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Henry asked Thena again,
"In the fragments you remember—your companions' personalities, their manner of speaking—are they identical to the people in your real memories?"
Thena considered briefly, then shook her head.
"No. They feel… like different people."
"Then treat those memories as not truly yours," Henry said calmly. "Perhaps it's the mind's compensatory mechanism—overlaying unfamiliar memories onto familiar faces to make sense of them."
Kingo cut in, "Do you have a solution, Henry?"
"I have an idea."
"Then say it," Gilgamesh urged.
Even Thena, who had long resigned herself to living this way, showed a flicker of interest. The emptiness in her gaze softened slightly.
Henry opened his sketchbook again.
This time, he used two different colored pencils, writing overlapping text in the same space.
"Have you ever played this game?" he asked. "When two colors of text overlap, and you want to see only one—what do you do?"
The three Eternals stared blankly.
Henry sighed lightly.
"You place a transparent filter of the same color over it. The unwanted color disappears, leaving only the target text visible.
"I don't have colored film with me to demonstrate. But you understand the principle?"
This time, they nodded.
Henry continued.
"Simply put—we build a neural filter.
"It would detect the brainwave frequency corresponding to the intrusive memory fragments and generate an opposing waveform to cancel them out."
He tapped the page.
"Thena's normal memories and the interfering fragments operate on distinct frequency patterns. I don't need to worry about filtering the wrong signal—they're clearly separable.
"Suppress the intrusive signal. Reduce its cortical response. The interference stops."
Kingo frowned.
"Suppress, not erase. So the memories still exist?"
"Yes," Henry replied patiently.
"All biological brains—Eternals included—don't store memory like stone carvings or ink on paper.
"Memories move from short-term to long-term storage. If not revisited for long periods, they sink deeper into inactive layers and eventually fade from accessible recall.
"The brain discards what it deems unnecessary.
"I assume even you cannot recall what you ate for breakfast and dinner on a random day five thousand years ago?"
Gilgamesh cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Actually… I can. Which date would you like?"
Kingo and Thena both leaned away from him in visible irritation.
Kingo said bluntly, "Ignore him. You think he's this big because of bone structure? Henry's right. We don't remember trivial details like that."
Henry suppressed a sigh and continued smoothly.
"Thena's problem isn't memory volume.
"It's uncontrolled recall frequency.
"The intrusive fragments activate repeatedly, without her intent. That constant activation increases cognitive load and destabilizes her mental state.
"If we suppress those specific activation patterns, her brain regains equilibrium."
He gestured lightly.
"Think of it as noise-canceling headphones. When external noise is detected, the device emits an inverse wave, neutralizing the sound.
"I propose building a device that does exactly that—for those specific brainwave signatures."
He added:
"This only works because Eternal neural patterns are extraordinarily precise and consistent. Human brainwaves are far too chaotic for such targeted filtering—unless you're someone like Professor X.
"My confidence is based on my research into telepathic defense systems."
The three Eternals exchanged uncertain glances.
Henry clarified further.
"Let me be clear. This is not a cure.
"It is correction.
"Like glasses for nearsighted humans."
He paused.
"You do know what glasses are, correct?"
Gilgamesh rolled his eyes.
"Yes. We know what glasses are."
"Good."
Henry turned back to Kingo.
"If the device is damaged, Thena reverts to her previous state. Then we build another one. That's all.
"Does that satisfy our agreement?"
Kingo nodded slowly.
"I wanted a solution. Not necessarily a cure. I can accept this. But are you certain it will work?"
"I won't collect payment until I verify effectiveness," Henry said lightly. "No risk of me taking the blood and running."
"Payment?" Gilgamesh asked.
Kingo answered openly.
"I promised Henry that if he resolves Thena's condition, I'll give him one vial of my blood.
"He originally wanted to study our armor system—but you know that requires access to the Domo.
"I think a hundred milliliters of blood is reasonable compensation—if this works."
"One vial? That much?" Gilgamesh asked uncertainly.
"Not much. About a hundred milliliters. Roughly the volume of one finger."
He added dryly,
"My finger. Not yours."
Gilgamesh immediately said,
"If that's all, I'll donate too. If he helps Thena."
Thena spoke calmly.
"I will as well."
Henry blinked.
"Well. Originally, this was only between Kingo and me. But if you're willing… that triples my compensation.
"I have no reason not to give this everything I've got.
"Are you certain?"
"Of course," Gilgamesh said firmly.
The matter was settled.
Three Eternals.
Three samples of Celestial-engineered biology.
For Henry—
The real research was only beginning.
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