Stars of a Forgotten Sleep
By Andrey Kurenkov
Stars of a Forgotten Sleep
Author: Andrey Kurenkov
Zai woke inside a cryopod, staring at stars that hadn't existed when he slept. A wave of nausea rolled over him as the automated systems whirred, defrosting his body. The stars swam in his vision, alien constellations splashed across the viewport. He felt a cold dread creep up his spine. This wasn't right.
The pod hissed open, and Zai stumbled out, legs unsteady. He was in a large, circular chamber, the walls lined with identical cryopods, most of them empty. A blinking red light caught his attention near a doorway. He lurched toward it, his head pounding. As he reached the door, it slid open with a whoosh. A tall, gaunt figure stood silhouetted against the light from the corridor beyond. "Took you long enough," the figure rasped, beckoning him forward. "We have much to discuss."
The figure's voice, raspy and cold, sent a shiver down Zai's spine. He strained to make out details in the dim light spilling from the corridor. The figure was impossibly thin, draped in what looked like tattered remnants of a uniform, the color long faded. His face was gaunt, almost skeletal, with deep-set eyes that burned with an unsettling intensity. Zai's instincts screamed at him to flee, to turn and bury himself back in the cold embrace of the cryopod, but his legs refused to obey. He was frozen, caught in the unsettling gaze of the stranger.
The figure raised a hand, skeletal fingers outstretched. A blue arc of energy crackled between them. Zai felt a jolt as the blast hit him square in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Pain exploded behind his ribs. He crashed to the ground, the cold metal floor rushing up to meet him. The chamber spun, the rows of cryopods blurring into a disorienting kaleidoscope of steel and glass.
Story Content
Zai woke inside a cryopod, staring at stars that hadn't existed when he slept. A wave of nausea rolled over him as the automated systems whirred, defrosting his body. The stars swam in his vision, alien constellations splashed across the viewport. He felt a cold dread creep up his spine. This wasn't right.
The pod hissed open, and Zai stumbled out, legs unsteady. He was in a large, circular chamber, the walls lined with identical cryopods, most of them empty. A blinking red light caught his attention near a doorway. He lurched toward it, his head pounding. As he reached the door, it slid open with a whoosh. A tall, gaunt figure stood silhouetted against the light from the corridor beyond. "Took you long enough," the figure rasped, beckoning him forward. "We have much to discuss."
The figure's voice, raspy and cold, sent a shiver down Zai's spine. He strained to make out details in the dim light spilling from the corridor. The figure was impossibly thin, draped in what looked like tattered remnants of a uniform, the color long faded. His face was gaunt, almost skeletal, with deep-set eyes that burned with an unsettling intensity. Zai's instincts screamed at him to flee, to turn and bury himself back in the cold embrace of the cryopod, but his legs refused to obey. He was frozen, caught in the unsettling gaze of the stranger.
The figure raised a hand, skeletal fingers outstretched. A blue arc of energy crackled between them. Zai felt a jolt as the blast hit him square in the chest, knocking the air from his lungs. Pain exploded behind his ribs. He crashed to the ground, the cold metal floor rushing up to meet him. The chamber spun, the rows of cryopods blurring into a disorienting kaleidoscope of steel and glass.
Synopsis
In a future where stars have shifted, Zai awakens from cryosleep disoriented and alone. Confronted by a mysterious figure, he must unravel the secrets of his stasis and navigate an alien universe. As he discovers unsettling truths, Zai faces existential threats that challenge his sanity and survival.
