RJ watched the display and saw Amy's heart rate and breathing increase. When they'd reached the recommended levels, RJ decompressed the capsule and activated the mechanism that would open the cover. As soon as the capsule was open, RJ removed the urinary catheter and unplugged the EKG wires. Next, she lifted her friend onto the narrow gurney. She switched the mask for a standard oxygen mask and connected it to the oxygen tank clamped to the underside of the gurney.

RJ disconnected the IV tubing which came from inside the capsule at the point where it connected to the catheter in Amy's arm, and plugged in the IV she'd set up and hung on the pole attached to the gurney. She secured the tubing with tape and opened the flow all the way, infusing .9% saline and she intended to run in the whole liter, to help combat the dehydration she suspected Amy would be suffering. She also injected some anti-nausea medication into the line. The medication was one of the three drugs that were automatically infused during the wake-up sequence, but clearly, a second dose was needed to aid in the recovery process.

RJ closed the capsule lid and rolled the gurney with her friend into the health center. Once there, she parked in the Triage area and plugged the oxygen into the wall port to conserve what was in the portable tank.

She found a chair and pulled it up next to the gurney. Within a few minutes, Amy's eyes were starting to flutter.

“Amy, wake up.”

It took a few minutes before Amy could open her eyes and focus clearly on her commander.

“I feel awful,” Amy finally said. She tried to sit up and quickly fell back onto the gurney as a wave of nausea and dizziness struck her. “I shouldn't be feeling like this.”

“Just lay still and rest, it'll take some time to pass. You're dehydrated, I'm giving you fluids, and I also gave you something extra for the nausea,” RJ explained with a smile. “You should've seen me, I didn't have any extra fluids or meds, and no one was there to help me through this. I passed out naked on the floor with my face in a pool of my own barf. You're getting it easy.”

“But we shouldn't feel this sick. Something went wrong,” Amy said, with fear in her voice.

RJ had to strain to hear her. “Yeah, something went wrong. We slept much longer than planned. You once told me that the longer someone slept, the worse they would feel.”

RJ stepped away and returned with a paper cup, half full of water. “Just drink a little; I don't want to deal with you puking.”

“Thanks, I feel as if I slept two hundred years. How long was it?”

RJ noticed the dramatic improvement in her voice following the few sips of water.