Floating In Limbo
19 Sep 2018Gurutez
I am not awake!I know that I'm still not awake, but i am conscious and learning a lot. I've read something about this before (a long time ago) where people were conscious throughout medical procedures but not awake. So I've had the opportunity to listen in on some very interesting conversations. It's fascinating to see what people will say when the only other person in the room is a vegetable.
It seems TigerTiger is to thank for my current lodgings, from the sounds of it he has called in most of his remaining favours to achieve this.
What i know about where I am: I haven't felt any frame shifts or relative changes in gravity so I assume we have been staying put in one system. The Gravity is quite high (but slightly off) and i don't hear the hum of reactors so we might be planet-side.
I'm pretty sure i'm the only patient in the room. The room sounds small, main door at the foot of the bed, bathroom off to the left (I hear Simione use it a lot) and window to the right. Now the window, i feel the heat from the sun through it, but the sun moves from below me to above me (vertically not horizontally).
That with the fluffiness of the gravity lets me know we are on a station, but things don't add up, like i mentioned no hum from reactors and no relative changes in gravity, no station or platform that I'm familiar with.
How long have i been here? Now that i cant help with. As i mentioned time i can't get a grasp on, i dance in and out of awareness, sometimes i think hours pass between 2 words in a sentence. who knows how long its been.
When this started there were lots of voices, i'm guessing the medical team. My mind didn't even know it was awake then but even then was able to pick out the voice in charge. I'm guessing she's the Dr in charge of my case. I grew to love her voice and would eagerly await her sultry tones every (can i say day?) day, she always ordered me a hit of Morphine (Real Morphine, not methodile derivatives, not morphiates, no no real honest to goodness Morphine, the good stuff. Ahhhhhh i could kiss that woman).
Over time the number of voices in my medical team grew fewer and fewer until it was just her voice and a few (i assume nurses) others routinely checking on me, but they kept the morphine flowing so i'm alright. It was around this time that Simione and Tigers voices returned giving me a lot of comfort.
From the sounds of it Tiger and the Dr have a history, one that has not fared well (flashback to my Father "Girl can only get that angry with you, if she kinda liked you to begin with!). Hard to keep a train of thought while disembodied. I swim out of awareness...
I swim into awareness, Tiger is barking hushed orders to Simione
"... into the cupboard in the bathroom and don't make a sound!" I hear footsteps out in the corridor, Simione starts to hiss "Don't even start Sim, shut the fuck up, get in the cupboard, and stay shut the fuck up got it!" there is a pause, and i assume nodding. Scramble scramble scramble, sound of couch being jumper on, reading pad clicking to life... and the door opens.
"Ahh Commander TigerTiger, I wanted to speak with you." I don't know who this is but i don't like them. The voice radiates arrogance and authority, the sort of voice where you can hear their condescending smile even over coms.
"It seems your Friend here is using up some expensive resources, resources that could be better utalised during this time of war wouldnt you say." I heard the slight fluctuation in Tigers voice as he replied (was that true disgust)
"I've been pulling missions for you and the BOARD for months now. I don't know much but the one thing I do know is this; That this war is of almost no concern to you at all. You'v had me fly your packages right between fighting Thargoids and Humans, for delivery to some dark and shady characters, so you know what, you can save me your pompous bullshit. If you'v got a problem with this STILES, go take it up with Dr KITCHNER hes her patient....." No reply but i can hear the rustle of a shifting uniform.
"Yeah I didn't think so STILES!" Tiger spat out the name like it was bile. "Does she even know, does she know what you Brass are doing? Or is she so focused on perfecting the science she is blind to its applications! Would she approve if she knew where the stock was obtained"
"That is not the issue here Tiger, I'm essentially talking about the bill?"
Tigers response was quick, but in a menacing growl much like his namesake "I think the bill was paid the minuet you ordered me to latch to that Fleet Shift Transport Trolley (FSTT). If i hadn't disobeyed you to go save this sack of shit here i would be dust in witchspace. One in a million accident, nothing left to inspect, mine would have been the only manned craft on that particular trolley. Do you want me to keep asking questions or can we consider this and any future bills paid?"
STILES'S voice was low now as well, the arrogance was gone and i couldn't here the condescending smile anymore "You would do well to watch you tone with your superiors,... Commander!" If i could open my eyes I would imagine seeing them circling each other like 2 male cats with their fur standing on end.
"I agree STILES, good thing that was the last run I was scheduled to do, I no longer work for you, my debt is paid. Funny how nobody expected me to walk away from it. Anyway dampeners have been lifted from the arm and KITCHNER has been stimulating the dormant nerve tissue to try and fuse with the neurocircuitry. You see the transmitter has been switched off, Im my own man again."
There was a frustrated growl and outburst, then the sound of boots angrily retreating down the hallway.
Before TigerTiger finished composing himself Simione was back in the room "BossFriend Tiger, was your words true?" even i could hear the pain in Simiones voice, i didnt need to see his face."
"Its not BossFrie.....Its just Tiger" I knew that exasperation in Tigers voices, Simione has a way a pulling it out of you.
"OK Sim sit, I better tell you whats been going on over the last couple of years. This way if I'm not here when he wakes up at least someone can tell Guru the story."
I'm back in the nightmare I cant remember. I open my eyes, I'm not on my ship anymore. My whole view is filled with stars, almost peaceful. Then unseen forces hit me and I'm whipped around. I feel a cable around my waist and I'm being pulled backwards. I lift my head slightly to see cracks in my helmet, the HUD is gone, i can taste that I'm out of O2. Simione is being pulled in right beside me, he's unconscious. Over his shoulder off in the distance green vapor, huge clouds of it and star shaped shadows lazily move about inside. I let my head swing back to look at where we are being pulled away from to see her, torn and tattered. My Escape, My home, My Lady.... I manage to croak her name one last time before the damaged fuel lines ignite. The energy bubble expands inside her causing her hull to split and curl out in a way that for half a second she looks like a blossoming red-metal flower, "GORMONGANDER". Then, implosion followed by explosion and she is gone. And then, I am gone.