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Refit
Year: 2176
Setting: First Lunar Colony
"Mio, we have to go on that one!" the boy pointed excitedly, jumping up and down, eyes wide.
The coaster was magnificent – the most elaborate that the park had to offer.
"No, Stephen." The older girl huffed, folding her arms. "We're not going anywhere until Mom and Dad get back."
"But Mio!" Stephen protested, "This is the one I've been waiting to ride. And you get to drive your own rocket car down the track and everything!"
"I said, 'no,' Stephen." Mio whined, "There's no way I'm getting in trouble while we're on vacation."
"They'll never even know." Stephen insisted, "Come on. The line's dying down." The boy started over to the end of the short line.
"Stephen?" Mio called after him, "Stephen!" she shook her head and muttered, "Great… He never listens to me… Better follow him or he'll get lost."
Mio ran after him and caught up just as he was going through the entrance.
"Where's your driver, son?" the ride attendant was saying when she ran up.
"There she is." Stephen pointed at Mio. "She's coming with me."
"How old are you, young lady?" asked the attendant.
"Eleven, but – "
"Great, minimum driver age is ten. Go on in, you two. Have fun. Just make sure to keep your hands on the controls at all times." The attendant shooed them into their rocket car before Mio could protest.
"I didn't think you were coming." Stephen said as the car started up.
"I wasn't coming until I got shoved in here." Mio retorted. "I was trying to stop you."
"Uh, huh. Well, it was great you came when you did, otherwise they wouldn't have let me on." Stephen reached over towards the controls, "Switch with me."
"You heard the attendant, the minimum age for drivers is ten; you're seven. It's not happening."
"Oh yes, it is, sister." With that, Stephen climbed over Mio and pushed her over into the passenger seat while he took hold of the steering. "Get ready for the ride of your life."
Mio tried to pry the controls away from her younger brother, but he wouldn't give them up.
"Fine. Just make sure we get done before Mom and Dad find out we're not where we're supposed to be."
"Consider it done." Stephen replied and accelerated so fast that Mio was plastered back against the seat.
They flew around turns and loops, gaining speed until Mio thought they would fly off the track.
"Stephen, slow down, there's a turn coming." Mio suddenly exclaimed.
"I know; we'll make it fine." Stephen replied, his eyes glued to the upcoming turn.
They shot around the bend.
"Told you we'd make it!" The boy exclaimed, and he held up two victorious hands.
"Stephen, don't – " Mio never got the chance to finish. The lights on the controls blinked, then shorted out.
Stephen lunged for the break. He missed.
Mio screamed as the rocket car suddenly jolted to the left crashed through the barrier around the track. Her scream was cut short when the wreck landed with a sickening crunch-thud fifty feet below.
Everything was blurry… and so… white? Where was he?
He tried to clear his vision, blinking over and over, then he tried to reach up and rub his eyes. Nothing happened.
A sick feeling started to roil in his gut and he tried to move his feet.
He tried over and over to move something – anything other than his neck or torso, but he just couldn't, no matter how much willpower he put into it. What made it worse was that his entire body from his neck down was covered with a sheet, and it felt like there were pillows up against his sides, so he couldn't roll over to look towards the door. And his feet and hands felt so itchy.
He felt like he was trapped, and a bolt of fear shot through him. Then he remembered.
"Mio…?" He managed to rasp, "Mio!" he tried again, this time more successfully.
He didn't hear anything. He kept calling for his sister. She had to be okay. This was all his fault. He should have listened to Mio and stayed put.
"Doctor, he's awake!"
An unfamiliar voice called from somewhere out of his line of vision.
Suddenly a blurry face appeared over him. He couldn't see the face well enough to tell who it was.
"Mom?" he asked. "What's going on? Where's Mio?"
"I'm not your mom, honey." The southern accent definitely didn't belong to Elaina Sandor. "She's comin' though. Just hang in there for one more minute." She reached over and wiped something out of his eyes. Suddenly he could see much better. "You think you can hold on a little longer?"
Stephen looked down at his body.
