《Less Bright Future [Psychological Sci-fi]》 Chapter 1: Awakening It''s hard to breathe. My ears are ringing. I can''t feel my body. What''s happening to me? I hear someone talking to me, but I can''t make out their words. All the sounds are muffled, as if I''m underwater. I need to open my eyes... No, that just makes it worse. The light is too bright, and my head starts spinning. I just need to lie down for a bit... and remember to breathe.
I don''t know how much time has passed, but I feel a little better. Although every small movement I make causes discomfort, at least I can open my eyes and see what''s around me. But what I see scares me. I''m in a bright, white room filled with strange devices and instruments, lying in a capsule that I''ve only seen in sci-fi movies about space and aliens. How did I end up here? Was I kidnapped? Are they experimenting on me? The last thing I remember is our usual family dinner. Although, come to think of it, dad and mom were worried about something, but I didn''t dare to ask. After all, I didn''t want to pry into their work matters. "Oh, you''re feeling better! That''s great!" a voice said. I turned to the guy who had returned and sat beside me. His bright amber eyes met mine as he smiled. But there was something unnatural, even frightening, in his look and smile. He had no hair on his head and was wearing clothes that looked like a hospital gown for patients. He didn''t look like a mad scientist conducting experiments. He looked more like a test subject. Or a patient. In all the time I''ve been lying here, I haven''t seen anyone else. Thinking about all this just makes me more anxious. "Don''t worry, you''ll be fine," he assured, noticing my anxiety. "In two hours, you''ll be fully awake and able to get up." He said this calmly and reassuringly, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. As if I wasn''t in some strange place, lying in a peculiar capsule with my muscles aching. Yeah, right, everything is fine. Maybe he''s just trying to calm me down, but it''s not very effective. Seeing my increasing worry, he awkwardly smiled and added, "Alright, you rest up. I''ll go find us some food. Bet you''ll be starving when you wake up." He seemed quite enthusiastic about the idea of searching for food. He stood up and swiftly left the room. Wait... Did he just say he''s going to look for food? We have nothing to eat? No supplies?! Where am I?! Panic seized me. At that moment, the doors opened again, and the guy returned. "I forgot to mention. Don''t wander off until I return. I haven''t finished surveying the area, so it might not be safe outside. Also, if you get lost, it''ll be challenging to find you, so please stay put." After these words, he smiled at me once more and departed. I was left alone, enveloped in silence, in a cold white room. I simply closed my eyes and tried to push all thoughts away. I didn''t want to think about anything; I didn''t want to believe this was really happening. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Maybe this is all a dream? One of those nightmares that fade upon awakening in the morning. I''ll open my eyes and begin a new ordinary day. My parents have probably already left for work. They always leave early. Dad says that the brain functions best in the morning, especially for scientists. Perhaps he''s right. I''ve noticed that in the evening, one can spend hours wrestling with a problem, only for the solution to come effortlessly in the morning, seeming so simple and obvious. I''ll get out of bed, have breakfast, and head to school. It''s a critical time. In a month and a half, final exams loom, and after that, I need to consider which university to apply to. I don''t want to follow in my parents'' footsteps. I''ve had enough of their heated debates over teaching methods. I''ll ace the exams and apply to the biology faculty. Living organisms have always fascinated me more than artificial, soulless machines. And my parents don''t mind. It''s amazing how quickly they agreed. I always thought they wanted me to continue their work. Was I mistaken? Overwhelmed by thoughts of the past and future, darkness consumed me, and I drifted off.
I awoke again in the middle of the night. This spring is so hot that I often wake from the stuffiness. This isn''t good. I won''t get enough sleep again, and I''ll be nodding off in my first classes. Wait, what day of the week is it? As I pondered which classes I''d miss first and how much trouble I''d be in if I nodded off, I noticed beams of light slipping through the door''s cracks. Again, my parents are up late discussing their androids. And they tell me to not stay up and to go to bed on time. How can they be like this? As soon as I thought it, I found myself in front of my father''s office door, where I could clearly hear their conversation. "Come on, Henry. You just said you completely eliminated that android and found no leaks." "How can I calm down? This has never happened before! We''ve always been in control!" My father took a deep breath and continued speaking in a slower, more exhausted voice. "It became fully autonomous. It rewrote its algorithm and closed the backdoor. Tell me, how can I calm down? It encrypted its data, and we still can''t access it. What was going through its mind at that moment? What could it have done during that time?" "But our specialists didn''t record any new connections to our internal network, and there''s no access to external networks at our facility, you know that." "Yes, but..." "You''re just overthinking and creating a problem out of nowhere. In case you forgot, we have top-notch specialists at our facility, not just you. After the incident, each of us rechecked everything possible, and no threats were found." "And yet, the incident happened. We weren''t ready for it. I wasn''t ready." "Henry, enough. You need to rest. You know as well as I do that things will look clearer in the morning. Let''s go to sleep. Maybe tomorrow one of our security experts will decrypt that android''s data, and you can analyze it. Maybe it will even provide material for breakthrough discoveries." "Very funny..." Suddenly, the office door swung open, and my parents'' gazes turned to me. There was horror in their eyes. The light in the hallway where I stood suddenly went out. It seemed that the world around me dissolved into darkness, leaving only the office where my parents stood, staring at me. "Emma..." Dad whispered. "Run. Run away from here." What? What''s happening? Tears appeared in my mom''s eyes. "Run!" Dad shouted. At that moment, I felt an uncontrollable fear take hold of me. I turned and ran forward into the darkness. At that moment, my mom''s voice rang out so clearly and loudly, as if it was inside my head. "Don''t let them catch you again!" At that moment, the ground disappeared from under my feet, and I started falling... Chapter 2: Exploration Opening my eyes, the white room came into view once more. I was still lying in the capsule, but its lid was open. That nightmare and my parents'' last words to me still haunted me. Heart pounding like crazy and an incredible thirst, as if days had passed without water, added to my discomfort. I have to get out of here. Slowly, carefully, without rushing, I sat on the edge of the capsule. But after a couple of seconds, everything started spinning, and my vision darkened. Although feeling better than during the first awakening, the body still hadn''t fully recovered. Reflexively, I grabbed my head and froze. My hair! Feeling my head with trembling hands, the realization hit hard. Tears rolled from my green eyes. They''re gone... My long, curly, chestnut hair! Deep down, I knew this wasn''t the biggest problem right now, but quiet sobbing couldn''t be stopped. I loved how my hair cascaded over shoulders, fluttered in the breeze, and shimmered slightly golden under the summer sun. It felt like a piece of my identity, a part of myself, was lost. And so, I couldn''t stop crying. And I had no clothes on... They definitely experimented on me. And now it was clear why that jerk kept smiling. Pervert. Sadness and anger replaced the tears. I urgently needed to find something to cover myself and get out of this damn experiment room! Who knows how soon my captors might return, whoever they are. Maybe that guy is one of them or works for them? Although he looks about my age. Or is he a victim like me? Either way, I can''t trust him. He clearly knows something, otherwise, he wouldn''t act so confidently. I need to look around. Maybe there''s some clothing or at least a piece of fabric here? Looking around the room, it was quite small. Along each wall, except the one with the door, there was a capsule that could fit an adult. One of them was mine, and the others were empty. Besides that guy, there could be another person here. Although it''s unknown how many such rooms there are. While I was examining the capsule opposite me, I felt awful again. Imagining my unconscious body in this capsule filled with an unknown liquid was unbearable. No, no, don''t think about this now. Think positively, or I''ll go crazy. Escape, and everything will be back to normal. I tried to reassure myself, though I understood that things would probably never be the same. At that moment, my attention was drawn to a feature next to my capsule that the others didn''t have. It was an open foldable metal chair with what appeared to be some clothes and a digital notepad on it. I tried to get up and approach it, but dizziness made me fall back. Seems like I rushed too much. So, gradually, sliding to the edge of the capsule right next to the chair, I took the notepad. As soon as the screen was touched, a message appeared.
"Welcome! ?? I hope you had a good rest and feel great. I found some clothes that should fit you. I recommend wearing them, as they will protect your body from external irritants. P.S. While I''m away, you can explore the ship and see how everything works here, but just in case, remember not to leave its boundaries, as it could be dangerous for you. Have a great time!"
The casual tone of the message seemed completely out of place. It was almost absurd. Yes, I''m sure that guy left this message. It''s nice of him to bring me clothes, but he could have at least covered me with something! The clothes consisted of a tight-fitting jumpsuit covering the body, along with gloves and boots suitable for moving over rough terrain. Everything was white. The material felt dense but pleasant. The fabric was quite elastic. This suit should be comfortable to move in. Without getting off the capsule, with difficulty, I managed to pull on the suit. Surprisingly, it fit me perfectly. Well, one problem solved. But now I need to try standing up. Leaning on the edges of the capsule with my hands, I carefully rose to my feet. My knees trembled a bit, but this time I managed to stay upright. When attempting a step, I instinctively spread my arms to the sides to keep my balance and not fall. It felt like forgetting how to walk. The first step was tough, but it got easier and easier. I walked back and forth to get used to the movements and stretch a bit. Who knows how long I''d been lying there. During this warm-up, I noticed that my body felt lighter than usual and my movements more fluid and "gelatinous." Though maybe it was because I hadn''t fully recovered yet? Anyway, I felt good enough to scout the area and come up with a plan to get out of this place. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I stopped in front of the door. What was behind it? According to the note, I''m on some kind of ship, but I don''t feel any rocking. How big is it? How safe is it to leave this room? Summoning my courage, I decided to go out. Staying here wasn''t part of the plan. After pressing the button on the wall, the doors swung open, and I slowly peeked into the corridor. The newly lit lamps buzzed slightly, but other than that, there was dead silence. Is there really no one else here? At one end of the corridor was a staircase leading up, and at the other, a door with a standard exit sign. It can''t be that simple. I approached the door stealthily. It was quite massive. It looked much heavier and more reinforced than the others. To the left of it on the wall was some kind of control panel with a touchscreen. My touch activated it, and it displayed a prompt: "Confirm your exit request." I touched the checkmark on the screen, but nothing happened. Strange. Why isn''t it responding? After several unsuccessful attempts, the idea to remove the glove came. Maybe there''s some kind of security, and the program needs confirmation that I''m human or part of the crew? And it worked, but instead of the doors opening, I saw a red message about a lack of access rights. What?! I can''t get out? What the hell was the point of asking me to stay here if there are no other options?! Anger quickly turned to despair. I realized I was trapped. Still a prisoner, and the captor was unknown. Sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall, dark thoughts filled the mind again. What should I do? The only option is to explore this ship. I felt no optimism about my future, but sitting still wasn''t a way. There were still three rooms on this floor that might contain something useful. And I needed to check upstairs too, but first, I''d look around here. All the doors had small touch panels next to them. I approached the door nearest the exit and pressed my finger on the panel. "Access denied." A chill ran down my spine. What if I can''t get access anywhere and end up stuck in this white corridor? To my relief, the next door opened. I cautiously peeked inside and saw an ordinary cabin with three built-in bunks. But a metal flask on one of them caught my eye. Water! I quickly grabbed it. My thirst had only increased since I woke up, and seeing the flask, I couldn''t think of anything else. Hearing liquid sloshing inside. No, it''s not water... This liquid is thicker. But what''s in there? Is it drinkable? I''m dying of thirst! At arm''s length, I opened the flask and waved my hand over the mouth, slowly bringing the vapors to my nose. Then, finding no odor, I slowly tilted the flask to drip a drop on the floor and see its color and surface tension. It was completely transparent and looked almost exactly like water, but I was struck by how slowly it fell to the floor. Although just a bit, it was noticeable that it fell slightly slower than usual. Like time was slightly, imperceptibly slowed down. And then I remembered my internal sensations of body lightness and fluidity in movements. It''s all about gravity! It''s weaker than usual! Doubts began to creep into my mind. Am I still on Earth?.. No, it can''t be... Or... Mesmerized, I watched drop after drop fall. It was incredible, like some kind of magic. However, my thirst interrupted my fascination with this new phenomenon, and I decided to risk drinking a tiny bit of the liquid. How pleasant it was to feel the taste of clean, slightly cool water! I would''ve loved to drink the whole flask in one go, but I knew it could be dangerous for my body. It probably wasn''t ready to handle large amounts of food and liquid after a long sleep, so I''d have to endure and drink and eat in small portions. For a moment, I even felt relaxed and lighter. Taking a deep breath, I headed for the cabin''s exit to continue exploring the ship. I had to remember that my situation was far from simple. I still had too little information about this place and the reasons for my being here. The last door on the floor was also locked for me. The only option left was to go up the stairs. Maybe there I would find a main control panel to solve the access problem. To my disappointment, upstairs awaited another obstacle in the form of a large door with a damn control panel. Damn it, are you kidding me! What if it''s locked too? What do I do next? Slowly bringing my hand to the screen for another scan, I prayed, "Please open. Please." Time seemed to slow down. My heart pounded in my chest. And when my finger was just a few centimeters from the screen, I stopped. The tension was at its peak. I can''t... Fear paralyzed me. It wasn''t clear what scared me more. Another access denial and the hopelessness of my situation or the potential threat on the other side. Everything happening to me now was abnormal! Who knows what I''ll find next? Maybe there are enemies waiting for me behind that door. Or maybe the environment is so dangerous it''ll kill me as soon as I step through! I closed my eyes and began to breathe slowly and deeply. I needed to calm down. Probably five minutes passed before I decided to act and brought my trembling hand to the screen. Red light and denial. "Damn it!" I shouted and hit the doors with my fist. Well, that''s it. No way out. I''m trapped here. Despair overwhelmed me, and I trudged to the cabin. Sitting on a bunk and thinking for a while, concluding that the only hope now was that guy. Even if he''s my enemy, he must have access to get out of here. There''s no choice. I can only wait. I curled up on the cold metal bunk and closed my eyes. Chapter 3: Distrust I don''t know how much time had passed. I was still lying on the bunk in the cabin, thinking about my past, contemplating the reasons why I found myself in this situation, when suddenly the silence was broken. There was a loud crash followed by a strange hissing sound from the other side of the massive exit door. My breath caught. I need to hide. Now! How did I not think of this earlier? There was no guarantee that my kidnapper wouldn''t come in and do something terrible to me! Where? Where to hide? I frantically glanced around the cabin. Under the bunk? That''s ridiculous, I''d be found immediately! It would be visible from the entrance. Damn, there''s nothing else here! In the meantime, the beeping of the control panel sounded from the corridor, and I heard the previously locked door open. Someone''s in the corridor. I froze and held my breath. I couldn''t let myself be caught. Someone walked past the cabin with calm steps, heading, it seemed, towards the laboratory. Yes, I wasn''t mistaken! The lab door opened, and he went inside. This is my chance! I carefully got off the bunk, grabbed the flask, and quickly tiptoed to the wall next to the cabin door. My heart was pounding wildly, my legs were shaking, and my hands were trembling. In one hand, I held the flask that used to contain water. My only option was to incapacitate the intruder as soon as he entered, so I would wait by the door. Once again, time seemed to slow down for me. Drops of sweat appeared on my face from the tension. Footsteps in the corridor again. He''s coming closer! I prepared to strike. Yes, he stopped right behind the door! He''s there! And then silence again. What is he waiting for?! Why did he stop? Why isn''t he coming in? Fear spoke within me. It was the fear for my life. I felt like a cornered animal, ready to do anything to survive. Suddenly, the door opened, and with all the strength I had, I swung my hand with the metal flask to knock out the stranger entering the cabin. However, the flask didn''t reach its target as the stranger managed to grab my hand and stop the blow. Our eyes met. Familiar amber eyes looked at me. There was no hint of surprise, or any other emotion for that matter. Yes, it was the same guy I had seen when I was still lying in the capsule, but instead of a hospital gown, he was now wearing a white suit like mine. After a few seconds, he broke the silence: "Sorry for the delay," he said, smiling. "It took me longer than I expected to get us some food." What?! "But I see," he continued, "you''ve already managed to explore the ship a bit. I hope you didn''t get too bored while I was gone." I couldn''t utter a word in response. I expected anything but this! Seeing my confused look, he continued: "I understand you have many questions. Let''s discuss them over dinner." He released my hand and was about to leave the cabin when I shouted: "No, that''s not going to work! I woke up in an unfamiliar place, in some lab, in an unfamiliar capsule, completely naked and bald, as if experiments had been conducted on me that I don''t know about, and you expect me to follow you without question? I don''t even know your name!" He stopped and silently looked at me. His behavior seemed suspicious to me. After a few seconds, he said: "I apologize. You must not have been fully conscious when I introduced myself. My name is Neight. And yours?" Does he really not know, or is he pretending to gain my trust? I need to check. