Persistence of Vision
***
Maggie was pulled out of a deep sleep some hours later when Marcus rose. He disentangled himself from her and left the cot, but she was a light enough sleeper to register the movement. The quiet murmur of Marcus’s voice reached her ears. She thought it was Karl he was talking to. She caught snatches of mundane conversation—something about Karl letting them all sleep longer than he was supposed to because it was still too early to consider leaving the ship, yet.
Maggie barely registered it, letting her mind weave in and out of sleep. Then she heard her name. Her eyes snapped open. She shut them again immediately, not wanting the two men to know she was listening.
“I don’t know that it has a whole lot to do with me, Karl.”
“Why not?”
“Think about it. If you were in a strange place with people you don’t know going on a mission you don’t feel prepared for and you kept learning about disturbing things you did but you don’t know why and can’t remember doing them, wouldn’t you be reaching out for comfort too?”
“Yeah, but she could reach out to any of us for that, man. She’s gravitating toward you.”
“Yes, but she knows we had a relationship before. As much as I wish I did, I know I don’t hide my feelings well. She knows how I feel about her. And with that, she knows I’ll be loyal to her—that I’ll protect her no matter what.”
Maggie could almost hear Karl’s frown. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Marcus, but do you really think Maggie’s that shallow?”
Marcus chuckled. “No. I think that it’s a natural thing to do. You or I would probably do the same thing if we were in her shoes.”
“You’re selling yourself short, Marcus. Have some faith in Maggie. Have some faith in what we know to be true.”
“Like what?”
“Well, there’s cellular memory.”
“You been talking to Joan again?”
“I think she’s got a point. Look, man, I’ve never been in love with a woman the way you are with Maggie, but I had one of the best families growing up that a man could ask for. The love I’ve experienced in my life has been a different kind than yours but no less powerful for all that.”
“What’s your point?”
“I’d like to think that if when I was a child I lost my memory and then suddenly saw my parents again, that I’d know them. Even if I didn’t consciously recognize them, I believe that something, some part of my soul, would call me to them.
“Think about it. All of us were there when we left her in that hotel room. Yet you’re the one she remembers. You’re the memory she managed to retain. And that memory of you was so intense that, from what she’s told me, it ruled her life during the time she wasn’t with us. It echoed inside her so loudly that she couldn’t let it go and move on. She was haunted by it. That doesn’t sound random to me. Besides”—he adjusted his position in a chair that was too small for his massive frame—“she fell in love with you once before when she didn’t know you. Why wouldn’t she again?”
Maggie heard Marcus sigh. “It’s different now. She’s been here before and experienced bad things. Even if she doesn’t remember them, she’s still dealing with the consequences. We all know her when she doesn’t know us. Before, none of us knew each other. It creates a different sort of energy—a different sort of pressure.
“Give it time, Marcus. Maggie will come back to you. She’s in love with you. I’m sure of it. She will remember it eventually. In many ways, I think she already has.”
They lapsed into silence, and Maggie wished she hadn’t heard. She tried to control her breathing, sure they’d hear it if she didn’t.
“I hope you’re right, Karl. I really hope you’re right. It almost killed me to lose Maggie the first time. I can’t go through that again. I just can’t.”
“Don’t be hard on yourself for hoping for happiness, Marcus. What man doesn’t?”
The others were beginning to stir, and the two men’s conversation became too muted for Maggie to hear anymore. Maggie yawned and stretched, pretending to wake as the others did.
The ship travelled only a few feet below the water’s surface so that the natural light was enough to illuminate the ship during the day. When it got dark, the ship descended to a lower depth so they could turn on artificial lights without being seen from the surface. The lights were all glowing now, turning the window walls into mirrors and revealing only blackness around the outside of the ship.
Doc sat up and swung his legs over the side of the cot he was on. “It’s dark. Karl, have you gone and let us oversleep?”
“Yes, I have, Doc.”
Doc padded over to the consol. “Are we inside the Concealment?”
“Yup.”
“And what do your preliminary scans show?”
“Lots of people still up and kickin’. But I’m not as good as you at the whole thermal-energy signature, logistical-layout thing.” He got up and indicated his seat for Doc to sit in. “Have at it, Doc.”
Maggie looked at Marcus, who was seated in the other seat behind the bridge console. He smiled at her, and she returned it. Joan came to sit on Maggie’s cot and ask how she’d slept. Maggie gave a murmured response. Nat and Clay were awake, but they made no attempt at conversation. Rather they stared at one another, half asleep and bug-eyed.
Twenty minutes later, when Nat had broken out some food rations for everyone and they were all more awake, Doc shook himself out of his concentration.
“All right, everyone. I have the information I need. Time to hatch a plan.”