Loaded Secrets (ONC 2023)

Chapter Two: A New Life and A New World

The second time Aria woke up in her glass dome, she experienced an entirely different set of emotions. The anxiety of being held against her will as a result of some nefarious plan of a crime syndicate, was now replaced with fear of the entirely new and unknown era. The disbelief associated with the man's torrid tale about her being accidentally cryogenically frozen for nearly 1000 years, was now replaced with shock and horror at her new reality. She would have to resign herself to this fact, no matter how difficult it was.

A now-familiar sound of machinery struck her ears, and the mist surrounding her began to thicken. The door opened, and the man she had mistrusted mere moments ago stood before her, now holding the key to her survival. He looked expectantly at her, as though waiting for her to respond to some question he posed while she was under. She, of course, was not ready to speak or do much of anything as she tried to comprehend the facts that now assaulted her mind. As if tired of waiting for her to say something, the man began to speak again, this time in a language that appeared to sound entirely different from English or any language that she had heard in the past. And yet, somehow she understood him. Did the information dump include language classes?

After a few more moments of speaking, the man had clearly had enough of her silence, "Aria, do you understand me?"

She nodded, forcing herself to get back to the present and away from the information still sifting through her mind. The man continued to speak in the new language, telling her that she was now capable of understanding and communicating in Sinduru, a Sino-Germanic-Urdu language that was now prevalent throughout the world. The language descended from dominant languages of her time.

"I thought it would be the opportune moment for you to have this knowledge, if you are to continue to exist in this time period as not all inhabitants of the Republic have the functionality of understanding dead languages like English."

What? Modern English is now considered to be a dead language? Back in 2023, the whole world was striving to learn English and now it was like Latin.  Dead and gone. And what did he mean about remaining in this time period? Could she get herself cryogenically frozen again and sleep until someone awakens her a thousand years later? Tempting, but hard pass. Doing this once was bad enough.

The man continued to talk and provide her with some other general information about the modern government and justice systems. She realized that she already had some of this information in her head but the added context helped. She also finally managed to glean from the conversation that his name was Epson. The mention of that name caused a flicker of recognition in Aria's mind. She thought of the printer in her previous life, the one that was always buggy but got the job done during her late nights at her beloved office. Like his electronical predecessor, steadfast and immovable, Epson continued to explain to Aria the intricacies of her new world. She, in turn, tried to prepare herself for what was about to come. This yet-to-be-seen unfamiliar world, filled with advanced technology and new customs, would be a challenge indeed.

"May I get out?" she realized that she had yet to take a step from her glass cage. Epson regarded her and looked away at something to his right, some kind of screen, Aria supposed. Then she heard him utter, "Yes, slowly," after he made a motion with his hand and pressed on something that Aria couldn't see. The hold on Aria suddenly disappeared, and the familiar sensations throughout her body returned. She could finally move again!

As Aria attempted to take her first step, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her, it's like she hadn't moved in years. Well, technically, she hadn't.  She tried to hold her balance, while she observed an abundance of high-tech equipment and blinking screens throughout the facility. The lab bench, which appeared to be clean and devoid of tools from her vantage point in the capsule, had numerous holographic screens that  seamlessly integrated with the surface.

Slowly turning around, Aria surveyed the chamber in which she had been confined for all those years. It contained tubes, wires, and screens both inside and out, reminiscent of Ripley's cryogenic suspension unit from the Alien movies. It was interesting how, in her time,  humanity had already developed such seemingly complex technology, and yet they had not been able to cure simple ailments like menstrual cramps.

All of a sudden, she felt disoriented. Her legs felt unsteady beneath her as she attempted to take additional steps. Epson moved quickly to prop her up as she nearly collapsed to the ground.

"Thanks!" she muttered under her breath, trying to steady herself and shake off the fatigue. 

Aria regarded the rest of the room, and felt panic rise in her chest. Her body and mind were at war while she attempted to process the magnitude of everything that she had learned. She had been cryogenically frozen, and now, hundreds of years later, she had been revived. The world she had known no longer existed. Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes as she struggled to come to terms with this new reality. The weight of the loss was almost unbearable. But, despite the fear and uncertainty, she also felt a glimmer of hope. She was alive, and she had been given a second chance at life.

"So, what now?" her voice sounded shaky as she turned to find Epson regarding her curiously.

He paused for a moment. "Now, you must assimilate to this world. You were brought back not only due to technological advancements but also because your detective skills would be an asset in this world. Should you choose to remain, you will be employed in this capacity. Should you choose to be cryogenically frozen again and wake up in another year, century, or millennium, you will be eligible to do so in a month's time. It should be noted that all subjects must fully restore all their biological functions before they can be fully cryogenically preserved again for a substantial amount of time. Your processes are expected to be fully restored in 30 days," he finished.

"You are telling me my body is still not 100% awake? And, wait, you wouldn't have brought me back if I wasn't a detective? Would I have remained asleep forever if I were a store clerk or an admin?" The realization outraged her. "And why do you need me as a detective anyway, now that humanity has clearly advanced so much?" Her voice was filled with indignation as she posed the questions.

"You are correct; there have been many technological advancements since the primitive time you derive from," he said, without changing his tone or reacting to her outburst. She would have laughed at the ridiculousness of his response if she wasn't so affronted by the whole situation. 

"But, there are certain skills you possess that have been lost due to the various cataclysmic events that occurred since your time. We will discuss this in more detail later. For now, I will help guide you in this world and when you are ready, you will assist me with my work."

"Wait, are you with the police?" This certainly explained why the man showed little to no emotion. 

"I am with a special enforcement unit that would be akin to what had been known in your time as the 'police'." He didn't expand further, despite her questioning and confused expression. Instead, he turned on his heel and began walking towards the door. Aria guessed she had no choice but to follow him now.