'''Damn it,'' I growled to myself as I sat up in bed, yet again unable to gain any new information on what that unmanned scientist had said.

''It's always nice to hear you so bright and chirpy first thing in the morning,'' York commented from the doorway. I raised an eyebrow. Usually he was sitting in the chair beside me by now. I turned to the chair, trying to figure out if someone else was there.

''I've got good news,'' he said, walking over to that side of the room, dropping a pile of something on the bed beside me and sitting in the presumably empty chair.

''What's up?'' I asked.

''You're getting out of here,'' he told me. ''Director's assigned you your own quarters now, and it's right near your lab. And,'' he patted the pile he'd dropped on my bed. ''clothes.''

''A little archaic, don't you think, in this century, to think the way to a girl's heart is clothes,'' I said, smirking and he chuckled.

''Well if you wanna keep rocking the oversized hospital gown, be my guest,'' he replied. ''I just thought you might want to wear something that actually fits.''

''Nah, the 80s and 90s were really big on baggy clothes,'' I said. ''I feel a little nostalgic actually.''

''I'm closing the blinds and then leaving, you get dressed,'' he told me. I heard him get up and walk up to the wall of windows he'd described to me and then I heard some fiddling with various cords and something metallic and then I heard him go to the door.

''I'm blind, how do I know you didn't just open them further,'' I asked with a grin.

''Guess you'll just have to trust me,'' he replied and closed the door.

Carefully, I ran my hand over the pile, trying to work out what I'd been given. There was a roll of socks, some underwear, a sports bra and some sweats. I pulled at the various strings of my gown, unsure exactly which ones would release me so I removed them all. I tried to put on all the clothing I could without having to remove the sure to be noisy pulse monitor cuff from my finger. Then it was off, I threw my bra over my head and then I put it back on so it would stop frantically flat lining. There was a knocking at the door and I called a quick come in.

''Out of curiosity, why'd you put that finger thing back on?'' he asked. ''We're about to leave.''

''I hate the noise,'' I replied. ''Now my turn, did you just decide I wouldn't need a shirt or..''

''Wait, there's no shirt?'' he asked. He came over and lifted up the sheets around me and then I could hear him ducking under the bed. ''What the fu..''

''Missing something?'' I heard Carolina from the doorway.

''Yes,'' I replied. ''This package delivery boy is useless, have him fired.''

''I found this on my way to meet you, I presumed it was York who dropped it,'' there was a brief flapping noise as a folded t-shirt landed in my lap and I shook it out, running my fingers along the neckline looking for the tag. Once I found it I pulled it over my head.

''So,'' I said. ''Freedom?''

''Freedom,'' Carolina confirmed.

York stood up from where he was in front of me and wrapped his arms around me, lifting me to the ground and then walked slowly in front of me. I'd done this walk out of the room often enough now that I had the muscle memory but I still liked to have someone close by to grab onto when I psyched myself out.

''You guys think I should have been counting my steps?'' I asked after the fourth turn from the infirmary.

York snorted from beside me. ''Too late now,'' he said and then grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. I felt the aircurrent of someone passing by me, any closer and we would have walked into one another.

''Watch where you're going pipsqueak,'' they said.

''You fucking watch where you're going asshole,'' I blurted out before I could catch myself. I kept walking, and I heard York snort again beside me.

''I can see you're going to fit in well here,'' he commented.

''How come he yelled at me but not you, we're walking beside each other,'' I asked.

''York and I are on the leaderboard,'' Carolina answered. ''It's not exactly a hierarchy, but…''

''You're big cheeses?'' I replied.

''Sure,'' she scoffed. ''We're big cheeses.''

''Also those guys are just assholes,'' York told me.

I smiled at that and let the two continue to guide me along the halls of the ship. After what seemed like forever of just walking I started to feel a little disheartened. And kinda tired. Not like I'd collapse or anything but, I'd like to stop doing it soon. Man, major brain surgery really takes it out of you.

''Where are we going?'' I asked eventually. I assumed it was my room, or maybe this lab I'd been promised, but I was blind.

