Hearts and Stones - Robin D. Owens Page 0,20

twice,” Hoku said. “Whether we continue to receive such communications no one here knows. The gov hasn’t relayed that information to us. Not even those of us who recently worked for the WorldStates gov.”

“Once upon a time, we went into space. Once upon a time, we colonized other planets.” Megan sighed.

And suddenly the walk up and down the corridors, the travel by omnivator to another level, ended. They faced wide doors that opened in front of them, but showed only a vestibule and another set of doors.

“Sterilization chamber,” Donna explained as she stepped in. Levona did, too, and though a couple of people hesitated, they all crowded together and the doors closed behind them. Pizi sneezed at the tech and psi-tech process that left Levona’s cheap clothes in tatters and her feeling scrubbed clean to her last skin-cell.

Pizi hopped from Levona’s arms to an examination table.

I WILL DO THIS TOO! The cat sat straight, tiny head lifted in pride.

Donna’s expression softened. “Not this time.” She glanced at Levona.

With fear zooming through her, Levona realized she could truly die. That might help the colonists regulate the cryonics procedure, but she’d be dead. Clearing her throat, she said, “Let me do this first, Pizi. They have, um, specifications for humans, but will have to work up amounts of the drugs and stuff for a cat companion.”

A heart friend.

“Yes,” Levona and Donna said in unison.

But We will go to sleep together in Our tube for the trip, Pizi insisted.

“I can do that,” Donna said.

Levona stared at her, more, probed the woman for confidence and veracity. The physician believed she spoke the truth. “Have you had any experience of initiating and finishing the cryonics procedure?” Levona asked as she should have before.

“I’ve watched the procedure often. I know the chemicals and the timeline,” Donna stated.

Levona wouldn’t ask if she’d observed in person or participated. Too late now.

Ignoring everyone else’s gazes on her bruised and scratched, too-thin body, she disrobed and followed each step of the process. Finally, she sat on the edge of the narrow pad comprising the bottom of the tube. “How long will I be … out?”

“As long as we can test you for, but probably for no less than three days and …” Donna glanced over to the others observing the process …

“Not longer than a week,” the smooth-talking pilot stated. He trusted Levona with information, at least.

She knew that the Geek Class would need at least forty-eight hours of full preparation before the ship launched. At least Lugh’s Spear would. She hadn’t figured out, yet, how their time tables interwove with the schedules of Nuada’s Sword that would leave from NJNY and Arianrhod’s Wheel launching from EurAstates.

She couldn’t hug Pizi now, could only stare at her and emanate the huge emotion, and send telepathically, I love You, Pizi.

I love You, too, Levona, my heart friend, Pizi said from the firm grasp of Netra Sunaya Hoku.

She met his dark brown eyes, then switched her gaze to Donna. “You will take care of Pizi for me? You all must realize by now she’s a very special cat, a true animal companion.”

Everyone loved Pizi, and if they didn’t need Levona to come out of this experiment, she figured they’d keep the cat and kick Levona off the ship.

“We promise on our honor,” several people said, more than half … six. And since they replied in unison, she understood it to be a common phrase in the community that she would have to learn, and live by.

Dipping her head, and snuffling back her tears, she said, “Thank you.”

“Look at me,” Donna lilted.

Levona did.

TRANCE!

And Levona fell … drifted. She saw more than felt the injections. Noticed the hot heat of the hands of a couple of the men who lowered her steadily to the sponge beneath her, straightened her limbs and head. The domed lid of the tube snapped over her and her heart leapt and blood surged in fear — but no. Her mind thought that should be happening, but her blood continued to slow along with the beating of her heart as the air chilled around her.

Fog clouded her eyes, or the inside of the pod, she didn’t know. She thought she wanted to say something but her thoughts s-l-o-w-e-d and her lips froze like all the rest of her.

Down. Down. Down into muddy darkness, breaking chill thin-iced water in a ditch and settling on the bottom. Gray stones closed around her, curving over her like an old-time crypt tomb. She felt …