"I recall my condition," he said. "I know what must finally have occurred."
"Yes," came the reply. "That is what happened."
"How much time has passed?"
"Considerable."
He would have licked his lips. He settled for the mental equivalent.
"My family?" he flnally inquired.
"It has been too long."
"I see."
The other gave him time to consider this information. Then, "You had, of course, considered this possibility?"
"Yes. I prepared myself - as much as a man can - for such a state of affairs."
"It has been long. Very long ..."
"How long?"
"Allow us to proceed in our fashion, please."
"All right. You know your business best."
"We are glad that you are so reasonable a being."
"Being?"
"Person. Excuse we."
"I must ask something, though - not having to do with the passage of time: Is English now spoken as you speak it? Or is it not your native language?"
There was a sudden consultation, just beyond the range of distinguishability.
There followed a high-pitched artifact. Then, "Also let us reserve that question," the reply finally came.
"As you would. Then will you tell me about my situation? I am more than a little concerned. I can't see or feel anything."
"We are aware of this. It is unfortunate, but there is no point in misrepresenting to you. The time has not yet come for your full arouse."
"I do not understand. Do you mean that there is no cure for my condition yet?"
"We mean that there is no means of thawing you without doing great damage."
"Then how is it that we are conversing?"
"We have lowered your temperature even more - near to the zero absolute. Your nervous system has become superconductor. We have laid induction field upon your brain and initiated small currents within. Third space, left side head and those move- ment areas for talk are now serving to activate mechanical speaker here beside we. We address you direct in the side of brain places for hearing talk."
There came another wave of panic. How long this one lasted, he did not know.
Vaguely, he became aware of the voice again, repeating his name.
"Yes," he finally managed. "I understand. It is not easy to accept ..."
"We know. But this does you no damage," came the reply. "You might even take a heart from it, to know that you persist."
"There is that. I see your meaning and can take it as hope. But why? Surely you did not awaken me simply to demonstrate this?"
"No. We have interest in your times. Purely archaeologic."
"Archaeological! That would seem to indicate the passage of a great deal of time!"
"Forgive we. Perhaps we have chose wrong word, thinking of it in terms of ruins.
But your nervous system is doorway to times past."
"Ruins! What the hell happened?"
"There was war, and there have been disasters. The record, therefore, is unclear."
"Who won the war?"
"That is difficult to say."
"Then it must have been pretty bad."
"We would assume this. We are still ourselves learning. That is why we seek to know time past from your cold remains."
"If there was all this chaos, how is it that I was preserved through it?"
"The cold-making units here are powered by atomic plant which ran well untended
-save for computer - for long while, and entire establishment is underground."
"Really? Things must have changed quite a bit after my - enrollment - here. It wasn't set up that way at the time I read the prospectus and visited the place."
"We really know little of the history of this establishinent. There are many things of which we are ignorant. That is why we want you to tell us about your times."
"It is difficult to know where to begin ...
"It may be better if we ask you questions."
"All right. But I would like answers to some of my own afterward."