''Director wants to see you before we take you to your lab and quarters,'' Carolina explained.

''Why is it taking so long?'' I sighed.

''Because you're little and recovering from major surgery,'' York replied simply and I sighed.

''You guys normally walk way faster than this, huh?'' I asked and I heard York snort.

''Yeah,'' he replied and I sighed again.

I don't know what possessed me but I reached out beside me, slightly higher in the air and grabbed hold of York's forearm, hoping he'd drag me along with his faster pace. He gave no indication this was a problem however, unless it was written on his face and I simply couldn't see it. I was still tired and annoyed but it bothered me less now I was being tugged along by York.

''Wait here a moment,'' Carolina said and I huffed out a relieved breath.

''Thank god,'' I replied.

There was a knock on what sounded like glass, a whooshing noise similar to the doors of the infirmary and then they whooshed closed again. I stood awkwardly by York, holding his arm as I waited, trying to hear something, anything. About ten minutes passed of painful silence and the door whooshed a third time.

''He's ready for you now,'' Carolina said and I felt York head in first, guiding me through the doorway. We walked maybe ten feet and then I felt large hands on my shoulders guiding me in front of a too tall chair. Same hands then gripped my shoulders firmly and hoisted me into it. There was the sound of footsteps walking behind me and then they stilled. Sounding like York was waiting behind me.

''At ease, Agent York,'' I heard the southerner say, making me jump slightly, even though I knew he was here. ''Marisa, how are you feeling?''

''Still blind, but I imagine you gathered that,'' I said. ''Otherwise I seem to be working normally. But I think I'm still recovering from the surgery, or it was amazingly simple for me to get out of shape. The walk here was more challenging than I'd like to admit.''

''That's to be expected,'' he replied. ''You're also recovering from significant blood loss. It'll take some time, but I'm confident you'll recover. Now, I thought you'd like to discuss your new job here a little more.''

''Yeah, consulting on what exactly? I'm not sure how much help I'm gonna be if technology has moved on several centuries since my not quite death,'' I replied.

''That won't be a problem,'' he told me. ''You'll be creating your own.''

''Huh?''

''When I was going over your work, I noticed your designs, your projects, the technology didn't fit the time. You create things in a way no other engineer did in the 21st century. And, we're working with groundbreaking, previously unheard of technology here, so it shouldn't be a problem,'' he explained.

''Alright, so what's my first project?'' I asked.

''Just like that?'' he asked. ''You don't have any other qualms about working here?''

''I mean, I didn't really do much else other than work before I exploded so?'' I shrugged. ''Work, eat, sleep, repeat. I didn't have any family, or friends, just my work. It's one of the reasons the military targeted me in the first place, I was vulnerable, mouldable. Name a better candidate to work for them than me? And while they tend to respect men more, they see women as more controllable so I was perfect. Not that I really fought against it much, as far as I saw it, they were a means to get what I wanted. And now I'm dead.''

I paused. ''So, it's not exactly that difficult to continue that here in this century. Even if I did want to do something, I don't technically exist anymore so it's not like I can just put my resume out there to get some options. And even if I could, that's a lot harder to do now I'm blind. So yeah, it's that simple. I work here now. You make sure no one murders me, I make you cool shit.''

''Alright,'' he replied. ''Well, you have at your disposal the best this organisation has to offer in terms of lab equipment and resources. We don't have any current projects in mind for you as we've been incredibly fortunate to only have two major field injuries that may require your expertise. One of which is a similar injury to yours, which brings me to my next point. For the time being, your main objective will be returning your sight by any means necessary.''

''What's the other injury?'' I asked.

''Injured larynx, beyond natural repair,'' he said.

''To the point of a laryngectomy or is any portion of the voice box intact? Can the patient still breath through the mouth? I think I already have a way to fix that if there's any part remaining, if not I'd just need to replicate an artificial larynx which that in itself is easy, what's difficult is making sure the body doesn't reject the implant, which is why people have been experimenting for years with..''

