Prologue

Simon slowly awakened and realized he had a pounding headache. His throat was dry and he had aches and pains all over his body. The Tinnitus that had bothered him for the last few years was still there, however, now it was louder. He attempted to move to determine the cause of his misery but discovered that only his head was able to move side to side, and then only partially. Opening his eyes showed that his vision was blurry. He noted that he was lying on his back on what appeared to be a hospital bed, but it was strange! He didn’t seem to be actually ‘touching’ it and only his head would move.

“Why me!” he thought. “I have got to try to relax. It will get better! She told me that this was likely to be the immediate effects following the various procedures performed upon me. Just relax.”

Over several minutes his vision started to clear up, the headache lessened, as did the ringing in his ears and the aches and pains in his muscles and joints. He noticed that his breathing, which had been elevated was returning to normal. Moving his head around, he observed a glass of liquid on a small table beside the bed to his right and remembered being told to drink it when he was able. Currently he was unable to even move. Looking around the room, he observed many things he did not recognize but noted that it looked somewhat like some sort of hospital room.

Glancing to his left, his vision now focused on a creature of exquisite beauty, a woman, whom he recalled was named ‘Aurora’. She stood about 5’ 9” tall, with long curling red hair falling well below her shoulders, a lovely face, delicate features, and skin tone somewhat between an Oriental and well tanned Caucasian. If one was to guess, she appeared to be in her late twenties. She had a perfect slim hourglass shape that would distract any red-blooded human male. That might have been a little misleading as this gorgeous creature was, in fact, not a human female at all, but a hologram.

“How am I doing, Aurora?” Simon said.

She replied, “You are doing quite well, actually. The damage to your body that years of neglect and aging has caused is being repaired. You are probably experiencing headaches, pain and blurry vision. I note that your vision is rapidly improving. Over all, you are doing better than expected. Next, when the stasis field is released by the bed, we will need to get you on your feet and run some diagnostic tests, but I believe there will be no complications. We also need to get some additional food into you to aid the recovery process, but first drink the liquid by the bed. That liquid is mainly water with a lot of extra nutrients that should ease your pains and help with the recovery. After that and when you are feeling up to it, we can then start your training. Call me when you are ready.”

With that, she just ‘disappeared!’

Chapter 1 »