Cyberpunk Trailer: Artificial Hearts
“It’s the year 2080. The earliest form of cybernetics have become a worldwide phenomenon, shaking and reshaping the medical world as we know it. Lives all around the world depend on modern cybernetic implants. We had never forgotten the political war over the right to repair back in the early 20’s. We lost that one. Today, activists globally are rallying on the frontlines about the right to publicize medical implant documents. The blueprints and design properties of medical devices? Virtually impossible to access. Cutting edge security and vicious political leaders are deep in the pockets of our corporate overlords. That small fraction of whistleblowers who succeeded in leaking documents for the good of the public? Well, none of them lived long enough to try that twice.
This brings us to one small family; a mother and child. Born with cardiovascular disease the poor child has spent his formative years in and out of doctors’ offices, medical wards, you name it. You’d think with the miracles of modern science we could keep a child alive and a mother happy. Things aren’t that simple. In this world, one false move against the wrong person and suddenly the cold grasp of reality tightens itself around the child’s neck. This doctor… He works for a private heart valve automation company- get this, their precision cardio tech makes it quick and non-invasive to adjust the kid’s cybernetic heart to match their growth. By minimizing surgery we minimalize complications… Of the medical variety.
That doctor made advances on the mother and she turned him down. All of a sudden the mother and child find themselves making frequent hospital visits, go figure. The mother is in distress, the medical bills are compounding, poor kid’s on his last living limb. How much do you think a young body can endure? The doctor refuses to release the patent information and no other companies have access to their unique blueprints. Even just knowing the adjustment parameters could save a life. Like a clockwork heart, time is ticking.”
It’s a cold night in the city, even metal limbs would shiver. The child is in ICU, currently unconscious. A crimson symbol of Caduceus falsely illuminates the night atop an office. Underneath the shadow of the tall building, the mother checks her sidearm strapped inside of her leather coat one last time. It’s loaded. Her phone lights up the dark alley with a pale blue light. There’s only a single message from an unregistered number. It reads “Security is light tonight. This is your only chance. Think of all the families you’ll be saving.” She stands under the fire exit, numb to the creeping cold. She looks up and takes one last misty breath for the both of them, and begins climbing the stairs.