''I'll let you go over the details with medical staff if need be,'' he told me. ''Until then, should you need anything you can let Agent Carolina know and she'll pass it on for you. Or Agent York while he's still at your side. I imagine once you're settled in your lab you won't need him anymore and can be returned to active duty. If there's nothing else, you're dismissed.''

''Right,'' I stuttered out. ''Of course, I'll see you round.''

I shoved myself forward in the chair, toes touching the ground and I made the slight jump to the floor. I stepped round the chair and took a few steps before I reached out in the direction I last remembered hearing York. I made contact with him immediately and he grabbed my hand, leading me back out of the room.

I huffed as we walked, more out of frustration than fatigue and I felt York squeeze my hand gently. I wondered what it must look like, someone as short as me holding hands with someone as tall as him. The thought brought a smile to my face as I tried not to think about the Director.

''What's his problem?'' I asked.

''That's just what he's like,'' York explained. ''You hungry?''

''I guess,'' I sighed.

''Come on, let me take you to the mess hall before we go to your lab and you can hang with the rest of the guys. That'll cheer you up,'' he said and I nodded, smiling in his direction.

There was more whooshing and he led me around the groups of people through the much noisier room. After a few minutes I was steered over to one side and lifted up onto a metal bench a little far from the table.

''Alright, here's North, stay put I'll be right back,'' he told me and then I heard his footsteps leave.

''Sup,'' I greeted the air in front of me and I could hear someone a few feet to my left and across from me chuckle.

''Hey Marisa, good to see you again,'' he greeted. ''I see they let you out, or is this a jail break?''

''Nah, Director wants me working instead of sulking,'' I shrugged. ''I'm headed to the lab after this to try and figure out how to be blind.''

''You seem to be managing okay so far,'' he told me.

''Yes, because I have a very loyal seeing-eye York to guide me in everything,'' I replied. ''The Director said as soon as I get settled he's returning to active duty, which, ignoring all the questions that raised, makes me a little nervous. I've never been blind before.''

''I get it, this is new and scary, and I can't say I've ever experienced the same but, I'm sure you can get through this, you're smart, you're adapting already, you've got this,'' he told me. I smiled softly.

''Thanks North,'' I said.

''I see team Dad has already started on you,'' I heard Wash say from beside me and then sit down on my left. ''Good to see you out of the medbay.''

''Good to be out of the medbay, I swear if I hear my own heartbeat again I might kill someone,'' I replied and he chuckled.

''Is York being nice to you?'' he asked and I smiled.

''Not at all,'' I told him. ''He took my lunch money, gave me a swirly and this morning, he ran me over with a car.''

''Hey you deserved that swirly,'' he told me and then sat down on the bench beside me. ''Here, I tried to grab things you didn't need to see to enjoy.''

''I'm trying to think of a joke but I can't,'' I replied.

''Something, something penis?'' Wash said beside me and I laughed.

''Close enough,'' I told him.

''Don't think I've seen you here before, shorty,'' I heard and I furrowed my brow. I turned around to the sound of the voice and raised an eyebrow. ''Damn you fine.''

''Yep,'' I agreed and then turned back around to the table.

''You got plans later?'' he asked.

''Yep,'' I replied.

''Well how about after, we go to the rec room and I show you a good time,'' he said.

''I'm not sure you can,'' I said and I heard choking beside me. ''And I'm still busy, so no.''

''Well what about tomorrow?'' he asked.

''Dude, I don't know how much clearer I can make it, no,'' I said. ''Not now, not tomorrow, not a month from now. Not ever.''

''Alright listen,'' he started and I rolled my eyes, I spun on the bench and frowned at him.

''No you listen,'' I told him. ''I don't know who let you go on believing you're hot shit this long but this is me telling you you're not. So listen clearly wannabe ladies man, you're not smooth, you're not some catch and you're certainly not special. So you can just turn around right now, march yourself back to where you were before all this and go about your business, because this is not happening. Ever.''

''No need to be such a bi..''

''FUCK OFF,'' I yelled. I heard retreating footsteps and spun back round in my seat.

''See, you're fitting in just fine around here,'' York said from beside me, breaking the silence we'd been sitting in.

