Chapter 4
Narration
Special Effects
Music
The aliens
I turn around. A brown-haired man in a large tunic is standing over an opening in the room that wasn't there before. He steps forward and the opening closes behind him. I fall back on the bed.
"Who are you? Did you see those things?"
The man turns towards us moves his lips, emitting a melody. I open my eyes wide. He's not human, he's one of them!
He shakes his head and touches his neck. "Sorry, I forgot the translator. Anyway, those things in the capsules are us. Only in organic suits." He lifts his shoulders. "You should feel the uncomfortableness, better the robes."
"But you're..."
"Humans? Yes, just like you."
"What about that tune from just now?"
He steps between us. "That's been our language for a long time now. You must have been in cryosleep.”
"What do you want from us?"
He walks towards Conrad. "We got the report from your ship and here you are. I don't know how much longer the systems would have been able to resist."
"Then thank you. But where are we?"
"A colleague will tell you that. I'm here to greet you while the technicians analyse the data. Sorry, but cryosleep is a process we're not used to anymore."
"In what sense?"
"That we have better methods. Speaking of, how are you feeling?"
Conrad gets out of bed and stretches. "Never felt better, I used to have some back pain but I don't feel it now."
"Good, we've intervened on some minor issues." He smiles and then tries us out: "And with the memories? How come you were on that ship?”.
Conrad sits back on the bed and shakes his head. "Nothing."
"Me neither." I stroke my chin. "But what about the rest of the crew?"
"In other rooms, we preferred to divide you into pairs so that your awakening would be more peaceful." He touches his neck and nods. "It's time for a walk, come along."