The Ice Warrior

Chapter 41

"How can you help? Can you convince Evanescence to stop being so unreasonable and let us out?" Silv asked, her tear-filled eyes burning with hope.

"No. She too scared," Wir Eis said.

"Then how can you claim that you can help when there is nothing you can do! You are as useless as I am!" Silv exclaimed in anger.

"Suspended animation." Wir Eis said, struggling with the long term.

"Isn't that used for people who are alive to keep their functions lowered or stopped with the hopes that they can be revived later? Why didn't we use that on Rose while she was still alive? You didn't tell me there was a way to save her!" Silv yelled, approaching the alien with anger burning in her eyes.

"Not the same. Our suspended animation for travel. Can't heal wound. Only preserve current state." Wir Eis said.

"What does that even mean?" Silv asked, well aware that her anger was getting out of hand.

Though she knew she needed to find a way to temper it, she was unable to do so. It was an impossible task since there were so many new and unfamiliar things to understand when all she wanted to do was go, bury her grandmother. When she needed to give her the last rites every human deserved.

"Mistress, I may be able to elaborate." Arthur stepped in before Silv did something she might regret.

"From my conversations with Sei Eis and my limited communication with Evanescence, I came to some understanding that you might find useful. I can comprehend some of the alien notions and concepts that the mistress has been struggling with," Arthur said.

"Go ahead. Please explain because none of this makes any sense to me," Silv said.

"Wir Eis has translated the concept he was referring to with the closest human equivalent for it. However, there are differences between what you understand as suspended animation and what he was suggesting." Arthur started to explain.

"Such as?" Silv asked impatiently.

"It is unable to preserve a body indefinitely. Furthermore, there are no adequate settings to save a damaged body. The main purpose of this system was to allow for the seamless transition from their planet to ours. It was made by their father, and the only thing the machine can do is preserve the current state of a healthy body. It puts it into a deep slumber while providing nourishment for the occupant." Arthur said.

"I still don't understand why the same couldn't be done with Rose," Silv said.

"Well, damaged bodies are rejected for suspended animation as it is deemed as dangerous for them. The machine refuses to function for them. I believe it is made to reduce the risk of them dying during transport." Arthur explained.

"Then how can it help now?" Silv asked.

"Well, another function that the machine has is something in line with our freezers where matter can be preserved for future utilization as nourishment," Arthur said.

"You want me to put my grandmother in a freezer like food!" Silv screamed in horror.

"Silv, you need to calm down. You're making the ship nervous." Justin said as a great rumbling coursed through the whole ship.

"How am I supposed to calm down when you people want me to disrespect my grandmother's dead body?" Silv asked.

"My dear, your grandmother wouldn't take it against you. She loved you too much for that. Besides, perhaps this will buy us some time to find just the right resting place for her, somewhere where you can visit her grave often. After all, you still don't know where your road will take you." Joe said, reasonably, as he joined them.

"But a freezer? That sounds disrespectful to me." Silv said, unsure of what she was supposed to do.

"I am translating poorly, I fear. No better than Wir Eis did. It is the closest approximation in our language. However, it looks nothing like a freezer, my mistress." Arthur said.

"Why don't you and I go check it out, and then you can decide?" Justin said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Silv took a few deep breaths to calm down for everyone else's well-being since Evanescence seemed to sense her distress and thus act up. Then, she followed Wir Eis to the storage unit while Justin's hand remained on her shoulder, firmly gripping it every time the shivers went through her body.

"Inside." Wir Eis said, pointing at a third door to the left in the storage unit.

Upon showing them the way, he turned around and left. He was unprepared to deal with the strength of human emotions. Furthermore, he was frightened that his presence might only worsen the situation. His species never oscillated so much and so violently between different feelings. Thus, he was unsure of what the right course of action was.

"There it is," Justin said, pointing at one of the crates opposite the front door.

It was nothing like Silv expected it to be. Firstly, it didn't resemble a freezer in anything but purpose. Besides, it brought back images, parts, and pieces of stories her grandmother told her about poisoned apples and glass coffins.

"What is it? You look odd." Justin said.

"This thing. It reminds me of a story grandmother used to tell me. I think it was called Storm White, no, no. Hm, Snow White. Yes, that's it!

"I remember I found the title ridiculous since snow couldn't be anything but white. However, grandma explained that it was not about the snow and its color but that it was a name, a name of a young girl. 

"What happened to the girl?" Justin asked, intrigued by the unknown story.

"I don't remember. All I remember is that there was a poisoned apple, a glass coffin, and a prince. He... I think he kissed her and brought her back to life." Silv said.

"That sure is a ridiculous story," Justin confirmed.

"Yes, but it was one of grandma's favorite ones when she was a child. I think she would love the idea of being laid to rest in this kind of thing. It does resemble a glass coffin, doesn't it?" Silv asked.

"Ahem, I don't know. I've never seen a coffin before. I heard stories, but I've never seen it." Justin said.

"Oh, yes. I forgot that only military personnel had access to some of those old files. Though some of them were banned even to me, I didn't have a high enough level of clearance. I remember that religion files were always restricted, and I could never figure out what they were about. Still, I know they had something to do with those coffins, that there was some connection between the two.

"Anyway, I saw the picture in one of the old images that someone forgot to redact, and it looked similar in shape and size to this, only made of wood," Silv said.

"Wow, I didn't think governments ever made anything of wood," Justin said, fascinated.

"Well, I guess times have changed, and in the past, some things were far more popular than we know," Silv said.

"I think grandma will be happy resting here for a while," Silv said with a gentle smile.

"Okay, then. Let's do it." Justin said as an image of Joe standing next to Rose's floating body flickered to life.

"You can bring her here. Silv approves of whatever this is called." Justin said.

"Can mistress help us arrive there more quickly?" Arthur asked, eager to provide his late mistress with some peace and quiet.

"Yes, I think so," Silv said.

"I am sorry about before. I was angry and hurt. Can you please transport them here, and let me at least give some rest to my grandmother?" Silv thought with her eyes closed, directing her thoughts to the ship.

Moments later, Joe, Arthur, and Rose's floating body were transported next to Silv and Justin.