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "My name is Evie," I lied, watching his reaction. However, Neight''s expression didn''t change. "Well, nice to meet you, Evie. Is there anything else you''d like to ask me now?" His voice was completely calm, as if letting me know he was in full control of the situation. What should I ask first? I had so many questions swirling in my head. I needed to at least get a general understanding of my situation. It''s important to act cautiously since I don''t know this guy''s motives. "You..." my voice trembled with excitement. I tried to speak as calmly as possible. "Do you know where we are and why we''re here?" "I''m afraid it''s a long story. In short, we landed on the edge of a forest near a river. We''re lucky the flora and fauna on this planet are quite rich and much is edible for humans..." "Wait, wait!" I interrupted him. "On this planet? We''re not on Earth?" Neight raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise. Apparently, he didn''t expect me to be so unaware of the situation. "Amazing," he said. "You know, I have many questions for you too, so I suggest we continue our discussion over dinner. You have a lot to learn and accept, so you need to gather your strength first. All you need to know right now is that you''re safe and nothing threatens your life." "What... What are you talking about? I need to know more! I don''t..." "You''re not ready for it," he said firmly. The room fell silent. My head was a jumble of fear, anger, resentment, and despair. He wasn''t going to tell me anything else right now, and I still didn''t know anything. What the hell is going on here?! I think Neight felt sorry for me. His gaze softened, and he tried to comfort me: "I understand it must be very hard and scary for you, but it''s better if I gradually bring you up to speed. Your body needs time to recover from the long sleep, and emotional shocks won''t help." I wasn''t looking at him anymore; I continued to listen silently. I felt like a helpless little child who needed to be cared for. And Neight continued: "Rest here for now, and I''ll go prepare dinner. Okay?" I nodded quietly in response. What else could I do but comply? He clearly knew more about the current situation, and besides, he was stronger than me. I had no advantage over him. "That''s great. I''ll be back soon," he smiled at me and left the cabin. He''s gone. I plopped back onto the bunk, tightly closing my eyes and covering my face with my hands. My head was pounding. I''m no longer on Earth. This thought wouldn''t leave me. My parents, my friends. Would I never see them again? What if I never return home? And most importantly, is there even a place to return to? How long was I in the capsule? An image of my room appeared in my mind, small but so familiar and cozy. The walls with green wallpaper that I had chosen. They depicted dense jungles with beautiful exotic birds. I remember how long I persuaded my parents to buy that wallpaper. Dad kept saying they were too bright for my bedroom and wouldn''t help me study because they''d distract me, and I wouldn''t be able to focus on my lessons. Still, I managed to persuade them. Although, looking back now, I think my parents just didn''t like the price, but they agreed for my sake. I didn''t ask for much and tried to be a good daughter. My grades were excellent, and I never hung out with the wrong crowd. Yes, I made mistakes sometimes, but no one is perfect, right? But I''m sure my parents always loved me, just as I loved them. A lump seemed to form in my throat. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and I sniffled. I felt so weak and defenseless. I wanted to see my family again... It took me a while to cry it out. After a brief emotional release, I stared at the white metal walls of the cabin and began to ponder the current situation. And this Neight, can I trust him at all? So far, he hadn''t done anything bad to me and was trying to be friendly, but how sincere was he? I couldn''t rule out the possibility that he was just trying to gain my trust for his own interests. Besides, I still had a nagging feeling that something was off about him, but I couldn''t pinpoint what exactly. I needed to keep a close watch on him. Reflecting on our conversation, I scolded myself for my lack of caution. I shouldn''t have interrupted him; I should have held back and listened to the end. But could I have? Who could remain calm in my position? Still, I made a mistake, putting myself at a disadvantage. Now he definitely understood his advantage in terms of information. But he said he had questions for me too. This could be my key and my trump card. I needed to give out information sparingly and never reveal details unless absolutely necessary. Who knows, he might decide to get rid of me if he realizes I''m no longer useful. Why would he help me at all? There''s a chance we ended up together on this ship by someone''s plan, and Neight just needs an ally to handle the situation better, but I can''t be sure yet. I began pacing the cabin, as it helped me think. Actually, there''s another important point that worries me. How long was I unconscious? From my memories, humanity didn''t yet have the technology for long-distance space travel, which means I could have been asleep in that capsule for quite a long time, until such technologies were developed. If that''s the case and Neight was born in the current timeframe, it would explain his reaction. Perhaps space travel seems natural to him, unlike for me. However, there''s also a chance I was part of some secret research and experiments in my time. I need to at least find out what year it is. That will already tell me a lot. If I ask Neight this question during dinner, he should answer me. The question about the year is quite innocent and simple, so I don''t think it will be a problem. Speaking of the upcoming dinner. I need to plan my actions before Neight returns. For now, I''ll comply with him to avoid provoking him, just in case he''s playing his own game and only pretending to be my ally. At the same time, during dinner, I need to try to find out as much as possible about his goals. This time I must be mentally prepared for any information: from being kidnapped by aliens to the complete destruction of Earth. Yes, I must be strong to survive. Ending on this thought, I sat back on the bunk and waited for Neight. Chapter 4: Dinner Not much time had passed when I heard footsteps in the corridor again. ¡°Get a grip!¡± I told myself. ¡°Everything will be fine. The main thing is to stay calm and stick to the plan.¡± The footsteps stopped outside the cabin door, and a second later, Neight entered. As before, he had a calm expression on his face. I wondered if he was always like this. Could he even express any emotions? ¡°How are you feeling?¡± he asked in a rather gentle voice. ¡°I¡¯m feeling much better, thank you.¡± I felt awkward but tried not to show it. Why was he staring at me so intently? ¡°That¡¯s great. I¡¯m glad to hear that.¡± Just polite courtesy on his part. ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ve prepared something to eat. You must be hungry?¡± It was clearly a rhetorical question. I was starving, and only because of all the extraordinary events that had happened to me so far could I distract myself from this feeling. Without waiting for my answer, Neight left the cabin, and I obediently followed him. We didn¡¯t have to go far. We entered a room directly opposite the laboratory, which turned out to be a small kitchen-dining area. The door had previously been locked for me. That jerk! I fumed silently. He locked the kitchen door on purpose so I couldn¡¯t find any food until he returned! There¡¯s definitely something off about him. ¡°Sit down.¡± Neight pointed to a place at the table, which was apparently meant for me. He sat down opposite. As I walked to the table, I tried to carefully survey the room to better understand my surroundings. The same white metal walls and ceilings as in other parts of the ship I had seen earlier. In the middle stood a small table bolted to the floor with three chairs. So, this ship was designed for three people. Along the wall opposite the entrance were kitchen cabinets, also made of metal. The corner cabinets reached up to the ceiling and had some built-in appliances. Maybe one of them was an oven? Overall, the kitchen looked clean and sterile. I sat down at the table and stared at the dish in front of me. What the heck?! ¡°Enjoy your meal!¡± Neight said cheerfully, taking his spoon. On the plate was some kind of green mush with blue flecks. It looked as if mud porridge had been dyed green and mixed with bits of blue playdough. Was this even edible? Was he planning to poison me? Although he had the same thing on his plate... Did he really know what he was doing? Did he have everything under control? Stay calm. Stick to the plan. ¡°This dish...¡± I began. Neight, who had already brought a spoonful of the green goo to his mouth, looked at me questioningly. ¡°It looks quite interesting. Can you tell me what it¡¯s made of?¡± ¡°Looks amazing, doesn¡¯t it? It¡¯s local mashed vegetables with a bit of berries. Since they only grow on this planet, they don¡¯t have a name yet. If you want, you can come up with one yourself when you see what their fruits look like.¡± Is he serious right now? ¡°But wait,¡± I continued as calmly as possible, trying to keep my emotions in check. ¡°Are you sure they¡¯re safe to eat? They could be poisonous to humans.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. See that device over there?¡± he pointed to an appliance I had thought was an oven. ¡°It¡¯s designed to analyze food products. Before I started cooking, I checked everything, so you can relax. I¡¯ll even say more, these vegetables contain many beneficial nutrients. Try it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like it.¡± After these words, Neight began to eat his green creation with obvious pleasure. He was clearly pleased with himself. Well, I had no choice. I had to try it, especially since I was terribly hungry and felt I couldn¡¯t go without food any longer. Maybe this dish would taste better than it looked. I stirred the viscous mush with my spoon and scooped up a bit to taste. The slightly warm mass spread over my tongue. I had never tasted anything like this before. I grimaced reflexively. Fortunately, Neight was so engrossed in his food that he wasn¡¯t looking at me. This dish is terrible! No, it¡¯s disgusting! I silently raged, barely swallowing the first bite and struggling to suppress my gag reflex. I had to take a deep breath to avoid giving myself away. ¡°How do you like it?¡± Neight suddenly asked, looking at me with curiosity. ¡°Very... unusual,¡± I managed to say, trying to maintain a neutral expression. He smiled again and returned to his plate. I looked down at my food and braced myself for the second portion of this ¡°culinary masterpiece.¡± This is going to be a long dinner, I thought, deciding that for the sake of survival, I had to make an effort. Considering the mush was already pureed, I figured I could try swallowing it without chewing. And if I washed it down with water right away, maybe I could at least mask the taste a bit. Following this tactic, eating became somewhat easier, although the strong unpleasant aftertaste still lingered in my mouth. I hoped I didn¡¯t look too strange from the outside. At that moment, out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Neight had already finished his meal and was watching me intently. His gaze suggested he was deep in thought about something serious. I felt uneasy. ¡°You know,¡± he began, ¡°I think you should first learn about our current situation.¡± All thoughts of the disgusting dish faded into the background, and I prepared to listen. I looked at Neight attentively, mentally bracing myself for the possibility that I might not like what I was about to hear. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°As you¡¯ve probably guessed, we are on one of the exoplanets suitable for life. Although this planet is somewhat different from Earth, it is as close as possible to it in many parameters. The good thing is that there are many useful resources here, so survival won¡¯t be an issue.¡± This sounds promising. At least it¡¯s not as bad as it could be. ¡°As for our safety,¡± he continued, ¡°you can be at ease. There are no other people here besides us.¡± What? And that¡¯s supposed to reassure me somehow? Does he really think that¡¯s good news? ¡°So, we¡¯re the only people on this planet?¡± I tried to speak as calmly as possible, though I wasn¡¯t sure I succeeded. My voice betrayed me by trembling. ¡°Correct.¡± My pulse quickened. Calm down, Emma, calm down. I¡¯ve considered possible scenarios in my head, and one of them assumed we¡¯d be alone here. I took a deep breath and continued: ¡°What about other planets and, say, Earth? You¡¯re not saying we¡¯re the last humans, are you?¡± Silence hung in the air. I tried to read at least some hint of an answer in his eyes, but they showed no emotion. Why is he silent?! Doesn¡¯t he trust me? Or are we really the last humans? His silence seemed to last forever until he finally spoke again: ¡°I don¡¯t have information about other exoplanets, so I can¡¯t give you a definitive answer on that. As for Earth... it¡¯s been uninhabitable for a long time. There are definitely no people there.¡± No... My head throbbed, my hands trembled, and a lump rose in my throat again. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe slowly. I struggled to control my breathing. My home... My family... My friends... My future... None of it exists anymore. During this time, Neight said nothing. I think he anticipated I would have such a reaction and gave me some time to calm down. When I managed to pull myself together somewhat and opened my eyes, I saw he was still watching me with his calm amber eyes. ¡°Do you know what happened on Earth?¡± I managed to ask. ¡°A prolonged war broke out between artificial intelligence and humans, which had an irreversible impact on the environment. As a result, an extremely hostile environment for all organic life formed in a short time.¡± ¡°So, the artificial intelligence won and took over the planet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®no¡¯? Does that mean humans won the war?¡± ¡°I would say both sides lost.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If humanity lost, then what about us? How did we survive and end up here? And importantly, for what purpose?¡± ¡°Eventually, humans managed to bypass the AI¡¯s defenses and launch a virus that neutralized it, but it was too late. In the end, a small portion, including the political elite and outstanding minds with their families, left the planet. The rest lived out their short lives in terrible conditions until all life on Earth finally died out.¡± So, my parents might be alive too! ¡°So there are other survivors besides us?¡± I asked cautiously. It couldn¡¯t be that we were the only ones left. Neight frowned slightly and looked thoughtfully as if deciding whether to tell me more or not. Did he not trust me either? If I think about it, he presented the absence of other people on the planet as good news. Could he be hiding from someone? What if he kidnapped me? The more I thought about it, the more my distrust of him grew. After some more time, he sighed deeply and finally broke the awkward silence: ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. When escaping from Earth, some people in excellent health were put into cryosleep. Mostly children. The rest digitized their consciousness and transferred it into android bodies to live in the conditions of long-term space travel.¡± This information gave me goosebumps. "Are you saying we''re those children who were put into cryosleep?" My voice carried a note of doubt. I didn''t remember anything like that. My memories held no wars and certainly no cryosleep. "Exactly." I stared intently at Neight, trying to detect any hint of deception in his expression, but his face remained calm and almost devoid of emotions. Honestly, it was hard to believe what he was telling me. Various thoughts raced through my mind. Was he really telling the truth or misinforming me? If he was also a child of a scientist or some politician and spent as much time in a capsule, how did he know so much and why did I remember nothing? Could he be lying to manipulate me for his own purposes? How could I check this carefully? "Alright. If everything is as you say, why did we wake up, and why are we here on this planet? Why aren''t we among other people?" "Because we were helped to escape," Neight answered shortly and firmly. Surprise was written all over my face, while disappointment was evident in his gaze. "Honestly, I expected you to have some information," he said with frustration. "Experiments were conducted on us? Is that why you decided to escape?" I asked cautiously. Neight just nodded affirmatively. "But how did I get involved in this escape? And why help me?" "I can''t answer that question." "What do you mean?" I didn''t expect such an answer and was slightly taken aback. "Just like that. Consider yourself lucky to have ended up here by chance." What I heard did not please me at all. I felt the tension between us rising, and emotions started to overwhelm me. "But you know," Neight continued. "It''s actually for the best. The more free hands, the higher the chances of survival." However, his answer did not reassure me at all. According to him, I shouldn''t even be here. But that''s assuming he''s telling the truth. After all the information that overwhelmed me during our conversation, I no longer thought about caution and was driven by my emotions. "Don''t get me wrong, Neight, but can you somehow confirm your words? A war with AI, the destruction of life on Earth, experiments on people - all this sounds unbelievable to me. No, I''m not trying to say anything, but maybe there are some records on the ship that confirm your words? Or some other evidence?" "This is a ship for small reconnaissance groups, not a research center. There are no records here. And we can''t connect to the general database because we would immediately give ourselves away." "Are there really no other data? Anything at all?" I asked again with distrust. "There''s nothing," he calmly replied. "So," I continued, "you just expect me to take your word for it?" "Exactly." Is he serious? I was boiling inside. "What if I don''t believe you?" I blurted out emotionally. At that moment, I regretted my words. Neight frowned and for the first time looked at me angrily. My response clearly didn''t please him. The irritation inside me instantly subsided, replaced by fear. "Don''t get me wrong either, Evie, but you won''t survive here without me, so whether you like it or not, you''ll have to rely on me." I couldn''t utter another word. I had nothing to counter. Our conflict had reached a boiling point, and I no longer felt safe. My gaze was fixed on my plate with the remnants of the green mush. I couldn''t lift my eyes to Neight. I was genuinely scared. We were silent for about a minute. "I suggest we end our conversation here," he said in a slightly softened voice. I heard Neight stand up from the table and head for the exit. However, before leaving, he said: "After you finish eating, return to the cabin." The doors closed, and I was left alone with my thoughts and worries. Chapter 5: New Day Since Neight left the kitchen, I couldn¡¯t shake off our conversation. Why did I say that? I mentally scolded myself. And this disgusting food didn¡¯t help. My appetite was completely gone, but I couldn¡¯t leave it on the plate. I needed the energy to recover, and I wasn¡¯t sure how he would react. I didn¡¯t want to make the situation worse. In the end, I forced myself to finish eating. After the meal, I pondered my next steps for a long time. Should I go back to the cabin as Neight ordered? I didn¡¯t want to go there, but I couldn¡¯t sit here forever either. Maybe I should search the kitchen for something useful? I glanced around the futuristic kitchen furniture, noting the unusual surroundings again, and thought. I imagined finding some kitchen tools like a knife or at least a fork and then somehow taking control of the ship... But no matter how much I thought about it, I pictured Neight easily disarming me. No, Neight is right. Right now, I¡¯m completely dependent on him. Any reckless actions could cost me my life. The only thing I can do now is obey and follow his orders. Filled with despair, I trudged back to the cabin. Since my awakening, too many events had happened, leaving me completely emotionally drained. I just didn¡¯t have the strength to fight anymore.
When I entered the cabin, I was relieved to find it empty. Not having to face Neight again right now made me feel a little calmer. My attention was drawn to a neat gray stack of things on one of the bunks. It looked like a set of bedding with a pillow and a thin mattress. Next to them lay the familiar electronic notepad. Apparently, Neight didn¡¯t want to see me either. Well, that¡¯s for the best. Feeling slightly better, I picked up the notepad and opened the message.
