Déjà Vu (Part B)

Zeta's expression changed at the unexpected question, raising one eyebrow slightly.

"You are Geminga. You just introduced yourself to me with that name. Has your memory become clouded so quickly?" he said, unable to hide the curiosity in his voice.

The man hadn't actually directed the question at Zeta. He had inadvertently voiced the complex questions from the depths of his mind. At that moment, a voice rose from the folds of his brain — a voice so familiar, so close, it was like that of a friend who had lived within him for years.

"I've finally regained my consciousness." said the voice inside.

"Who are you?" the man asked the voice in his mind.

"I'm Geminga, but something's strange here. We were in a completely different place just now, weren't we? There was... there was someone fish-like with us, where are they now?"

"What do you mean? What fish? What are you talking about?"

"There was a fish-like girl with us, I'm sure of it."

"I don't understand anything. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"What's wrong?" Zeta interjected, seemingly disturbed by the man's prolonged silence and self-muttering.

"Ask if they have a task for you." Geminga whispered in his mind. "I need to check something."

Following Geminga's prompting, the man asked with a trembling voice, "Zeta, do you have a task prepared for me?"

Zeta's face suddenly lit up, a sparkle appearing in his eyes. "Wow! If I had known you'd be this eager for your task, I would have awakened you much earlier!" he said, laughing cheerfully. "Yes, there actually is a task. I was planning to discuss it in detail at breakfast tomorrow. Your enthusiasm is truly delightful."

"I can't wait until tomorrow, I want you to tell me right now." the man said impatiently.

"Trust me, friend, even if I told you now, we'd still have to wait until tomorrow. There's someone I want you to meet."

"Something strange is going on here..." said Geminga, his voice thoughtful and uneasy. "Everything feels oddly familiar. We've forgotten something important, but I can't figure out what it is. We need to stay alert."

"What do you mean? We were dead for seven thousand years. I'm meeting you for the first time."

"If this is really our first meeting, how were you able to wake me up? How do you know my name? And more importantly, why are you so little disturbed by hearing another voice in your mind?"

"Trust me, I am quite disturbed."

"You're too calm about having a foreign entity speaking in your mind. You're acting as if you're used to this situation."

"I don't want to hear these theories anymore. My head is throbbing."

"Very well, I'll stay quiet for now. I have important things to think about. If you need me, just say my name in your mind. But don't disturb me unnecessarily." said Geminga and fell silent.

"Well, I think that's enough conversation for today. I have some important matters to attend to, we'll discuss the details more comprehensively tomorrow." said Zeta, placing his hand gently on the man's shoulder in a supportive gesture. "I'm certain we'll accomplish very important and impressive things together." he said, with a sincere and hopeful smile on his face.

The man rose heavily from his chair just as Aleah entered the room carrying two glasses. Zeta glided toward her and took one, taking a contemplative sip.

"You're a bit late as usual, Aleah. I'm aware of your potential and I know you can do better. I have complete faith in you." said Zeta, absently fixing his hair while looking at his reflection in one of the large metal machines in the room.

"Your conversation seems to have gone well. Here, have a drink." she said, extending the glass to the man.

The man drank the green liquid in one gulp without thinking.

"People usually prefer to drink sona slowly. Its calming and relaxing effects work better that way. Though according to some research, drinking it quickly can also have a revitalizing effect."

"What exactly is this thing you call sona? I'm hearing about it for the first time."

"It's the essence of the sona flower with some sweetener."

"It tastes good."

"I'll make you some more when you come for your check-up tomorrow. For now, I have work to prepare. Come, let me show you to your room."

When they left the room, a long and quiet corridor lit with blue lights greeted them. The cold blue light emitted by LED strips along the metal walls gave their path a ghostly atmosphere. Aleah led the way, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridors as they walked through maze-like passages with sharp turns. After a few minutes of walking, they stopped in front of a metal door that looked no different from the others. When the man opened the door, he saw a minimal room containing only basic necessities - a single bed, a small table, a chair, and a simple bathroom unit in the corner. The room's only decoration was a pale white light hanging from the ceiling. As soon as he stepped inside, the door automatically closed behind him and locked with a characteristic click.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he spent some time thinking about what Geminga had said, analyzing every word echoing in his mind over and over. To relax his mind, overwhelmed with complex thoughts, he got up and headed to the bathroom. He shivered as the cold water touched his skin, but this sensation felt strangely good. After getting out of the shower, he dropped his tired body onto the bed and quickly fell into a deep sleep.