They were very sick, their body broken in ways that would never be able to recover by conventional means. Their family scraped together what funds they had to send them to the B'Nari, hearing they would help the poor and desperate for free. But the person was afraid.
"Will it... will it really be.. me? Or will I be dead and that... that body live on just thinking it's me? I don't want to die." -- Anon Guest
"You fear for your soul," said Medik-Counsellor Splint. "That's understandable. Those who believe in souls much prefer a new cerebral habitat. We can either clone your body without a brain and install yours inside, or create an artificial brain support system to your personal specifications. The procedure is... well, many consider it unnerving."
Human Oyt could not speak. With the help of an eye-tracker, they typed out, "I won't die?"
"We have very sophisticated brain support systems," soothed Splint. "A good half of them are keeping you alive right now. Don't worry, they're also maintaining your body as well. You have plenty of time to decide your fate."
Oyt's eyes flicked across the board, and the voice to speak for them said, "How will I tell if I'm not me?"
"That's a philosophical question," allowed Splint. "I am concerned with the medical and emotional aspect of your recovery. I can only ask... what do you believe makes you... you?"
"You're B'Nari," Oyt managed via their comms assistant. "Haven't you found... anything?"
"B'Nar focusses its energies on progress and technology. We can extend life to a functional infinite. We can create life to order. We can certainly destroy life, though we prefer not to. We've neither looked for, nor found, evidence of the divine nor a divinely-gifted spirit. We much prefer to leave beliefs like that up to the individual who holds them."
"I don't want to be copied onto a hard drive and die without knowing it," 'said' Oyt.
"Then we'll be working with a brain support system," Splint nodded, taking notes. "Would you prefer a biological or fabricated one?"
"I... don't know. It feels wrong to make a soulless body just to keep... my brain alive. And what if the soul's somewhere else? Some people say it's in the heart and... and mine... isn't beating, anymore."
"Do you feel as if your soul has departed?"
"No. And I don't know how to tell."
"Well, if you find a way," said Splint, "we would love to know what it is."
[Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash]
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