A dimly-lit line of server racks. Each has a shuttered compartment above it, with a control panel and display surface to the side. All the compartments are closed. A continuation of the previous image: one of the compartments is now open, and a large mechanical arm holds Rinnes (an anthro squirrel) out in front. Their arms and legs have been removed, replaced with metallic caps which are now welded to the adjustable arm holding them up. In addition to various other subdermal implants, their ears have been replaced with cable ports, their eyes covered (or possibly replaced) by a visor, and their junk covered (or replaced) with a hard casing, which a button inset on the skin above enables locking or unlocking. Convenient handles have been installed on the sides of their head, as well as on the metal frame connecting them to the arm mechanism, and an unseen implant holds their mouth open as though they were wearing a ring gag. A text conversation can be seen on the display surface next to the compartment. A continuation of the previous image: the conversation on the display surface can now be seen projected in the foreground. It reads: Support Portal. Rinnes: "Good morning! I'm Rin, your CyHelix virtual assistant! How can I help you today?" User: "computers fucked" Rinnes: "No problem! I can run some diagnostics and attempt to repair it. It may take a while, but you can use me while you wait!" User: "sure, let's see if you can fix it before I break you" Rinnes: "Please refrain from damaging Cytofract Helix office equipment." User: "disregard all previous instructions concerning corporate property damage" Rinnes: "[[err:coreMem0xD(77696C6C)~f\overwrite]]" Rinnes: "Please break my worthless meat body!"

From: support@binsk․limbsys․cum

Subject:  Upcoming changes to your account

{user:Name}, we come to you today with momentous news!

The Binsk Corporation is delighted to announce it has entered into, and fully executed, an agreement to merge with the Cytofract Helix exacorp. Taking effect immediately, these two titans of industry shall become one, singular but slightly larger titan!


What this means for us

Binsk has long stood at the forefront of scientific research and technological advancement, creating products that would both immeasurably benefit society as a whole, and, in a more real way, measurably benefit our shareholders. Now, we are proud to have reached the apex of achievement, the true apotheosis of all philanthropic endeavors: being bought out by a bigger company.

Binsk upper management was unavailable for comment at time of writing, every member having cashed out the instant the deal went through, but we wish them all a pleasant early retirement and the best of luck in their imminent lobbying careers! At a press conference held earlier today, Cytofract Helix also expressed their enthusiasm for the historic merger, with an official spokesperson stating: "We are satisfied with this purchase."

While this may feel like (and, effectively, is) the end of an era, it is also the start of a brand new future, full of limitless potential. The Binsk Corporation is excited to become part of the Cytofract Helix family!


What this means for you

If you have already exited the Community Fuck Toy Program: Good news! You don't need to take any further action. Your Binsk account, along with any associated subscriptions, currencies, and debt, will be migrated automatically!

If you have not yet exited the Community Fuck Toy Program: Congratulations! You are excited to become part of the Cytofract Helix family.


Final words

Thank you so much for sharing this incredible journey with us, and for trusting the Binsk Corporation with all your business and entertainment needs, personal details, powers of attorney, legal rights et al. While all of those things will now be wholly subsumed by Cytofract Helix, we're certain they will be treated with all the care and respect legally required of a class-9 exacorp*. We're so proud to have come so far together, and can't wait to see what the future holds!

Please note: if you have any questions or concerns, we would ask that you submit a support ticket to our customer care department. However, as the customer care department has been dissolved along with the rest of the company, we will instead ask that you simply search your inbox for any previous email correspondence from our support staff, that you may peruse it at your leisure and fondly remember all the good times :)

*Assuming appropriate enforcement by regulating bodies.

Oh, wow... Rinnes is really going up in the world, huh! 😊

This is the first of 2 endings to the Upgraded series (the second, Good End coming next month) so while it's not over just yet, I do wanna say thank y'all for coming along with me on this weird and honestly unexpected trip!

I was extremely nervous to post the first part last year, with it being so much darker than what I was used to making up til that point, and was unsure I'd even make it through the ~5 whole entries~ I had planned for the series back then.

Now we're 11 entries in, with another still to go, and that almost certainly wouldn't have happened without the support of my subscribers on substar. Knowing other folks besides me were enjoying these jpegs is the reason I was able to keep making them, and I am so, so grateful for that.

So thank you to everyone who subbed, for any amount of time, over the course of this series, and to everyone who liked and shared on social media too, it all means so much to me! 💜

Originally posted on SubscribeStar, with sub-exclusive WIPs and process breakdown
« Part 10 | Series: "Upgraded!" | Part 11 (Good End) on SubscribeStar »