Waking Up

Blood work indicated that Kopper was in decent health, all things considered. Florin’s first priority was to get Kopper to a state where she could start accepting inoculations. For all the years that Kopper had been in space the people on earth had been busy making new diseased that Kopper’s immune system wasn’t prepared to meet all at once. That was part of the reason these co-ordinates had been chosen for pods to return to, there was pretty well nobody here; the other reasons were less relevant now. Back in the day when the Arts had controlled this facility there was an isolation room and equipment to protect those who returned, now there was just the vacancy to protect Kopper and Florin hopped she wasn’t carrying anything too dangerous to Kopper. Florin had a tough time keeping the inoculations up to date, without the Art infrastructure she was dependant of doctors who thought she wasn’t crazy (or at least too crazy) and were willing to prepare and ship inoculations to her from all over the world. So Florin had a good number of shots to give, but she was sure some were missing and just hoped they weren’t too bad. Florin put Kopper on an IV drip and started mixing some real food in with the bland vitals that were similar to Kopper’s space food. Though the amounts were minuscule to start and increased in equally small amounts over long periods of time, Kopper noticed them and was grateful. The small inclusion of a new taste was wonderful.

During the week that Kopper had to remain immobile she asked Florin to read to her. Apologetically and vaguely Florin said all she had to read, besides all the paper work related to the sun catcher program, was the Bible. Kopper said, “Yes.” She was trying to limit herself to just a word now and then, but Florin could see that the “yes” was saying that is fine, it isn’t all bad. This relieved Florin, she wasn’t sure what she would have told Kopper if she had asked for something else since Florin didn’t want to go into all the reasons why all she had was a Bible. She missed having other books, for she loved them dearly, but if she had to choose just one book it would have been the Bible anyways so she was lucky that her wishes coincided with the government, sort-of.


Once the week was up Kopper could hardly be said to be mobile again. She was able to take herself to the bathroom at least once a day, but more trips than that she needed assistance. Her muscles, initially, were fine and the gravity wasn’t horrible, she was just tired, and florin said she needed to be careful since her bone density was low. After just a couple of weeks Kopper noticed that she was losing her muscles, which was sad to her; it seemed she was no longer the person she had thought she was. Her exercises were no longer meant to keep up muscle mass, just to stimulate bone regeneration. The IV was providing calcium and some other chemicals to help along the bone growth. Kopper was still tired and sitting most of the time so Florin continued to read to her. As Kopper became more alert she and Florin began discussing things that Florin read. They found great friendship during this time; this was comforting to both of them in that it indicated they had chosen perhaps not well, but at least a good road to follow.

Kopper never asked what had happened to earth while she was away and Florin was choosing her time. Golan and Hoarace didn’t venture to this side fo the building but once or twice. They delivered food that arrived by rail and water from the recycle unit. Kopper didn’t ask who they were; she was afraid that something she didn’t want to know would be revealed and she wanted to be happy or at least content for a while yet. She did wonder why there was only one helmetless Art tending to her, but she was too grateful that Florin was that one helmetless Art and that there weren’t a bazillion Arts poking her. Life was pleasant enough now to Florin too so she felt that later she could tell Kopper the whole story behind what had happened after she left and that Kopper may not want use her last name.

After two months, as Golan had anticipated, an inquiry officer arrived.

He was a short man with spectacles and a briefcase. He was also very unenthusiastic about this trip; he preferred to be at the office analyzing, not in the field collecting data. Particularly when the traveling involved going to or through the middle of prisoner island. But he was a patient man who didn’t ignore details so he collected more and better information than anyone else, so his superiors send him on this trip. They seemed to know something about this place that he didn’t and they didn’t want to share, so he packed carefully and scowled when he arrived. Golan greeted the man at the train with a smile that was quickly erased by the scowl. Hoarace lurked in the shadows. To Golan this was an opportunity to do something to get back at Florin for ordering him around. He had never liked having a woman here and disliked Florin with particular venom since she was intelligent and in a job he viewed as strictly for men. Hoarace was not good at playing games of deceit and vengeance, he just wanted to watch TV so he tried to be on all sides. Hoarace and Golan had argued about if they should tell Florin that a train was coming in and it had an inquiry officer on board. Golan didn’t want the surprise ruined and Hoarace didn’t want Florin to have any reason to be mad at him, but he also knew that Golan had the ability to ruin his job here. Hoarace was a coward in Golan’s presence so as long as Golan stayed in the vicinity of Hoarace, they both knew Hoarace wouldn’t say anything to Florin. So it was only the two men that were waiting for the inquiry officer.

Inquiry officer #487 preferred to be addressed as, “officer” or “sir” or “487.” It prevented people from being able to do any real damage to him if he found things that people didn’t like, as happened all too frequently. So when Golan introduced himself, 487 just asked where his quarters would be for the two days he would remain. Hoarace was the one that showed him the way and left him to set up whatever he was going to do. Golan was disappointed with the officer, there would be no great yelling or anything so fun as that he figured; he almost went to tell Florin that the officer was here, but did not.

The next morning 487 entered the main office where Golan was scowling at the window. Without waiting for anything like pleasantries, 487 said he was unable to learn from the logs what the source of the alarm was, but he figured it had to do with the picture he found. The picture he now held was a grainy image of Florin bending over the escape pod. “I know that this is Guard 5694, a umm, Florin I believe. But that does not explain what this large contraption is nor why it was necessary to use the cameras to locate Florin. Golan squirmed a bit, this wasn’t quite going the way he wanted, but it wasn’t going terribly either. His original plan had been to produce Florin and the woman from the pod in a flourish at the end of a speech about how dangerous it was to post women out here. This officer was much to direct and obtained all the information that Golan had planned to use in his speech.

