Ta419 - 06/02,

  TSU-Subsidiary; ‘Pearl Processing Productions’, Unlisted Private Facility.

  It felt nothing, saw nothing, tasted and smelt nothing. It struggled in a void of complete and total emptiness, but how could it move limbs it couldn't feel?

  It was a feeling - if you could really call it that - but one of great discomforting numbness. The absence of senses utterly deafening in its silence.

  No, that wasn't quite right. Growing on the edge of the abyss, a sense, sound, it could hear.

  "Subject is awake, Sir," a female voice. Cold and distant, uncaring.

  "Ah good, faster than expected at that, you never fail to impress Thrall," a man's voice, the words positive yet the intent malicious, derivative, disgusted even.

  How did it know that? Was that all just from the tone? Without body language to read or any other social cues, it wasn't guessing. It felt absolutely confident in its assessments.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  "Readings are above expectations; the drug has succeeded."

  "Excellent, and that's the last one too. You hear that big ‘fella? Oh, don't worry about your other senses. We aren't like other barbarian projects; you'll have them back soon. Ah, except your voice, but that was an accident," the male voice purred, dripping with grim amusement.

  "What of the remaining test subjects, Sir?"

  "There are still some left? Fascinating. I can't imagine they’re long for this world; just stop feeding them."

  The cruel voice suddenly got closer, "I wonder what they would think if we told them you are still alive. By all accounts, you were one ruthless bastard, yet they still put their trust and faith in you, Tem--"

  "Sir, you mustn't. You'll hurt the conditioning," alarm and a little exasperation coated the female voice this time.

  "Now don't panic. Getting a little rise speeds up the results. Do you see there? Saved us a couple of minutes."

  "Yes, Sir..."

  "Heh, the cheek of this one, eh Thrall? I doubt you were the kind of leader to put up with that, ‘still hardly matters anymore. Soon, you'll be working for us, my little magnum opus. For now, sleep a little longer, sleep more dreams for the next time you wake, it'll be nought more than an extra nightmare."

  Fading, fading, fading.

  Sound receded, and all returned to nothing once more.