\u201cAnd this thing is supposed to talk in hieroglyphics to her?\u201d Cyrus asked, holding the little microphone up to the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHieroglyphs,\u201d said the Egyptologist. Mister Brown, something? Or was it Green?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHuh?\u201d Cyrus asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHieroglyphs. Not hieroglyphics. And that\u2019s not the language. It\u2019s\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo how do we get this started?\u201d Cyrus interrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doctor Xi? \u2013 cleared her throat where she sat in front of the computer, eyes unblinking at the static scene. \u201cObserve. Learn. Find out the answers to thousands of years\u2019 worth of questions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cyrus arched an amused brow. \u201cLike if the aliens really built the pyramids?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Xi snorted a laugh, but the Egyptologist\u2019s eyes shined like a nerd with a new textbook. Brown, or Green, or whatever \u2013 dry-washed his hands in excitement. \u201cLike how they pronounce names. More about their economic practices. Trade. Worship. Language. Funeral rites.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cyrus waved it off. \u201cSure, but what the company really wants to know is\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow an ancient civilisation managed to crack the code on cryosleep before our modern-day geniuses could,\u201d breathed the doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cyrus snapped a finger in her direction. \u201cPrecisely that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet me speak with her first. Please<\/em>,\u201d the Egyptologist added the last quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The boy\u2019s half in love with her already!<\/em> Cyrus shook his head but handed the mic to Green\u2019s (he decided) anxious hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Green clasped the tiny sound implement to his chest. \u201cIt would be better if I could go in there and speak with her face-to-face,\u201d he pleaded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlay dress-up and risk a breach of company safety?\u201d Cyrus wasn\u2019t getting sued today, or any other day. \u201cThis isn\u2019t Indiana Jones, kid. Stick to the script.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The young man\u2019s mouth opened and closed as if he had more to say, but Cyrus shoved past him and bent over Doctor Xi to watch the screen. \u201cRight, doc. Wake the girl.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Xi pushed the spacebar (a bit underwhelming if he was being honest), and a pair of ancient young eyes blinked awake.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cAnd this thing is supposed to talk in hieroglyphics to her?\u201d Cyrus asked, holding the little microphone up to the light.
\n\u201cHieroglyphs,\u201d said the Egyptologist. Mister Brown, something? Or was it Green?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2107,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,443,342],"tags":[453,454,15,224,80,440,455],"series":[],"class_list":["post-2110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fiction","category-speculative-fiction-2","category-young-adult","tag-egypt","tag-egyptian","tag-fantasy","tag-fiction","tag-short-story","tag-speculative-fiction","tag-time-travel"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/13.png","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"amazon":{"key":"amazon","url":"https:\/\/music.amazon.ca\/podcasts\/09c34bbc-b359-49af-a286-31830ed5634c\/short-stories","label":"Amazon","class":"amazon","icon":"amazon.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"google_play":{"key":"google_play","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Play","class":"google_play","icon":"google-play.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.google.com\/feed\/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbGV4aXN2ZWVuZW5kYWFsLmNvbS9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qvc2hvcnQtc3Rvcmllcw","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0lcQCRs52MfYlKs35lVX4K","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"itunes":{"key":"itunes","url":"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/short-stories\/id1621456328","label":"iTunes","class":"itunes","icon":"itunes.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/blog.alexisveenendaal.com\/feed\/podcast\/default-podcast","embedCode":"Awakening: Part 2<\/a><\/blockquote>