swirl appeared that face, that nice face.
Charles drifted back into sleep as the top up drugs were administered.
Merry Li turned to the nurse “He’s burning up. That extra 20 should do it. Check in on him every ten till his temp comes down. Call me if it doesn’t.”
Charles woke again just after 0700, though he had no concept of what the time was. He felt tired and weak. He opened his eyes. There was no swirling but it was dark save for a few red, blue and green dots and a faint white light over a panel on a machine. He tried to turn his head but then realised he was in a head brace. ‘Oh yes’ he said to himself as his memory flooded in.
He couldn’t move his hands. They were in a restraint too. In fact, now that he applied his wakening sensors he realised they had him in a full harness. “Terrific” he said out loud. He felt incredibly thirsty. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the tubes hanging down from the bag of liquid hanging on his left. His mind deduced that if he was on a drip he shouldn’t be thirsty. But he was nonetheless.
“Water” he called out. He called out several times before a shadow appeared through the curtain that surrounded him and said “Awake are we?”
“Thirsty” he muttered.
“How are you feeling, still got that headache?”
Charles had no idea what she was talking about. “OK I suppose. Can I get a drink.”
The nurse deemed it safe to remove the restraints on his limbs. She was not going to remove the head brace. But she did unclamp it so he could at least raise his head.
Charles appreciated the drink. With his thirst quenched he felt hungry. But the nurse shook her head when he asked about breakfast. “Not until the doctor sees you. That won’t be long.”
Twenty minutes later Charles saw that face again. Merry Li was tired but she managed a smile. She asked him some questions, checked his stats and said “You’re still running a bit of a temperature. We need to monitor that. I’m going to keep you in the ward for another day.”
Somehow that news didn’t worry Charles at all. “Will you be checking up on me?”
“Till 0800 anyway. But another doctor will be on duty then.”
Charles managed a smile. He didn’t even complain when she told him it would be best if he avoids solids for now. She reassured him that the glucose gave him all the energy he needed for now. He wasn’t really paying attention to her words but he enjoyed the sound of her voice. It carried a softness that he liked.
After she left the room he lay there thinking about the sound of her voice as he closed his eyes. ‘No edge to it’ he thought ‘not like mother’s.’
Chapter 6. Resolute over Q2 0610, 7 September
Dave Warner had woken early. John Conrad’s grinning face had haunted him. Dave forced himself out of bed and meditated for half an hour. This brought him a measure of peace. ‘One hundred percent commitment…zero percent attachment’ Dave had muttered to himself as he came out of meditation.
Normally at this stage he would go to the gym but instead he took the elevator up to A deck and entered the command centre.
“Sir?” queried 1 st Lt Val Gomez, the ship’s quartermaster, who had the dog watch. She was surprised to see him at this hour.
“Morning Val” said Dave as he sat down in his commander’s chair. “Nothing’s up” he reassured her as he checked the time on his terminal. “It’s almost dawn.”
Val checked her terminal and confirmed “yes it is, why?”
“How would you like to see it?” Dave had an almost mischievous smile on his face.
“We’ll have to decloak” advised Val.
“Yeah we will.”
Val smiled back at him. “Sure, why not. Allow me.” She hit the control to raise the shields over the circular windows that surrounded the circular command centre. From their current perspective they were looking eastward towards where the sun would rise but the rim of the planet was barely visible. “Lower the nose?” asked
Charles drifted back into sleep as the top up drugs were administered.
Merry Li turned to the nurse “He’s burning up. That extra 20 should do it. Check in on him every ten till his temp comes down. Call me if it doesn’t.”
Charles woke again just after 0700, though he had no concept of what the time was. He felt tired and weak. He opened his eyes. There was no swirling but it was dark save for a few red, blue and green dots and a faint white light over a panel on a machine. He tried to turn his head but then realised he was in a head brace. ‘Oh yes’ he said to himself as his memory flooded in.
He couldn’t move his hands. They were in a restraint too. In fact, now that he applied his wakening sensors he realised they had him in a full harness. “Terrific” he said out loud. He felt incredibly thirsty. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the tubes hanging down from the bag of liquid hanging on his left. His mind deduced that if he was on a drip he shouldn’t be thirsty. But he was nonetheless.
“Water” he called out. He called out several times before a shadow appeared through the curtain that surrounded him and said “Awake are we?”
“Thirsty” he muttered.
“How are you feeling, still got that headache?”
Charles had no idea what she was talking about. “OK I suppose. Can I get a drink.”
The nurse deemed it safe to remove the restraints on his limbs. She was not going to remove the head brace. But she did unclamp it so he could at least raise his head.
Charles appreciated the drink. With his thirst quenched he felt hungry. But the nurse shook her head when he asked about breakfast. “Not until the doctor sees you. That won’t be long.”
Twenty minutes later Charles saw that face again. Merry Li was tired but she managed a smile. She asked him some questions, checked his stats and said “You’re still running a bit of a temperature. We need to monitor that. I’m going to keep you in the ward for another day.”
Somehow that news didn’t worry Charles at all. “Will you be checking up on me?”
“Till 0800 anyway. But another doctor will be on duty then.”
Charles managed a smile. He didn’t even complain when she told him it would be best if he avoids solids for now. She reassured him that the glucose gave him all the energy he needed for now. He wasn’t really paying attention to her words but he enjoyed the sound of her voice. It carried a softness that he liked.
After she left the room he lay there thinking about the sound of her voice as he closed his eyes. ‘No edge to it’ he thought ‘not like mother’s.’
Chapter 6. Resolute over Q2 0610, 7 September
Dave Warner had woken early. John Conrad’s grinning face had haunted him. Dave forced himself out of bed and meditated for half an hour. This brought him a measure of peace. ‘One hundred percent commitment…zero percent attachment’ Dave had muttered to himself as he came out of meditation.
Normally at this stage he would go to the gym but instead he took the elevator up to A deck and entered the command centre.
“Sir?” queried 1 st Lt Val Gomez, the ship’s quartermaster, who had the dog watch. She was surprised to see him at this hour.
“Morning Val” said Dave as he sat down in his commander’s chair. “Nothing’s up” he reassured her as he checked the time on his terminal. “It’s almost dawn.”
Val checked her terminal and confirmed “yes it is, why?”
“How would you like to see it?” Dave had an almost mischievous smile on his face.
“We’ll have to decloak” advised Val.
“Yeah we will.”
Val smiled back at him. “Sure, why not. Allow me.” She hit the control to raise the shields over the circular windows that surrounded the circular command centre. From their current perspective they were looking eastward towards where the sun would rise but the rim of the planet was barely visible. “Lower the nose?” asked
Similar Books
Destined
Aprilynne Pike
Wild Honey
Terri Farley
A Hole in Juan
Gillian Roberts
Sapphire
Taylor Lee
The Rift Uprising
Amy S. Foster
A Tale of Two Lovers
Maya Rodale
Embattled Home
J.M. Madden
Reunion
Meg Cabot