"No, no, honey, don't look right now. You –"
"Wha – wha – what's wrong – with me?" he suddenly couldn't breathe, even though he was inhaling and exhaling as quickly as he could.
The sight that met his eyes was more horrible than he ever thought it could be.
"The accident was really bad, sweetheart." The nurse said gently, "You need to breathe slower or you'll pass out again."
"Where – where are my arms?! My legs?! Why can I still feel them if they're not there?" Stephen's voice tightened and tears rolled down his cheeks. "What's going on?!" he demanded.
"Honey, you need to calm down." The nurse tried to get the boy to breath normally, "The doctor and your parents are talking about how to help you."
"What can they do about this? Stephen sobbed, "They're – gone…"
"Yes…" the nurse replied softly, "Yes, they are…"; she looked the boy in the eye, "I can't tell you your life's gonna be normal again, Stephen." The nurse said frankly. "But, believe it or not, there are some options. You've got a good chance one of them will work for you." The nurse gave Stephen a small smile, "Don't worry. You've got the best bionics professionals working on your case right now."
Stephen's eyes widened and his breathing slowed down. "Bionics?" he sniffed, "Really?"
"Uh huh." The nurse nodded again and wiped away the boys tears. "You're gonna be okay, sweetheart." She smiled at Stephen, "Promise."
"Where's Mio?" Stephen's eyes widened again and the panic returned.
"It's okay. Your sister made it. She landed on top of you; you kept her from getting hurt more than she was. Just a couple broken bones; she'll be back on her feet real soon."
Stephen relaxed, "Good, I'm glad she didn't get really hurt." He looked away, shame settling over his eyes. "I did something really stupid," he said bitterly.
"Yeah," the nurse nodded, "Ya did."
Her frankness made Stephen look back up, "You're agreeing with me?"
"Yep." She nodded, "But it wasn't all your fault, you know."
"It wasn't?"
"There was a power outage while you were on that coaster. Someone mistimed a system restart."
"How do you know that?" Stephen asked.
"I know a lotta things, Stephen Sandor." She smiled at the boy again, "And I know this is just the beginning of your life – not the end." She looked over her shoulder, "Your parents and the doctor will be in any second." She turned to go, "Take care."
Stephen started to wave, then remembered he couldn't, so he said, "Thanks…"
The nurse nodded, then walked toward the door.
Stephen blinked, and the nurse was gone.
Year: 2199
Setting: Onboard the Argo , near Pluto orbit
The charging station on the wall emitted a low hum. In a few seconds his left arm would be charged for another two weeks.
Sandor stared at the limb, remembering the day he'd been fitted for his first set of bionic arms and legs. It had been a bittersweet day; he had regained a semblance of normalcy in his life, and at the same time he'd given it up. He hadn't told anyone about his accident until his Academy days, and even then the list of people who knew was as short as he could keep it.
He regretted his decision that day so long ago, but he knew that he'd been spared for a reason. Perhaps someday his "oddity" might come in handy.
He'd even taken to making some modifications of his own to his bionics when he decided to come on this journey. He'd just finished another one he hoped he'd never have to use.
The charged bleeped quietly and Sandor took his arm off the charger and carefully reattached it to his shoulder. The moment he did a sense of familiarity fell over him. It took him a moment to realize when he'd felt it before, then he remembered. It was the same feeling he'd had when that nurse left his room the day of his accident. It was the sense that someone was there. That someone was watching over him.
"Sandor." His communicator buzzed for his attention.
"Yes, Captain." He replied, glad he'd finished his charging cycle.
"We're approaching Pluto. I need you on the bridge."
"Yes, Captain." He replied, and started out the door. Just before he was completely out of the room he stopped.
After that day at the hospital, he'd never seen or heard from that nurse again. Maybe… just maybe…
But no – it couldn't have been… Surely he would have realized it before now.
He shook his head; no she couldn't have been one of them; no angel would have told him he'd done something stupid with such frankness. But then again… perhaps they would.
Sandor chuckled and stepped out the door. Maybe he'd see that nurse again some day after all.