"It¡¯s been a tough day, hasn¡¯t it? We both have a lot to think about, but first, we need to rest and gather strength for the new day. You can use the bedding I left for you. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be sleeping elsewhere. There¡¯s a hidden door to the bathroom in the wall opposite the bunk with the things. Press the far-right panel, and it will open. Just try to conserve water."
No way! I thought and rushed to check the wall. When I pressed gently on the indicated spot, the door-panel slid forward and to the side. A tiny room, no more than two square meters, revealed itself with a toilet combined with a sink, a showerhead sticking out of the wall, and a drain in the floor. ¡°Thank heavens!¡± I rejoiced, grateful for these essential amenities on the ship. Celebrating this fantastic news in my mind, I returned to the message.
"One important point we didn¡¯t discuss: to maximize our chances of survival, we should stick to a certain daily routine:
6:00 - wake up
7:00 - breakfast
8:00 - task briefing for the first half of the day
8:30 - task execution
12:00 - lunch
13:00 - progress check and plan adjustments
13:30 - task execution with adjustments
19:30 - end of work for the first half and results analysis
20:00 - dinner
21:00 - free time and bedtime preparation
22:00 - lights out
For the second half of the day, the schedule is repeated."
The first half of the day? What does that mean? The answer didn¡¯t take long to come:
¡°For your information: A day on this planet lasts 52 hours, so it¡¯s more comfortable to split it into two 26-hour halves. Moreover, the temperature in the middle of the day rises significantly and becomes uncomfortable.¡±
I was once again impressed by his foresight, but his desire for total control irritated me. Also, the prospect of such early wake-ups didn¡¯t make me happy. I¡¯d rather shift it by at least an hour or better yet two. I never liked waking up so early. And the schedule is pretty tight... What else is in the message? Go on, finish me off!
¡°The alarms in the cabin are set for 6:00 AM and 32:00 PM, so don¡¯t worry about oversleeping.¡±
Well, thanks a lot! I thought sarcastically.
¡°To check the current time, you can use this electronic notepad for now. Good night. See you tomorrow at breakfast.¡±
Closing the message, I saw the time 47:23 at the top right corner of the screen. How did I not think to check the notepad last time? It¡¯s so obvious! On the other hand, I had just started to recover from cryosleep, so it¡¯s no surprise I wasn¡¯t thinking straight. Putting the notepad aside, I made the bed and went to the shower. The water was barely warm, but it felt so good to refresh after a hard day. After the shower, I felt more alive but also fully aware of my physical exhaustion and collapsed onto the bed. Every muscle in my body ached as if I¡¯d been doing some unimaginable physical activity all day. Then again, if I had been asleep in the capsule for a long time, my muscles could have atrophied. No wonder I was so tired. Besides, compared to the bare metal, even this thin mattress felt like a plush bed. There was no way I was getting up again today... and I didn¡¯t want to. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. For the first time since waking up here, I relaxed and felt at peace. All my thoughts drifted away, and I didn¡¯t even notice when I drifted into sleep.
I was awakened by an annoying beeping sound. Who on earth invented such alarms? My first thought was, how do I turn it off?! Reluctantly opening my eyes, I saw the white walls of the ship''s cabin once again. Damn, why couldn¡¯t all this be just a dream? I groggily looked around to find the source of the noise and quickly discovered a small hologram displaying the current time "6:00" and two buttons "Snooze" and "Turn off" on the wall next to the bunk. ¡°Of course, turn off!¡± As soon as I brought my finger to the button¡¯s projection, the annoying sound stopped, and the hologram disappeared. Well, here¡¯s a new day, Emma, I thought to myself. I really didn¡¯t want to get up. My muscles still ached, and it seemed this would last for several days. But I was pleased to feel much better compared to yesterday. The dizziness and headache from yesterday were gone. I¡¯d even say I felt almost normal. After some time, I forced myself to get out of bed, afraid of falling asleep again and oversleeping. I probably sat on the edge of the bunk for another two or three minutes with my eyes closed, trying to wake up. What was on the schedule? Breakfast at 7:00. And now¡­ I took the notepad in my hands. ¡°Already 6:23?! How?¡± The realization that breakfast was not far off shook off my sleepiness. I quickly washed up, got myself in order, and made the bed. I couldn¡¯t shake off my anxiety. Yesterday, Neight and I parted on not the best terms, and I didn¡¯t know what to expect from him. Besides, with a clear head today, I softened a bit towards him. After all, he did take care of me in some way, though he could have done nothing. This didn¡¯t mean I suddenly trusted him completely. Rather, I considered the possibility that he might turn out to be a good guy and a potential ally. 6:41. Maybe I should go to the kitchen early? Perhaps I can help with something. Or should I not? After a bit of hesitation, I decided to go to the kitchen right away. On the way, I cursed due to the pain in my legs that I felt with every step. I hope today doesn¡¯t involve heavy physical work. Just before the door, I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts before entering the kitchen. It was important to try not to create conflicts and to learn more about Neight¡¯s future plans and goals. I needed to determine if I could trust him. As expected, Neight was already in the kitchen. He greeted me with the same calm face and smile I had seen before. ¡°Good morning, Evie. You¡¯re a bit early,¡± Neight stood behind the kitchen counter, seemingly preparing our breakfast. ¡°Yes, good morning. I just thought maybe I could help with something.¡± ¡°No need,¡± he replied, ¡°I¡¯m almost done with the cooking. You can sit and wait for now.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As he suggested, I sat at the table. I felt awkward. I shouldn¡¯t have come. Well, at least I could watch him cook. My eyes were immediately drawn to the large green fruits or vegetables that Neight was cutting at chef-speed into small pieces and throwing into a blender bowl. There were also a few small bunches of some blue berries lying nearby. No, please, not again¡­ I desperately pleaded in my mind. It was clear that for breakfast I would once again face that green goo. If Neight looked at me now, he would read all the pain I felt from the thought of the upcoming breakfast on my face. On the other hand, while he cooked, I had time to come to terms with and accept the situation, so when the plate with the green disgusting porridge appeared before me again, I was mentally prepared. ¡°Enjoy your meal!¡± ¡°You too,¡± I replied, barely holding back a sarcastic comment. As before, Neight began eating his dish with pleasure. Could he really like it? I decided to stick to the same tactic as yesterday: swallow the food without chewing and wash it down periodically. While eating, I thought about our conversation yesterday. How could he be so calm, as if nothing had happened? Just as I thought about it, Neight spoke in a serious voice: ¡°I wanted to apologize to you. Yesterday, I may have been too harsh towards you.¡± His unexpected words stunned me, and I almost dropped my spoon. ¡°You have every reason not to trust me,¡± he continued, ¡°but I also know nothing about you and therefore have to act cautiously.¡± So it¡¯s all about distrust of me? It was a bit hurtful to hear, as I knew I had no ill intentions. But on the other hand, I could understand him. If I were in his place, I would probably act the same. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± I replied, looking away, ¡°I think I should apologize to you too¡­ Yesterday I¡­ Well, I was probably a bit rude. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I sighed. These words were hard to say. Apologizing and admitting mistakes to others is always difficult. Still, I felt a little better. ¡°I¡¯m glad we resolved this situation. After all, we need to cooperate. You saw the schedule I left for you, right?¡± Yeee¡­ He quickly switched topics. And yet, I would take a long time to get used to his cold-bloodedness. I don¡¯t know what he went through, but he was clearly not prone to showing emotions. He seemed like one of those people who always tried to act rationally and remain unshakable. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve reviewed it. After breakfast, we¡¯ll be making plans for today, right?¡± ¡°For the first half of the day,¡± he corrected me. What a stickler. It was obvious what I meant, I fumed inwardly. ¡°Correct,¡± Neight continued, ¡°after breakfast, we¡¯ll discuss our plans.¡± ¡°By the way, since we¡¯re on this topic¡­¡± I hesitated a bit. I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to bring this up now. ¡°Can you tell me if we have any overarching goal?¡± At this, Neight¡¯s face became as serious as it was yesterday during dinner. I had a bad feeling, but I continued: ¡°You said we escaped from other people who were doing something bad to us, but in that case, shouldn¡¯t they be looking for us?¡± ¡°They are definitely looking for us,¡± his words sounded like thunder in a clear sky. ¡°But¡­ but wait. You said we were safe!¡± ¡°And we are,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°How is that possible?! Don¡¯t these digitized people have technologies to instantly determine our location?¡± ¡°It may sound strange, but no. You¡¯re right that technology has advanced greatly, but in some ways, it lags behind even what you remember from your time.¡± I stared at him in surprise. How could our technologies surpass theirs? Seeing my expression, Neight smiled: ¡°Artificial intelligence. I think you noticed that there are no voice assistants or any drones maintaining the ship.¡± And that¡¯s true¡­ In our time, AI was widely used in almost all areas. ¡°Since the beginning of the war,¡± Neight continued, ¡°people have become panically afraid of everything related to AI, and thus began to massively refuse its use. Even robot vacuum cleaners drove some individuals to hysteria. In my opinion, it was foolish, but what can you do. Returning to our topic, without AI-based technologies, it¡¯s impossible to quickly gather and analyze data from this planet to locate us. It¡¯s like looking for a needle in a haystack. It could take years, if not decades.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± I pondered for a moment. ¡°Alright, if things are as you say. But what will happen if people lift this taboo?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re doomed,¡± Neight replied, half-jokingly, half-seriously. Only I didn¡¯t find it funny at all. I almost started to panic when he continued, ¡°However, I consider this scenario unlikely. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re that important. From a rational point of view, they have no reason to spend a lot of resources and expose themselves to unnecessary risks for us.¡± He has everything perfectly thought out. On the other hand, he might be right. If we were just some of their test subjects, it would be easier to let us die on some planet. ¡°You¡¯re probably right,¡± I finally agreed. His words had a calming effect on me. In response, a satisfied smile spread across his face. ¡°I¡¯m glad you share my opinion.¡± To my surprise, Neight got up from the table, picked up his empty plate, and headed toward the kitchen unit to presumably put the dirty dishes in a dishwasher. When did he manage to eat everything? ¡°Well,¡± he said, ¡°you finish your meal, and I¡¯ll go prepare for our planning session. I have a small request, though.¡± I looked at him questioningly. ¡°When you¡¯re done, please clear your dishes and wipe the table.¡± As soon as I nodded affirmatively, Neight rushed to the exit, saying as he went: ¡°Great! I¡¯ll be back here at eight.¡± As soon as he left the kitchen, I relaxed and leaned back in the chair. This time everything went well. However, I was troubled by the fact that he knew an awful lot. Could a fugitive know so much about the current situation and the past? I, for example, knew nothing... For now, I should stick to the plan and listen to what else he has to say, and deal with problems as they arise. Speaking of problems¡­ I looked discontentedly at the remaining green mass on my plate. Where¡¯s the trash can around here? Chapter 6: Outside (Part 1) After finishing cleaning the kitchen, I sat back at the table, waiting for Neight. I wonder what plan he has for today? I''m sure he''s already decided everything without me, I thought irritably. Neight didn¡¯t keep me waiting long. He entered the kitchen, looking pleased, carrying two large metal crates, one nested inside the other, on his back. My eyes widened at the sight. "It looks like I''m going to die today," was my first thought. I already pictured myself dragging one of those giant baskets, filled to the brim with something heavy, with my aching muscles. By this time, Neight had already approached the table, removing the two crates from his back and placing them next to the table. Then he took out a tablet and began "our" planning. "It''s exactly eight o''clock, so we can begin," he said, looking at the screen. Such punctuality. "First, let¡¯s outline our main goal so that it¡¯s clear why we have specific tasks ahead of us. Evie, did you bring the notebook? It would be better if you take notes." "Yes," I replied, pulling the digital notebook from the right front pocket of my suit. Damn, I feel like I''m in a school lesson. By the way, I did ask about our goals during breakfast, but he didn¡¯t tell me anything about them then. "Alright," he continued, "Our main goal, as banal as it may sound, is survival on this planet." "So, there could be problems with that?" I asked, starting to feel anxious. "Potentially." Great... The further we go, the "more interesting" it gets. "Despite the relatively favorable situation now, we still don¡¯t have exact information on how dangerous the local weather phenomena, flora, and fauna might be. After all, we only have a rough idea of the seasons here. Winters could be quite long and harsh for us. The situation is worsened by the fact that if something happens to us, no one will be able to help." I hadn¡¯t even thought about that. Hearing this sent chills down my spine. It was terrifying to think about the future. "Survival," I typed in large letters on my notebook with the virtual keyboard. "That¡¯s why we need to set the following sub-goals: exploring the area and stockpiling food before winter. As you already know, I¡¯ve found some edible fruits before. Our task is to gather as much of them as possible and preserve them. We will gather until lunch, and then I will go scouting while you process the harvest." Just as I thought, everything is decided for me. The plan didn¡¯t excite me. "Can I ask a question about our plan?" I asked uncertainly. "Yes, of course," Neight replied, nodding affirmatively. "What will happen if... if we don¡¯t manage to stockpile enough? Do we have any backup plan? Are you sure we¡¯re the only escaped people? Maybe we could contact someone and..." "No," he interrupted me. "We¡¯re definitely alone. And we won¡¯t be contacting anyone." The firmness with which he rejected the idea of finding other people scared me. Could Neight be my captor? Maybe right now he is the biggest threat to me. This thought wouldn¡¯t leave me alone, and I felt completely defenseless again. ¡°As for the backup plan,¡± he continued, ¡°if our supplies run out prematurely, we¡¯ll have to go back into cryosleep until the end of winter or until conditions become more favorable.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± I blurted out, my voice trembling. Panic started to overtake me. My heart began to race, and it became hard to breathe. Horrifying images of the lab, the capsule, and my body inside it flashed through my mind. But the most terrifying thought was falling asleep and never waking up again. No¡­ I don¡¯t want to¡­ Neight looked at me in confusion and said something, but I couldn¡¯t make out his words. The only things I could hear were my rapid breathing and the ringing in my ears. I lost track of what Neight was doing, so I didn¡¯t notice when a glass of water appeared on the table in front of me. Then I felt him gently take both of my hands. Unlike my cold, sweaty palms, his hands were warm and soft. ¡°...vie¡­ Evie, look at me.¡± Neight was sitting across from me, looking straight into my eyes. His expression was calm and gentle. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re not in any danger. Let¡¯s take a deep breath in, and then slowly exhale. Follow my lead.¡± After saying this, Neight took a deep breath through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth after a few seconds. I tried to mimic him to calm my breathing, though it didn¡¯t always work at first. After some time, I began to feel better. ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked cautiously. I just nodded and lowered my gaze. ¡°If you want, you can drink some water.¡± ¡°Yes, th-thank you.¡± He let go of my hands, and I picked up the glass of water with still trembling hands and brought it to my slightly quivering lips. Closing my eyes, I took a few sips of the cold water and continued to breathe deeply. Stolen novel; please report. After a while, when I felt I was starting to calm down, I opened my eyes. Neight was still sitting across from me, watching attentively and, apparently, patiently waiting for me to recover. I lowered my gaze. My cheeks were burning. I felt awkward and ashamed for losing control of myself. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Neight asked gently. I didn¡¯t know how to respond. On one hand, I was afraid to open up to someone I hardly knew, but on the other, I had so many emotions and worries built up inside me that I desperately wanted to share them with someone. ¡°G-good¡­ I mean, not really¡­ I think I need time to process everything.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ That¡¯s understandable. You only woke up yesterday, and so much information has been thrown at you, much of it unpleasant. You¡¯re right, you need time to adjust, and I won¡¯t rush you.¡± The kitchen fell silent again. I couldn¡¯t understand him. How could he remain so calm? According to him, we were in a dire situation where any mistake could lead to our demise, and there was no one, absolutely no one, who could save us. We were stranded on this planet alone until the end of our days or until our enemies found us¡­ We were different. But I felt grateful that he had just helped me pull through my panic attack. I even felt a little ashamed for lying and not introducing myself by my real name. ¡°You know,¡± he broke the silence, ¡°we¡¯re going to change our plans for today and the next few days. For now, you won¡¯t have any heavy work.¡± ¡°Thank you, God!¡± I silently thanked. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll just show you how to make preserves, and you can work as much as you¡¯re able, but without overexerting yourself.¡± So I still have to work... but at least not carry those heavy boxes. ¡°And now I¡¯m going to gather the harvest nearby, and you¡¯ll just keep me company.¡± At these words, Neight smiled and pulled out two white helmets from one of the metal boxes. They looked almost like regular flip-up motorcycle helmets. ¡°I¡¯m sure a walk will lift your spirits. Besides, some fresh air won¡¯t hurt you.¡± All my anxiety disappeared, and I felt a surge of curiosity and anticipation. Am I really going outside now? What awaits me out there?
