Whir...
Chik chik chik!
"Stasis Startup Protocol Successful. Welcome back, Kegley Johannas Marice."
Kegley felt a bolt of freezing pain race up his spine, and he fell over, gasping as his eyes blurred. His suit recalibrated, and he breathed a sigh of relief as coolness settled over his skin like a comforting blanket.
Man, cryostasis sucked...
"Ugh..." He stretched, feeling every bone in his body crack and click. "SMaHLSS, read the data in stasis log, will you?"
SMaHLSS, the Starpod Maintenance and Human Life Support System, cleared its robotic voice, and began to spout out all the data that had been recorded of Kegley's extended stasis.
"Date: May 15th, 17327. You have been in stasis for roughly 15,116 years. Your average heart rate was 15 BPM, and your average weight has dropped by 10%. You are in desperate need of water and vitamin C and D."
A metal drawer slid out from the wall, where two pills sat. "A Hydration Fulfillement Capsule and Vitamin Restoration Capsule have been sent to the nearest delivery drawer."
Kegley groaned. "But those taste terrible, SMaHLSS! I may be 15 millennia old, but I'm still a kid."
"Incorrect." The AI responded. "You have outlasted every human being of your generation on planet Earth. You are no longer a child."
"Figurative, SMaHLSS." Kegley grumbled, but he still reached over and grabbed the two pills, and downing them quickly. They ta sted chalky, like fresh mulch. Kegley gagged and tried to not throw up, clutching his empty stomach as the capsules did their thing.
"Blergh." He croaked, and checked the vitals on his suit. Just like SMaHLSS had said, the pills did what they were meant to, and he could see his body reaching normal hydration levels again.
SMaHLSS clicked briefly as it processed the information.
"So, should we go back to Earth?" Kegley said, still trying to get that strange taste out of his mouth. "I mean, it's been so long... surely..."
"We... we can go back?" Kegley felt excitement bubble beneath his skin. "I can go home?"
"My predictions shows that it is plausible to return." SMaHLSS let out a few audible clicks, and a diagram popped up on Kegley's tablet. "A route for Earth has been laid out on your tablet. Please confirm whether or not you choose to land in this location."
Kegley didn't even look when he confirmed it.
...
"Hah! Stupid, mangy mutt!"
"Drooling, dingy dog!"
"Fleabag!"
"Furry idiot!"
Leika swooped away again as the wolf swiped at him again, massive paws clumsily trying to catch him out of the air.
"You'll never catch me, dum-dum!"
He flitted in between the thick, tall trees, and flapped his wings harder. Not that he needed to, of course - the wolf was simply too slow.
High above the forest floor he soared, feeling wind rushing past his hair. He finally slowed his pace to a lazy glide with the occasional flap of his wings. He landed at the entrance of the den, shouldering his pack slightly.
"Ah, Leika!" Kiate appeared, giving him an excited grin. "Welcome back!"
"Hey, Kiate." Leika rummaged through his pack and brought up a few berries, all stuffed into his weighty pack. "I found a few berries, all ripe and edible in the bush today."
