NOVEL NEXT Chapter One: Cryo
21 Days Prior
Dayshadow Industries
United Space Systems freighter California
2099 A.D.
Computer readouts come to life with loud chirps and beeps. In the habitat wing, of the United Space System scientific vessel California, several cryogenic tubes have begun to defrost. The occupants within being nourished back to minimal health by a small dosage of electrolytes; fed to them through the fluid reviving their molecularly frozen bodies.
Doctor Teresa Lynette Boyd is the first to regain consciousness. She slowly sits up in her cryotube, glancing at her slumbering counterparts. Theodore McAvoy, the ship’s chief engineer, is the next to awaken from his deep sleep. His eyes immediately fall on Teresa and he smiles.
“Morning, Sunshine!” Theodore drawls and runs a hand down the front of his wet t-shirt. “Lookin’ mighty purty, today!”
“Oh hush, Theo!” Teresa exclaims with a wave of her hand. She climbs carefully out of her stasis tube and heads for the lockers. Theodore’s voice follows her as she goes.
“I hate to see you leave, Sugar! But I love to see you walk away!” Theodore teases.
Teresa nonchalantly throws a bird over her left shoulder.
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Chief Engineer Theodore McAvoy strolls confidently down the corridor. The lead engineer and InfoTech specialist wears only a tight white t-shirt, a pair of gray shorts, and a thin layer of cryogenic gel. The gel causes Theo’s skin to glisten, making the toned muscled of his arms and legs stand out more noticeably. Theo is headed for his quarters and a nice long shower.
He passes by several passengers along the way. One woman, a tall brunette, gives the chief engineer an approving look and smiles as she passes him by. Theo entertains her by turning and halfway gazing at her firm derriere. She only notices because she is turned doing the same.
Making his way through the throng of people in the habitat wing’s common area, Theo freezes in his tracks when a deep male voice calls his name.
“Theo…Yo, Theo!” the voice hollers over the sounds of hustle and bustle.
Theo glances across the large open area and catches sight of Louis Brantley. He raises a hand into the air in a silent greeting. A female engineer, riding a mobile engineering cart, honks the horn on her cart and maneuvers around Theodore. He shoots her a casual head nod and watches as Louis crosses in his direction.
Louis Brantley, a civilian contractor in charge of construction on the new colony, is an old friend. The two of them have been friends since they were barely knee-high. While not as tech-savvy as Theo; Louis has often worked side-by-side with him on various side projects.
“Hey, Louis,” the chief engineer drawls and holds out his right hand.
Louis puts on a wide grin and takes Theodore’s hand. They exchange an energetic and elaborate dap, before pulling each other close and sharing a manly hug. Louis releases Theo and laughs almost in his face.
“Man…You look like hell!” Louis says, pointing to the cryo gel gleaming on Theodore’s flesh.
“I can’t stand those communal showers, Louis. You know that!” Theo says. “I want a nice long shower, surrounded by my ladies. Can’t do that in there.”
“Uh…Huh,” Louis says. The large black man folds his muscled arms across his barrel chest. He peers at Theo in faux disapproval. “Still got that big stack of holo-mags beside the toilet, I gather? Cause ain’t no woman gonna want to be near you with all that sleep gunk on you."
“Laugh it up, Louis,” Theo says. “You won’t be laughing when I bag Dr. Boyd and you’re still walking around salivating after her like Pavlov’s dog.”
“Whoa,” Louis says. “Watch out, man.”
Louis points across the room; where a large man with a mechanical arm, and a uniform emblazoned with the word: ‘Security’, is surveying the crowd.
“Dr. Boyd’s personal watchdog is right there,” Louis says with a smirk.
Theodore glances over at Security Chief Richard Crews and shrugs. He returns his attention to Louis. As far as men go, Theodore couldn’t care less about Crews. But Crews’ proximity to Dr. Boyd has presented Theo with a bit of a problem. Rumor has it, Crews has a thing for Dr. Teresa Boyd. They’d known each other back before Crews lost his arm putting down an Earther rebellion on New Vegas. This rumored history meant that Crews stayed as close to Dr. Boyd as bees swarming honey.