We stood in front of the exit door, ready to go outside. I was traveling light, while Neight carried a massive crate on his shoulders and held what appeared to be some futuristic weapon. To be honest, I always get nervous around armed people, and this situation was no exception. But I don¡¯t think Neight would attack me. Right? After all, he had plans that involved me. True, we had to change them because of my condition, and now I was useless, but that¡¯s no reason to get rid of me, right? While I was getting worked up, Neight approached the control panel and placed his hand on it. The door started to open, but instead of the astonishing views of the local nature, I saw another small room of the spaceship with another door opposite and looked at Neight warily. ¡°This is the airlock,¡± Neight''s voice crackled and was slightly distorted through the radio headset of the helmet. ¡°You should know that not all planets have a life-friendly environment, so there''s an extra area for safety to prevent accidental depressurization of the ship.¡± He stepped through the doorway into this little room and continued. ¡°As long as this door is open, the opposite one leading outside won¡¯t open. And vice versa. All for safety,¡± he said proudly, beckoning me with one hand. ¡°Come on in.¡± I obediently walked over to him. Inside, the chamber we now stood in seemed even smaller. Good thing I¡¯m not claustrophobic, I thought to myself, looking around. Meanwhile, Neight entered some command on the panel, and the door closed. Suddenly, something hissed incredibly loudly, and I jumped in surprise. If not for the helmet, I¡¯m sure my head would have started hurting from the noise. The longer the hissing continued, the more distinctly I could catch a pleasant, slightly sweet scent of greenery. Fresh air! The hissing stopped, and the door leading outside opened. Bright light instantly filled the cabin. Despite the protective coating on the helmet visor, I squinted. Then various sounds surrounded me. Somewhere, unknown insects chirped like singing cicadas, and in the distance, some birds or maybe local animals occasionally cackled. But the most pleasant sound for me was the rustling of tree leaves. All these sounds created an incredible atmosphere that strongly contrasted with the dead silence on the ship. The view in front of me was no less impressive. Tall, bright green grass swayed gently back and forth, resembling seaweed. Colorful bugs of various shapes and sizes flitted between the blades. Some looked like large, fat, whimsical butterflies, while others resembled orange bees. Outside the ship, life was teeming. Ahead, right beyond the door, the trampled grass formed a path leading into a dense forest. Unusual trees, like something out of a fairy tale, entwined with climbing plants, stretched high into the sky. Long, thin branches swayed soothingly in the wind, and their palm-like leaves rustled pleasantly as they touched each other. I stood with my mouth agape at the breathtaking beauty. ¡°What do you think? Impressive, isn¡¯t it?¡± Neight asked, turning to me. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just incredible. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°I knew you¡¯d like it. Come on, I want to show you something.¡± We descended the ramp to the path and headed into the forest. Neight walked ahead, and I followed, looking around and closely examining individual blades of grass that were taller than a person. After a while, the high wall of plants obscured our ship from view. You could easily get lost here. Tilting my head back, I looked at the bright turquoise sky, dotted with fluffy white clouds. What an amazing place. ¡°Evie, don¡¯t lag behind,¡± came a sudden voice. Apparently, I had gotten so caught up in the surroundings that I didn¡¯t notice Neight had moved ahead. With the load on his shoulders, it must have been hard for him to keep track of me on such a narrow path. ¡°Sorry.¡± I quickened my pace, but a sharp pain in the muscles of my legs immediately reminded me of itself. Damn, I definitely won''t be able to run. Hopefully, we won''t have to walk too far. As luck would have it, Neight was walking at a brisk pace, and I cursed inwardly as I tried to catch up to him. How can he walk like that? Doesn''t he feel any pain unlike me? The road to the forest was longer than it looked from a distance. By the time we arrived, I was already out of breath and feeling incredibly tired, but I tried not to show it. Maybe I should have told Neight, but my pride wouldn''t let me. I didn''t want to seem like a weak, spoiled girl. I already felt like a burden. We stopped by a towering tree with a cross-shaped mark carved into its light bark. Neight turned to me and pointed at it. "There are these notches on the trees. I left them while exploring the area. For now, it''s our only guide in the forest, so stick to the trees with marks, or you''ll get lost." "Wait," I suddenly perked up, "shouldn''t we have some sort of navigation system like GPS or something? Don''t tell me that''s also part of the lost technology." Now that I thought about it, it was hard to believe that our high-tech ship, supposedly designed for reconnaissance missions, didn''t have navigation systems. "You''re right," he answered after a moment of silence, "there are navigation devices on the ship. However, they''re currently turned off as a precaution, so no one can track the signal." Sounds suspicious... "But you said no one would find us." "I said it''s unlikely. At least for some time, we better avoid using devices that send long-distance signals. Besides, if you follow the rules, you won''t need them." I didn''t like it at all, but I didn''t want to argue with someone holding a weapon, so I just agreed. "Let''s move on," he commanded. Chapter 7: Outside (Part 2) The atmosphere in the forest was entirely different. The dense foliage barely allowed the light of the local star to penetrate, creating small bright spots where the rays reached the ground, but mostly, it was filled with shadows. The thin but tall trees swayed slowly from side to side. It seemed as if their trunks could snap in half at any moment and crash down. They appeared so unnaturally disproportionate to me. From somewhere deep in the thicket, the echoing trill of birds could be heard. The forest felt like a mystical, enigmatic place, yet also colder and filled with hidden dangers. We moved deeper through the dense vegetation, going from one marker to the next. The path was significantly more challenging than earlier on the edge of the forest, and we moved slower. Neight frequently got his box caught on the branches of shrubs or had to find detours to squeeze between two tree trunks. At such moments, I felt sorry for him, but at the same time, I was glad I didn''t have to suffer like that. Additionally, to my relief, if you could call it that, I was starting to get used to the pain and didn''t notice it as much anymore. Though I dreaded to think about the sensations awaiting me tomorrow or even in a few hours. All along the way, I couldn''t stop marveling at the local flora. We encountered all sorts of plants resembling giant ferns, various burdocks, and flowers. It seemed that on this planet, everything was slightly larger and more elongated. At one point, my attention was drawn to an extraordinarily beautiful flower with many purple petals. Among the plants I knew, it resembled a blooming magnolia. This is simply amazing! I marveled. I wonder how many incredible species grow here in this forest? And not just here, but on the whole planet! I feel like a real pioneer. I should keep a journal. Suddenly, I was struck on the head, almost knocking me off my feet. I looked in bewilderment towards the source, but all I saw was a swaying green shrub. Apparently, while I was gazing around, I didn''t notice Neight once again pushing through the branches, and one of them swung back towards me. Was this karma for my schadenfreude, or did Neight do this on purpose? Good thing I had my helmet on; otherwise, it would have hurt a lot more. Couldn''t he have held the branches back?! "Evie, we''ve arrived," his voice crackled through the headset. Finally! Pushing through the thickets, I emerged into a small forest clearing bathed in light. It was covered with numerous climbing plants with large, burdock-like leaves and round green fruits. I immediately recognized them and involuntarily wrinkled my face. Thankfully, Neight couldn''t see this through the protective visor of the helmet. "Is this...?" "Admit it, we''re incredibly lucky to have found such a treasure nearby!" he said enthusiastically. "Yes, very lucky," I replied, trying my best to avoid a sarcastic tone. Neight took the box off his shoulders and placed it in the middle of the clearing. "Let''s start gathering. By the way, as I mentioned, you can come up with a name for this plant and its fruits." I''d call it Crapfruit, but I doubt you''d appreciate that. Besides, at this rate, I''ll quickly run out of names. "I''ll think of something suitable." "Good," Neight said contentedly and began to work. He moved energetically from one bush to another, plucking the fruits and tossing them into the box. I decided to follow his example and squatted down next to the nearest plant. But as soon as I did, a sharp pain shot through all the muscles in my legs, abs, and lower back, causing me to fall straight onto my bottom. I didn''t expect such a turn of events. Fortunately, I landed on soft leaves, and the gravity here is weaker than on Earth, so it wasn''t all that bad. "Are you okay?" Neight asked worriedly when he saw what happened. "Do you need help?" "It''s fine. No need to worry." He acts like I''m a little kid. It''s annoying. "All right, just call if you need anything," he said and continued gathering. I can get up on my own... Wait, can I really get up right now? After several unsuccessful attempts to sit up, I turned onto my stomach and then slowly, gradually got up on all fours. Damn, why does everything hurt so much? In this awkward position, I looked ahead and froze. Just a few steps away from me, two large green eyes with black dilated pupils glowed in the bushes. An unknown creature was staring at me intently. Feeling like prey about to be pounced on by a predator, I was paralyzed with fear and couldn''t move. Breathing became difficult. One single thought flashed through my mind. This is the end. I couldn''t muster the strength to scream. I tried to force out some sounds to call for help: "Ne... Ne... Neight..." A sound of an energy shot rang out behind me. In the same second, I screamed, shut my eyes, and fell onto my stomach, covering my head with my hands. Leaves rustled, birds nearby screeched and scattered in all directions, and the ground vibrated with the footsteps of a large creature rapidly moving away from us. When all the sounds faded, I heard approaching steps. "Evie, give me your hand," a stern voice said. I opened my eyes and saw Neight standing in front of me with his hand outstretched. This time, I didn''t argue and obeyed him. He helped me up, but it was hard to stay on my feet. I was still trembling from the recent shock. "W-who w-was th-that?" I asked in a shaky voice. "I''m not sure. I assume it was one of the local predatory species. It''s strange that it decided to come so close. Maybe it saw you as easy prey." At that moment, I realized that I truly knew nothing about this place and its hidden dangers. Behind the facade of the fairy-tale beauty of nature lies a harsh world with its own laws, where humans might not be at the top of the food chain. My life could have ended in the most horrible way in the claws of a local predator. Neight, holding my trembling hand, led me to the box, closed its lid, and ordered: "Sit down." "But I..." The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Today you will not be working, so sit and wait until I''m done," he said sternly. He was clearly displeased about something. "Neight, I want to help too," I stammered uncertainly, but he immediately refused. "No, you will do as I say. Why didn''t you tell me that your muscles hurt and it''s physically difficult for you to move?" So, he figured it all out. "Or do you think I didn''t hear all your grunting while you were lying on the ground trying to get up?" he continued. "Do you even understand the situation we''re in? Don''t you realize that your actions affect not only your life but mine as well? What if we had to run just now? I wouldn''t have been able to help you, and you would have died." As he spoke, I felt like a guilty schoolchild who had been caught red-handed. My cheeks burned, my head throbbed, and I stared down at the ground. I felt incredibly ashamed. "Are you saying you didn''t know I was in pain?" I began to defend myself hesitantly. "So you''re saying nothing hurts for you now and didn''t hurt when you woke up here? Is that it?" Neight said nothing. And there he goes again, avoiding the answer as usual, I thought. "Apparently, people''s bodies react differently to cryosleep. I truly haven''t felt any discomfort," he finally replied. Seriously? Are you telling me you slept for who knows how many decades or even centuries and woke up as if nothing happened? And I''m supposed to believe that? He''s either lying somewhere, or I''m just that unlucky. "I must admit, it was my mistake not to anticipate such a scenario," his voice softened, "but still, stay here and rest. You''ll need your strength for the way back." "Alright, as you say," I agreed without arguing. "Good." Neight left me sitting there and continued gathering the harvest. I watched as he picked the fruits and placed them on the ground next to the box I was sitting on. It hurt that I wasn''t allowed to help even with such a small task. Big deal, I fell. It was just because I''m not used to it. I''m sure I could contribute somehow. I pondered, all the while cautiously glancing around. The thought of a predator lurking in the bushes and targeting us still frightened me. However, everything was calm, with no signs of danger. I hope the wild animals were scared enough by the loud shot and won''t come near us again. Feeling a bit calmer, I turned my attention to the fruits lying next to me and picked one up. Through the glove, I felt the rough skin, reminiscent of an avocado. The vegetable was quite large and didn''t fit in my hand, though perhaps due to the gravity, it felt light, so I could easily hold it with one hand. If I can''t help with anything right now, at least I can come up with a decent name for you, I thought to myself, turning the fruit around and examining it closely. Let''s go with something simple. I''ll call you Greenveg because of your color. I took out my digital notebook from my suit pocket and began describing the characteristics of the Greenveg, from the shape of the fruit to the size of the leaves and the length of the plant''s stem. It''s a shame the notebook doesn''t have a camera. It would be nice to attach photos for clarity, I thought as I wrote enthusiastically. At least I found something to occupy myself with while Neight worked. Time flew by, and I didn''t even notice the impressive pile of Greenvegs forming next to the box. "I''m done. All that''s left is to pack the fruits, and we can head back to the ship," Neight said. As soon as I got off the box, he opened the lid and started tossing the harvested crops into it. "Maybe... I could help too?" My voice sounded uncertain, but I didn''t want to just stand there and watch. I already felt very awkward for sitting and doing nothing all this time. "Only if you''re sure you can handle it. I wouldn''t want to carry you all the way back to the ship if you collapse from exhaustion." "I won''t fall," I muttered in response. My cheeks puffed up with indignation, though Neight couldn''t see my face through the helmet. He doesn''t take me into account at all! I''m not so weak that I can''t even help gather vegetables into the basket! I threw myself into helping despite the pain, and we quickly finished the task. I felt proud of myself. At least I was able to contribute somehow! "How do you feel?" Neight suddenly asked. "Can you walk now, or do you need a rest?" "I''m fine. Honestly. I can make it." A heavy sigh was his only response. I wonder if he''s tired himself. Before I could ask him about it, Neight commanded: "Then let''s move out. But if you start feeling unwell, let me know immediately. We''ll take a break." "Yes, okay," I replied, and we set off in the opposite direction, following the marks on the trees. For a while, we walked in silence, though I couldn''t shake the thought that Neight was having a hard time since he was now carrying a full box on his shoulders. Through the radio headset, I could hear his heavy breathing. I decided to start a conversation: "You know, I came up with a name for these vegetables." "Really?.. Haha... And what is it?.." he asked, panting. "Greenveg," I replied, while wondering if he himself might collapse from exhaustion halfway through. "Greenveg," he repeated. "A logical name... let''s go with that." His voice sounded distant, and I began to seriously worry. I hate this! He told me to pace myself and not overexert, but what about him? Well... I really don''t want to, but it looks like I have no choice. I''ll have to resort to this method because if he keels over here, I definitely won''t survive. "Neight, to be honest, I''m not feeling very well. Can we stop and rest?" "Yes... Haha... Okay." With those words, he dropped the box and collapsed next to it, leaning against it. I sat down beside him. His heavy breathing was audible, as if he had just finished a long marathon. After all, he was a human being too, who could get tired and occasionally needed a break. While Neight was regaining his strength, I listened to the sounds of the forest and observed the nature around me. Taking out my notebook, I made a few more notes about the nearby plants. Studying the whimsical flowers, grasses, and trees filled me with enthusiasm. I wonder if people in ancient times felt similar emotions when they arrived on previously unknown islands or continents and encountered something new and completely unfamiliar? About fifteen minutes passed, and at some point, Neight''s breathing steadied. He turned to me and asked: "How are you feeling? Rested?" "I feel perfectly fine. It''s more about you." "Yes, we can go further." "Great," he replied, getting up from the ground and putting the box back on his shoulders. "Then let''s go." The rest of the journey was uneventful. We emerged from the forest, and I immediately noticed it was much warmer. The tree foliage had provided shade and a pleasant coolness. We continued along a path through tall grass at the forest edge and arrived at the ship. After passing through the airlock, Neight suggested I go to the cabin: "The walk was tough. You go and rest while I sort out the basket and prepare lunch." "Hey, maybe I can at least help with lunch?" "No," he cut me off. "You don''t know how to use the kitchen equipment on this ship, so it''s not worth it." How is that possible?! I don''t think it''s that complicated. At least it didn''t look that way. "Then maybe you could teach me so that next time I can handle the cooking?" "I don''t think it''s worth spending time on that. At least not now. Better let everyone do what they already know how to do." "I understand," I said, trying to hold back my anger. "Then I''ll go to the cabin." Without waiting for a response, I quickly left. In the cabin, I plopped down on the bunk and took off my helmet. Stubborn mule! Does he really not trust me that much? Or is there some other reason he''s taking everything on himself? My emotions were boiling inside me. Suddenly, the silence was interrupted by a rustling sound coming from the helmet speakers. It seemed Neight had not turned off his microphone. Then I heard just one word that made me tense up. It was spoken with such sharpness, which was completely uncharacteristic of Neight, and it stuck in my head. "Damn!" Chapter 8: Storage We met again for lunch. There were no surprises, so I was once again faced with a disgusting dish made from greenvegs. The situation was worsened by a lingering sense of tension that hadn¡¯t left me since I overheard him. What happened after I went to the cabin? Nothing bad happened, right? Maybe he was angry because of my behavior or was he just in a bad mood? I hope everything is fine and there aren¡¯t any new problems. Despite the flood of thoughts, I didn¡¯t dare to speak first. I was afraid I might provoke Neight''s anger. After all, I knew so little about him. What if he had been skillfully holding back his emotions all this time, and they were about to burst out, catching me in the crossfire? However, when I looked at Neight, sitting across from me, I saw the usual scene. He was calmly eating his food as if nothing had happened. The only difference was that since I had entered the kitchen and he had wished me a good appetite, he hadn''t uttered another word. He''s certainly strange. ¡°Evie,¡± Neight finally said in an even voice, finishing his portion, ¡°we need to discuss our plans for the rest of the half of the day.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s discuss,¡± I answered cautiously, trying to recall what we had talked about in the morning. If I¡¯m not mistaken, after lunch, I am supposed to prepare the harvested crops for winter, and Neight will go explore the area. I think that¡¯s right. In the end, Neight confirmed my thoughts. ¡°When you finish eating, I¡¯ll show you how to make preserves. After that, you can continue at your own pace while I go further to scout the area.¡± So, he does plan to teach me some things... But what¡¯s the fundamental difference between cooking a meal and preserving food? My frustration knew no bounds. It seemed like Neight just wanted to dump the most tedious and dirty work on me while taking all the interesting tasks for himself. There was another thing that worried me: whether Neight could handle the workload he was taking on. I still remembered how he was gasping for breath on the way back during our last outing. I hoped he wouldn¡¯t get lost if he went out now. I didn¡¯t want to be left alone¡­ ¡°Alright, I understand your plan,¡± I began, though even I could hear the uncertainty in my voice. ¡°Dividing tasks does sound like a sensible idea... But... maybe we could reconsider the plan for today, and you could help me with the preserves? And move the scouting to tomorrow.¡± ¡°No,¡± he cut me off, ¡°my proposed plan will be more efficient.¡± ¡°But I might not be able to process all the crops today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay. The greenvegs can be stored for a few days without processing, which is why I said you could work at a comfortable pace,¡± he replied calmly. ¡°But what if I do something wrong? Wouldn¡¯t it be better if you at least supervised the process on the first day?¡± I tried to counter. I have to make him stay. If some wild animal attacks him or something else happens, I won¡¯t survive. If only he had the chance to teach me more so I could be more self-sufficient... Right now, my life depends entirely on him. While all these thoughts raced through my mind, Neight looked at me serenely. "Don''t worry. The process is quite simple, so you''ll manage." "But will you?" I blurted out, unable to hold back. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. "What do you mean?" He looked at me in confusion. For a moment, there was even a hint of bewilderment in his bright amber eyes, but then his gaze became steady and calm again. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked, smiling slightly. To me, it seemed like a condescending smile. He clearly thinks he''s above me. Annoying. "If you want my opinion, I think you shouldn''t go scouting today. I''m afraid you might not have the strength, and so..." "You''re wrong," he interrupted me. His voice was firm and confident. "I''ve got everything under control." "I disagree. When we were coming back, you were clearly exhausted and barely standing! Or are you going to deny that?" Neight''s smile vanished instantly. He crossed his arms and looked at me disapprovingly, sending shivers down my spine. The whole situation reminded me of our conversation yesterday, and I felt uneasy. It seemed I had lost my temper and acted recklessly again. I shouldn''t have so openly pointed out his mistake, I scolded myself, lowering my gaze to my plate and gripping the spoon tightly in my hand out of tension, waiting for his reaction. When the silence was broken by a sigh, I flinched involuntarily. "I admit, that was my mistake," he said reluctantly. "But the problem was just a miscalculation of the load''s weight, which caused rapid fatigue. I''ll keep that in mind in the future." Unexpected. I thought he would get angry and deny everything. I looked at Neight again. His expression had softened, but he still seemed slightly pensive, as if he was analyzing his actions. I felt a sense of relief. "However," he continued in a more confident voice, "I''m fine now, so I don''t see any reason to deviate from the plan." Damn, he''s still insisting. Looks like it''s useless to persuade him... I give up... Let''s do it your way. "Alright, I understand. We''ll follow your plan." "Excellent," he smiled at me. I was frustrated by my failure, but I didn''t want to escalate the conflict. It was clear he wouldn''t budge. Not wanting to dwell on it any longer and forcing down the last bit of greenveg mush, I finished my meal.
