Black Hole Heartbeat

Elizabeth - 7

Elizabeth's skull felt as if a grenade had just detonated inside of it. Her eyes flickered

open slowly, eyelashes flailing like an insect on its back. Thin film kept her eyelids

together. Bright light stabbed at her brain. Everything was white or polished metal.

Everywhere a shining ray of light to hurt her. There were two figures over in the

corner, nothing more than colourless shapes.

"She's waking up," one of them said.

They were both Humans, both women. One of them was dressed in a dark green

uniform without a badge or marking, with twin pistols in hip holsters and another

gun on her back. Her short dark hair sat under a beret. A woman prepared for

violence. Elizabeth grabbed at her own thigh, grasping for her gun. She felt only a

plastic smock and cool skin. The second woman wore a white uniform. No guns. She

had loose blonde curls and bold red lipstick. Thick black eyeliner winged away from

her blue eyes. They both wore bracelets like Lavell's.

Elizabeth tried to sit up but the blonde woman rushed forward, pushing her back

down. She aimed a small torch into her pupil. Elizabeth winced away from the light.

The first woman slapped the other's hand away.

"All these machines you've got plugged in and you need to shine that damn thing in

her eyes as soon as she's awake? She been out for three years, you don't think

she'll take a little while to adjust?"

"Three years?" Elizabeth said quietly. The words floated out of her.

She sunk back onto the bed, body numb.

"Break it to her gently, you said Sam," the blonde woman said, arms folded.

Years away from Earth – and three years asleep, apparently – had dulled her ear for

accents, but there was no mistaking the hard Russian edge 'you zed Zam' in the

blonde woman's voice. She looked young, early twenties maybe. Sam was more like

Elizabeth's age, around thirty.

"Bad news is bad news any way it's broken," Sam said. She forced a smile.

Sam sat down on the bed. Elizabeth's eyes never left Sam's pistol. She considered

reaching for it, but this woman looked like she'd be match for her. With rusty

reflexes, it was a race she would lose.

"Yeah, three years," Sam said, "Healing a burst heart takes time."

"Burst?"

"Your heart popped like a water balloon. Never seen anything like it."

"You did that?" Elizabeth said.

"Not me. Ana," Sam said, nodding at the nurse.

"Anastasia Yukishnov," Ana said, holding her hand out for Elizabeth to shake.

"I'll stick with Ana."

"I also had to repair several broken bones, regrow your organs and replace your