And as far as women went, Dr. Boyd was nearly as sweet as honey. The good doctor possessed a body that made Theo wonder how she ended up working for a washed up company like Dayshadow Industries. She could be doing literally anything. Instead, she chose to work on obscure projects at the ass-end of space. If there was any woman on this ship whose mind he wanted to pick—as well as other things—it was Teresa Boyd’s. Maybe with one other exception. Her lab assistant, Beth—or Bess, is pretty hot too. Either one would do for his purposes. A thought occurs to Theo and he looks around.
“If the watchdog is here…Where’s the good doctor?” Theo inquires. A sly expression creeps onto the chief engineer’s face.
Louis’ full lips twist into a disapproving smirk and he peers at Theo with narrowed eyes.
“She went into her quarters a few moments before you came up,” Louis says. “Only difference is, she had the decency to wipe herself down first. Probably headed for the showers too. I’m guessing you have some extra-curricular plans. Maybe a little spy action?”
The chief engineer places a hand over his heart and glances over at the pacing security chief.
“Perish the thought,” Theo says. “What kind of man do you think I am?”
Louis slaps Theodore on the shoulder and prepares to leave. He leans and whispers so that only Theo can hear.
“You forget, man,” Louis chuckles, “I’ve known you since forever. I want a copy of the vid. We can share a beer and swap fantasies later.”
“You bring the beer,” Theo says and shakes Louis’ hand.
The big black man strides away, his heavy gait taking him quickly through the milling throng of passengers and personnel. Theo purposely catches the eye of Security Chief Crews and waves. Next, he heads to his quarters. Hopefully, he isn’t too late for what he has in mind.
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Dr. Boyd emerges from the bathroom and crosses to the small kitchenette at the corner of her living space. She activates the coffee maker, and instructs it to only make one cup—decaffeinated. After seven months in and out of cryosleep, all she wants is a tall cup of sweetened coffee. Sans the caffeine jitters. As if the shakes sometimes caused by an extra-long slumber aren’t enough.
Once she has the coffee in hand, Teresa sits down at a small glass table and turns on the tablet computer laying on its surface. A message from Dr. Boyd’s superiors, at Dayshadow Industries, is waiting in the queue. She enters her access code and a secondary verification screen loads. Teresa verifies her identity with an instant photo, finger print analysis, and a retina scan. Finally, she is permitted access to the waiting message.
Message Transcript:
Project Judas Resurrection has been given the green light. Proceed with all due caution. Knowledge of project is limited to members of your direct team, and those security personnel whose clearance is A2 and above. Once you reach your destination, further instructions will be given.
Dr. Boyd’s heart races with both excitement and fear. After seven long months of waiting, working on ancient Earth bacterial cultures, and sporadic cryonaps; the Judas Resurrection project is finally hers. She only hopes she can succeed where Dr. Tyler failed. The future of warfare in the human sphere depends on her success. No pressure.
She closes out the message, logs out of her account, and puts the tablet computer to sleep. Pumping her fist, stomping her feet in a childlike fashion, and hugging herself around the waist; Teresa doesn’t hesitate to show her absolute elation. A small squeal escapes Dr. Boyd’s lips and she stands up from her place at the glass table.
First things first; her new lab. No more studying microbes, no more waiting for the big wigs to suddenly change their minds and give the project to another—more qualified—scientist. Today is her day. Teresa crosses to her mini fridge and opens the top door. Inside is a 1985 vintage merlot wrapped in red cellophane. Teresa smiles wistfully and then shuts the freezer. Maybe she’ll invite Richard over for a night of celebration. It will be like old times.
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In his own living quarters, Theodore McAvoy watches Teresa’s activities with a grim expression. Her overt exhilaration causes him to grow curious. What exactly was in that message? He can already guess.