The Bridge | Bots 'R Us

Chapter 21 | Awakening

AKAKA CAVES, HILO COUNCIL
2 MAY 634

When I was born, nobody remembered their first breath. Landers do, from when their cloned bodies receive their back-transferred minds and awaken. Technically, it's their second "first breath." And do I remember mine! Fresh air filled my lungs in a violent rush, the cool in my mouth turning into burning heat inside, like a backdraft rolling in to fire up every cell in every alveolus. I opened my eyes, the light in the room jolted through my brain to its deepest recesses, a thunder of heat blurring my sight.

"Welcome, Sarah! Or should I still call you David?" Tomiko asked, with the tone of a gentle midwife addressing an adult infant. Her face's smooth features, shrouded at first in a washed-out blur, sharpened progressively until I could see her clearly, surrounded by Diana and other leaders of their community.

I looked at my arms. They seemed so pale, like her redhead skin. My hands felt soft and moved gracefully. I rubbed them against my arms, my face, my chest... "Yes! I am Sarah... and David." I answered after a moment of self-revelation.

"Awesome! It worked!" burst out Diana. "Welcome, my dear. We scanned all your functions before waking you up. Everything is optimal. I am so relieved you are finally whole!"

"Are you talking to David or Sarah?" I asked, recognizing that she was probably more excited at the sight of a living copy of my cousin-mom, than for bringing me back to human shape.

"Both, dear, both of you. Would you like to sit?"

"I can try." I slowly slid my hands along my body up to my chest and pushed on my arms to lift my torso. I felt my abs contracting. I must have looked puzzled. I was in wonder at the tinglings of awakening coming from every minute part of my new body.

"Sarah had a high consciousness of her body," Diana said, "she could pinpoint very precisely where a function was amiss. And she taught us that gift. You seem to have retained that awareness from her."

"It's amazing! You can see it on my face, can't you? I never was into yoga or other disciplines of the kind as a young man, and as an Andro, I could summon diagnostics of my functions at any time, so yes, this is new. And it's Sarah's gift!"

"One of many, we hope, my dear."

Tomiko came back from the desk by the side of the printer with a small and shiny metal ball in her hand. "Do you recognize this?" she asked.

"Oh my gods, a Dance Dance Transfusion Spider, like Nicolay's! I haven't seen one for real in ages! Landers don't even use them anymore. Now, they just gulp a loaded capsule."

"We repurposed it for your physical therapy to stimulate your muscles and give you full strength and agility in no time. Unlike those from your past, this one will work with you, not control you."

With two of Diana's comrades helping me stand on my two feet, Tomiko applied the spider to the base of my neck. It unfolded and attached to every strategic nerve ending, ready to trigger my muscles. And with a soft rub behind my neck, she turned it on.

"Wow! That's a jolt!" I yelped as a wave of pins and needles passed through me and lifted me in a perfect standing posture. Helpers let go of me. Barely reborn, I was standing on my own! And my first reflex was to touch my belly. I couldn't help feeling that my stomach was ghastly flat, as in 'wall-against-wall' flat.

"You have nothing in your belly, Sarah," said Tomiko. "Have this smoothie!"

I sipped from the cup she'd given me what I'd call baby food for grown-ups. It had the taste of lilikoʻi, hibiscus, goat milk, macadamia nuts, and a thousand and one other flavors.