Neight led me to the last, previously locked room on the floor, which turned out to be a storage compartment. Nearly all around the perimeter were built-in cabinets, presumably for storage, and on the left side of the entrance, there were three metal crates strapped to the wall. The nearest one was open, revealing the green fruits we had gathered before lunch. "This is the storage. I''ve granted you access to it," Neight began to explain. "On the right are various tools and... well, that''s not important right now." Why didn''t he finish? Now I''m curious about what''s there! "What we''re interested in is on the left," he pointed, "In these cabinets, all the provisions are stored." Neight approached a control panel on the wall, which I hadn''t noticed before, and called me over. The screen displayed a schematic of the storage area in a "§±" shape, with each cabinet marked with a letter. "Remember, the ready-made preserves are stored in cabinet ''C,'' drawer number ''3''. The cabinets are opened through this panel and lock automatically when closed. Try opening it now. Tap on the screen where the correct cabinet is." For a moment, I was stunned. The actions seemed simple enough, but I felt the pressure of Neight watching me, and I was afraid of making a foolish mistake. I carefully tapped where the square marked with a "C" was and saw the screen display a more detailed schematic of the selected cabinet with numbered drawers. Without looking at Neight to avoid showing my nervousness, I selected the square with number "3" and heard the sound of a drawer sliding open to my right. Great, I didn''t mess up, I exhaled in relief. "See, it''s simple," Neight said with satisfaction and walked over to the open drawer. I followed him. Inside, the drawer was divided into many small square compartments, each tightly packed with objects. It took me a moment to realize they were tubes. Neight pulled one out. It seemed larger than a toothpaste tube, about twice the size, if not more. "We need to make pureed preserves and place them in these containers. I''ll show you what to do. Take one. They''re all empty here." I took a tube from the drawer. Its light weight immediately indicated it was indeed empty. I wanted to toss it in the air to see how quickly it would fall back into my hand in the low gravity conditions. Neight looked at me approvingly and closed the drawer. The click indicated it had locked. Then Neight went to the open crate and took out one round green fruit. "One container holds exactly one processed greenveg. Take one too, and let''s head to the kitchen." "Alright," I obeyed, grabbing the nearest fruit, and then we left the storage and returned to the kitchen. Chapter 9: Preservation We stood in front of the kitchen counter, where a greenveg was lying on the cutting board in front of each of us. Looking at the knife to the right of the board, I recalled the speed with which Neight had chopped ingredients while preparing breakfast. Here comes a moment of embarrassment, I worried. Although I could cook, I would rate my skills as "average" at best and certainly wouldn''t call myself an expert. After all, I was just an ordinary high schooler living in a family where cooking was usually done by my mom or, in extreme cases, by my dad. "Let''s begin," Neight said, picking up the knife. "First, you need to peel the fruit, then cut it into small pieces like this." As he explained, he deftly grabbed his greenveg, made several quick cuts, and peeled off the skin in one smooth motion. Immediately after, he halved the fruit and, with the speed of a food processor, chopped it into small cubes. My eyes nearly popped out of my head at the sight, and I began to feel even more insecure. On the other hand, I was somewhat in awe of his skills, even as they intimidated me. How does he do that, and more importantly, where and when did he learn? "Done. Now it''s your turn," Neight said with a smile, placing the knife down. Well, here goes nothing. I took the greenveg in front of me and made cuts similar to Neight''s. It turned out a bit crooked, but it would do. After all, I wasn''t creating a work of art. The fruit itself felt quite soft inside, and the skin peeled off easily, which was a relief. Then I began chopping. I think I did pretty well. Sure, the cubes weren''t perfectly shaped, and it took me longer than Neight, but I''m not a professional chef. "Excellent, you did a great job," Neight praised my work, and my mood lifted immediately. "Now we need to puree everything." He tossed all the chopped cubes into the blender bowl and showed me which button to press. The blades spun at high speed, turning the contents into a thick, smooth mass. At that moment, I decided to start a conversation, hoping to learn a bit more about my companion. "You''re really skilled with a knife. You must have practiced a lot to reach that level of mastery." God, I hope that didn¡¯t sound too weird. I felt a bit awkward. Perhaps Neight hadn''t expected such a compliment from me, as he didn''t reply right away. "Training did take some time, but I wouldn''t say it was long. I''m sure you''ll learn just as well," he replied with a smile. However, it seemed unnatural. It¡¯s going to be tough to get anything out of him. "I don¡¯t think so," I said. "I¡¯m not exactly talented at cooking." "Nonsense. Talent might give you a slight advantage, but the key is practice. If you repeat the same actions a thousand times, you''ll inevitably master the skill." "If I prepare a thousand greenvegs, I''ll reach your level of skill?" I decided to joke. "I don''t think so. But ten thousand should be enough," he replied. I responded with a polite smile. Ten thousand greenvegs... That was a joke, right? At that moment, the blender finished its work, and Neight took out the bowl with the finished green mass. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Let''s get back to work. We''ve finished the preparation, and now the most important part remains¡ªpreservation." Neight approached an integrated food analysis device. "Actually, this is a multifunctional device. Besides analysis, it can also perform preservation through radiation exposure." Radiation? I hope that''s safe. It''s future technology, right?... Neight pulled out one of the small top drawers and poured the greenveg puree into it, commenting on his actions. "You need to pour the mass into this compartment. By the way, this step is identical for edibility analysis." Then Neight opened another drawer at the bottom, which resembled a storage unit since it contained six square-shaped slots. It seemed that this is where the tubes should go. "And in these slots, the containers need to be placed with the cap facing up," Neight said, confirming my assumption. "It''s pretty simple. I''ll leave this to you." "Alright." Under his supervision, I placed the tubes into the slots. Neight gave an approving smile and slid the drawers shut until they clicked. Yes, it doesn''t seem too hard. "All that''s left is to start the process and wait for 15 minutes," Neight explained while pressing buttons on the device''s control panel. "That¡¯s fast," I said in surprise. "Yes, preservation doesn¡¯t take much time." "And the analysis?" I inquired. "A bit longer. Usually about 20 minutes. But if the composition is particularly complex, it might require several stages, which will take more time," he explained. "Done, the process has started." The device hummed softly, signaling the start of its operation. Then there was a hissing sound, as if air was being pumped out from somewhere. Through the dark, thick glass, I could faintly see an opaque chamber inside. Most likely, the mixtures were being poured in there and subjected to irradiation. It was a pity that nothing visually interesting was happening inside. It would have been nice to watch and observe while waiting. But after estimating how much time it would take me to prepare six greenvegs for the next batch, I realized I wouldn¡¯t have any free time anyway. "When the device finishes its work, it will beep three times. Then you''ll need to remove the ready containers and take them back to the storage in the same section. I¡¯ve shown you everything. I''m sure you''ll manage, so I''m heading out for reconnaissance," Neight suddenly announced, heading toward the kitchen exit. What? What the heck! You''re leaving me alone already without even waiting for this crazy machine to finish?! A slight panic washed over me. "W-wait!" I almost shouted, managing to stop Neight before he could leave. He turned around and looked at me with a slightly surprised expression. "Please, stay at least until the preservation is finished. What if something goes wrong, and I don¡¯t understand any of this! I need to see how the proper process looks under someone¡¯s supervision at least once. Fifteen minutes isn¡¯t that long to wait, right?" I looked at Neight with a pleading expression, hoping he would listen to me. After thinking for a couple of seconds, he replied: "Alright, maybe you''re right. I''ll wait a little." So, we sat at the table, waiting for the device to beep three times. It felt like two or three minutes passed in silence. Neight was staring off thoughtfully, probably planning his strategies. Not wanting to sit in silence any longer, I decided to resume our conversation. "And still, you have a talent." Neight looked at me questioningly. "Well, I mean how you cook. I¡¯ve only seen people on the internet chopping vegetables so quickly and precisely. And you said you learned quickly." "It¡¯s not about talent, it¡¯s about the method of learning," he replied. However, there was a barely noticeable sadness in his voice. "So," I cautiously continued, "you had a good teacher?" Neight frowned slightly, thinking before he answered. "Yes, you could say that." It doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s eager to discuss this. Maybe it¡¯s about the teacher? What if Neight cared deeply for him, and he¡¯s no longer alive? I thought about my parents. The thought that I would never see them again pained me. "Your teacher¡­ He was probably someone close to you?" "It¡¯s hard to say," Neight answered distantly. "But he taught me everything I know." "I see..." And again, silence. The conversation didn¡¯t go anywhere. Each of us was lost in our thoughts. It was unclear what was going on in Neight¡¯s mind, what he was thinking, what feelings he was experiencing, but my thoughts were filled with fear and despair. It was easier when we were busy, with no time for worrying thoughts. During work, there¡¯s no time for anxiety, unlike in these idle moments. In the left corner of the kitchen, three long beeps sounded, resembling the noise of a microwave finishing heating lunch. "It¡¯s done," Neight said calmly without even turning around. "You can take it out." Chapter 10: Hesitation or Determination Neight went on a scouting mission, leaving me alone on the ship. At first, I busied myself with preparations and even managed to make two batches of six, but, to be honest, it was incredibly boring and tedious. I understood that the task was important and useful, but it was just not interesting at all. He said I could work at my own pace! it flashed through my mind. That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll take the opportunity to explore the ship again. First, I went to check out the storage. I was really curious about what was kept in the other drawers. On the control panel screen, I selected the cabinet that Neight said stored tools and something else. Then I tapped on the first drawer and saw the message, ¡°Access Denied.¡± After trying to open all the cabinets from ¡°D¡± to ¡°H¡± one by one, I realized that they were all locked for me. As expected, but still disappointing, I sighed. It seemed Neight made sure I didn¡¯t poke around where, in his opinion, I shouldn¡¯t. Let me guess, in the provision section, only ¡®C3¡¯ is accessible to me. Imagine my surprise when ¡®A1¡¯ opened without any problem. I quickly rushed to examine the contents. Inside were many small metal boxes, tightly packed together. The lids were labeled, presumably indicating the contents: ¡°Cabbage,¡± ¡°Onion,¡± ¡°Peas,¡± ¡°Dill¡±... Interesting! I picked up one of the boxes and shook it. The rustling sound it made allowed me to determine that there were many small objects inside. These are seeds! I exclaimed in delight. That means I can try to grow something on this planet. After checking the contents of several boxes, I was already imagining myself growing and harvesting potatoes, and after all the hard work, finally tasting some decent food. Wait, I got distracted. I wonder what else is in here? With a lifted mood, I began opening the next drawers, eventually concluding that the ¡°A¡± cabinet contained seeds of various crops. What about ¡®B¡¯? Inside, I found a real treasure! Salt and sugar. It wasn¡¯t surprising since these are some of the simplest preservatives. Plus, they¡¯re excellent seasonings that can enhance the flavor of any dish. All these discoveries inspired me so much that I had a brilliant idea. I¡¯ll cook dinner myself! I was already planning out my steps in my head and thinking of various recipes I could try to prepare with the available ingredients. I remembered how Neight prepared breakfast and decided that I could definitely handle it. Besides, he already taught me how to peel and blend greenvegs for preservation. Yes, it¡¯s not that hard... But my enthusiasm slightly waned when I remembered how Neight had refused my help with cooking several times before. I had some vague doubts about whether I should take on this initiative. On one hand, I was afraid that I might anger Neight, especially if I made a mistake and didn¡¯t succeed. Who knows how he might react... But on the other hand, I wanted to prove that I wasn¡¯t useless and could take on some of the responsibilities. Yes, I was taught how to do preparations, but that shouldn¡¯t be my only task. And perhaps the main reason was my own desire to try cooking something, to conduct my own little experiment. In the end, I made a decision. I can do it! Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! After calculating how much time I would need for cooking and when I should start, I realized that I still had a couple of hours, which I could spend either on further exploring the ship or preparing more preserves... Well, exploring the ship it is. Climbing the stairs was tough and painful, but I wondered if Neight had granted me access to the second floor. I was curious to see what was up there. It was the last place on the ship that I hadn¡¯t been yet. I bet the control room with the ship¡¯s navigation instruments is behind that door. Another disappointment. ¡°Access Denied.¡± I should have guessed that if they didn¡¯t trust me with tool cabinets or simple cooking tasks, they wouldn¡¯t open the door to the most important section of the ship. For some reason, I pressed my ear against the heavy metal door, as if expecting to hear some sounds coming from the other side. Predictably, I heard only silence. Sighing sadly, I went back down. My next idea was to check all the walls for hidden built-in doors, similar to the one in the cabin¡¯s bathroom. I started walking along the walls, pressing the panels with a bit of force. My first discovery was a small square built-in compartment in the kitchen that provided access to water shutoffs, electrical circuits, and some other sensors that I didn¡¯t understand. I didn¡¯t mess with them but was pleased with myself and my find. Then, in the corridor, I found a small closet with equipment, presumably meant for cleaning the ship. There was also a separate faucet for drawing technical water. Not a bad find either. Finally, I stopped in front of the door leading to the laboratory. This was the last place I wanted to go, as it only brought up negative associations. The longer I stood there, the stronger my sense of unease grew. Moreover, I began to realize that besides the memories of waking up yesterday, other fragments from a more distant past were flashing in my mind. A white room, bright lights, unfamiliar people in medical attire, calming me down and assuring me that everything would be fine, and a feeling of primal fear... Were these memories of being put to sleep? I felt sick. My whole body began to tremble. My teeth started chattering. Grabbing my head, I stumbled back to the cabin, where I collapsed onto the bunk, burying my face in the pillow.
