James Axler – Freedom Lost

“Why not? Lovecraft was predicting this sort of thing in many of his short stories. Course, I didn’t read them until when I was in college,” she replied. “No, my interest in this branch of science came early. I was in an accelerated program in school and had an adult’s library card with full access to all of the closed stacks. I guess that’s where I first found Professor Robert Ettinger’s book called The Prospect of Immortality . That book came to be considered the flashpoint of the concept of life-extension technology. He believed in it so strongly, he froze his mother, as wellin fact I guess he was the first.”

“Entire generations suspended in time. Barbaric.” Doc declared.

“I thought it was marvelous, although some of my more religious kin didn’t find the suggestion of avoiding the hereafter by sticking your body in a freezer a proper way of following the plans of the Lord.”

“Your father was a preacher,” Krysty said. “I’d say he had trouble accepting some of the more fantastic theories you were spouting off.”

“Actually my father wasn’t the problem. He didn’t care for the idea, but he let me be. Most of my grief came from two meddling aunts, the old biddies. They were always coming to him as his concerned sisters, worrying about my welfare. My brother, Josh, after he became a minister like our father, also showed more compassion and understanding of my chosen career.”

“Yeah, relatives can make your life a living hell, bastard quick,” Ryan observed, thinking of his own corrupted family ties.

“Professor Ettinger’s book suggested that people could be frozen in ‘suspended death’ until medical technology was able to cure what killed them and breathe new life into their bodies. No big deal to us now, but at the time, it was considered all-out voodoo,” Mildred mused. “See, his problem was, his attempt to achieve immortality conflicted with some of the most conventional truths modern science had been built upon up to that point, including the premise that death is final in a world of mortals.”

“Nothing is absolute,” Ryan said reflectively. “Trader used to say that.”

“Correction, my dear Ryan. One thing is absolute, and that is if there is a cliche for the occasion, the good Trader was wont to have uttered it,” Doc muttered as he slumped down like a weary scarecrow into one of the free chairs near Mildred.

“You’re just jealous, Doc,” Krysty said.

“Pray explain,” Doc said with mock severity.

“Trader’s the only man in the Deathlands with more arcane sayings than you.”

Doc sniffed. “The mantle of Trader is not a title I envy.”

“In Ettinger’s book, I remember his saying that mankind had been conditioned to accept death for thousands of years. However, he grew up in a new world expecting that one day old age would be preventable and reversible. And the man practiced what he preached. Ettinger was a pioneer and helped in the formation of cryonics.”

“Pardon me, but I thought the term was cryogenics.” Doc said, unable to pass up the opportunity to correct Mildred in her own branch of science.

Mildred shook her head and smiled wistfully. “No, Doc. Common mistake. Cryonics was, and is, a more radical branch of cryogenicscryogenics being really nothing more than the recognized field of cold-temperature medicine. You know, research contributing to the aging process, the best way to preserve human organs for transplant, bloodless surgery. Nothing half-baked or hidden about it.”

“Cryogenics. Like the swapping of organs for the tech Lars Hellstrom was so fond of back at Helskel.”

“Exactly, but with more humane intent. But cryonics went further in design. Cryonics were designed to slow and eventually halt the process of death. In my case, putting me under saved my life until I was found and awakened by all of you.”

“Sounds good to me,” Dean remarked, entranced by the story Mildred was telling. “Who wouldn’t want to live forever?”

“Out of the mouths of babes,” Krysty said, winking at Ryan.

“Indeed,” Doc added. “Trust me, young Cawdor. As a man who has spent over two hundred years bouncing around this mortal coil, I can say that immortality always comes with a price.”