Unexpectedly, Chad Jean woke up. He coughed, gasped for air and took
in his surroundings. His eyes stung from all the light. He was lying on
the floor in the middle of a large, brightly lit white room. The floor was
warm and smooth to the touch. He stood up. It was a very bland, bright
room, but it felt oddly . . . comfortable.
Still panting, dozens of questions ran through his mind. What happened? Where am I? Am I dead?
Then, without a sound, part of the wall before him split along an invisible seam and opened. A tall, creature walked into the room.
A bass voice rumbled in Chad's head, "All your questions will be answered soon." Chad Jean was visibly stunned.
The creature was thin and scaly, with glowing orange eyes. It had no mouth. An impossibly thin neck and body held up its large head. The body was enveloped in a bright gold mechanical exoskeleton. As the being stepped into the room, the mechanical joints whirred and hummed.
Chad Jean was paralyzed with fear. He stood in the middle of the room, eyes wide. The creature looked at him.
"Do not be afraid, human." Its voice echoed inside Chad's skull. "My name is Yanthor. I am not here to harm you . . . it seems that you can do that very well on your own."
Chad's fear was quickly replaced with guilt and shame, but he remained silent. Yanthor's eyes dimmed as the human saddened. "Am I dead?" Chad asked.
"Far from it. You are aboard the Protoss ship Ragnarok."
"P-P-Protoss?"
"We are from the planet Aiur."
The Protoss nodded. "We rescued you from your ship just before it imploded. What were you doing so far from Terran space in such a damaged ship?"
Chad Jean thought back. His crimes. His escape. Michelle . . .
"You did not want to be rescued, did you?"
Chad Jean looked up at the alien, puzzled and surprised. He looked into the creature's glowing eyes, and then lowered his head again.
"No," he mumbled.
"Forgive us, then. However, we have no intent to put you back out there to die. You are now our guest, human."
Chad Jean didn't know what to say.
"You do not have as many questions as I had first expected. Nonetheless, I will give you answers." He lifted a hand with long, thin fingers on it and motioned him to follow. "Come with me."
Still panting, dozens of questions ran through his mind. What happened? Where am I? Am I dead?
Then, without a sound, part of the wall before him split along an invisible seam and opened. A tall, creature walked into the room.
A bass voice rumbled in Chad's head, "All your questions will be answered soon." Chad Jean was visibly stunned.
The creature was thin and scaly, with glowing orange eyes. It had no mouth. An impossibly thin neck and body held up its large head. The body was enveloped in a bright gold mechanical exoskeleton. As the being stepped into the room, the mechanical joints whirred and hummed.
Chad Jean was paralyzed with fear. He stood in the middle of the room, eyes wide. The creature looked at him.
"Do not be afraid, human." Its voice echoed inside Chad's skull. "My name is Yanthor. I am not here to harm you . . . it seems that you can do that very well on your own."
Chad's fear was quickly replaced with guilt and shame, but he remained silent. Yanthor's eyes dimmed as the human saddened. "Am I dead?" Chad asked.
"Far from it. You are aboard the Protoss ship Ragnarok."
"P-P-Protoss?"
"We are from the planet Aiur."
The Protoss nodded. "We rescued you from your ship just before it imploded. What were you doing so far from Terran space in such a damaged ship?"
Chad Jean thought back. His crimes. His escape. Michelle . . .
"You did not want to be rescued, did you?"
Chad Jean looked up at the alien, puzzled and surprised. He looked into the creature's glowing eyes, and then lowered his head again.
"No," he mumbled.
"Forgive us, then. However, we have no intent to put you back out there to die. You are now our guest, human."
Chad Jean didn't know what to say.
"You do not have as many questions as I had first expected. Nonetheless, I will give you answers." He lifted a hand with long, thin fingers on it and motioned him to follow. "Come with me."