The Return
84 years ago...
[Subject 88 Consciousness Activated.] I opened my eyes, but my vision was blurred. [Moderate To Light Side-Effects Detected.] I felt something in my mouth that tasted like plastic; it was a tube of some sort. [Engaging Tank Depressurization.] My whole body started to vibrate as my vision cleared, but only slightly. I was looking through what appeared to be smokey glass. I saw a few figures moving about but I could not make out any details. There were small blinking lights and looking down I could see some sort of yellowish liquid being drained away. A large hose jutted out of my face and snaked its way above to a ceiling only to disappeared beyond. My clothes were missing and instead I was in some kind of black harness that seemed to feel like it would cut into my skin, however felt like the softness of a pillow. The urge to yank the tube from my mouth crept through my skin and I tried to move my hands to do so, but they were restrained by the harness. Again I saw more figures moving around and then a loud POP! Suddenly, sound filled the otherwise silent space. Machines whirled and beeped, there was a murmuring in a language that I could not understand, and there was a constant hum overshadowing it all.
[Subject 88 is 99% Aware.] I blinked. Only ninety-nine? [Waystation Lost. Waystation Lost. Attempting To Synchronize Immediate Bosonic Resonance.] More shadows of figures, moving faster, seeming to shift shapes and wrap around my field of view.
[Failure. Incoming Message.] “Bentleigh13 will not tolerate rogue factions. Unauthorized Waystations will be dealt with in accordance to the Thirteen Encyclicals.” [Video Incoming.] “Here is your Watcher. And now, we send him to the Never.” I heard a loud scream, some gurgling, and then silence. “Here ends the demonstration.”
[Transmission Ends.] I hear more murmuring, and then, “Subject 88 is already hooked up.” Several figures moved toward the glass of my tank. They surrounded me on all sides. “He’s not ready.” Something was said in response; again, I could not understand. “Send him in.” [Subject 88 Insertion Preparation Activated.] A machine whirled to life. Bright lights showered the inside of my tank. The yellow liquid seeped in from an unknown place and began tickling my ankles, knees, and my bare thighs. “He’s not ready.” A harsh toned gibberish (to me) followed.
[Destination Required.] The figures moved away from the tank. A few blinking lights changed colors. [Acquiring Spatial Coordinates Of Input Destination.] “That is too far out of the zone.” [Warning, Destination Lies Beyond Horizonal Plane Field. Unknown Variables Exist Inside Of Monolithic Equation.] “After all we did to retrieve him!”
The yellow liquid completely covered my body. I could still breathe, however, presumably thanks to the tube inside my mouth. [Waystation Destination Alyona Signal Strength At 13%.] “Probability is,” someone started to speak, but was cut off by more harsh-toned gibberish. “Yes, Eight. I understand.”
[Low Trajectory. T-Minus Five Seconds.] My face tingled. [Four.] I cannot feel my legs anymore. [Three.] Please, don’t do this to me! [Two.] The yellow liquid seemed to move into my body and each nerve ending in my entire nervous system was on FIRE! [One.] Everything I ever knew was laid out in front of my consciousness all at once. [Zero. Engage. Warning, Trajectory Balance Inhibited. Compensators Off-line. Tracking. Tracking. Progress Updated. Protracting Signal. Tracking. Distance, 156.98 Boolean AUs. Tracking. Rogue Signal Intercepted. Tracking. Warning, Rogue Signal Penetration. Tracking. Insertion To Waystation Alyona In 30 Seconds. Warning, Satellite Signal Penetration. Integrity Down to 69%. Position Off-Target. Unable To Re-Route. Warning, Tangent Signal Penetration. Warning, Integrity down to 13%. Warning, Signal Lost. Signal Lost. Signal lost.]