''You think I was harsh?'' I asked. I heard Wash snort from beside me.

''No,'' he said.

''That guy's an asshole, it's about time someone stood up to him,'' North said.

''Sorry I didn't say anything, it was just too funny watching you yell at him,'' York said. ''You've got a temper.''

''It's like I never left the 21st century,'' I said. ''I used to have to beat men off with a stick and I've been out of the infirmary for what, an hour or two and it's begun.''

''Never beat men off with sticks,'' York said. ''Hands are much more pleasurable.'' I snorted and shook my head. ''I'm serious about that temper, we've had you out of that medbay for an hour and half and you've been in two fights.''

''I'm glad I can be so entertaining,'' I rolled my eyes. ''I can't wait to be back in the lab, who cares if I just stand around and stare at the wall all day it's gotta be better than this.''

''Don't feel too bad, the guys here are just desperate for sex,'' York explained.

''Yeah, and I can understand why,'' I replied and Wash choked. I turned to see if he was okay and then remembered I was blind and he could die beside me and I wouldn't notice. ''Look, someone else comes over to hit on me, just save me the trouble. Shoot me in the head.''

''I see you're taking the rehabilitation into the outside world well,'' I heard Carolina's voice and heard her sit across from me. I smiled at her, or in her direction.

''How do you deal with it? Or are you exempt because you're a big cheese?'' I said and she paused. ''Some guy hit on me and I ripped him to shreds.''

''I don't get it as much anymore, being on the leaderboard will do that for you,'' she told me. ''Because nothing's more of a turn off than confirmed kills numbering in the hundreds.''

''Okay, now how do I do that in my line of work,'' I said. ''Seems like I would get sued for malpractice.'' She laughed.

''Honestly keep ripping men to shreds and your rep will get around,'' she told me. ''Once you're not a shiny new toy things should settle down.''

''So,'' York said awkwardly. ''Any idea on where you wanna start?''

''Well,'' I said, reaching out in front of myself as I slowly wandered around the room, trying to get acquainted with it. ''No.''

''You want me to describe the room again?'' he asked. I smiled to myself.

''Thanks but, if you're not going to be here 24/7, I might wanna get used to doing things on my own,'' I replied.

''I don't mind, you know, helping when I can,'' he said.

''I know,'' replied. ''I just don't wanna fall apart when you go.''

''Oh you're gonna fall apart,'' he told me, grin sounding in his voice. ''I'm a delight. And without my amazing personality to keep you company your life's gonna suck.''

''Okay,'' I said. ''What about you tell me what I'm looking at right now?''

''You know, we probably should have brought someone who knows what all this stuff does down here,'' York said and I laughed.

''Okay, I'll figure that out later, I'm not up to making anything anyway. I'll tell you what, I'll walk you through what I'd normally do when I start a new project back home and you tell me how I'd go about it now I'm here, yeah?'' I suggested.

''That I can do,'' he said and marched over to where I'd wandered. ''But first, you look dead on your feet, so, chair.'' he steered me over to a bench and hoisted me up into the taller than it should be chair.

''Normally I'd grab a pen and paper and write down all the things I need what I'm making to do, I already know but, it helps me visualise it. Make sure I'm not forgetting anything when I see it mapped out in front of me. Then I'd maybe note down some points of research, find out what I need to do to make it happen,'' I said. ''And then I'd get my hands on as much information on the topic as possible, including the research of others doing the same or similar things.''

''Okay, pen and paper I can't help you with because I don't understand how blind people write, it may involve braille somehow,'' he told me. ''And we'd first have to teach you to read braille and uh, I don't know we have the time. And the research, I can totally get you. And I'm probably going to have to read it to you..''

''Do you guys still use keyboards?'' I asked. ''For like computers and stuff.''

''I mean kind of but it's all holo-tech so there's no physical buttons per se,'' he told me. ''Why?''

''When I was learning typing at school one of the things we had to be able to do was touch type, or typing without looking at the keys, using muscle memory for the letters and we had to be accurate or we couldn't move on,'' I explained. ''If I could get a hold of a physical keyboard I could totally type without much of an effort. I wouldn't need to see because I can still type and that removes the need for pen and paper to write stuff down. We had in my time, this text to audio software where the computer would read out what you fed into it, so it could read back my notes to them when I'd need a reminder and the research.''

