Safe, for the moment.
* * * * *
She opened her eyes, squinting at a bright light.
She was lying on something soft, something else soft covering her up to her neck, making her feel warm and safe. Which was good, because looking at the small, sterile white room around her, gleaming metal instruments and devices everywhere, was making her feel a bit panicked.
What was going on? Where was she? Why couldn't she remember anything? Everything before opening her eyes just a few seconds ago was a frightening blank, and while she didn't know why that was a bad thing, she somehow knew it was.
Who was she? Not knowing that definitely seemed like a bad thing.
She looked around again, breaths coming out in gasps as she fought to control her panic. At least there was some small comfort in realizing that even though she didn't remember anything, she at least recognized things. For instance, the instruments around her seemed to be medical, which meant this was probably some sort of med bay or hospital.
She didn't know what any of those instruments did, or how to use them, so if she'd known those things before then she'd forgotten. But at least she recognized them, and that was something to cling to.
Before she could decide to do something, even sit up and get a better look at where she was, a rustle from behind her bed caught her attention. She frantically twisted and craned her neck, and saw a person approaching to lean over her.
“Shh, it's all right,” the person said in a husky, pleasant voice. “You're safe here.”
In the same way, she'd recognized the medical instruments, she immediately noticed things about this new person. First, the person appeared to be a young adult, and female. Second, the woman's expression was intended to be kind and reassuring.
Third, the woman was impossibly beautiful.
Granted, she'd never seen another woman, so she wasn't sure why she'd think that. But the fact that she had seemed significant. Something about the woman seemed too perfect, in a way that didn't seem real.
Of course, who knew what real was when she had no basis of comparison? She sat up, the warm blanket covering her sliding away, which was a shame since she'd found it comforting, to reveal she was wearing the same uniform as the woman.
Was that significant? “Who are you?” she asked hesitantly
The impossibly beautiful woman smiled in a gentle way. “My name is Ali. I'm here to help you. You've suffered what is known as a mind wipe . . . all your memories have been permanently removed. A common name for those with your condition is Blank Slate.”
She didn't like the use of “permanent” at all. To avoid having to think of that, to consider the ramifications if it was true, she focused on Ali instead of on her words. Again, that recognition teased at the back of her thoughts, a sense of familiarity. Had she known her before?
No, it wasn't that. “You're not human,” she observed.
Ali nodded, not seeming offended. “I am what is known as an adult companion, an android produced by HumanAssist Enterprises to-”
“Prototype,” she mumbled absently, not sure what she meant but certain she was right.
The companion nodded, eyeing her thoughtfully. “That's right. Adult companions have yet to be officially released to the general market.” She moved over to an instrument, looking at the display. “It's a well-known phenomenon of mind wipes, that while the subject remembers nothing of their past life and retains none of their learned skills or reflexive abilities, they still recognize things they were familiar with before, and understand terms they knew.”
Yes, that matched what she'd already discovered about herself.
“You must've heard of adult companions before,” Ali continued. “Which might help you discover more about who you were in your previous life, since prototype models like me are still in development and our existence is not well known throughout the explored universe.”
Her mind wandered as the beautiful woman talked, some of her initial panic returning. Ali was right that she didn't remember anything, that she didn't know anything about herself. “Who am I?” she asked, as much to her own blank mind as to the companion.
Neither had an answer for her, it seemed. Ali shook her head. “The logs of the ship we rescued you from had no information about you, other than that you were taken from the streets of a planet called Helios 4, had no family or friends, and there are no records of you on the allnet. Other than what we know of what your captors did to you, and where you were intended for, I'm afraid I can't help you with any details about you or your past. You may wish to choose a name for yourself until you can discover those answers.”
She frowned. “I'm not sure I know any names. Does that mean I didn't know any before the mind wipe?”
The companion paused, thoughtful. “More likely it's an aspect of losing your memory. You'll probably be able to recognize names you hear as proper nouns, even if you can't think of any.” She rested a comforting hand on hers. “If you wish, I can help you choose a name that will fit y-”
“Lana,” a deeper, compelling voice said from behind her.
She whirled to see a tall man with broad shoulders and graying blond hair standing in the doorway of the medical bay. In the same way, she recognized the medical equipment, and that Ali hadn't been human, she was also able to place his age as most likely in his early 40s, although very fit and athletic for
