Chapter 2
A much needed shower, clean clothes and a quick haircut. Arianne felt her hands becoming steadier as she snipped the last few hairs around her ears. She looked down at the thin black lines covering the basin. Hair grew extremely slowly in cryosleep, like it kept growing on dead people, thought Arianne. She’d been under long enough to look scruffy. Over a hundred and fifty years? How much had changed? Could Professor Golden really be dead? Murdered?
She rinsed the hair down the drain and rubbed her close-cropped head. She hated how hair felt after a haircut. But at least it matched how her head felt now. She left the stall and the lights faded behind her.
Arianne was shown to a terminal where she signed some release papers. Since it was a uni chryo and she was still technically an employee of Io University, it didn’t take long. There were two people waiting for her in the cryo-centre reception. One was a stern man wearing a dark military suit, studiously watching the exit. The second was an old, thin man in a grey suit. He straightened up as Arianne approached.
“Arianne! Wow, you look exactly the same! It’s been a while.”
He extended his hand and smiled. Arianne studied his lined face.
“Richard? Is that you?”
“Yes! Good to see they cryo hasn’t messed with your memory.”
“You’re so OLD”
Arianne regretted saying this immediately, but Richard shrugged.
“I suppose so. I guess it feels like yesterday when you saw me last. I’m sorry about the wait - I didn’t even realise - was so bogged down in work …”
Work? Arianne blinked on her metaview and looked at Richard’s collar bone. REF: 86. Richard noted her surprise.
“I made associate professor!” he said.
Suddenly the Richard she knew was there again - full of life and mischief. For a second it felt like they were both just finishing their theses and off to the Space Doctor to celebrate. They’d both talked about their applications and Richard had gone on about all kinds of new experiments he wanted to run.
“Oh, wow, congratulations, Rich! When was this?”
“Last week! I’m still not really over it”
“Oh, er … I’m sure”
Richard wobbled slightly on his walking stick with joy.
“Thanks! I was only in cryo for a few months when I got the stipend to write a proposal for a full funding application. Things have been moving on very quickly from there.”
“Oh really? Those evolution experiments you were talking about?”
Richard laughed, then leaned in and lowered his voice.
“I ran them fifty years ago - don’t tell anyone, though, I’m waiting for the CAFCA decision.”
Arianne looked at him blankly.
“I have it on very good authority that the decision will be in within the decade.”
His face wrinkled up with pride.
“About the funding?”
“Ha ha! No, to write the proposal. Professor Golden would have been so proud.”
Richard suddenly became old again, his frame and gaze shrinking from Arianne’s.
“Oh, Arianne, it’s such a terrible pity ...”
Richard glanced about him and realised that the second man was looking rather impatient.
“I’m terribly sorry - Arianne, this is Sergeant Holt. He’s here from CAFCA.”
The sergeant nodded curtly.
“Doctor Arianne, I’m here to escort you to the central hub.”
An escort from the funding council? The last time she remembered, they’d had a small security detail, but this guy was in full military dress, with insignias and everything. Definitely not police, but then again, surely she wasn’t a suspect? She hadn’t exactly been up to much in the last century.
“Am I under arrest?”
“No, ma’am, but the council would very much appreciate it if you came with me, as soon as possible.”
The sergeant spoke the last words clearly and carefully. Arianne was suddenly aware that this was someone from the funding council. In fact, she could see people had paused in the corridor to stare at the man in the suit. A real life Fundie, here, on Io. Arianne was surprised there weren’t a range of gala ceremonies happening around them.
“I see. Once I get my belongings …”
“They’re already on board our shuttle. If you’d follow me …”
Richard stepped forwards and took hold of Arianne’s hands.
“Please, Arianne - it’s such an awful mess, and no-one’s telling us anything. Please, go to the council and find out what’s going on.”
Arianne suddenly felt a small, cold piece of metal press against her palm. Richard was handing her something. Something that the sergeant couldn’t see. That Richard didn’t want him to see? Richard gripped her hands tighter.
“And be very careful. Don’t trust anybody.”
He stared into Arianne’s eyes, then let go. Arianne closed her hand around the piece of metal.
The sergeant twisted very slightly on his heels.
“If you please, Doctor ...”
Arianne nodded and fell into step next to him, carefully slipping the piece of metal into her pocket.
Persister: Space Funding Crisis I Page 2