Chapter Text
I can’t get my eyes open, or, I don’t remember how to open them. Weird, I can’t move anything, I try and open my eyes but nothing happens. I keep trying for a little bit, working my eyeballs around in their socket, it’s like their being drug through jelly.
“Eye movement detected.”
A soft feminine voice said, it sounded like I was underwater. It irritates me more than it should, not being able to move. I try to wiggle my toes… nope. Nothing happened.
Shit. I can’t think, like my brain is moving through gel. My tongue is heavy but I was able to make a sound in the back of my throat. It was weird even to my ears.
“What’s the cube root of eight?”
What? Why in the world is that relevant right now. My eyes crack open with great force and I’m blinded by harsh light. “Mmrrrgg” comes from my mouth.
“Incorrect.”
Shut up mysterious voice. I try to open my eyes again…only to come face to face with robotic arms. Oddly enough I can’t find it In me to be alarmed. I’m too tired, this is all exhausting.
I drift off to sleep.
—
I don’t know how long I’ve slept, where I am, who I am… wait.. scratch that I know who I am… somewhat. Shh. Whatever, my eyes peel open again and I’m being wiped down, it’s not comfortable, but not bad.
“What is the cube root of eight?”
A moan drags from my lips before my tongue begins to cooperate. “Nnnwww”
“Incorrect.”
“T… ehh”
“Incorrect.”
My eyebrows furrow in the best attempt at a scowl I can give to the arms. My jaw clicks together as I try to form a word. “T..w..o…” I eventually drag out.
“Correct, what is your name?”
God just let me think, my brain won’t think. I’m not an idiot. I know it’s right, bitch. I’m an engineer.. I know my math… most of it.
My name puzzles me for a while. I don’t answer as I look around what I can see, I’m really close to the ceiling. Which is odd. If I extend my arm then I could touch it. Why am I so close? The answer eludes me, the walls were white with what seems to be boxes and equipment roped into them.
My arms and legs have tubes in them from what I can see, I tilt my ankles and give them a few rolls. At least they’re working!
I shift my legs around, god it feels good to stretch, my back arched as I let out an inhuman noise as I hit the perfect stretch.
God that felt good. I press my palms to the bed and press to lift myself up, only to be pushed right back down by the arms.
“What is your name?”
Oh right. Key information that should come easy to me. Let’s see… my name. I’m a woman… I used to work for many governments.. none of this is really helpful…
“Olesya…” I whispered, my throat suddenly full of emotion as I remembered where I am now. I’m aboard the Hail Mary. I’m here to find the solution to something on earth. And I’m going to die.
I remember a woman, her name eluded me as she patted my shoulder and told me I was brave, that I would be remembered as a hero, before she dug a needle into my arm and I drifted off to sleep.
“Olesya Ilyukhina.” I muttered a bit louder as the arm pulled away from my chest.
“Correct! Good morning, Miss Ilyukhina.”
I lay on the bed for a while longer, slowly remembering my now shortened life mission.
—
After a while of moping around, I swing my legs off the bed in hopes of exploring, but only to realize I would definitely break something if I hopped down off the bed. Why am I so high up!?
I look around for a while before inching my legs closer to the ladder next to my bed, and climbing down on wobbling legs. I pass by two other holes in the wall, each holding what looks to be a body bag in a bed.
Creepy.
The name tags lit up softly in the dim room, creeping closer I read the top one.
Yáo Li-Jie
Alive
Yáo. That makes me smile at the name alone, god he was so funny. Whether he wanted to be or not.
I look at the nameplate for a while, hesitantly touching it and suddenly the bed moved outwards from the pocket in the wall. I make a noise of surprise when it comes out at me.
It’s just a white body bag with some tubes going into it, so I guess it’s not as bad as I thought. I just gently push his bed back into the wall. Looking down at myself I find that I’m only in this weird mesh suit that allowed easy access for the iv and tubes.
“Uhm… ms. Lady? Can I have.. clothes?” I ask into the air, hoping I wasn’t just hallucinating the voice.
“Clothes can be found in the compartment under the storage unit.”
Wow. So helpful. Like I know where either of those things are. So I just begin to look around like a mindless toddler when you tell them something is right in front of their face.
The floor is made up of tiles, but one of them next to the ladder has a black ring around it, so, making an educated guess, I begin to feel around the floor.
I feel so stupid. Like I’m in some spy mission and I’m trying to find a jewel worth more than my life. Eventually by a few presses and useless attempts at turning it, the tile pops up and allows me to twist it, which then reveals a bunch of white blocks that look vacuum sealed. Odd.
I just grab the closest one and open it, it’s a simple jumpsuit that looks way too big for me, I fumble around for the front and read ‘GRACE’ in embroidered script.
That names makes my stomach churn. I feel… sad. So sad, I never got the chance to try and make him feel even a little better about this, he eluded most of us until I heard about what happened days before launch.
God I remember sneaking and following some armed men, knowing I could get into a lot of trouble, and hearing his screams and the haunting words he sobbed at Eva.
You’re murdering me.
It’s true though. Isn’t it? We don’t really have a choice in the matter. One day I was just old “I need your help” and boom. My name carved into limestone and a statue in my honor outside nasa.
I realize I’ve been staring at the suit for a lot longer than i should have. I just neatly fold it up and put it off to the side, and grab another white box… Yáo.. and finally I find mine.
Slipping out of the weird mesh thing, I slide on the cotton underwear and bra that had been packed, surprisingly comfortable enough and a white shirt before I pull on the jumpsuit.
—
It’s been a few hours since I got out of bed, and I’ve napped many times to regain a little more strength. Eventually I explored upstairs, finding Grace’s lab, Yáo’s cockpit, and my station to tinker away at.
But I don’t feel like doing anything, really I could nap again, but my curiosity overrides that urge.
I sit in the cockpit, looking at the screens or just out the window. The stars look so cool from up here, so many, crazy to think you’re not looking at what they look like. You’re looking into the past.
I shiver before getting too poetic. Scary stuff the mind can conjure up. Ah! I’m doing it again.
“There’s only two chairs here.” I murmured to myself. Speaking out loud is just weird by yourself, but my tongue still feels a little heavy.
I walk around and look at one of the screens.
Time until engine cut off: 7:15:33.30
Huh. I must have woken up a bit earlier than expected, I’ve always been an early riser, even back on earth, oh well, more time before I have to work. The other two should wake up in four-ish days.
Four days is nothing. Right?