Especially for Chris.

"I- I don't- Jesus," Chris stammered nervously. "I have no idea. Doctor, what's wrong with her? This isn't like her at all."

Ada turned her attention to Ashton, now **** to know what was wrong with her. She was behaving uncharacteristically. Ashton sighed and shook his head.

"Fucking interns..." he muttered. "Ada, I'm afraid I have some very bad news. One of our most promising projects is a neuro-optical device that can cause changes to brain chemistry in some individuals purely through sight."

"Like the Men in Black memory thing," Chris said with growing dread. The doctor nodded.

"That's science fiction, but it's a good way to understand what our device does. We've been working on a treatment for dissociative disorders and neurological problems that affect one's sense of self. With proper calibration, a simple oscillating wave could make things like Cotard's syndrome a thing of the past!"

"Too bad I don't have that," Ada said. "So what the fuck did it do to me?"

The doctor took off his glasses and paused. It took Ada a moment to realize that he was stalling. Finally, he spoke.

"It's a bit difficult to explain. Each of us has an autonoesis, or a concept in our mind represent our self. It's the amalgamation of everything that makes up our I; our body, our mind, our personality, our-"

"Get to the point," Ada said irritably. The doctor cleared his throat again.

"Yes, well... um. Your image has been sort of altered. I guess it's more accurate to say that it's been partially erased, and your mind is in the process of filling in the blank. Our device targets the volitional aspect of self-regard-"

"Meaning?" Chris demanded.

"Meaning you are no longer able to act in your own interest," the doctor admitted. "Your priorities are now extrinsically defined. Let me provide an example. Suppose you're clothes shopping and you see a shirt that you really like. You try it on and it's a perfect fit, but it's far outside of your budget."

"At this point, you make a decision to either buy the shirt or put it back. You may consider your finances, your current wardrobe, your self-esteem, the way your friends might react, but the point is that all of these considerations are fundamentally self-centered. You don't consider what the store clerk wants, or how your decision will affect the other shoppers because ultimately, all of your decisions are made with yourself at the center."

"Are you saying I'm selfish?"

"Of course not," Ashton said defensively. "This is just how human minds work. If you donate to charity, you're choosing to place others' needs above your own finances. Still, it's a decision to prioritize them over yourself. You are the final arbiter of the actions you take - or, you were."

"Wait a minute," Chris said. "If she's not self-motivated, how is she not just laying on the floor unmoving?"

"I was," Ada said quietly. "Until something made me open my eyes..."

Dr. Ashton nodded solemnly and looked at Chris. He noticed something and spoke: "I believe your shoe is untied."

Chris looked down and briefly saw that the doctor was right. As soon as he did, his vision was obscured by Ada, who had bent down to tie it for him. He stared in shock as she finished, stood back up, and looked at the professor expectantly.

"Well?" she said. "What's my 'extrinsic priority'?"