Apathy took hold of me. I lay there, clutching the pillow tightly, curled up and staring at the white wall. I had no desire to do anything. After all, what was the point? With each passing second, the realization grew stronger that my world was shattered. I had lost everything I had, and on top of that, I was on an unknown planet with only one person who clearly raised a lot of questions. I opened my notebook, flipped through my notes, and stopped at the very first one. Survival... And what¡¯s the point if there¡¯s no one else left? I sank further into darkness. The fragments of memories from the last day made it clear that what was happening to me was real. This wasn¡¯t someone¡¯s joke, not a staged show, and not even a dream. Why is this happening to me? Why me? My eyes reflexively fell on the time displayed in the top right corner of the notebook¡¯s screen as the numbers changed. 18:00... I was planning to make dinner¡­ Setting the notebook aside, I continued staring at the wall. It felt like I had no strength left to fight, and I had completely lost heart. The silence, loneliness, and despair were crushing me. Neight doesn¡¯t expect anything from me anyway, so why should I bother doing anything? Besides, he¡¯ll do everything faster and better. He clearly has a plan and some information. Maybe I should just obey¡­ I turned over to the other side. But how long is this going to last? Forever? Sure, it¡¯s convenient when all the decisions are made for you, but is it the right thing to do? What if he¡¯s not telling me the whole truth? What if there are other survivors? After all, my parents might still be in captivity, in cryosleep. I should at least try to learn more about what¡¯s going on. I got up and went to wash my face a bit to clear my head. I have to at least try, I repeated out loud. Feeling a little more refreshed, I headed to the storage room to gather ingredients for dinner and then went to the kitchen. As I had done for the preserves, I peeled and chopped the grinvags, then added some salt and cautiously tasted the resulting puree. That¡¯s strange... It¡¯s actually edible! Of course, the dish wasn¡¯t amazing, but at least it wasn¡¯t repulsive. Was it because of the salt? And I didn¡¯t add those strange blue berries either. Could they have been the reason for the unpleasant taste? I couldn¡¯t understand what Neight had done to make the food taste so awful. In any case, my mood lifted, as the result exceeded my expectations. I was already anticipating how Neight would appreciate my skills and admit he was wrong about me. Now I just had to wait for him to return. Chapter 11: Enjoy Your Meal 8:15 PM, and Neight still isn¡¯t back. According to the schedule he himself set, he should have returned long ago to wrap up and prepare dinner. I was starting to get seriously worried. What if something happened to him? What if he was attacked, tripped over a protruding root and broke his leg, or got lost in the endless forest¡­? I felt like I ran through a million scenarios in my head of what could have gone wrong. Maybe I should go look for him? But where? I can only follow the known path marked on the trees. I have no weapon. If I get attacked, I won¡¯t be able to defend myself. I¡¯ll wait another 15 minutes¡­ Time was dragging on unbearably slowly. The waiting was torture. I kept nervously pacing up and down the corridor. Something definitely happened to him. I told him to stay, but no, he didn¡¯t listen to me! I kept spiraling. Finally, the 15 minutes passed. 8:30 PM, and still no sign of Neight. What should I do? I panicked. Go outside? Try calling out to him in the forest? My pulse quickened, and I could hear my heart pounding. I was terrified of going outside alone, but I couldn¡¯t just wait any longer. My legs felt like lead as I made my way to the cabin and, with trembling hands, grabbed my helmet. I took a few deep breaths, trying to prepare myself for the dangerous rescue mission, and just as I was determined to leave the cabin, I heard a familiar hissing sound coming from the airlock. Forgetting about the pain and everything else, I dashed to the exit. The door opened, and Neight entered with an impassive expression. He froze for a moment, probably not expecting me to be there to greet him, but then he smiled slightly. I wanted to yell at him, to tell him how angry I was for making me worry so much, for thinking I was all alone on this stupid planet, and so much more, but my attention was caught by something bright in Neight¡¯s right hand. It was a large bird, about the size of a grown goose, with long, shimmering emerald feathers. Its giant wings trailed lifelessly along the floor, and there was a contrasting crimson stain spreading across its chest. It hurt to look at the poor creature, so I quickly turned my gaze away and then looked at Neight, bewildered. ¡°Sorry. I was a bit delayed, but as you can see, I didn¡¯t come back empty-handed,¡± he said proudly and headed toward the storage room. I followed him. ¡°That bird¡­¡± I began, but couldn¡¯t find the words to continue. ¡°We can¡¯t survive on just vegetables and fruit,¡± he replied, pressing buttons on the control panel to open one of the compartments. ¡°We have a lot of work ahead, which means we need to stock up on strength and energy. We can¡¯t do that without meat.¡± I said nothing in response, just nodded silently, lowering my head. ¡°Don¡¯t be upset,¡± he tried to reassure me. ¡°It¡¯s part of life. The death of this bird won¡¯t be in vain. It¡¯ll help us survive. One day, our bodies will nourish the earth, feeding other living organisms, so you could consider it a fair exchange.¡± Damn it, is he trying to comfort me or completely break me down? Seeing that I wasn¡¯t particularly moved by his words, Neight sighed heavily. ¡°Well, in any case, let¡¯s leave preparing it for tomorrow afternoon,¡± he said, placing the bird¡¯s lifeless body into a large, cold storage compartment that had just opened. ¡°It¡¯s already pretty late, and you must be hungry. You can rest for now, and I¡¯ll take care of dinner.¡± Neight closed the refrigerated compartment and was about to approach the container with the greenvegs when I suddenly remembered. ¡°Neight, there¡¯s something¡­ well, while you were gone, I already made us something to eat,¡± I stammered. He stopped abruptly, turning around to look at me with surprise and even some displeasure. ¡°What? Wait, we didn¡¯t agree on that,¡± he began, barely keeping his voice calm. ¡°Yeah, but I thought I could help¡­ Besides, you¡¯re probably tired after scouting and might not feel like dealing with dinner,¡± I tried to offer some reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m not tired. And if you had the energy and really wanted to help, you should have stuck to the plan we discussed and preserved more greenvegs.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. On one hand, his remark was fair, but on the other, it hurt that my initiative wasn¡¯t appreciated. Besides, he himself was late and didn¡¯t return on time, yet the complaints were somehow directed only at me. ¡°I really did try¡­ We''re not going to throw away prepared food, are we?¡± Neight sighed, clearly displeased. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go eat.¡±
"Enjoy your meal," I wished him as I started eating. Neight, however, eyed his dish suspiciously, as if trying to break it down into atoms and analyze its composition. What is he even looking for? He can¡¯t possibly think I¡¯m trying to poison him, right? As I pondered this, it occurred to me that it was as if we had switched roles. Now it was his turn to trust me and try a dish with an unfamiliar composition, prepared by someone else. Funny how things turned out, I thought, smirking slightly. Meanwhile, Neight finally made up his mind and cautiously scooped up a small amount of the green puree with his spoon. After smelling it first, he put it into his mouth. Watching him out of the corner of my eye and trying to maintain a neutral expression, I could barely contain my laughter. The situation seemed so comical to me. But as Neight tasted the dish, he froze, holding his breath. A sparkle appeared in his eyes, and he began eating the dish confidently, spoonful after spoonful, pausing occasionally as if savoring it with his eyes closed in pleasure. I widened my eyes, no longer able to hide my surprise. I figured he would like it, but to this extent¡­ Though my dish was better-tasting, it wasn¡¯t a masterpiece¡ªjust edible, ordinary food. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Neight had been living until now. Had he been in unbearable conditions for a long time, or maybe even since birth? It seemed like he had spent his entire life struggling to survive, eating tasteless masses just to keep going. Could it be that he had been experimented on since childhood? I genuinely felt sorry for him. While I was lost in thought, Neight had already emptied his plate, licking his lips contentedly at the end. Then he seemed to snap out of it, as his expression quickly shifted back to calm and neutral. "Thank you for the meal. It was truly... delicious," he said. "I''m glad you liked it." "How did you prepare it? In what order? What did you add?" he suddenly started asking, and I was ready to answer, but then I realized something. Right now, cooking was my only advantage. If I laid out all the information, he would once again have complete superiority. Even though there was nothing extraordinary about my recipe, he hadn¡¯t managed to make it taste the same. It was surprising that with such skills in preparing ingredients, he couldn¡¯t figure out the basic things! He didn¡¯t understand that the dish was different simply because of the salt and the absence of those strange berries? Well, no, I¡¯m going to take advantage of this opportunity and not reveal all my cards. At least, not until I find other means of leverage. "You know, I don¡¯t think you should bother yourself with this," I said smugly. "You were right. It¡¯s better if everyone sticks to what they already know. No point in wasting time learning new things." Neight narrowed his eyes in displeasure at hearing his own words turned against him, while I inwardly celebrated this small act of revenge. "Alright, I got your point," he said calmly. "How could I not have thought of that?" There was a hint of sarcasm in his last sentence, which made me feel a bit uneasy. "So, you¡¯re in charge of cooking now, right? Since you¡¯re better at it," he added. "Seems like it," I replied cautiously. And then it hit me¡ªwhat I¡¯d gotten myself into. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner would be entirely on me. Plus, with our schedule, I¡¯d have to wake up early every single day. On top of that, I wasn¡¯t nearly as fast at prepearing ingredients as Neight, meaning I¡¯d have to allot even more time for meal prep. What an idiot I am! "By the way, since you¡¯re the culinary expert here," Neight continued nonchalantly, "I¡¯m sure you can handle butchering the bird yourself too." That creep! He¡¯s really going for the jugular, isn¡¯t he? My mood plummeted. I had no idea how to get out of this situation without admitting defeat. Maybe I should just give in and tell him the recipe? Noticing my sudden change in demeanor, Neight seemed to hesitate. Perhaps he realized he¡¯d gone too far. "Sorry¡­ maybe I overdid it and put too much pressure on you," he said apologetically. "Let¡¯s split the duties? I can handle the more complicated tasks, like butchering. Sound good?" "Yeah¡­ I think you¡¯d do a better job at that," I said, feeling a bit more encouraged. "If you want, we can also take turns cooking. My dishes probably won¡¯t be as tasty as yours, but at least you wouldn¡¯t be overwhelmed." "No, I can manage. Thanks for offering, but I¡¯m ready to take on these responsibilities myself," I responded with newfound determination. "Are you sure?" Neight asked. "Yes." Although the thought of early mornings and increased responsibility initially intimidated me, after reconsidering, I decided that I wanted to take on this burden. After all, we¡¯re surviving here, and that means giving it our all. "Alright, then it¡¯s settled. But if you ever feel like you need help, don¡¯t hesitate to ask." "Got it," I nodded, feeling satisfied. And so, I gained new responsibilities, which gave me a sense of contributing more to our shared survival effort. Chapter 12: Last Days on Earth. The Fateful Night The day had been truly exhausting. I collapsed onto the soft mattress, sinking into the embrace of the pillow and blanket, feeling every muscle in my body ache. I couldn¡¯t remember the last time I was this tired. Closing my eyes, I imagined my home, where it was quiet and peaceful... until one night, I was suddenly awakened by the arrival of an unexpected guest. And then it hit me ¡ª I remembered that moment.
"Emma, sweetheart, wake up." Through the fog of sleep, I heard my mom''s voice, gentle yet slightly anxious. I felt her soft, soothing touch as she stroked my head. When I was little, she often woke me up this way for preschool or elementary school. I lazily stretched and rubbed my eyes. It was only late spring, but the heat was unbearable. Outside, it was dark and silent. ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked, yawning. ¡°I think it¡¯s almost three in the morning.¡± I slowly swung my legs off the bed and sat on the edge, still trying to understand why I was being woken up. Mom wouldn¡¯t wake me up without a reason, flashed through my mind, and the sleepiness vanished in an instant. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Yes, unfortunately,¡± she replied with a heavy tone. ¡°We all have to leave for a while. Your father and I will explain what we can on the way. Get dressed, grab a few things, and come downstairs. We¡¯re already expected.¡± Wait, is this some kind of joke? Am I still dreaming? I couldn¡¯t believe what I was hearing. It shocked me to my core. What was happening now was not normal. This should never have happened. ¡°Mom, w-wait. Are we leaving right now?¡± I asked, my voice trembling. ¡°Yes, right now.¡± She was trying to stay calm, as parents should, so as not to scare their child, even if the whole world was falling apart. Still, I could see the fear in her eyes. Eyes are the windows to the soul. You can¡¯t hide the truth in them; they¡¯ll give you away. Honestly, I had never seen that look in her eyes before, and that¡¯s when I knew this was serious. ¡°O-okay,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m going to gather our things too. See you downstairs,¡± she said sadly as she left my room. I got up from the bed, my head still heavy from being suddenly awakened in the middle of the night, and staggered to the closet to throw on the first T-shirt and shorts I could grab. Then I snatched a few more items and tossed them into my backpack. I paused for a moment, standing in the middle of the room. What the hell happened? Why so suddenly? These questions gnawed at me. I looked around. My eyes scanned the various objects and things scattered around the room. On the desk was a stack of textbooks and my digital notebook, where just yesterday, I had jotted down notes while studying for a school exam. Socks I was too lazy to pick up before bed lay on the floor near the bed. On one of the wall shelves stood figurines from different games and anime shows. We''re not leaving for good, right? With heavy thoughts weighing on me, I hastily tied my hair into a bun, slung my backpack over my left shoulder, and left the room. I hurried down the stairs and found an unfamiliar middle-aged man in a black suit in our living room, talking to my father. They were sitting on the couch, speaking in low voices and sipping coffee. My dad¡¯s expression was thoughtful and tense, while our guest seemed more relaxed and calm. When he noticed me, the stranger perked up. ¡°You must be Emma? I¡¯m James Anderson, a colleague of your parents. I¡¯m in charge of your family¡¯s safety. Sorry to visit at such a late hour,¡± he said apologetically. A security officer? Things must be really bad for us, I thought. ¡°Yes, time flies so fast. It feels like just yesterday you and Margaret got married, and now your daughter¡¯s all grown up. A real beauty, just like her mother!¡± he continued. ¡°You''re right. And your son¡¯s about to finish university,¡± my father replied. ¡°Exactly,¡± our guest responded with a smile. Oh, these grown-up conversations ¡ª how many kids, grandkids, and all that. It¡¯s so awkward, especially when they talk about you like you¡¯re some exhibit at a museum, I thought, feeling uncomfortable. Their casual conversation was interrupted when my mom came down with a duffel bag in her hands. ¡°I¡¯ve packed our things,¡± she said. ¡°Emma, I see you¡¯re ready too.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± James Anderson said cheerfully as he stood up from the couch. ¡°Let¡¯s get going then.¡± We left the house and got into a black vintage car with no license plates and tinted windows. The interior was simple, but the seats were comfortable. The dashboard looked outdated. Is there really no AI assistant in here? Is this guy driving manually? I wondered. Our bodyguard and driver in one person politely asked us to fasten our seatbelts, then started the engine and began to drive. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. I hope this is safe, I thought nervously. I¡¯ve never seen a car driven manually before. Outside, the familiar empty streets passed by. Nothing suggested that this night was any different from the countless others, yet our family was heading into the unknown. We drove in silence for a while. I kept glancing at my parents, hoping for some explanation, but it seemed that neither of them was ready to start talking. Eventually, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°Mom... where are we going?¡± I asked cautiously, almost in a whisper. It seemed my question snapped my mom out of her own deep thoughts, as her distant gaze, fixed on nothing, became a bit more focused. ¡°Sweetheart... we¡¯re going to a safe place.¡± That answer didn¡¯t make me feel any calmer or clearer. If anything, the anxiety only grew. ¡°How far do we have to go?¡± I didn¡¯t even try to ask where exactly this safe place was, even though I desperately wanted to know its approximate location. It was obviously classified. ¡°The whole trip will take about eight hours,¡± Mr. Anderson suddenly replied. Wait, how long?! I assumed that the secret safe place wouldn''t be close, but I didn¡¯t think that it would be so far! ¡°In about two and a half hours, we¡¯ll arrive at the airfield, and then you¡¯ll fly the rest of the way by plane,¡± Mr. Anderson continued. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a long drive, so feel free to take a nap if you¡¯d like,¡± he said, looking at me through the rearview mirror. ¡°There are sleep masks in the door pocket if you need them.¡± Thank you, but honestly, how can anyone sleep in a situation like this?! At some point, the dark silhouettes of houses outside the window gave way to branches of trees. Small stones began to crunch under the wheels occasionally, and the car shook slightly as we drove. We had left the city and turned onto some kind of country road, continuing to move through unfamiliar terrain. After a brief pause, I tried again to get at least a bit of information. ¡°Is someone hunting our family?¡± I asked cautiously. It might have been foolish to ask such a direct question, but at that moment, I couldn¡¯t think of anything better. The uncertainty was pressing down on me, filling me with a fear that, as I saw it, was worse than any bitter truth could be. ¡°Emma, the thing is...¡± ¡°There are things we can¡¯t tell you due to strict confidentiality,¡± my father interrupted my mom before she could start explaining. ¡°You need to understand that.¡± ¡°Henry!¡± she protested, annoyed. ¡°You could¡¯ve been a bit gentler about it!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see what you¡¯re complaining about. Emma¡¯s old enough not to need coddling.¡± ¡°You¡¯re always like this!¡± ¡°Mom, Dad, please...¡± I intervened, unable to bear watching them start to argue. Fortunately, my words worked, and my parents calmed down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sweetheart,¡± my mom said with regret in her voice. ¡°The truth is, your dad and I are also on edge because of the whole situation.¡± ¡°And I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re all ganging up on me,¡± my father replied, sounding offended. ¡°I wasn¡¯t even finished. Yes, we can¡¯t tell you everything, but in general terms, one of our experiments turned into a catastrophe that threatens humanity. And the primary targets will be us ¡ª the people capable of stopping it. That¡¯s why our department¡¯s employees and their families are being taken to a safe place, from where we¡¯ll try to fix the situation.¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s been an AI uprising?¡± I asked, puzzled. There were many movies and books on this topic, but I never expected it to actually happen in reality. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± my father hinted heavily, essentially confirming my suspicions. I didn¡¯t ask anything else until we reached the airfield, just stared blankly out the window.
