The writer gives life to a story, the reader keeps it alive.
Future Alexand, tormented by memories of her torture in a different life, battles her way towards the Guard Tower, alongside three versions of her grandfather, Xan Medani, to emancipate the captive inmates onboard Floating Asylum Ship One. (For Nana.)
Alexand finds the Ocular Cyber-technology ward, where there are patients being assessed, and other patients recovering from operations. Sister Ancille sits reading to a man with bandages around his eyes but stops when she sees Alexand.
Alexand has been receiving letters from her family, concerned about her exposing the Amanojuko, and the latest letter arrives from her Uncle Antun. She opens it, feeling responsible and accountable, but she is now three months pregnant, and suffering severe morning sickness, her career is demanding, and she is bickering with Jarad again. She feels very alone as she opens up her uncle’s letter, and wishes that Katherine was here.
Alexand was left with her promotion to Colonel, and to wander alone along the corridors, not feeling very soldierly.
Alexand is alone in her hospital room, attempting to come to terms with her survival.
Alexand is wired up to many observation machines, and so remains in her bed. She takes the mirror, and reluctantly holds it up to her face. (Congratulations to the LGBT community in India for the Supreme Court ruling to decriminalise same sex relationships.)
Doctor Azizi managed to empty the hospital ward of Alexand’s family, so that he could brief her on what has happened to her whilst she was unconscious.
Abouna Panak has seen the future and the past, yet he is still quietly upset at seeing Lieutenant Colonel Merek’s condition. He stands at the back of the room as her family stand at her bedside, waiting to hear her prognosis from Doctor Azizi.
Katherine has grown impatient and as the fifth day of her recovery approaches, post-surgery, she is curious to peek out of her bandages, to find out if she can see properly, and more importantly, gain access to her laboratory. (This story is dedicated to my mum, as it is her birthday very soon. My mum, Barbara, is one of the kindest, wisest, warmest, happiness-inducing and funniest people I have ever known, and as some readers know, Alexand Merek is very loosely based on her, although Mum would probably disagree. Happy Birthday Mum, I love you so much xxx)
It is time for Katherine to undergo the operation to restore her eyesight. She has insisted on being conscious, as her curiosity about the advanced science outweighs any fear.
Katherine returned to her apartment to attempt to digest all the events of the past few hours on board the Kyuunansen. She is alone, with her cat, getting acquainted with him, contemplating her future on the ship, and the prospect of a drug, which reverses the ageing process.
Katherine is lead into a great chamber, with a gigantic circular table at the back. There are robed officials around the table, and they are flanked by thousands of warriors in similar battle dress to Samira Ganesh.
Professors De somme and Sumian, took a very frail but relieved Katherine to Inajda’s cabin in Russia (after giving her a blood shield) The cure has stopped her body degenerating further, and will allow her to recover in time, but she is very weak and can’t walk. They have left her on a bench outside Inajda’s cabin and told her they will collect her in a month’s time.
After being rescued from a farmer, who was intent on killing her, Alexand lies in bed, semi conscious.
Katherine wakes up on her sofa, listening to the sound of a man singing. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Katherine and Alex have spent the evening going over the plans of the Amanojuko base, but it’s getting late. Katherine got tired, so to relax, she and Alex started drinking wine in their living room. Katherine is getting a little self-depreciating as the alcohol takes effect and her feelings about what’s happened to her emerge. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Two weeks have passed since the consultation with Dr Bhati. Katherine has undergone revolutionary surgery to replace her kidney and lungs with cloned organs, she has had a mastectomy and radiotherapy and lays unconscious in Doctor Bhati’s recovery ward, with Alexand sitting beside her, reading, waiting for her to wake up from the anaesthetic. (CLICK HERE for next story in the series)
After waking from a catatonic state, (due to her imprisonment in The Floating Asylum) Alexand is recovering at home with her family. Unfortunately for Alexand, her identical twin sister, Heyem has arrived, eager to ‘help’ Alexand recover from her trauma. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
After her daughter, Alexand was released from a Floating Asylum, Inajda spent six months helping Alexand’s husband, Jarad to care for Alexand. Alexand returned in a catatonic and emaciated state, but eventually woke up. A month after Alex woke, Inajda is trying to help her daughter come to terms with what has happened to her. Unfortunately Inajda wasn’t there for most of Alexand’s childhood, but is trying her best to make up for the missing years. CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Jarad Vijay has spent the past four years, bringing up his son alone, after his wife, Alexand, was taken and placed in an asylum for crimes against the military. Once released she woke from a catatonic state. Six months have passed since she woke. Jarad hoped her recovery would enable him to rebuild their lives as a family. Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple. (Jarad and Alexand grew up together as children. They were forced into the military at a young age. Jarad left, but Alexand remained a soldier. Their lives drifted apart until a series of events brought them back together. They were married after Alexand was widowed. Jarad believes she is still grieving for her dead wife, Katherine De Somme. He is very much in love with her, but this further separation in the form of Alexand’s imprisonment, has done little for their relationship. Alexand is very traumatised by her ordeal inside the asylum and Jarad doesn’t know if he can help her recover from it.) Trivia: Why has Alexand got metal fingers? Answer: Her fingers were severed by a samurai sword, during a mission as a young woman. (See issue 9:) The sword bearer was a man dressed in a black balaclava. He appears throughout time and place. People come to know him as The Guild Master’s General, but know little about him. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Alexand Merek has been released from a floating asylum. She has just woken from catatonia. This story is set fifty years before her first appearance in my series of novels. (A Spanish translation is now available, by Hernán Jara Droguett.) CLICK HERE for next chronological story.
Images, story and characters, © Cheryl Moore
