by Neely Dobbs
CHAPTER 54: Alliance
The sleeping figure roused slightly, a fleeting look of confused annoyance crossing his face. Kirq Dristane had been dreaming of an esoteric facet of astrophysics that brooked no interference. Yet consciousness intruded. An unwelcome surge of emotion distracted him, then waned. His awakening mind examined this feeling as though testing it for flavor and substance, then rejected it as unimportant. His hand twitched, reminding him that he possessed a physical body.
With a sigh, he filed away his earlier dream-thoughts to that “safekeeper” part of his mind he rigidly reserved for “ideas to work on.” Begrudgingly focusing his attention on physical reality, he experimentally moved a foot. It responded marginally. A sensation of mild rhythmic pressure appeared, soon followed by his awareness of his own breathing. With a flick of his tongue and a twinge of revulsion, he realized his mouth was powder dry and his lips were slightly crusted.
What's wrong? Where am I? Gathering his scattered faculties, he focused all his efforts into a singularly focused act: one eye opened. Not by much, to be sure, but enough to receive a few foggy images, marginally recognizable as belonging to the outside world. Detecting a slight motion, he screwed up his courage and opened the other eye. Even through both eyes, the world remained vexingly fuzzy, but one image resolved into the vague shape of a person. Someone quite near Kirq. As his vision gradually sharpened, he saw a bronzed metallic face peering down at him attentively.
The robot spoke. “Dr. Dristane?”
Before hearing his name, he had not bothered recalling the past. He had confined his attentions to the vaguely familiar act of waking up. Now, memories formed. A threat. Imposed hibernation. When the threat was countered, they could be awakened.
I’ve been awakened!
He jerked upright so fast that only the lightning reflexes of his attendant prevented a painful collision of his face with the AIDD's. His head was heavy, unbalanced, spinning. Recovering his composure somewhat, he moved his mouth minimally in a dimly remembered way. Through a mouth that seemed only distantly connected to him, he stammered, “Where… where am… I?”
“Sir, you are in the Sanctuary-1 hibernation facility, Corridor…”
“Never m-mind the rest,” Kirq mumbled. “D-Date… time?”
The AIDD told him. The simple mental calculation seemed as difficult as a quantum photonics calculation. Finally the answer came: Almost four years since I entered hibernation. The pervading stillness, unbroken except for the faint hum of nearby life-support machines, registered on his returning faculties. Looking slowly around, he found that he was the only one returning to consciousness. Why only me? Has some malfunction awakened me?
When he was able to ask, Kirq was assured that all was well and that his awakening was in compliance with a directive from Kepren.
The robot then stated, “If you do not wish to be awake, we can return you to hibernation sleep in 1.25 hours or less.”
Kirq considered the possibility of a return to the oblivion of hibernation. A choice? Do I want to sleep more? And not know? He discarded the idea disdainfully. “Not on your microchips, metal-man. And where is everybody? Or anybody that's awake, that is.” He finished sourly, thinking that “they” might prevent him from returning to his work.
There was a pause that lasted several seconds and Kirq realized the AIDD must be checking a wide range of data and communications before replying. “Sir, you are the only person currently awake in Sanctuary-1. The Kepren Command Center was notified earlier of your impending return to consciousness. We should receive instructions momentarily.”
Kirq said, “Is anyone else awake…in the whole Kepren Cluster?” Kirq almost immediately recognized that this was too broad a question; the search might require hours to complete. “Strike that…Is anyone awake on Kepren?”
“Yes, Dr. Dristane. Vice-Admiral Ozier and Commodore Kyell Trandic are awake and currently on Kepren. A complement of thirty-five Khyltians are active aboard a displaced communications center which is now in close orbital proximity to Kepren. Finally, the stored essence of Talir Brovean, past-President of the Alliance, currently maintains active awareness that is legally defined as ‘living’.”
Not very many, thought Kirq. And why would they have moved the Wasp? Suspecting some ominous new development, he asked, “Has some current situation required their being awake…awakened?”
“I am unable to provide that information at this time, Dr. Dristane. Until Kepren command replies, I can only tell you that your awakening is the result of an order from the Fleet Admiral, and that no new crisis threatens your safety.”
At that moment, one of the small personal transports moved up to his cubicle and stopped. The first robot spoke again. “You may wish to freshen yourself. A room has been prepared for your convenience, containing cleansing facilities and fresh clothing. Food is being prepared and will be brought to your room. Should you prefer, you may use the group dining hall.”
Kirq dropped his feet over the side of the pallet and stepped gingerly into the transport, barely tolerating the necessity of being assisted in his unsteady movement by the AIDD. “I'll clean up first. Bring the food to my room exactly thirty minutes after I arrive there, and make sure there's plenty of hot brew. Let's get a move on!”
The robot acknowledged the directive and the carrier immediately started toward.
