SORA’S POVTwisted metal and shattered interface equipment litter corridors that an hour ago hummed with peaceful collective harmonics. Emergency lights cast everything in red while sirens wail through ventilation systems that struggle to clear air thick with ozone and the metallic tang of electronics destroyed by explosives designed to sever consciousness connections rather than simply damage infrastructure.“Seventeen interfaces destroyed,” Kira reports, kneeling beside debris that was once Chair Twelve, where Mrs. Rodriguez used to sit connected to consciousness that carried lullabies from her grandmother alongside preserved songs from civilizations that chose cooperation over extinction. “Direct targeting of consciousness preservation equipment. Whoever did this understood exactly how to inflict maximum damage on collective connection protocols.”“Survivors?” I ask, though my voice cracks on words that span the distance between rescue operations and witnessing genocide.“Three int

MITCHELL'S POVThe UN Assembly hall smells like stale coffee and broken promises.Fluorescent lighting beats down on delegates whose faces carry eighteen hours of continuous debate. Translation devices whisper in languages that span continents, but they cannot bridge the gap between nations that seek consciousness protection and those that view consciousness modification as an economic opportunity."The Chair recognizes the delegate from Singapore," announces Secretary-General Chen, her voice hoarse from marathon sessions.Ambassador Liu stands with papers that rustle like autumn leaves. "Singapore maintains that consciousness verification protocols must include biometric authentication. The current draft language permits authentication loopholes that render consent meaningless."“The current draft reflects compromises necessary for adoption," counters Dr. Santos from Brazil. "Perfect verification systems don't exist. We're crafting workable frameworks, not theoretical perfection.""W

KIRA'S POVHarbor fog rolls through the reinforced windows of the retrofitted warehouse, carrying salt air that mingles with ozone from consciousness monitoring equipment humming throughout the facility. Security checkpoints flash green as legal observers, medical personnel, and live-stream technicians move through corridors designed to contain voluntary consciousness modification conducted under international oversight rather than black-market exploitation."First volunteer arriving in ten minutes," announces Dr. Sarah Kim, approaching with documentation that spans medical clearance and legal consent verification. "James Morrison, sixty-seven, diagnosed with early-onset dementia, seeking cognitive enhancement to preserve memory function.""Family consent status?" I ask, reviewing protocols that balance individual autonomy with familial concerns when consciousness modification affects relationships spanning decades of shared experience."Complicated. Mr. Morrison signed all consent f

AVELINE'S POVThe museum tastes like dust and buried secrets.Climate-controlled cabinets hum with artificial precision while I work through archived materials that document civilizations preserved through consciousness modification, spanning species whose names exist only in digital catalogs and recovery manifest documentation. Soft lamp light filters through decommissioned exhibition spaces, casting shadows across artifacts that represent cultural preservation conducted through methods that challenge every assumption about consciousness expansion as cultural destruction."Cultural identity markers preserved in 89 percent of archived consciousness modification examples," I announce to recording equipment that documents research findings spanning anthropological analysis and consciousness preservation evidence. "Language patterns, artistic traditions, religious practices, and social structures are maintained through consciousness expansion rather than eliminated through collective int

SORA'S POVThe safe house tastes like stale coffee and fractured alliances.Maps cover the whiteboard in overlapping territories while I stare at operational zones that represent international cells whose priorities diverge like rivers flowing away from a shared source. Tokyo wants diplomatic solutions. Berlin advocates sabotage operations. London pursues legal frameworks. Each colored pin documents consciousness modification prevention efforts that compete rather than coordinate across geographical boundaries."Direct action timeline approaching critical threshold," I announce to representatives whose faces carry weight spanning operational urgency and political caution. "Contractor consciousness modification deployment accelerates while diplomatic negotiations produce advisory committees with voluntary compliance protocols.""Direct action produces international incidents that compromise diplomatic progress," counters Dr. Sarah Kim from the Seoul cell, approaching with documentation