| Journey to Centauri is a web-based episodic tale that details the splintering of the U.N. Alpha Centauri Mission on its way to the new world. Previous chapters are listed here. |
Journey to Centauri : Episode 2 Pravin Lal opened his eyes to find himself still encased in cryogel, and the ship's foundation shaking beneath him. His heart began to pound, and he closed his eyes, breathing deeply, seeking calm. The ship's computer, flooding his body with stimulants before the gel had been neutralized. Accelerated wakeup, he thought. The danger must be serious indeed. He heard a click and a hiss, and a storm of bubbles surged around him as the chemical reaction that would neutralize the cryogel began. The surge became a storm, pounding his body, and he clenched his teeth, keeping the smooth silver shape of the respirator in his mouth. His heart pounded faster, more stimulants flooding his system, tearing him apart. He tried not to cry out as the thick gel turned into water around him and his nerves screamed, returning to life. Pria, Pria, he repeated to himself, and his thoughts flashed to her, their last strong kiss, the soft blurry shape of her body under glass. The pain reached a crescendo...the training had not prepared him for this... Abruptly the storm passed, and heating coils in his cryocell kicked on, warming the liquid. He felt his two hands float up at his side. No time to waste. He let his hands float up to the glass lid above him. As soon as they touched he clenched and pushed. The glass top swung open and he sat up, feeling the water roll off his skin. Alive, alive, and the cold empty space of cryobay two around him, a thousand cryocells, lined in rings, each bathed in a pale blue light. Silent. Red lights flashed. He whispered into the empty room. "We must not fail."
Next episode will be posted June 9th. |
