Chapter 14

           Iwokeoncemore,thistimetoaroughnumbnessinthesurfaceofmyskin,likethefeelingyourhandsgetjustafteryou’verinsedthemcleanofdetergentorwhitespirit,butspreadthroughoutthebody.Re-entryintoamalesleeve.Itsubsidedrapidlyasmymindadjustedtothenewnervoussystem.Thefaintchillofairconditioningonexposedflesh.Iwasnaked.Ireachedupwithmylefthandandtouchedthescarundermyeye.

           They’dputmeback.

           Abovemetheceilingwaswhiteandsetwithpowerfulspotlights.Iproppedmyselfuponmyelbowsandlookedaround.Anotherfaintchill,thisoneinternal,coastedthroughmeasIsawthatIwasinanoperatingtheatre.AcrosstheroomfromwhereIlaystoodapolishedsteelsurgicalplatformcompletewithrunnelsforthebloodandthefoldedarmsoftheautosurgeonsuspendedspiderlikeabove.Noneofthesystemswereactive,butthereweresmallscreensblinkingthewordSTANDBYonthewallandonamonitorunitbesideme.Ileanedclosertothedisplayandsawafunctionchecklistscrollingdownrepeatedly.Theyhadbeenprogrammingtheautosurgeontotakemeapart.

           Iwasswingingmyselfoffthewaitingtraywhenthedoorcrackedopenandthesyntheticwomancameinwithapairofmedicsintow.Theparticleblasterwasstowedatherhipandshewascarryingarecognisablebundle.

           "Clothes."Sheflungthematmewithascowl."Getdressed."

           Oneofthemedicslaidahandonherarm.