From: rms@andria.miles.com (Rob Schultz)
Newsgroups: alt.cyberpunk.chatsubo
Subject: Recovery 1/2
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 23:20:53 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Andria


The following is a short story I wrote tonight as a sort of 
preliminary to another story I'm working on.  It was meant to
give me some ideas on how to flesh out the characters, but it
should be able to stand on its own.  

The story is set sometime in the next 10 to 15 years, sort
of pre-cyberpunk.  Direct neural interfaces do not yet exist,
and I am just expanding on existing technologies.  Remember, 
we have to get there somehow!  :-)

Please send comments/questions to:
                       rms@andria.miles.com
                                or
               {uunet|iuvax}!gator!miles!andria!rms



Recovery 
part 1/2

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Darkness.  Way too much darkness.

Light.  Just a pinpoint, maybe it isn't really there.  Light.
Again.  Larger, now, flickering.  Darkness again.

Time, drifting, how long have I been here?  Where is here?

Light again, stronger this time.  Larger, flickering slightly.

Damp.  Cold surface on my cheek.  Rock?  Which way is up?

Water dripping, echoing.  A cave?  Where is this place?

Who am I?  Who am I?  Who am I?  Who am I? Who am I?

*****

Darkness.  Pain.  Legs, arms, back.  Back.  Oh, that *hurts*.

Stop it.  Stop It!  STOP IT!

*****

Damp.  Dark.  Sore.  Cold.  Where am I?  Who am I?  Who am I?
Who are you?  Who am I?  Who are you?  Who are you?  Who are you?

"Who are you?"  A voice?  Yes! a voice!  "Who are you?"

"Ohhh.  Ouuuch!  Stop it!!"

"It looks like she's coming around, Pick."

"Can you bring her out faster?"

"No, I think that would be dangerous.  She should come to in a few
minutes, anyway."

"Whaa?  Whoo?  Unngghh."

"Easy, now, take it easy.  You're going to be alright.  Just relax.
Everything's going to be fine."

"*OUCH*!"

"Easy, just a shot to help the pain."

"Pain.  So much pain."

"You're in pretty bad shape, you should hurt.  But you seem to be
pretty tough.  You're going to make it."

"Janet."

"Janet will be okay.  What's you're name?"

"Ssteeviee."

"Well, Stevie, you're going to be just fine.  The pain will go away
in a few days, and the bruises.  You may have a few scars, but
there won't be any other real damage."

"Stevie, my name is Pick.  How do you feel?"

"Pain.  So much pain."

"Yes, after what you went through, there will be pain.  But Doc says
you'ss be fine, just a few days until you're up and moving around."

"Doc?"

"Yes, Stevie, I'm here.  Just get some rest.  Go back to sleep, we'll
still be here."

Pain.  Dark.  Drifting.  Drifting.  Drifting.

*****

Light.  Too much light.  Turn it off!!  It hurts my eyes!

White.  Walls, ceiling.  All white.  Movement.  Where?  There!  Focus.
Focus.  Concentrate, dammit!  Focus.  Person.  More white.  White
coat.  Lab coat?  Help!!!   No, doctor's coat.  There, a stethoscope.
Maybe.  Maybe not.  Yes, there it is, around his neck.  Doctor.  Doc?
Doc?  Doc?  Doc?

*****

"Doc?"  It was more of a moan than a word.  "Doc?"  Stronger now.

"Yes, Stevie, I'm here."

"Doc?  What happened?  Oh, it hurts.  Ouch!"

"Just a shot to help with the pain.  Relax, you'll feel better in a few
minutes."

"There you go.  How does you feel now?"

"Mmmm.  Better.  Still hurts, though."

"I expect it will, even through the pain-killers.  You've been through
quite a bit, young lady."

She could focus more clearly, now that the pain was subsiding.  She could
see a man standing over her, looking down.  He had a strong chin.  Dark
hair, parted on the side and cut short, in a style from a few years ago.
Unshaven, as if he had been up for a long time.  Dark circles around
his eyes.  Hollow cheeks.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Huh?  Talk about what?"  

"What happened to you?  Do you know who did this?"

"The pain?  I don't know.  Who am I?"  She was able to think more clearly,
too.  Wait a minute!  Who am I??

"You said earlier your name was 'Stevie'."

"Stevie.  Yes, that's right.  Stevie.  I'm a student.  Where am I?"

"I have a small clinic.  Don't worry, they won't be able to find you
here."  Doc moved toward the wall near Stevie's feet.  She noticed that
there were monitors and electronic gadgets of all sorts on the wall.

