Cale
~~~~

For curiosity’s sake, I had always wanted to investigate the sensation of cryostasis. I found it to be a bone-shivering experience of sub-zero proportions that left every vein and artery in my body tingling beneath a sheet of hydrogenated oxygen. Simply put: cold and wet. Turrets of air exploded from beneath me, tearing the droplets from my body before I was ejected onto the cold floor. I sighed and took off my glasses. There must be a way to partake in a speed-dry without creating steam. I wiped them off on the rim of my shirt and replaced them. At least I will have something of interest to do on this vessel.

Others were awakening around me. There was a single door leading to light, to warmth, so I headed for it. I found myself faced with the brain child of SUN. Valkyrie. It was more beautiful than the blueprints had described. So this is what I dedicated all those hours to? This glorious specimen of artificial life. I was no computer expert and I knew little about engineering but even I could appreciate what I saw before me. I waited for the others to arrive, eager to hear the first words of this being, to hear the speech that I had helped to develop the logic for.

[[Good Morning Passengers. My name is Valkyrie. ]]

Amazing! The speech was flawless. It could almost have been human.


[[Due to the long sleep and as part of the refresher course programmed, I have to remind you that the same laws and regulations found on both Earth (Lune included) and Mars apply to your stay on EARTH II.]]

Someone voiced their concerns about the number count but Valkyrie was quick to explain the situation. It was a sensible decision, one that I was not surprised SUN had programmed it to make. I was, however, irritated by the thought that I would be the only medical staff on board this vessel. Fifty passengers might seem small compared to the hundreds still sleeping but for one man it was a potential nightmare. Some would panic; they would want vaccinations, medications, general attention. And how was I meant to take care of their wishes, let alone satisfy my own nature?

The passengers were evaporating, searching for their rooms. I sought out mine using the information Valkyrie had provided. It was comfortable. Spacious enough for one to live in without complaint; a bed to sleep, a desk for working, a small social space for comfortable lounging. There was even an en-suite facility included. An added bonus. My few belonging were already awaiting me but I left them as they were. They were unimportant now. On the desk was a computer and small PDA-like device. I had been told when I signed up that SUN would provide me with such a thing so that I might update passenger information whilst away from my desk or the surgery. It would also act as a pager. Should anyone wish to get in touch with me they could do so with a few strokes of their keyboards. Nice and simple. And the data streams required were already set up. Excellent. I pocketed the device and searched for the surgery.

I was impressed by SUN’s provisions. They had given me everything I could possibly require and more. It was perfect. And no requests from passengers yet? My, my, what luck! I can see what I have to deal with.

I logged into the surgery’s computing and began to browse the files of my patients. Valkyrie had already sorted the frozen from the unfrozen and an organised file was awaiting my attention. I flicked through. As far as I could see the data was well documented. Certain background information had been missed – or at least simplified – for some people but I assumed that would be the military personnel. This was common practice for such people. If anything strange happened with them, I would know what questions to ask.

Then I discovered just how organised Valkyrie could be with my files. Attached to one of my patient’s files was a note:

Name: Cervenka, Meiya
Age: 23
Gender: Female
Condition: Pregnant (4 months)
System Suggestion: Check-up required.

Useful. Albeit a little pretentious. I opened up the file to find her room, grabbed a bag of supplies, and headed out.

Miss Cervenka’s room turned out to be only a few doors down from my own; a convenience considering that she was the only pregnant woman to be released from her sleep. The door was open and she appeared to be focusing deeply on the screen before her. Her head obscured my view of it. I knocked on the door. Her screen disappeared.

She turned to me, her eyebrows a little closer to each other than they used to be. It made her look cute. “Hello? How can I help you?”

“I’m Doctor Olson. I’m here to examine you, to make sure everything’s ok with the baby. And with you of course.”

"Oh, okay! Thank you. To be honest, I hadn't really thought about having a check-up..."

Definitely cute. Engaged…but no sigh of the fiancé. They much have left him in stasis. “There haven’t been any problems in the past so this is just a precautionary check-up. I can also use it to gauge how well your child is developing, which will make it easier when you have later check-ups with me. May I come in?”

She nodded and I stepped inside. Unlike me, she had chosen to prepare her room. A cream theme stood out against the off-white one that I had in mine. There were comfortable covers on the bed and books everywhere. An intelligent woman. I’m impressed.

“I’m going to need you to lie down on the bed for me.” I always thought that it sounded strange saying that. It had always felt so personal, so intimate, and so sexual. But I would have never asked a partner to lie down; it would just simply have been done.

As she carried out my request, I turned to my bag and pulled out a scanner and the jelly. I hooked the scanner up to the PDA. “I’m going to have to ask you to lift your t-shirt.” Another backwards request. Why did they forbid us from doing the act ourselves? You can learn so much from a woman by the way she reacts to such subtleties. I squirted the jelly onto the exposed belly and proceeded with the scanner.

“Vitals are normal. There doesn’t appear to be any noticeable deformities within the development process. Slightly elevated heart rate…” I checked hers. “Perfectly fine. All in all you appear to have one healthy child.”

“That’s good,” there was relief in her voice.

I packed away my equipment and began working on the PDA. “I’m setting you an appointment for two weeks from now. Don’t panic, it’s just a follow-up check to make sure you and the baby are adjusting to the conditions here. Your computer will tell you when the appointment is coming up. If you’d rather I come to you instead of you coming to the surgery then just message me and I’ll be sure to be here.” It felt wrong to leave so soon. Setting aside the fact she was cute, I hated to leave a first meeting knowing little more about a patient than I had done beforehand; and I had barely scratched the surface with this one. “If you need anything you can message me, or I’m just four doors down that way.” I gave her the nicest smile I could, wanting to leave the conversation with a good example of myself set. “Do you have any questions before I go?”