One of the Others. That thought pleased and frightened her. If it were one of the Others, her people would have help at last. But which? None are reported within a century of having dimensional technology, and they could not have gotten this far out without it.

“My dear? Are you all right?” The visage of Dr. Palin’s suit looming over her shook Milla from her thoughts.

“I’m fine, Docteur, just considering my…situation.”

“Ahh, well that’s understandable, my dear. I have a report to make to the captain. I’ll return as soon as I can. In the meantime, do try and get some rest.”

Milla watched the doctor as he stepped into the bulky airlock. “I’ll do that, Docteur Palin.”

An airlock…incredible. I must be in a medical facility, but why an airlock, of all things? Energy fields have replaced airlocks for centuries on all the colonies. Milla stood up and examined the room again, paying close attention to the terminal that Palin had uncovered when he altered his language program. An ancient airlock, but computer systems far and above anything I’ve ever seen. How do they manage a voice interface?

“Computer, where am I?”

“You are in the medical isolation chamber of the NAC Starship Odyssey.”

Well, at least it responds to me as well. Milla cleared her throat. “What is the system of origin for this ship?”

“You have not been cleared for navigational data.”

“Where was the Odyssey built?”

“You have not been cleared for historical data.”

“What information have I been cleared for?”

“You have been cleared for limited access to the onboard com-channels, limited access to the onboard catering system, and limited access to the ship’s entertainment library.”

“Computer, may I please have a glass of water?”

“One moment.”

She waited a short while, uncertain what to expect, when a recessed slot opened up in the wall underneath the huge mirror and a tall glass of water was nestled inside. Well, that settles any doubt I may have had about the true nature of that mirror.

“Computer, what is available to me in the entertainment section?”

“You have been cleared to access the following music selections.”

Milla watched the titles flicker past on the small screen, wishing she could read the language they were written in. Unfortunately, the translation program only seemed to operate on a vocal level. Selecting one at random, she walked back over to the room’s bed and lay down while the music washed over her.

Captain Weston was examining the data they had gathered on the remnants of the shattered fleet when Dr. Palin strode onto the bridge.

Weston lifted a hand to him, causing the doctor to frown and back off as he watched the captain sign off on a report and turn to Commander Roberts. “How long to the heliopause?”

“Thirteen minutes,” Roberts replied. “We’re already picking up several times the data density on the wake scans, and Winger thinks that she’s right about that planetary system she recommended. Of course, she thought that before we got the extra data.”