Governor Schwartzenegger.

California Governor Alice Schwarzenegger lay comatose in the Neurology Ward of the Washington University Medical Center. Around the Ward were other patients similarly connected to medical monitoring stations. Scattered thoughout the area glimmering holographic screens showed information about the patients, diagrams, and photos of the afflicted. An ominous counter on one of the screens was ticking up from 79,874,365,291 Brain Cloud attacks reported. Dr VonStein called to one of the attendants “Vic2ria, have there been any changes with the Governor?”

Vic2ria, the oddly named nurse with a slightly dazed expression, came over to the Doctor and Wotch. “Situation is stable. The patient is suffering a 35% synapse misfire rate.” Looking at Anne, she clarified: “A third of the memory and cognative thought formations are experiencing interruption. The synapse misfires with the energy dissipating. It is similar to a quiet seizure or the function of a mind afflicted with severe autism… The corpus callosum shows degraded function symptomatic of the condition – the right and left sides of the brain are communicating with less than 20% of capacity, further inhibiting brain activity. The subject is unsuitable for the Venaur Treatment and has shown no improvement. Psychic screens have reduced the increase of disability caused by telepathic scans but mostly we wait for alternate treatments.”

“Venaur?” The lab coated red head expressed curiousity.

“Vic2ria is our first successful patient restored to full functionality using the Venusian Aura Stabilization Feedback Process. She had suffered a 70% misfire rate and was in danger of losing autonomic functions. Using a GF psychic field synchronization field, the afflicted neural pathways are redirected to mimic the functions of a healthy brain template. Unfortunately, the treated brain loses those memories and personality traits associated with the brain cloud event and replaces them with engrams copied from the donor. We have been attempting to create an artificial generic pattern, but those treated become virtually mindless.”

“Doctor VonStein, I would like to reassure you that I am happier sharing some of your memories than becoming a robotic drone,” Vic2ria attempted to reassure the serious physician, “...dying, or even living as a virtual vegetable. I can tell you from personal experience, that my work here in the hospital is much more rewarding than selling adult literature. I believe that the cloud has a silver lining – the blocked memories appear to be those at odds with peaceful coexistence in our modern society. I DO not share your belief that they are the result of Venusian mind control. I feel that they represent a perceptual break between memory and internal reality – a form of mental evolution.” Vic2ria’s sunny demeanor was a stark contrast to her supervisor’s skepticism.

The doctor, admitting defeat left her bubbly copy taking Anne Onymous  on a tour of the facility while she saw to the other patients. After the tour, Anne took game her farewells and headed...