Something was different about how Matthew Dekard felt as he woke up. The usually painful chill associated with the thawing process was absent. He wondered long he had been stored this time. Each time he woke up medical advances had taken huge strides.
As his eyes began to open to the sterile white room around him he shook of the thoughts of medicine and tried to focus on why he was awake. He had a job to do and it was to report plain and simple. A war must have broken out and world woke up the man from the 21st century to write about it. As prehistoric as he had become over the many centuries that past during each of his sleeps one thing remained true, he could write about the suffering of war and still stir the emotions of the people of the world.
When is it this time, he wondered and who started the fight? When last he woke it was 2765 during the bloody war between EuroChina and the
His train of thought was interrupted as a tall roughly human looking woman dressed all in white entered his room. With the exception of the extra set of arms and the ravens beak where her mouth and nose should be, Matthew found he very atractive.
“Mr. Dekard if you are receiving my mind please nod.” Matthew never saw the beak move yet he heard her words clearly in the back of his mind. He nodded slowly afraid to think to loudly. The last thing he wanted was his thought to be picked through.
“By the look on your face Mr. Dekard I can tell you are very alarmed and somewhat confused. Do not worry I can not read your thoughts unless you wish me to. To answer the question before you ask it. A neural receiver has been placed in you. I can send you my thoughts but you must still communicate to me in your primitive way.”
Matthew felt his moth open several times yet he could produce no sound. It had been a long time since he spoke and he had momentary forgot how to form the words that were dancing around in his head.
“Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“Effectively so Mr. Dekard. I’m well versed in over two-hundred primitive languages.”
“You are very polite . . . madam?”
“You are very astute. Indeed I am female How ever my gender is on no importance now. What does matter is the reason you have been brought out of your deep slumber.”
Sitting up for the first time in what felt like centuries Dekard felt a slow crooked grin cross his face. “So who’s the battle between this time, and what medium do you use to report the news?”
“You misunderstand the reason why you are now awake Mr. Dekard. You are a great writer and your views on the atrocities of war have been read and studies by billions in the joint planetary system. If fact your book “I woke up when? Sleeping through Peace” is required reading for all students now.”
“Well this is an interesting way to wake up. It’s not everyday you find out your required reading. So tell me more about what’s going on. The sooner I catch up on what I’ve missed the sooner I can get to work.”
“Very energetic response Mr. Dekard. It’s pleasing to know you are ready for your next assignment. Let me forward with why you have be brought back to the waking life. To you it would be the year 4276 and the populace of the solar system is truly at one with each other. It is the greater wish that you join the people and write about serenity and comradeship. No longer will you have to tell stories of hate and violence.”
For several long moments Matthew Dekard just sat and stared at the exotic woman in front of him. Thoughts rushing and colliding into each other raced through his head. No more war, no more useless violence? Can I write about peace? Would people care for the views of a man as old as I am? Shit how old am I?
“Well Mr. Dekard what say you?”
“You got something stiff to drink?”