''Alright, so how are you gonna do all that?'' he asked me. I frowned, if they really didn't have keyboards here, I'd have to come up with something on my own. I wish I had my laptop from work with me. It would be so much easier if I did but I was here in the future. Unless..

''When you found me, did you recover anything with me, did I have anything on me?'' I asked.

''What are you expecting you just took a keyboard home with you from work? A stay one fell out of the air in the explosion and came through the rift with you?'' he snorted.

''No,'' I smirked. ''But I did have a laptop in my bag.''

''We did recover a bag, but..the technology wouldn't really be compatible, I don't think, if it's hundreds of years old. If it's even in salvageable condition''

''Doesn't matter,'' I told him. ''I rip the keyboard from it and I can come up with some kind of adapter setup to hook it up to whatever system you've got running. I've done it before, I was always messing around with connecting old technology to the new stuff.''

''Alright,'' he agreed. ''I'll ask Carolina to look into your stuff. What next?''

''Tunes,'' I replied. ''Music helps you think.''

''That I can help you with,'' he chuckled.

The doors to the lab whooshed open as York and I were sitting cross legged on the benchtops, knees touching and listening to his "jams". We were laughing and talking and sharing stories about our childhoods again like we did when I was still in the infirmary. It made me feel a little sad inside that someday, and soon, it sounded like, he was going to leave and all the warmth I had in my life would go with him. It was silly, I barely knew him but having someone with me through everything while I couldn't see made me feel like it wasn't so scary. But the reality was, I was cold and alone. The dark surrounded me and it was deafening.

''What is this noise?'' I heard Carolina say from the doorway.

''York's been trying to teach me about the good music of this century,'' I called back and she laughed.

''I think you have the wrong teacher,'' she said from beside me.

''Hey Marisa, I'm here too,'' I heard Wash announce. He was good about that, trying to not sneak up on me. He always did it when he was on "Marisa watch" in the infirmary too.

''I managed to track down your bag and the clothes you were wearing when we found you. The bag was actually recovered a fair way away from where you were found, and catalogued in our system. When I was enquiring about it I found it in the ship's logs. All yours,'' she told me and placed the satchel in my lap.

''Perfect,'' I grinned and pulled the flap back and undo the zipper. I reached into the bag and pulled the heavy piece of equipment out only to feel my face fall.

''Problem?'' York asked.

''You could say that,'' I sighed, putting a second hand into the bag and pulling out my laptop in two separate pieces. It had been broken through the middle, snapped most likely, but not on the hinge where it would have been useful. ''Damn.''

''Well, there goes that plan,'' he said. ''But it's alright. It's been what, an hour? You can come up with another way.''

''Yeah,'' I sighed. I stuck my hands in the bag, feeling around for what else was there. My hands brushed past paperwork, books my notepad, some loose paper clips and pens. I grabbed my phone for a second while I dug through all the stuff that had once been incredibly important and what was now useless crap.

''You actually like this music?'' Wash asked and I laughed softly, still feeling a bit down.

''I think I finally understand what it feels like to be an old person, and young whippersnappers' music being the devil,'' I replied. ''But when I was younger, I used to hate being made to listen to classical music. When my neighbours played smooth jazz anything before I was born. I bet if you guys were to hear anything from my time, you'd hate it too.''

''It can't be that bad,'' Wash said.

''I wonder if I'd be able to recover any of it from my phone… you know what Wash, you might actually be a genius,'' I said. York laughed from his spot in front of me.

''Oh?'' Carolina asked.

''Yep,'' I grinned all to myself. I reached into my bag and pulled my phone out of my bag. ''This ladies and gentlemen, is the Motorola Droid. Observe,'' I said and pushed the screen up to reveal a keyboard beneath.

''It's tiny,'' York said.

''It's pocket sized and portable and that's actually better,'' I said. ''It fits in my pocket. You know that was the best thing about waking up 600 years into the future, mankind has finally acknowledged women need pockets.''

