The Milky Way Saga: Cities to Embers (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 02: Happy Birthday

     08:35 January 15th, 2160

"It's my birthday," I said as I opened my eyes. I thought I had detected the faintest smell of vanilla in the air. "Bailey? Where are you?" The light balanced out and I realized I wasn't in my cottage in my hometown of Augher, Ireland. But instead, in a hospital.

"Where am I?" I struggled to get up, but I couldn't feel my legs.

"Whoa, there fella, don't try anything you'll regret later."

I looked up at a doctor. Old, white beard, neatly trimmed, balding and with one brown eye, one green. Doctor J. Kilford is what the name tag said. I looked around the room to find a big, empty white room.

"I said where am I, Doc."

"You are at Destiny, on DREADNOUGHT III, in the Master System."

"Yeah, I know Where the station is. But, I mean- Why? What happened to me?"

The doctor looked at me with a faint smile, almost like he wanted to stay optimistic for me. "You were in the shock wave of those ships being destroyed, son. The Creative, Intent, Saviour, and, uh, what was it..." Don't say it... "Hope, yeah Hope was lost in that attack also.

There it was. Hope was gone. But not just Hope.

"Did anyone make it off the ship?"

"No, son. No one made it off any ship but Promise. and some people died on there even, just because the shock wave was that strong."

"I see."

Bailey is gone. I can't believe it. How could this happen? What was the last thing she was thinking?

"I know that your wife was aboard the ship, she was pregnant too, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, 8 months. Wait, why can't I feel my legs?"

"the circuitry in your spinal prosthetic was severally damaged. It's almost done being repaired, but the cost will be kinda high... You're apart of the Founders, right? ex-Navy?"

"Yeah."

"Hrm, might be covered then."

I looked around. I never quite understood how the operating tables were at sixty degree angles. it looks so strange.

"Ah ha!" He looked at me from my left side, peeking out from behind me. "It's all done! Go on and try to walk, take it slow and you'll be fine. Try to walk to that mirror on the far side of the room."

I waited as the bed tilted to a perfect straight line. The straps let go, and I slid to my feet. They felt funny, like they were on pins and needles. I felt the artificial spine in my back align properly and took my first step. Good. I took another and almost lost my balance, but recovered.

"Whoa, there, take it slow, you'll get there."

I continued on my way. Each step much stronger than the one before it.

I finally got to the mirror. How long have I been out? my beard is scruffy, and getting kind of long. My Chestnut colored hair is already curling, like it always does when it gets to be longer than about two and a half, maybe three inches. my bright blue eyes are staring back at me, almost like they're blaming me for Bailey's death. I didn't do it, I though, I had no control over it. I pick my arm up to touch my reflection and notice a scar running down it, from my wrist to my forearm.

"What happened here doc?"

"OH, a piece of glass from a computer screen flew and hit you, sliced you right up into your elbow."

I see the reflection of a clock in the mirror it said 0612 ht51 yraunaJ. I flipped around to see that it was January 15th, 2160.

"Doc, is that clock right? Is it really 2160?"

"yup, you've been out for almost two and a half years."

I missed the funeral. My wife and unborn child are dead and there was a funeral and I was not there.How could that happen.

"Fleet Admiral Ford was there. He was very saddened by the loss, came by right after and left you some flowers."

"How is he?"

"missing and arm and both of his legs, but he's walking."

"Incredible."

It was quite for a while. I walk around some more, getting a feeling for my feet again. the doctor told me that there would be some officials to come and bring me to a secret location soon. I got dressed and looked at him again.

"Hey Doc," I said, "Are we winning this war?"

He looked at me, at first with a smile, but that quickly faded into something far more grimacing than a frown.

"Son, if we winning this war, than I'm a spring chicken." I looked at him longingly. How can you joke about this? I just lost my wife, my unborn child, my life... everyone's life... I wanted so bad to yell at him, but what's the point? There is nothing left to do but to laugh.

"Haha, yeah," I forced out a chuckle, "I know what you mean."

He reached out towards my hand with something in it. "Here, have this," He dropped a locket into my hand, it was a little clock and a necklace. "My grand daddy gave that to me on my 21st birthday." He looked up at me again. "Happy Birthday."

I took the locket and then we were surrounded by sirens. Loud screeching sirens. Then, A big fizzle-pop sound, and he was on the ground with a clear hole in the side of his head. I turned around and saw the first one I'd ever seen before.

Incolma. A Denizen.