“Hoarace was the one who sounded the alarm and made the decision to boot the camera system,” Golan offered as an escape route thinking that spineless wimp wouldn’t be able to put up a good story about how it had been a joint decision to use the cameras. “As for the chunk of metal, it is harmless. If you will follow me I’ll show you what became of it.”

Since he was experienced, 487 knew that something was up, but he was experienced enough to know that it didn’t matter at this point what it was. Golan was speaking truth when he said it was harmless but there seemed to be malice when Florin was brought up so there was clearly some employee conflict. One more thing to enter into his report. He followed Golan silently and ignored Golan’s attempts at conversation.

Kopper was reading aloud to Florin for a change since Kopper was beginning to regain strength. This was a good thing, had they been doing anything else perhaps the wrath of the government would have been more. As it was officer 487 was stunned. Golan seeing some effect on the officer, finally, tried to take advantage and make things go his way.

“It was an escape pod, from what I don’t know, but I think that the woman inside was an Art, she may still think she is an Art and therefore needs re-education as does this woman that was sent out here to work she seems to have been expecting her so perhaps they are in a plot to over throw the magnificent and benevolent government that is our church guided by the one true God may he have mercy on their souls which are so black as to want to try to hide from the government and plot against it while I am left to all the work myself and I cannot attempt to convert their evil ways,” he babbled without pause or consideration to what the officer or the women wanted to say. He wanted all his wrathful cards on the table so that the officer would have no other choice than to say mean things to Florin and perhaps this other woman whoever she was.

Officer 487 finally cut off Golan and told him to return to his job. The protest didn’t even get one syllable before officer 487 turned to Golan and said, “Let me make this clear, you have served well, but your duty is not here. Return to your post or you shall be called in for confession and penance.” So with a quick glare at Florin he departed, glad that the officer seemed upset but disappointed that he couldn’t stay to watch the reprimand.

Florin had moved quickly to Kopper’s side and put her arm around her as soon as the two men appeared in the doorway. Once Golan started talking, Kopper cowered into Florin’s side as if she were three years old and Florin was her mother. Kopper didn’t understand what was going on and just wanted them all to leave. Couldn’t they see that she wasn’t ready for all this? After the dismissal of Golan, Florin asked, “How about we take our conversation outside, officer. You see sir, my friend has just recently returned from space and needs some more time to adjust and recover.” It was the most respectful tone she could muster and she hoped that it would work. Perhaps she could convince this officer to give her more time with Kopper before something was done with her, whatever the government might think would be best. There was a pause that gave her hope her plea had worked.

“Guard 5674 you know well that all activities involving space are to be reported immediately to the council at Trent. You will be demoted and will have penance assigned for this. As for this person,” and officer 487 pointed at Kopper, “her fate will be determined by the council at Trent in a fortnight. She will leave with me on the train in,” he consulted his watch and a paper from his briefcase, “exactly 17 minutes. Please have anything she needs packed by then.” Then 487 walked quickly to the office containing the paperwork on the sun catcher crews. He began moving boxes, looking for the one that Florin had earlier found.

Florin kicked herself mentally. She should have remembered that the power spike would result in an officer coming out to investigate; she should have moved or destroyed Kopper’s file; she should have taken Kopper and herself out of here as soon as Kopper was able; she should have told Kopper about how things had changed since she had left. She should have done so many things and now there was no time.

“Kopper, I can’t tell you everything now, there is no time. I cannot protect you anymore from the government and I am very sorry. Before you left for the sun, did they tell you that your parents were killed by a convert from Art to Blessed?”

Kopper closed her eyes and shook her head, “Can’t you get some more time? I’m so confused and you’re the only friend I have. Actually, you’re the only person I know on earth.”

“I am sorry, but it would only hurt your chances of things working out well if I tried to get more time. Right now I must pack some things for you to take with you. I’ll tell you how and when to use them. If there is any time left over I will tell you as much as I can about the government. For now, you need to know that it is a theocracy. The Blesseds basically took over the world–Arts, Nats, and Gleaners. For some reason they thought that the dark ages were a good time and so some aspects of that time have been resurrected. Be respectful, demure, and never show intelligence; women are child carriers and house washers, generally. You don’t know how hard it was to get me out here just in case someone we didn’t expect came home. Don’t worry, God will take care of you.”

With that Florin propelled Kopper over to the table that kept most of the supplements and other equipment that Florin had for Kopper’s use. Florin packed a small bag; it was small because she knew that Kopper would have to carry her own bag. Everything she put in she showed Kopper and explained to her why she was putting it in.

“You have inner strength Kopper, use it now. Trust in God to give you the energy and the strength to get through your trial. It won’t be easy, but don’t worry about saying much, everything will have been determined before you show up anyways.”

Officer 487 emerged from the office with the file in his hands and said, “We will move to the train now. Guard 5674, you will remain her for an additional two weeks until a replacement has been sent with another officer. That officer will take you to your penance assignment.”

Kopper didn’t want to be drug around by the small man so she squeezed Florin’s hand and strode toward the officer before he could approach her. He was pleased with this, perhaps this wouldn’t be as difficult as he thought. So they went down the hall and out to the train.