"Pick found you about four days ago in an alley on the other side of town.
You were pretty messed up."

"They beat me.  They . . . raped me."  Her voice ground to a whisper as
the realization hit her.  "Where's Janet?" she said suddenly, her voice
turning to a shout as she sat up.  "What have you done with Janet??"

"Don't worry, she's in good hands.  My associate, Maureen, is doing 
everything she can."  Doc placed a hand on Stevie's arm.  "Janet had a 
rough time of it, too."

"Will she be alright?"  Concern shown like a beacon on the young woman's
face.

"We think so," Doc said softly.  "We think so."

"She's my sister.  Why did they have to involve her in this?  She
didn't have anything to do with it!!"  Stevie burst out crying.

Doc cradled her head on his shoulder and rocked her gently, stroking
her long blonde hair.  After a while, Stevie's sobs subsided and she
looked up at Doc.  He could see her soft blue eyes still brimming with
tears.  "Don't worry about Janet.  She's going to be alright.  Why don't
you try to get some sleep now?"  He gently laid her back on the bed
and pulled the sheets up around her torso.

Stevie went back to sleep almost immediately.

*****

Out in the hall, Doc saw Maureen talking earnestly with Pick.

"How's she doing?" asked Pick as Doc approached.

"Better.  She was coherent for a few minutes.  It seems that the other 
girl is her sister, Janet.  She said that Janet wasn't involved, apparently
just an innocent bystander.  Stevie is still in a lot af pain.  She also
confirmed that she was raped.  But I didn't get anything else as to why 
they were handled like that."

Maureen broke in.  "Well, Janet still has a long way to go.  We almost
lost her this morning."

Pick said, "You two need to get some sleep.  You're both exhausted.  I
don't believe either of you have seen a bed since I brought them in a
week ago."  As the two doctors started to protest, he cut them off with,
"Go.  I have set up cots in the other room for you.  I will watch them
and wake you up if anything changes.  Go.  Now, already!"

"Okay, Pick, you're the boss.  I think I need a shower, first, though.
How about it, Maureen?"

"Yes, I think a shower and then a four hour nap.  But then I do need to
check up on Janet, again, Pick.  I think she'll be okay, but if she 
doesn't start to come around by then, I want to bring her out of it.
Otherwise, she could be in that coma for years."

Pick nodded affirmatively while herding the two doctors toward the shower
room they had had installed for just such an occasion.  It wasn't the 
first time they had used it.

*****

"Maureen, wake up.  Maureen.  Maureen."

"Huh?  What?  How's Janet?  What happened?"  Maureen tried to spring 
out of bed, but she was held back by Pick.

"Nothing, don't worry.  It's just time to check up on Janet."

"Has she come to yet?"  both doctors had changed clothes after they had
showered, but they had slept in them in case of an emergency.  Maureen
absently brushed at the wrinkles in her lab coatas she walked quickly 
toward the room where Janet was.

"She stirred a little while ago, but she never woke up."

"That's a good sign," Maureen said as she entered the room.  Janet was
stirring, trying to move.

"Janet, it's okay.  Take it easy," the doctor said soothingly as she 
looked at the array of instruments.  "Her pulse is back to near normal
and her blood pressure is back up again.  It looks like that new stuff
you got for us is pretty good, Pick."

"We try to do our best up there.  You just never know how something that
was developed in zero-g will work on you Terra-lovers."  As he spoke, the
door opened and Doc walked in.

"Need a hand, Maureen?" he asked.

"No, she's starting to come out of it, finally.  I think we're okay here.
But I wouldn't tell Stevie too much, just yet.  Janet still has a long
way to go, and I think the emotional trauma is going to be very bad for
both of them when they find out."  Maureen was checking the bandages
over Janet's eyes.

"Do you think there's any chance for her to regain her sight?"

"I don't know.  I guess it depends on the 'Rogues in Space'.  Pick?"

"Well, there is a team working on optic nerve implants, but they aren't
anywhere near to trying it out a a human, yet."

"What about the rest of her?" Doc asked gravely.

"I don't think so.  Even the Rogues can't do that kind of reconstruction
yet."

"Hmmmm.  Well, I had better go check on Stevie."  Doc turned alnd left
the room abruptly.


---------------------------------------------------------------------

The above work is Copyright 1992 by Rob Schultz.  Stevie, Janet, Doc,
and Jaeger are my creations and may not be used without written 
permission from me.  Please send any comments on the above work to 
me at:
                        rms@andria.miles.com
                                 or
                {uunet|iuvax}!gator!miles!andria!rms