''Did women not have pockets in your time?'' Carolina asked.

''Worse,'' I replied dramatically. ''We had FAKE POCKETS. Who DOES that. Just either give me pockets or none at all. Don't sew in a line of LIES and pretend like you give a damn. Fuck you and just give me pockets. Where am I supposed to put my KEYS, my PHONE, my WALLET and most importantly my hands when my fingers get cold. I'd like to see your BAG do that, SIMON. I don't know who Simon is but I'm sure it's somehow his fault.''

''It's truly astounding the horrors women of the past have had to live through the atrocities you've had to suffer,'' Carolina replied sarcastically.

''Look I mean of all the things I have to legitimately complain about, there is a very small, possibly non existent list of those I can actually fix. So I will complain about the things I can instead,' I shrugged. ''Can't fix the pay gap, the harassment in the workplace, underrepresentation at universities, domestic violence, being unable to walk anywhere ever without being harassed or murdered, being told tank tops are skimpy and I should cover up because my shoulders are distractic boys, any time I go and report a crime I'm asked what I was wearing when it happened, any time I get into a fight with a man I'm asked what I did to deserve it, so yeah, pockets. Please give me pockets,'' I said.

''This all sounds incredibly bleak,'' I heard North in the doorway and beamed, turning my head in his direction. ''But it does make me wanna invent time travel and go beat some people up.''

''Yes,'' I grinned, pulling my fist towards my chest. ''North, the greatest ally against the patriarchy.''

''That's a new one,'' he said and then I heard him walking over closer. ''I have a special delivery from the Director to help you out, maybe not to fight the patriarchy but it should make your work easier."

''I've met the guy what twice, and I'm already getting presents, come on dude, play hard to get,'' I joked and I could feel the air shift. ''What?''

''Never mind,'' Carolina answered. ''Our program uses artificial intelligence systems to help with our missions and run our equipment.''

''Makes sense,'' I nodded.

''And so the Director has loaned out this to you,'' she said and then someone put what felt like a very thin cheeseboard on my lap.

''And this is..?''

''This is a more solid version of our holoboards, it's loaded with Chi, an AI which can help you out during your time here,'' North explained.

''And if the two of you bond well, the Director will schedule you for implantation once you've recovered more,'' Carolina continued.

''That is not a real thing,'' I replied in disbelief. The AI thing I could get behind, that made sense. We have AI back in my time. Integrating one into my body, that seemed improbable at best and stupid at worse. Had they not seen Terminator, this seems exactly how a machine uprising could start.

''This is like the space ship bullshit all over again,'' I picked up the board. ''This is not happening. This is not a thing.''

''Ma'am, I can assure you,'' I heard another voice, vibrations coming from the board and I screamed, throwing it forward and York. I could hear soft chuckling in front of me, at least York was getting some entertainment out of this.

''Calm down slugger,'' York soothed. ''It's okay, it's real, and it's not going to hurt you. I've got my own AI, his name is Delta. He's the brains of this operation and helps me out whenever he can.''

''That is not in the least bit surprising,'' I told him and Wash and North chuckled. ''I can't believe future people are just straight up putting other consciousnesses in their head. Y'all didn't have any concerns?''

''Dr. Holtz raises a good point, while implants have been a success up until this point, all of the science behind the AI is experimental and untested at best,'' I heard someone say.

''Thank you Dee, that's enough,'' York said.

''All I'm saying is if Dr. Holtz has any queries they would be perfectly justifie…''

''We got it Delta,'' York said more firmly. ''I need you to log off, you're scaring her.''

''Fear is logical,'' Delta replied.

''Ominous,'' I commented.

''Don't worry Dr. Holtz,'' the voice I'd thrown at York chimned. ''I know we're going to be alright. We're going to get along just fine and your implantation will be a success.''

''Well you're awfully cheerful,'' I grumbled.

''I think we get paired with AI's that are our opposites, to balance us out,'' Wash said.

''What's that supposed to mean?'' I asked and I heard him gulp.