Perchance to Dream

In a virtual afterlife, Captain Eli Jaxon finds himself facing a bureaucratic clerk after perishing on the Martian battlefield. Jaxon discovers that, while his body lies broken, his consciousness survives due to a crystal embedded in his central cortex. The clerk, a representative of a powerful corporation, informs Jaxon that his family is not entitled to compensation unless he signs a new contract. There’s a catch: he must complete a mission to escort Professor Hope back to a secure facility. The professor holds a critical formula threatened by synaptic decay. As Jaxon grapples with the morality of the situation, he learns that his body is not irreversibly damaged; nano-devices can repair it if he agrees to the corporation storing his consciousness indefinitely. The tension escalates as the clerk uses emotional leverage, hinting at dire consequences for Jaxon's family if he refuses. Reluctantly, Jaxon signs the contract, leading to his revival on the battlefield. Upon returning to the base, Jaxon witnesses the dark side of the corporation's technology as Professor Hope's head is severed for data extraction. Jaxon, haunted by the moral implications, confronts the clerk, insisting he is out. It is then however the clerk reveals the extent of the corporation's control: Jaxon's DNA has been rewritten and as a consequence he is now the property of the corporation. Even his brain functions are now their patented intellectual property. The story leaves audiences questioning the ethical boundaries of technology, corporate power, and the price one pays for survival.