Hup! . . . and here we are, waking up. Quick scan around, nothing immediately threatening, it would seem . . . Hmm. Floating in space. Odd. Nobody else around. That's funny. View's a bit degraded. Oh-oh, that's a bad sign. Don't feel quite right, either. Stuff missing here . . . Clock running way slow, like it's down amongst the electronics crap . . . Run full system check. ... Oh, good grief!
In this excerpt from "Excession" by Iain M. Banks, the narrator describes a disorienting awakening in space. Initially, there are no immediate threats in sight, but the strange environment hints at underlying issues. The narrator notes the absence of others, which contributes to a feeling of isolation and confusion as they begin to assess their surroundings.
The observation of a degraded view and a malfunctioning clock raises alarms about the condition of their system. The phrase "Stuff missing here" conveys a sense of urgency and distress as the character grapples with their situation, highlighting a deeper mystery within the narrative.
