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this
Emperor, let me do the talking.”
    Alex said, “Fine by me.”
    “Me, too,” Kenny said. He turned his head to the other bed.
“Yaxche. You haven’t said much. Are you all right?”
    “Ahyah,” the old man said. “My stomach is upset. I’m a
little dizzy.”
    “That’s probably because of the bio stasis,” Michael said.
“It will most likely pass in a few hours. It looks like we all have to play the
waiting game, anyway.”
    Alex couldn’t just lie there and do nothing. He still had
enough Kinemetic radiation flowing through him to continue to use his sight, so he began to search Qin Station.
    For the most part, the station was much like any other
mining station, populated with engineers, miners, pilots, administrators,
supervisors, and technicians of all the disciplines required to keep the
operation going. Expecting a mostly Chinese population, Alex was a little
surprised to find an even representation from all Earth cultures.
    The question remained: whoever this Emperor was, would he be
in a position to defend Sol against the Kulsat? However much power he’d
accumulated, it wouldn’t matter if the Kulsat wiped them all out.
    While he searched, Alex became aware of an area of the
station where his senses could not penetrate. The moment he got close, it was
as if he hit a wall.
    A Kinemetic damper surrounded the large area, which could
have been rooms, offices, or labs, for all Alex knew.
    After all his effort, Alex didn’t have much more information
than when he started. It looked as if they would have to follow the doctor’s
advice after all, and wait.
    ∞
    It was nearly twelve hours later when a squad of armed
soldiers entered the infirmary, accompanying the doctor.
    “Good news,” Doctor Naysmith said, “the Emperor will see you
now. First, however, we need to get you all cleaned up. Once I remove the stasis
equipment, you’ll have one hour to acclimate yourselves. We’ve kept gravity at
two-thirds on the station, so it should be easier for you to get your feet. No
doubt, you all are feeling hunger pains. It’s been a while since you’ve had
solid food, so we’ll provide you with a nutrient paste for today. Your stomachs
should be back to normal by tomorrow. Now, I hope you will all give me your
complete cooperation.”
    Alex frowned. Having spent two weeks lying on a bed, he wasn’t
sure he could offer any resistance if he wanted to. Though the bio stasis kept
muscle tone up with electrotherapy, all four of them would have the physical
responsiveness of newborns for at least a while.
    Without waiting for a reply, the doctor began to shut down
the remaining bio machines. He unhooked Yaxche from his IV first, and unlatched
his restraints. With the help of one of the soldiers, he assisted him into a
sitting position.
    “How are you feeling?” the doctor asked.
    Yaxche nodded. “Like an old man.”
    With a short, polite laugh, Doctor Naysmith said, “Private
Lund will help you to do some stretching exercises.”
    The doctor signaled one of the other soldiers to assist him
with Kenny, following the same procedures. He got Michael up next, and Alex
last.
    When all four of them could walk around unassisted, the
doctor motioned toward a door on the other side of the infirmary. They followed
him into the next room.
    “There are showers here,” the doctor said, “as well as
toiletries and clothing. I will return in half an hour to check on your
progress. If you require assistance, any of the guards will be more than happy
to help.” The soldiers entered the room behind them. It looked like they weren’t
going to have any privacy.
    Turning on his heel, the doctor hurried out of the
infirmary, and left the four prisoners to put themselves together.
    In silence, Alex and the others cleaned up, showering,
shaving and getting dressed. The clothes were simple jumpsuits with black
leather boots. The epaulets had the sigil of the Solan Empire on them.
    When the doctor finally returned, he gave