Vagan lay unconscious in the cabin, the rhythmic sway of the ship rocking her gently. Then, without warning, her eyes snapped open. "Ughh… where am I?" she muttered, her voice groggy as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Her head throbbed as she tried to make sense of her surroundings. "What happened?" she wondered aloud, scanning the dimly lit room.
She noticed a door to her right and, with some effort, swung her legs over the edge of the bed, standing on shaky feet. As she approached the door, she hesitated for a moment before slowly turning the handle. The door creaked open, revealing a bright blue sky above, dotted with birds soaring freely. Vagan stepped outside, blinking against the sunlight in disbelief. "What…" she gasped, taking in the unfamiliar scene.
Blue, sitting on a nearby deck chair, took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling a cloud of smoke lazily. Rim was deep in conversation with Morin near the ship's helm, while Pluto slept soundly in the shade. As Vagan took in the sight, Pluto stirred and slowly opened his eyes, catching sight of her. He immediately stood up and walked over.
"Are you okay?" Pluto asked, his voice tinged with concern.
Vagan turned to him, her confusion evident. "Where am I?"
"You're on a ship," Pluto explained calmly.
"A ship?" Vagan echoed, still in shock. Her eyes darted around, trying to make sense of everything. "Where's Dorothy?"
Pluto's expression darkened slightly as he answered, "She's dead."
Before Vagan could fully process the information, Rim noticed them talking and quickly made his way down to them. "Vagan, how are you feeling?" he asked, looking her over with a mix of relief and worry.
"My head hurts," Vagan admitted, rubbing her temples.
"Do you remember anything?" Rim pressed gently.
Vagan squinted as she tried to recall, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Uhmm… I remember Dorothy giving us an order to bring back someone, but I forgot who."
Rim sighed, a hint of understanding in his voice. "Some of your nano bots have been destroyed so some of your memories are also gone"
Vagan nodded slowly, trying to piece together the fragments of her past. "Where are we headed?" she asked, her voice still uncertain.
"Bularn," Rim replied simply.
And with that, the chapter ended.
END OF CHAPTER 65