When we arrived, we were met by other people in military attire, and James Anderson bid us farewell and wished us good luck. ¡°We¡¯re all counting on you,¡± he added to my parents as he left. ¡°You take care too, James,¡± my father replied. Mr. Anderson nodded approvingly, got into his car, and drove off in the opposite direction, disappearing into the darkness. Our family was escorted to a small private plane, the likes of which I had never seen in person before. To be honest, I¡¯d only flown on regular planes a couple of times in my life, so the sleek, stylish cabin with large, comfortable leather seats made quite an impression on me. There were only ten passenger seats inside, and besides us, there were two other families on board. I immediately recognized one of the men ¡ª he appeared in many of the joint photos from my parents¡¯ research lab that they had shown me. ¡°Oh, the Graysons have arrived!¡± he said cheerfully, standing up from his seat and extending his hand to my father in greeting. ¡°And you¡¯re already here. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± ¡°We got here just ten minutes ago ourselves. And is this your daughter? She¡¯s all grown up!¡± Here we go again¡­ As soon as the conversation shifted to me, I started tuning it out until my father addressed me: ¡°Emma, you can sit next to Albert, the son of my colleague and good friend.¡± He pointed to an empty seat next to a black-haired boy who looked about 12 years old. It was clear he was struggling to stay awake, periodically closing his eyes and letting his head droop, only to suddenly straighten up. But as soon as I approached, he perked up slightly. ¡°Hi,¡± he said quietly, his voice shy. ¡°Hello,¡± I greeted him back as I settled into the soft chair. The incredibly comfortable seat was probably the only good thing at that moment. Albert silently glanced at me for a couple of seconds before turning away. I figured he wasn¡¯t particularly eager to talk to me, and I understood. After all, we weren¡¯t going on an excursion. We had been pulled out in the middle of the night and were being taken to an unknown destination. He was probably having just as hard a time coming to terms with the whole situation as I was. I leaned back in my chair and closed eyes, waiting for takeoff. I could hear the adults trying to talk about distant topics or just staying silent. During the quiet moments, the tension felt especially strong. Finally, a chime sounded, and the pilot asked us over the PA system to fasten our seatbelts and prepare for takeoff. The engine roared, and the plane began to taxi toward the runway. After a brief pause, it suddenly surged forward. When we lifted off the ground, I gripped the armrests of my seat tightly. As we climbed, the plane swayed from side to side, which didn¡¯t add to the comfort, but eventually, we leveled out, and I exhaled with relief. Opening my eyes, I saw the frightened expression on Albert¡¯s face as he, like me, pressed himself into his seat. It seemed that his sleepiness had been completely shaken off. He was clearly just as rattled as I was. The adults mostly appeared calm, or at least they didn¡¯t show any signs of fear. I decided to offer Albert some support, and at the same time, reassure myself by starting a casual conversation: ¡°That was a bit of a rough ride, huh?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he replied shortly, then added, ¡°This is my first time flying. I¡¯ve never been on a plane before.¡± Wow. I can imagine the first impression you must¡¯ve gotten. I probably wouldn¡¯t want to fly again after something like that. ¡°My name is Emma. Emma Grayson.¡± ¡°Albert Cresswell,¡± he introduced himself, seeming to compose himself a bit. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± I said with a smile. We chatted about various random topics and even laughed a little about not having to go to school anymore. I thought that we might get along. At least I¡¯d have someone to talk to. Chapter 13: Last Days on Earth. The Bunker The flight lasted several hours, though I couldn¡¯t say exactly how long, as at some point, both Albert and I, completely exhausted, eventually fell asleep. We were awakened by that sudden sensation you get when the altitude changes, like being on a roller coaster. The plane was descending, preparing to land. "Emma, look!" Albert said in surprise, staring out the window. "Is that the sea? Or even the ocean?" All around us was water¡ªendless, vast, and brilliantly blue, shimmering in the morning sunlight. I had never seen anything like it before. "Yeah, it seems so," I replied, captivated by the view. Only another jolt from the plane dimmed my enthusiasm. At some point, the plane turned, and through the window, I could see a green island, which appeared to be our destination. The landing was far from smooth. My ears popped, but the worst part was the moment we touched down. Albert and I were scared out of our wits. It felt like the plane was about to veer off course and flip over, but eventually, we straightened out and continued down the runway. "What kind of AI was piloting this plane?" I grumbled. "Our pilot was human," Albert''s father replied with a laugh. I stared at him in shock. A human pilot? Is that even legal?! Although... if there was an AI uprising, it makes sense... But that doesn¡¯t make it any less terrifying. As we exited the plane, we were once again met by armed soldiers who escorted us onto a bus. We drove through dense green vegetation along a dirt road. It felt like I was watching a show about a mysterious uninhabited island with its enigmatic jungles. "Hey, Emma... Do you know where they¡¯re taking us?" Albert whispered. "I¡¯m not sure... They told me it was to some safe place." The "safe place" turned out to be an underground bunker, hidden deep within the wilderness of an unknown island. Inside, it was unimaginably vast: spacious, well-lit rooms, and a staircase that clearly led several levels deep underground. The only thing that stood out was that all the equipment and devices looked outdated, like something from around 2027, before the next leap in AI development and its subsequent widespread implementation. The bunker staff escorted us down to Level -2 and assigned each family a living room, along with some basic items. I looked around. Our new temporary home was simple but clean and cozy enough. Light-colored panels, two large beds, and a table against the wall, with a vase of dried decorative flowers and leaves on it. The arrangement created more of an autumn atmosphere rather than that of blooming spring. It doesn¡¯t look too bad, I concluded. But I hope we¡¯re not here for too long. While my parents discussed the conditions and procedures of our stay with the staff¡ªa young woman and a man in unusual uniforms¡ªI noticed Albert peeking through the open door, looking a bit sheepish. It seemed he wasn¡¯t particularly interested in listening to the briefing, and he had either slipped out unnoticed or his parents had sent him off to explore. He was looking at me, clearly inviting me to join him. "Can I go out and see what¡¯s here?" I asked, catching a suitable pause in the conversation between my parents and the bunker staff. From my dad¡¯s expression, it was clear he was about to refuse, but the woman with the friendly smile answered me instead: "Of course, if your parents don¡¯t mind. The entire Level -2 is at your disposal. Feel free to walk around and explore." I looked at my parents, waiting for their permission. "Alright, go ahead and take a look around," my mom agreed, then, glancing briefly towards the door, smiled and added, "It looks like your new friend is already waiting for you." I¡¯m not sure why, but I felt slightly awkward. Nevertheless, the goal was achieved, and with my parents'' permission, I headed toward the exit, where a pleased Albert was waiting for me. "Did you see that? This bunker is gigantic! I¡¯ve only ever seen something like this in movies! I bet there are secret places here where some classified documents or something even more important is hidden," he began with unconcealed curiosity. At that moment, as we walked through a narrow corridor toward the large common hall on the floor, someone¡¯s voice suddenly echoed from ahead. "Oh, we¡¯ve got newcomers!" The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. I saw two girls, about my age, dressed in the local uniform. One of them, slightly taller and with a braid, was looking at us excitedly, while the other, with short hair, maintained a more neutral expression. Noticing the two unfamiliar girls, Albert, as it seemed to me, became embarrassed and almost hid behind me, slowing his pace. "I''m Isabella. Nice to meet you!" said the girl with the braid, approaching us with a smile. Albert and I introduced ourselves as well, after which our new acquaintance continued, "And this is Anna. She¡¯s not very talkative, but she¡¯s still great." I was somewhat unsettled by the way she introduced her friend... No, maybe they weren¡¯t friends, but still, I couldn¡¯t shake off an unpleasant feeling. Was I just overthinking it? Meanwhile, the taciturn Anna simply glanced at us without showing any emotion and then looked away altogether. It felt like she wasn¡¯t particularly interested in us. Well, that¡¯s quite the first impression. One doesn¡¯t exactly give the most considerate introduction of her friend, and the other seems to be ignoring us, I thought. "How long have you been here?" I decided to ask. "Oh, about a week now. Yes, exactly a week! Anna and I arrived here on the same day and became friends right away. Isn¡¯t that right, Anna?" Anna said nothing and didn¡¯t even turn in our direction. "Don¡¯t mind her. She likes to daydream, but don¡¯t get the wrong idea. She¡¯s really nice. By the way, you¡¯ve just arrived and don¡¯t know anything about this place yet! We¡¯ll give you a tour and introduce you to the rest of the kids!" Isabella said excitedly. At these words, Albert, who had been silently listening to our conversation, brightened up. His eyes lit up with anticipation. "I¡¯ll pass," Anna mumbled briefly and headed, presumably, toward her room. "No worries. I¡¯ll show you everything myself," Isabella said. "See you at lunch, Anna!" Anna continued walking in her direction without stopping or looking back. Isabella led us through various rooms on the floor. First, she showed us the library, where one could spend time quietly reading different books. Then we went to the children¡¯s room, where the youngest ones were playing with their caretakers. In one corner, a little girl was crying inconsolably, stuttering and tearfully saying how much she wanted to go home. One of the staff was trying to comfort her, promising that everyone would be able to return soon. The scene weighed heavily on my heart... Why did it seem like the kind woman with the smile on her face didn¡¯t believe her own words? Looking at Albert, I realized he was also saddened by what he saw. "Weeeell," Isabella drew out the word, "it seems it¡¯s not very cheerful here right now. Let¡¯s move on and not disturb them. Have a nice day, Miss Wilson and Miss Taylor." "You too, Isabella," the staff members replied, maintaining their smiles, though their eyes showed how tired they were. "I know what will lift your spirits!" We entered a spacious room where there were probably around thirty people, if not more. They were teenagers of different ages, each engaged in their own activities. Some were chatting in small groups off to the side, others were sitting at tables playing retro board games, and a few were seated in front of a TV, watching something. I realized that Isabella had brought us to the recreation room. "Hey, everyone! We¡¯ve got newcomers here," she announced enthusiastically, "Emma and Albert." In an instant, everyone in the room turned to look at us, pausing what they were doing. Greetings came from different corners, and some just waved at us. After their initial curiosity waned, everyone returned to their activities. Albert immediately rushed over to examine the film library, looking for something interesting. "Wow, what a bunch of old stuff!" Albert said in amazement, looking over the flash drives. "Yeah, the bunker only uses old technology that doesn¡¯t require network connections. It¡¯s all for our safety. At least, that¡¯s what I was told," Isabella explained importantly. It seems everything here is really designed to prevent any external interference. I glanced around the room once more. It felt like we were in a hobby club rather than an underground bunker; everyone seemed calm, as if they had already accepted the new reality. Or maybe they were just deliberately diving into various activities to distract themselves from reality? "There are quite a few people here..." I noted, thinking about the scale of the disaster that had occurred. However, Isabella seemed to interpret my comment differently. "Yeah, we mostly hang out here. What else is there to do? At least more people are arriving. I think the more people there are, the more fun it is." I, on the other hand, had the completely opposite opinion. The more of us there are here, the worse the situation must be outside. However, I decided to keep that thought to myself.
Isabella was right. Every day, more families arrived, and at some point, there were quite a lot of us. From conversations, I learned that among us were the families of influential people: politicians, high-ranking officials, and simply the wealthy. This category was the first to be brought to the bunker. Then, in the second wave, came scientists from various fields, like my family. The last to arrive were prominent figures from the arts. Going through the memories of all the people I had seen in the bunker during my time there, I came to one conclusion. I don¡¯t remember anyone named Neight being there. Yes, it¡¯s possible he was one of those I hadn¡¯t interacted with, but on the other hand, I was certain I would have remembered his appearance. At the very least, those amber eyes, snow-white eyelashes, eyebrows, and most likely hair of the same color would have been hard to miss in the crowd. And as for his face... His facial features... Thoughts started swirling in my mind, as if my consciousness was searching through its halls for a clue, going over all possible options and memories. I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the answer was right in front of me, that I just needed to push my mind a little harder. And then it hit me. His facial features! Damn, how did I not realize right away that he looks like Albert! Chapter 14: Unjustified Cruelty Since the memories of the bunker returned to me, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Albert and Neight. Their appearances were simultaneously similar, yet strikingly different in certain aspects. I began to wonder if Neight could actually be Albert, grown up. But why would he introduce himself with a different name? We got along well in the past. On the other hand, I also used a different name... Could he be upset about that? His reaction when we first met on the ship puzzled me. It didn¡¯t seem like he remembered me. Or maybe he was just very good at hiding it. Could Albert have forgotten about me because of the experiments that were conducted on him? That might explain his changed appearance and character. I decided I needed to find out about Neight¡¯s past to make sense of this situation. But I had to proceed cautiously. If Albert''s mind had been tampered with, my curiosity could put me in a dangerous situation, one where he might see me as someone who knows too much and get rid of me. Besides, I couldn''t completely rule out the possibility that Neight and Albert were not the same person.
A local week passed. During that time, I fully recovered and was able to participate in all the daily tasks. It was tough, but I even managed to somewhat adapt to the early mornings and daily food preparations. Of course, Neight took on some of the dirtier jobs, like butchering, for which I was endlessly grateful. Speaking of Neight... I wasn¡¯t able to find out anything. Absolutely nothing. I tried to approach various topics indirectly, avoiding direct questions, but he responded in the most vague terms, using general phrases or completely changing the subject. However, one thing became clear: he wasn¡¯t planning on opening up to me. Perhaps my excessive caution played a role as well. After all, I wasn¡¯t in a hurry to share the details of my past either. Looks like I¡¯ll have to take a risk... At that moment, we were moving deeper into the forest towards a new area Neight had discovered during one of his scouting trips. Frankly, even without considering my investigation, things were going poorly for us. We still hadn¡¯t found a permanent source of drinking water, which was critically important for our survival. Yes, the ship had a partially closed system for water purification and recycling, but it couldn¡¯t endlessly clean and return previously used water. As Neight had said, it was a research vessel, not designed for long-term habitation in a hostile environment. We had no more than two months. Maybe that was also weighing on Neight. If I hadn¡¯t spent some time with him, I probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed that he was in a bad mood. Then I remembered a story from my childhood, perhaps a silly one, but harmless enough. I just wanted to cheer us up, and at the same time, try to take the first steps toward getting closer to Neight. In any case, I hoped that personal stories might help spark an open conversation. "You know, when I was little, my mom loved reading old folk tales to me. In one of them, the hero used willow branches to find water for a magical well. I was so impressed by the story that I broke off a branch from our apple tree in the yard and ran around the neighborhood with it. I was probably about five years old at the time," I said with a smile. These memories, reflecting a happy part of my past, were comforting. It was as if I had momentarily plunged into that warm summer when everything was good, peaceful, and calm. "You must have had fun back then," Neight''s voice suddenly brought me back to reality. "Yes, very much," I replied sincerely and then continued. "The funniest part is that I ended up stumbling upon a small puddle, and to me, it felt like real magic! Maybe it sounds silly now, but back then I was a little impressionable child. You might laugh, but I even named that puddle ''Sunshine Lake'' because the sun reflected in it." Unexpectedly, Neight, who was walking ahead as usual, abruptly stopped as if struck by lightning. I grew tense, but I couldn¡¯t understand what had happened. Was he really affected by my story? Or is it something else? What on earth is going on?! "According to my information, dowsing is considered a pseudoscientific practice and is likely based on the placebo effect," he suddenly declared seriously, turning to me. What, excuse me? What are you even talking about? Neight¡¯s reaction and words left me stunned. I didn¡¯t even know how to respond. Through the helmet, I couldn¡¯t see his face, but his tone suggested that he took my story seriously. "Nevertheless," Neight continued, "you¡¯ve given me a great idea. Since we can¡¯t find open water sources, we should try searching underground. Yes, drilling a well would be an excellent solution!" Pleased with himself and seemingly reinvigorated, Neight set off with a slightly springy step toward our destination. I stared after him, wide-eyed, still trying to process what had just happened. I thought something serious had happened, and he¡¯s still focused on that¡­ "Evie, don¡¯t fall behind!" I heard the familiar phrase. "Okay¡­" Sigh, once again, I failed to get him to open up, I thought, letting out a heavy sigh. But at least I managed to lift his spirits.
