Blueman : Chapter 1 : awakening
“Leah, status.” Leah was his personal artificial assistant and integrated network liaison. It would have been installed and secured within the capsule’s systems to be retrieved and updated from the primary network when he was to be revived.
“On board power has reached critical. Emergency resuscitation is now being facilitated. You will be fully restored in two minutes sir.” The feminine voice was tinged with a metallic twang that Marro found pleasant.
“Why have emergency measures been taken?”
“Solar energy harvesting has diminished greatly over time preventing sustainable power levels.” Marro looked up at the canopy now feeling more himself. Some feeling had returned to his fingers and toes. He studied the canopy. It wasn’t dim light there was a material that was filtering and absorbing light from above.
“Leah will there be sufficient power for you to remain active following my revival?” He tested his right hand then his left. His feet were still very numb but it was from cold not the process. His heart was racing as the solution began to speed up his metabolism jarring his cells to return to normal functioning.
“The integrated ion unit has completely decayed. Stored power has been in use for the last three years to maintain capsule functioning. I can drain the remaining charge into my portable unit if you desire. My personal power reserve is also critical.” Three years? Marro thought as he flexed his arms at the elbow back and forth helping the restorative treatment take hold.
“Leah how long have been dormant?”
“One thousand, four hundred, twenty three years and ninety eight days beyond mission specification. One thousand, two hundred, seventy four years outside of fail safe estimates.” Over fourteen hundred years? What could have happened? He asked the question of Leah.
“Unknown. Capsule date records emergency discharge. Reason for the evacuation was not stored. I was brought online following discharge. I facilitated continued dormant functioning per rescue protocols maintaining dormancy and beacon broadcast until power levels reached critical.” Unknown?
“Leah is this capsule on a life sustaining planetary body?”
“Yes.”
“What is blocking the view through the canopy?”
“Precipitation.” Snow. He thought. It was likely very deep and possibly had thickened to ice directly over his canopy. He would not be able to open it then.
“Resuscitation complete.” Leah chimed.
“Are the emergency explosive decouplers for the canopy in working order?”
“Running diagnostics.” Marro brought his knees up to his chest in the confined space in an effort to warm his legs and feet. His dormancy suit was rugged but thin. If this world was cold he would have to find or salvage enough to keep himself warm. “They are not in working order sir.” Long shot. He rolled over to his side so he could look directly at the display. The capsule’s power was nearly depleted from the resuscitation.
“Leah are the orientation and soft decent repulsers still active?”
“Running diagnostics.” Marro had thought.
“Turn off all systems by yourself to conserve remaining power.”
“I will need to maintain the capsule network in order to,” He interrupted her.
“Yes maintain the network to run diagnostics but switch to direct com rather then using the speaker please.”
“Yes sir. One soft decent repulser is damaged, all others are in working order.”
“Do you know how deep the precipitation above the capsule is?”
“I have charted it through this planet’s seasonal cycles. I can provide an estimate of the current level at three feet nine inches.” Marro concidered. If there was a section of firm ice it could prove a problem for the remaining engines to push through.
…To Be Continued…
