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By Thermidor
For LK who hates death stories and for Ces who likes tentacles
Thursday, 9 September 1999
That afternoon, before the radio station went off the air
for the last time, there was encouraging news.
A laboratory in San Diego had developed a vaccine for
the virus and production would begin immediately. But for those
in the Yukon, it would be too late. Winter
closed around them like a shroud; indeed the
snows over the cabin would serve as their burial raiment. The
two men and their wolf huddled close, freezing
despite their fevers. Benton Fraser closed his
eyes for the last time and saw a light. It was faintly greenish,
not what he had seen his parents walk into, but it was light and he
was content.
Kridag, 12 Thorknoy 3087
Ray Kowalski felt warm air on his face and the only thing
that surprised him was that hell wasn’t
as hot as he expected. He became aware of voices; he could understand
them although he realized they weren’t speaking
in English and probably not any sort of Polish either.
“Officer Kang?”
“Yes, Dr. Kodos?”
“The Homo sapiens have completed the transition from
cryogenic state to consciousness. They are
in excellent condition. The canis lupus has already been
released; he is also in excellent health. He had auditory damage
which may have preceded the freezing process.
Nevertheless, Dr. Kargh has corrected the damage
and outfitted him with a speech translation device. He reports
feeling much better, although he keeps asking
for a ‘donut’.
We are searching the database; Kargh suspects
it may be his sidearm," said
the man who Ray ascertained must be Dr. Kodos.
Ray figured he must on a lot of drugs in this hospital. With
great effort and equal nervousness, he opened his eyes.
A huge green figure with something that he hoped was a stethoscope
around his neck area, waved several tentacles
at him in what he hoped was a cheerful greeting.
“Good day, Refugee 7849-Zed Kowalski! We are glad to
see you awake! Come and join your companion
7847-Zed in our lounge. We expect 7848-Zed will join you shortly."
His spiky hair made a myriad of small punctures in the pillow
as Ray fainted dead away.
The end
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