the creation of the Silver Sight. Create a tool that can be used to greatly increase speed of developing projects. Develop the outline for Mememorari.

Main Plan: Bring Lawrence to make a memory extraction tool, kill Lawrence, use the tool and cloning to do this continuously so that he can create more machines of his own accord. The machines would be for the purpose of stopping the effects of time or granting immortality in numerous ways to the members of the Silver Sight.

Jovan’s Replacement: Unfortunately, due to the death of Jovan Abernathy, he will be replaced by Robert Sandys. Robert has received a memory backup, so if he is killed, he can come back easily. Unfortunately, as Jovan is dead, he will no longer be a part of the Silver Sight.

Silver Sight Members: Earl Celvar, Unnamed Celvar Twins, Jovan Abernathy, Samantha Abernathy, Cora Pheilix, Robert Sandys, Marlichen

Samantha’s Use: Samantha Abernathy, sister of Jovan, was previously a soldier who fought in battles in Entho's Onslaught. She became a fierce warrior but still craved the feeling she had whenever she would kill in combat. As a result, she became one of the Silver Sight, and a dedicated assassin who is sent to murder people who cause troubles for the Silver Bed Foundation. To help her be undetected and remain unsuspicious, her conscious and memories were transferred to a clone of herself at the age of 9. In addition, she was given the trait to not be able to age. This way, she can slaughter anybody needed without being likely to be suspected and remain this body.

Connection to Future Projects: Use the technology for use with Project Purple. Assuming Project Purple goes well, a relationship between the Silver Bed and the Solstice will be strong enough for Project Oval to take place.

____________________________________________

I stood there, frozen in shock. I had not only been tricked and deceived but murdered twice. And they planned to do it again. They were going to repeat the cycle once more. I needed to find a way to stop everything.

But as I turned around, I was struck in the head with a mallet. I fell to the floor but rolled to the side the mallet struck where my head would have been. It was happening a third time. I was to be killed once more.

I tried to throw myself at the figure, who turned out to be Robert. I lunged at his throat and he dropped the mallet to the ground. Robert did not try to remove my grip, but instead he went for the side of my head. He managed to activate S.K.Y.L.A. and increased sensitivity to pain. He tried scratching my arm and the pain had been so intense that I fell to the ground. He picked up the hammer, and he went for one final swing.

____________________________________________

My eyes were blinded by a light as I had awoken. The lights were on, but the windows were all closed, and the blinds were shut. I had awoken back in my home. Inside my bed, even. I climbed on out of bed to the kitchen. I needed something to eat, something to drink.

It felt like everything was a bad dream. I reached for my book I’d been reading. The bookmark is in the proper place. There was nothing off about it.

I heard a sound.

Somebody was knocking on the door to my home. I felt like I should answer it, but after what happened, my gut was against it. But I ignored it anyways.

I walked towards the door to answer it. Before I got to it, the door burst open by itself. I walked closer to the open doorway. On the other side of the door was… nothing. There was just an empty, barren plane of white. It looked almost metallic. It looked silver.

“Good morning, and welcome, Lawrence.”

I recognized that voice. It’s the voice of Earl.

“Listen closely, Lawrence. This is a prerecorded message, and it will play once before any actions can take place.”

No… it couldn’t be real.

“Your suspicions were accurate. You have been part of this project so that purely so that we can achieve success whenever we want, for whatever we need.”

Why had I done this?

“You were a puppet, but we have now decided we will no longer clone you indefinitely. Instead, you will be copied and used in the digital world to endlessly supply us with devices and technology blueprints.”

What was I trying to do by accepting the job?

“We have decided to however copy your consciousness post-creation of this digital realm.”

Why didn’t I just decline the offer?

“We believe that you deserve a choice. Unlike other copies, you have knowledge of the truth and have not been wiped. Because of this, you will have the option to either be deleted or live free in this world.”

Did I really need to fill a gap?

“If you live free in this world, you will have complete control. You can make whatever you want, do whatever you want, but you’re going to be alone.”

Was it loneliness?

“Human interaction would be with only artificial people created by you. They wouldn’t be real. If you choose to be deleted, it will be like death, but painless. Your memory will be gone. This version of you won’t exist.”

A door emerges from the ground. There’s a giant red X in the center, being one of the few traces of color in the devoid land besides the house behind me.

“If you wish for deletion, enter the door. You will not feel anything but will be gone completely. Other copies of you will still be made to create blueprints, but each will be wiped upon success. If you wish to stay here, go back to your house. You’ll receive all the information you need to design your new world, but you’ll still be alone. Please select a choice.”

I stood there, staring at the door for a few minutes. I had the choice to die - or at least, kill this version - or live for eternity. This is the last choice I can ever decide on, regardless if I live or die. And if I’m honest, this is the only chance I could ever get an opportunity like this.

I decided. I’ll just live here, in this world. It’s not real, and I’ll just be trapped here forever… But at least I have full control of this place. It’s all under my power, isn’t it? Everything here will be up to me, even if it’s all fake. It’ll be like a game, just a more interactive and powerful one. If I have nothing remaining to live for… I’ll just make something here. Something worth living for. Here, I have infinite resources. I have infinite power. I have infinite time.

Maybe this was for the better. Perhaps this is what I wanted to fill a hole with. I walk back through the house entrance. Upon entering, the entire structure has changed. The walls are coated in a dark, vibrant purple looking almost like the stars. As expected, a book on the ground with instructions on how to manipulate the world emerges. It’s not like I’d need it, however. I did create this system, after all.

My life is now stress free. I have nothing to worry about. I have nothing I need to correct about everyday life. It’s all up to my imagination. I can live here for the rest of eternity. Whatever the foundation planned to do with this software doesn’t really matter anymore. My life is completely different now. And now, this world was be built for me.

____________________________________________

It’s just another peaceful day… and yet there are still so many issues in the world…

I just hope something interesting happens. Maybe I can start a new project or try and collaborate with another corporation. It can’t go too poorly, after all.

Now, to check the daily news and then continue reading this book…