Circuit Breaker

Long ago, on an unknown planet, there lived a scientist named Farzon. Dr. Farzon was a true genius, though he was also known to be secretive. His specialty was genetic experimentation, with some additional experience in biology and anatomy. For many years, he had been working on a race of synthetic creatures he called circuit breakers. They were immune to the dangerous force of electricity, with the power to survive massive volts of electricity passing through their bodies without harm. They were circuit breakers because this was what they did, they broke the circuits that kept electric power flowing through wires. Dr. Farzon worked long and hard on this great project, and finally, it was ready.

Twenty of Farzon's amazing beings were made, and the scientist was pleased with his work. He used another of his creations, a transporter, to send them far away from his world, into different parts of the universe. Once he was sure that his new race was safe, and out of reach of invading races who had an interest in the doctor's work, Farzon destroyed his laboratory, taking every bit of research with him. In the destruction of the laboratory, the doctor also destroyed himself, so any hope of learning any of his secrets died with him. Even the circuit breakers were protected, as any cyborg hacker who might encounter them would ultimately discover. Farzon died laughing as his laboratory burned around him.....

***

My name is Quain. I am a male. I am a circuit breaker. I know only a little bit about who I am and from whence I came. I know I was created by a Dr. Farzon, who died over two hundred years ago after perfecting my race. That is the limit of my knowledge.

I'm pretty popular with the ladies in school. I'm about twenty, and I live in a small town in Montana. I love rainy nights the most. Sometimes I'll get into my black Saab and drive into the nearby mountains, just to spend a night watching the rain falling down over the city far below. I bought my car on my own. It's a real beauty!

I have a mom and dad, and two sisters, both younger than me. I had an older brother, but he died a while ago in a mountain accident. He was scaling a cliff when the rope snapped suddenly. I miss Joel so much. Sally and Paula are good sisters, and I try my best to be there for them. Mom and dad are distant, these days, lost in whatever thoughts are troubling them.

As I explained, I am a circuit breaker. I know I'm not really a human being, only I was born to a human family, somehow. I have imprinted memories of my real creator, Dr. Farzon, but I don't remember very much. Electric storms have never scared me, and they will never harm me. They don't happen often where I live, but when they do happen, I like to be outside to see them.

I attend a co-ed college. It's the same college that Joel attended until he died. That was about three years ago, now. Joel was going to be a mechanic. I'm taking classes to be an electrician. I also take a mechanic's class out of respect to my brother's passion, fast cars. He liked hiking and climbing mountains, too, but fast cars were his real love.

Montana is a great place to call home. I can drive my car out beyond the city for miles and miles and miles. I carry extra gas in the trunk, just in case I need it. Joel used to drive a Mustang. It's in the shed, now. I'm working on it so I can take it out to the races someday. My car and college are the focus of my life right now.

I've had some experience with breaking circuits. There's a power pole outside of the neighbourhood where I live. Once, during a wind storm, a powerful gale blew down one of the wires. I had been driving past in my car and saw the downed wire. No one saw me get out of the car and go over to the live wire. No one saw me touch it, and break the circuit long enough to reattach the wire to the pole.

That's basically what I've been doing for the last few years, now. I've repaired downed lines for several years, and accepted thousands of volts to course through my body without any harmful effects afterwards. I don't know how this is possible, but I know it has to do with Dr. Farzon's work. I don't know anything about him except for the fact he created the race called the circuit breakers.

I can also detect electric pulses in the atmosphere. A couple nights ago, the pulses were different. They were created. It was the strangest thing. I can't explain it. I can detect human disturbances and interferences in the atmosphere, but these pulses were not made by humans. Could it be possible that something that is not human has entered the atmosphere? Who would believe me if I voiced my thoughts aloud?