Through the dim glow of red auxiliary lights, one could just make out the shapes of the dozen coffin-sized capsules lined up in four neat rows. The capsules were black, their sides rounded and smooth. Topping each capsule were two transparent sections, surrounded by a black frame, a lid assembly that fit perfectly on top of the capsules. It was almost impossible to see where the sides ended, and the top began. Each capsule was numbered with a three-inch-high red adhesive label on the front. There were also several rows of indicator lights and LED displays at the end of each capsule.

At one end of each row was a console of complex computer equipment. The capsules had several small monitor screens, displaying what appeared to be an EKG readout. Anyone with medical knowledge would have been concerned by the extremely slow heart rate visible on the screens. Ten of the capsules had multiple rows of green lights, some flashing and others glowing continuously. On the capsule numbered 'Ten', two lights weren't green. One was yellow, and the second glowed an ominous red. On capsule Three, there were no lights at all.

Through the transparent lid of each capsule, the form of a nude human was visible. The people were a mixture of males and females from several different races. They all looked to be in good physical condition and appeared to be between twenty and forty years old.

An unusual mask covered the mouth and nose of each person. It resembled a standard oxygen mask but was constructed of heavier material, off-white in color. The masks fastened behind the head and two tubes connected to them. The ends of the tubes connected to ports attached to the wall of each capsule. The masks, along with an odd mix of tubes and wires running in and out of different orifices, made the occupants of each capsule appear almost mechanical. In the available light, it wasn't possible to tell if the people were dead or alive.

Without warning, six banks of overhead fluorescent lights snapped on. Though the change in lighting was extreme, no apparent reaction came from the occupants of the capsules. Seconds later, a bright yellow strobe light began flashing above the long-sealed door, and the activity on several of the computer panels increased.

Following a brief pause, a barely audible hissing sound was heard, and the eleven-hundred-pound door slowly began to open. Four people in yellow biohazard suits walked into the spacious chamber. They'd been packed tightly into the tiny space the airlock afforded and struggled to get out. Their movements were slow, and they glanced from one side of the room to the other. From the way they moved it was evident there was a high level of uncertainty being experienced by them all. As soon as they'd walked into the room, the door behind them swung shut, and within thirty seconds, the yellow strobe stopped flashing.