Alpha Centauri

The Awakening

I opened my eyes and squinted against the harsh florescent lights. A constant beeping sound erupted around me but otherwise the space around me was completely silent.

Every breath I took, fogged up the clear film around me. I was stuck under a glass case, trapped in a small confined space. I pushed my hands up against the barrier and tried to get out. The glass wouldn't budge, and I began to breathe heavily through my nose, my heart pounding against my rib cage.

Where am I?

How did I get here?

Who am I?

I turned over, looking through the side of the glass, and realized something was in my mouth. My pale hands reached up as I looked down towards the object. I tugged slightly on the tube filled with a pale blue liquid.

"Welcome Nova, you are aboard the Sitara. Please wait for diagnostics."

A voice echoed around me and I jumped, bumping my head against the glass and rubbed my sweaty skin.

My name's Nova. My heart started to race faster as I tried to remember where I was and how the hell I got here.

"Please calm down, your heart rate is slightly elevated. Please take deep breaths to calm yourself so I can run the diagnostics." The woman's voice echoed in my chamber.

I listened and tried to take deep breaths but the tube down my throat made it impossible, and panic took over once more. I reached my shaking hand up again and tried to pull the tube out.

"Removing Cryo tube." The woman said.

I gagged and heaved as the tube was slowly pulled out of my throat, a small voice in my mind encouraged me to relax, but I couldn't, and the tube slid out painfully.

I turned my head as I heaved pale blue gunk all over the inside of the glass box, coating my long, white blond hair in the vial stuff.

I took deep gulping breaths which fogged up the glass again.

"Initializing Awakening Procedure." The woman spoke again.

A hissing sound came from the chamber, filling it with a fine mist that disappeared as the glass case opened, revealing a bright white room with similar chambers.

I sat up quickly, unsure if the glass would slide over again. My head spun and my stomach lurched at the fast movement.

"Diagnostic complete. Results; Blood type A negative, age twenty, heart rate slightly elevated, blood pressure normal, stress levels slightly elevated. Results are normal for an Awakening." The woman announced.

I wasn't sure what was going on, the last thing I remembered before waking up was sitting on a beach covered in golden sand as I watched the blue and white waves crash in front of me.

"Where am I?" I asked out loud, my throat irritated and my voice harsh and croaky.

"You are aboard the Sitara, stationed in the Alpha Centauri System. It is your time to be awoken." The female voice said and I noted the lack of emotion.

"I'm confused." I spoke out loud as I rubbed my hand on my forehead, I felt foggy.

"My systems say it's normal to feel confused after the Awakening." She replied.

"Where are you?" I looked around, but the room was only filled with rows and rows of the same glass case as mine.

The Sitara groaned, filling my ears with loud noise. I tried to shake my head, but it made me feel nauseous again.