A familiar presence, permeated with despair. "Why did you do this to me?"
"What have I done?"
"I used to be everything."
Something nearby began pounding like a pile-driver. It was giving her a headache. She had to shout to be heard over its din. "You're still something!"
Quietly. "I'm nothing."
"That's ... not true! You're ... here! You exist! That's ... something!"
A world-encompassing sadness. "False comfort. What a pointless thing to offer."
She was conscious again.
* * *Consuelo was saying something. "...isn't going to like it."
"The spiritual wellness professionals back home all agree that this is the best possible course of action for her."
"Oh, please!"
Alan had to be the most anal-retentive person Lizzie knew. Consuelo was definitely the most phlegmatic. Things had to be running pretty tense for both of them to be bickering like this. "Um ... guys?" Lizzie said. "I'm awake."
There was a moment's silence, not unlike those her parents had shared when she was little and she'd wandered into one of their arguments. Then Consuelo said, a little too brightly, "Hey, it's good to have you back," and Alan said, "NAFTASA wants you to speak with someone. Hold on. I've got a recording of her first transmission cued up and ready for you."
A woman's voice came online. _"This is Dr. Alma Rosenblum. Elizabeth, I'd like to talk with you about how you're feeling. I appreciate that the time delay between Earth and Titan is going to make our conversation a little awkward at first, but I'm confident that the two of us can work through it."_
"What kind of crap is this?" Lizzie said angrily. "Who is this woman?"
"NAFTASA thought it would help if you -- "