Gravity was the first thing she felt. It pulled her down without the need of the straps that, though she cold not feel, she knew were there. The nerves in her body turned back on, one by one, tingling incessantly. Her skin felt stretched and swollen as the sluggish blood expanded, moved by a feeble beat from an unfreezing heart.
Kay mentally ground her teeth, having no control over her physical body, as she endured the first, painful stages of cryogenic reawakening.
****
"Sparhawk!"
Sparhawk squinted as he followed young Talen's gesture. A shot of flame was falling across the sky. At first he thought it was a shooting star, but instead of disappearing it fell into the ocean some miles away. A great cloud of steam rose, an intense whistling and crackling came a few seconds later. Still slightly awed by the experience, the cry from the crow's nest made Sparhawk and Talen jump.
"Tidal wave!" the man screamed.
Captain Sorgi swore as he put his periscope to his eye. "Take cover" he bellowed, then began giving orders at lightning speed.
Sparhawk could not see the wave with his eyes, but a cloud of thick fog was steadily moving towards them, growing larger every second. Grabbing Talen by the back of his tunic he threw him towards the hatch. From below he could hear his wife call out.
"Sparhawk, what's happening?"
Sparhawk jumped through the hatch, skipping the stairs and landing heavily. Sailors were pouring in behind him. As Sparhawk made his way to Ehlana, Danae held tightly in her arms, he saw Sorgi himself come below and the hatchway was sealed. Danae did not acknowledge her father as he lifted her from her mother's grasp. Her eyes were wide and unfocussed.
"Everyone, go further below, lie down on the floors," Sorgi yelled. The message was mainly for his passenger's benefit, as the sailors were already getting into storm positions. Pushing Ehlana in front of him, Sparhawk descended further into the ship. They lay on the floor where the sailors pointed. Not far away Kalten held a weeping Alean.
"Danae," Sparhawk whispered in his daughter's ear, "what's happening?" When Danae did not respond he shook her anxiously, worried that she had somehow become injured.
"Father, stop that. I'm trying to concentrate."
It seemed to last forever, the tossing, the roar of water crashing against the ship, the groan of wood. Everyone expected that the ship would be torn apart. Eventually however the sounds and motion subsided. People put their heads up and looked around, stunned.
"So that's why things are bolted down," Sparhawk heard someone saw. Others chuckled in response.
"Is it over?" Ehlana asked.
"I don't know," Sparhawk answered. Danae nodded slightly. "I think so. Stay here." He returned Danae to Ehlana's arms and followed the sailors to the deck.
Kay mentally ground her teeth, having no control over her physical body, as she endured the first, painful stages of cryogenic reawakening.
****
"Sparhawk!"
Sparhawk squinted as he followed young Talen's gesture. A shot of flame was falling across the sky. At first he thought it was a shooting star, but instead of disappearing it fell into the ocean some miles away. A great cloud of steam rose, an intense whistling and crackling came a few seconds later. Still slightly awed by the experience, the cry from the crow's nest made Sparhawk and Talen jump.
"Tidal wave!" the man screamed.
Captain Sorgi swore as he put his periscope to his eye. "Take cover" he bellowed, then began giving orders at lightning speed.
Sparhawk could not see the wave with his eyes, but a cloud of thick fog was steadily moving towards them, growing larger every second. Grabbing Talen by the back of his tunic he threw him towards the hatch. From below he could hear his wife call out.
"Sparhawk, what's happening?"
Sparhawk jumped through the hatch, skipping the stairs and landing heavily. Sailors were pouring in behind him. As Sparhawk made his way to Ehlana, Danae held tightly in her arms, he saw Sorgi himself come below and the hatchway was sealed. Danae did not acknowledge her father as he lifted her from her mother's grasp. Her eyes were wide and unfocussed.
"Everyone, go further below, lie down on the floors," Sorgi yelled. The message was mainly for his passenger's benefit, as the sailors were already getting into storm positions. Pushing Ehlana in front of him, Sparhawk descended further into the ship. They lay on the floor where the sailors pointed. Not far away Kalten held a weeping Alean.
"Danae," Sparhawk whispered in his daughter's ear, "what's happening?" When Danae did not respond he shook her anxiously, worried that she had somehow become injured.
"Father, stop that. I'm trying to concentrate."
It seemed to last forever, the tossing, the roar of water crashing against the ship, the groan of wood. Everyone expected that the ship would be torn apart. Eventually however the sounds and motion subsided. People put their heads up and looked around, stunned.
"So that's why things are bolted down," Sparhawk heard someone saw. Others chuckled in response.
"Is it over?" Ehlana asked.
"I don't know," Sparhawk answered. Danae nodded slightly. "I think so. Stay here." He returned Danae to Ehlana's arms and followed the sailors to the deck.