32 Serina - a brightly glowing blue globe (1/2)
I opened my eyes to a brightly glowing blue orb swimming in the heavens. Fluffy white clouds were drifting over its surface, I started to become aware of myself. Recognizing the familiar view of my home planet Terra from space relaxed me. I was having sort of a hard time breathing, and my chest felt heavy. Looking down I saw the top of Lance's head cushioned on my chest. He was still emitting soft snores. I could feel his heartbeat firm and regular he was so tightly plastered to my body, our arms around each other. It mattered not what had happened at that moment because as long as we were together, nothing could be seriously wrong.
Bit softly spoke up at that moment, ”Look at the northern half of the American continent along the eastern seaboard? Just past the daylight demarcation line. A bit down from that massive pool of lights? That is where we will be landing.”
”Then that pool of lights must be New York City?”
”Affirmative,” Bit said.
Our talking must have started the waking process as Lance buried his head deeper into my chest before he turned his head to first look and make sure I was Ok, then to look out the cockpit window on to the blue-green globe that is earth, which now occupied almost the entire view. ”No matter how many times I've seen this I still get choked up.” Lance quietly mumbled in his half-awake state.
Lance pulled himself together, pausing only to soundly kiss me good morning. From his own seat, he studied the earth as we swiftly reentered the earth atmosphere. Our forcefield shield shunting aside the atmosphere before it could ablate the surface of the ship. In moments we were on the ground a stunning sunset still on the horizon. Nothing but green fields and trees around us. Lance commented, ”I forgot that we had gone back in time to where open spaces and being surround by trees was more the norm than the exception.”
Bit stated, ”I chose somewhere isolated so you could acclimate yourself. I know that Jane is comfortable in an Imperial Marines light armor suit, Lance has never worn one and he will need some time to adjust to it.”
”Whoa!” Lance exclaimed. ”I thought this was going to be stealth and blending in, not blowing up everything in sight….”
I laughed out loud. ”Light armor has optical stealth as well as other types of stealth capability. I think this might be a good choice until we know just what the situation is.”
Just then Bit said, ”Got it!”
I felt that familiar flood of data as if Imp was here with us. I could sense Lance's voice in my head almost as if we were linked as one with each other, then I realized that Bit was acting as the conduit for our sub-vocal speech. Lance and I were not in full contact, but we could now talk silently to each other and Bit could help us by using our built-in sensors much as if Imp were here.
It is a weird feeling if you have not grown from infancy with this connection. It feels more like remembering something with that speed of thought that is remembering—as opposed to listening to someone reciting or lecturing you.