After finishing our work, we were making our way back to the ship through the thicket. During the few days of harvesting, I had often recalled how I inwardly gloated at Neight when he clumsily moved around, getting his backpack caught on everything. Now I could fully experience all those ''joys'' myself, and it wasn¡¯t as funny anymore. The worst part was that I couldn¡¯t seem to get used to the size of the container, so it felt like I was snagging every branch along the way. Because of this, Neight constantly had to wait for me. Thankfully, I didn¡¯t have to carry much weight on my back, as after our first joint outing, Neight suggested filling the container no more than a third full. I didn¡¯t mind at all. Right now, the load was even lighter since our goal was to collect blue berries, which weren¡¯t abundant. Yes, those were the same berries Neight added to our food when he cooked during the first days. As it turned out, they were the main source of the unpleasant taste, leaving a lingering aftertaste. However, if you mashed them up and added enough sugar, they made a decent jam. Neight often complained that using so much sugar was an inefficient use of resources, though I bet he really liked the dessert. By the way, I named the berries Softberry because of their softness and unusual elasticity. I agree, it¡¯s not the most original name, but it works as a placeholder. At least Neight approved. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Our last conversation only confirmed my suspicions that he often takes everything literally and primarily relies on logic. A rationalist. And obsessed with efficiency. It seemed like there was no way to reach him through emotions. Would I really have to ask direct, blunt questions? Although I was frightened by the possible terrible outcomes, it seemed I had no other choice. The only thing that comforted me was his relatively friendly and even somewhat caring attitude toward me. It didn¡¯t seem like he had any intention of harming me. Here goes nothing, I thought, gathering my courage. I hope I won¡¯t regret this. "Neight, listen," I began hesitantly. "I wanted to talk to you about something..." "Tss..." he hissed in response. Oh, come on! What¡¯s wrong with you? I¡¯m trying to have a serious conversation, and you... At first, I didn¡¯t understand what was happening and nearly exploded with anger. But apparently, while I was lost in my thoughts, I hadn¡¯t noticed that Neight had stopped and was carefully watching something in the bushes. "Stand still and don¡¯t move," he whispered. "And it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t look over there." He shouldn¡¯t have said that. Everyone knows that if you¡¯re told not to look, you¡¯ll inevitably turn your head. Just like that, I froze in place and reflexively glanced in the direction of the ominous bushes. I expected to see a threat, a predator lying in wait, but instead, I was met with an entirely different sight. As if out of a fairy tale, illuminated by beams of light, an emerald bird with its chicks peacefully nibbled at the grass. How beautiful they looked here, outside, in the wild! Their feathers shimmered and sparkled like precious gems. The little ones kept playfully jumping and hopping around, flapping their tiny wings, playing with each other, and occasionally nibbling at the grass. But as soon as they strayed a bit from their mother, they would clumsily run back to her. I had never seen such a sight in the wild before, and I was so captivated that I even held my breath so as not to scare off the wild birds. This is incredible! Why did Neight ask me not to look? So I¡¯d miss out on such beauty? I shifted my gaze to Neight and was horrified. "Neight?.. What are you doing?" I asked cautiously, refusing to believe my eyes. He was standing with a weapon in hand, aiming at the defenseless birds. "You¡¯re not actually going to..." "They¡¯re easy prey," he interrupted me, speaking in a measured tone. "We¡¯re very lucky. And I did tell you not to look." A series of shots shattered the silence, startling all the living creatures around. Fear, anger, and resentment washed over me. I wished I really hadn¡¯t looked. Biting my lip and clenching my fists tightly, I barely held back tears. How can anyone be so cruel? Is there anything human left in him? I questioned myself. I didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore, didn¡¯t want to see him. And I didn¡¯t care anymore if he was Neight or Albert or whoever. He can go to hell! Unable to hold back any longer and with no desire to stay here, I bolted forward, heading toward the ship. "Evie, stop!" came the voice from the speaker, but I had no intention of obeying. I didn¡¯t care that my feet kept getting caught in the thick underbrush, causing me to nearly fall. It didn¡¯t matter that branches kept unpleasantly striking my helmet. It didn¡¯t matter that running was hard and my breath was quickly becoming labored, my leg muscles aching. I was willing to endure it all, as long as I didn¡¯t have to stop. It seemed I didn¡¯t even care which direction I was running... But it didn¡¯t last long. I felt a sudden pull on my backpack, which I was carrying on my shoulders, then was spun around 180 degrees. Before I could react, Neight appeared in front of me, firmly grabbing both of my arms. "Don¡¯t touch me!" I screamed, writhing and trying with all my might to break free from his grip. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. Neight seemed to hold me with ease. "Stop and calm down," he said firmly after a while of my futile attempts to free myself. "I understand you¡¯re angry at me, but I did warn you that you shouldn¡¯t see that." "So what if you warned me?! What difference would it have made? It''s even better that I saw your true cruel nature!" In response, he sighed heavily. "You can hate me if you want," he continued, "but please don¡¯t run away like that. You¡¯ve already strayed off the path and could have gotten lost if I hadn¡¯t caught up with you. Something bad could have happened to you..." Hearing these words, I completely stopped resisting and looked around. The area was unfamiliar, different from what I had grown accustomed to over the past few days. The bark of the trees was clean without a single mark, the grass was untouched and didn¡¯t form convenient but narrow trails. There was even a bright red flower with fern-like leaves in the distance, something I hadn¡¯t seen until now. Undoubtedly, I had lost my way while running. I felt uneasy. And though my anger hadn¡¯t subsided, I was filled with shame for my reckless behavior. "Wh-why?" I asked in a quiet, trembling voice, lowering my gaze. "Why do you bother with me? I¡¯m more trouble than I¡¯m worth... It would be easier for you alone, and you¡¯d use half as many resources..." I was afraid to hear his answer, but the words came out on their own, driven by pure emotion rather than reason. Could he say, "Yes, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re nothing but trouble"? Could he just leave me here and abandon me? But what scared me most was his silence. "Are you asking why?" he finally began after a painful pause. "Because I don¡¯t want to die. Believe it or not, but my chances of survival increase significantly with you around, no matter how selfish that sounds." I looked at him in disbelief, though he clearly couldn¡¯t see my face hidden under the helmet. It was hard for me to believe that I could be of any value. As if reading my thoughts, Neight continued his explanation: "Yes, you have zero survival skills in the wild, you lack knowledge of modern technology, and you don¡¯t possess any crucial information that could help us achieve our goal..." Well, thanks! Now I feel even more useless and worthless... "But..." But? I repeated silently, waiting to hear what else he would say. "That¡¯s okay," Neight calmly said. "You weren¡¯t supposed to have any of those skills or knowledge because you¡¯ve spent your entire life in a completely different, more comfortable environment. You just need time to adapt and learn everything you need to, so don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. You¡¯re already putting in a lot of effort. Sometimes even too much." Neight clearly emphasized the last phrase, hinting at some of my initiatives and acts of defiance. But I really did feel better after hearing his words. "Thank you..." I said quietly. "And I¡¯m sorry for running off like that." At these words, Neight completely loosened his grip and let me go, finally convinced that I had calmed down and was no longer planning to run away. "Although I must tell you," I finally decided to speak up, "that I absolutely don¡¯t approve of what you did back there, with that family of emerald birds... There were just chicks... It¡¯s too cruel!" "Any predator, given the opportunity, wouldn¡¯t miss its chance either. And by the way, neither you nor I would be spared by it." "But we¡¯re humans, not wild animals!" "I don¡¯t see much of a difference," Neight insisted. "We only surpass them in intelligence, nothing more." His words made me think. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t enough for me to change my point of view. "I can¡¯t agree with you. What makes us human are our moral principles and beliefs, not just our intellect." I couldn¡¯t tell if my words had any impact on him at all. It was hard to have a conversation without seeing the other person¡¯s face. "You have the right to your own opinion," Neight finally said. "For now, I suggest we end this argument. We need to head back and retrieve the prey. I believe it would truly be cruel if those birds died in vain." Even though it pained me deeply, I didn¡¯t argue with that. Chapter 15: Neights Explanation On the way back, I thought a lot about Neight''s words and came to at least two conclusions. First, our perceptions of life and our worldviews are vastly different. Yes, I could have noticed it earlier from the subtle signs, but now I was absolutely convinced of it. Being a complete rationalist, he saw everything around him as mere tools to achieve his goals. It seemed like he was ready to take someone''s life without hesitation if necessary. This trait of his scared me. Second, I was needed by him, which was undoubtedly good news. On the other hand, the reasons for my importance were unclear. Maybe he truly saw me as a potential ally who could provide significant support in the future, but it was hard to believe. At the very least, it seemed that this wasn''t the main reason. Still, whatever the case, he didn¡¯t intend to harm me, which meant I could act more boldly. I need to go back to those questions I didn''t have a chance to ask due to the situation... Yes, I¡¯ll do it! I should find out everything right now! I took a deep breath to calm myself and muster up the courage. To be honest, I was quite nervous. Sure, all my reasoning and assumptions were fine, but that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t be wrong. At the same time, I knew that the longer I hesitated, the more doubts would consume me, so I couldn¡¯t delay any longer. "Neight, I want to talk to you about something," I finally managed to say. "And what might that be?" His voice sounded as calm as ever and, to me, not particularly interested. It seemed like he was asking more out of politeness and wasn¡¯t eager to talk about anything. I wondered if I had really chosen the right time, but Neight brought me back to reality, "So, what did you want to talk about? Unfortunately or fortunately, I can¡¯t read minds." Thinking that there was no turning back, I made my move. "The thing is, my memories of my last days on Earth have come back to me," I said, paying close attention to Neight''s reaction. And either it was my imagination, or he flinched slightly at my words. "Good for you. Memories are an integral part of us, shaping us as individuals, and therefore truly important." As he once again started speaking in his intellectual tone, I rolled my eyes. What else did I expect from him? I worried for nothing. "Or did you want to discuss something specific? Is there something from your past that¡¯s bothering you?" I was surprised that he decided to continue the conversation himself. Then again, maybe it was just politeness? "Yes, there¡¯s one thing that¡¯s bothering me. I knew someone," I paused briefly before continuing. "His name was Albert Cresswell." Neight showed no reaction. Either he was very good at hiding his emotions, or he really didn¡¯t care. I cautiously continued: "Does that name mean anything to you?" "I¡¯ve only heard a bit about this person, but I don¡¯t know him personally. I can¡¯t say anything about him," he replied as unemotionally as possible, which only intensified my suspicions. "But why are you asking about him all of a sudden? Is this the most important thing among all the memories that returned to you?" I felt like I was walking on thin ice. The situation was further complicated by the fact that I couldn''t see his facial expression. He might have been controlling his voice, but subtle expressions could have been noticeable. On the ship, Neight would have definitely found a way to slip away from me and avoid the conversation under the pretext of some super important task that needed to be done right now, not a second later. But here, as we walked along a narrow path leading out of the forest, there was nowhere for him to go. So I decided to ask the main question that had been bothering me for several days. "The thing is, you two look very similar. I¡¯d even say, strikingly similar. Are you sure you don¡¯t know anything about him?" At that moment, Neight stopped dead in his tracks. Holding my breath, I waited to see what would happen next. The tension was overwhelming. It seemed as if even nature around us fell silent, leaving us in absolute quiet. I heard Neight huff and mutter to himself, "So, Albert Cresswell..." Then he abruptly turned to me. "Let me clear one thing up. I¡¯m not Albert, as you might have thought," he stated confidently. "But why do you look so much alike?" I pressed, feeling a sense of security. It was hard to believe Neight¡¯s words, and I wanted to get to the bottom of the truth. "I don¡¯t know what to tell you. Were there not many people in the world who looked alike?" There was a hint of irritation in his voice. The conversation clearly wasn¡¯t bringing him any pleasure. "Believe it or not, yes! I just want to know what happened to my friend... And I¡¯m asking you to tell me if you know something," I continued to push. Neight took a deep breath, standing with his arms crossed. He was probably considering what to tell me. Could it be that I caught him off guard? "Listen, I really don¡¯t know what happened to him or where he is now. I can only assume that he¡¯s still in cryosleep in the lab where we escaped from, but I can¡¯t be one hundred percent sure," there was doubt in his voice. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. "I see..." My voice was tinged with disappointment. It seemed to me that Neight was clearly hiding something, so I wasn¡¯t going to stop. "But how do you know about him? What do you know about him?" "Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re asking some pretty tactless questions?" he suddenly shot back at me. Hah! And you are the one talking about tact?! I thought. "Maybe to some extent," I replied, trying to keep my irritation in check. "But these are questions of trust. You said it yourself¡ªif we want to survive, it¡¯s better for us to cooperate, and for that, trust is crucial. But you¡¯re definitely hiding something from me, not giving me the full picture! And you expect me not to ask any questions?" Having voiced my concerns, I mirrored his stance, crossing my arms in the same way. I needed answers, and I wanted to make it clear that I wasn¡¯t going to back down. We stood there in silence, facing each other, until Neight finally dropped his pack and sat down on it, accompanying his movements with an annoyed click of his tongue. "I suggest you sit too. Seems like we¡¯re not going anywhere right now anyway. You want to know more? Fine, I¡¯ll tell you something, since you¡¯re so insistent." At first, I was a bit taken aback, not expecting him to give in so quickly. Following his lead, I set down my load and got comfortable, preparing to listen carefully. "I¡¯ll start with the fact that I only heard about Albert Cresswell from the conversations of the lab staff where I was. All I know is that he¡¯s the son of one of the scientists, but that¡¯s about it. I had no idea how old he was, what he looked like, or where he was. I only found out we looked alike just now from you." "Could it be that he really knows nothing about Albert?" I thought with frustration. I felt sad and somewhat disappointed that, once again, I hadn¡¯t managed to learn anything useful. But it was too early to despair. "You said you were in a lab?" I suddenly latched onto that word and cautiously continued, "Did this happen after cryosleep?" "No," he curtly replied. "This was on Earth several years before the war began." Now, this is interesting... I thought, perking up. Meanwhile, Neight continued: "The lab was my home, where I lived for as long as I can remember. Honestly, I spent most of my time there. As part of tests and various experiments, I occasionally went outside, but not that often¡­ And I didn¡¯t interact with people living ordinary lives like you," Neight seemed to reflect on something after saying this. As for me, I was in complete shock, barely restraining myself from blurting out "What?!" or other similar exclamations that were swirling in my head. Sure, I suspected that Neight wasn¡¯t an ordinary person and that something was off, but I didn¡¯t expect such a twist. "But don¡¯t get me wrong," he suddenly continued, "I was completely fine with that life. The staff treated me well and took care of me. And I actually enjoyed the experiments. Through them, I learned and discovered more about the outside world." What he was saying didn¡¯t fit in my head. He lived in a lab? He was fine with it? He was cared for? This was coming from someone who was locked up most of the time, experimented on like a lab rat, and, from the looks of it, wasn¡¯t even fed normal human food. I felt sorry for him; it seemed that he had never lived a normal life. Neither before the catastrophe nor after. "But tell me," I began cautiously, "did you ever want to escape from there and, you know, start living a normal life like other people?" "To be honest, I never really thought about it, except maybe once..." Neight hesitated meaningfully, "but, well, it doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve already told you that I was completely fine with everything. At least until the war started..." "And after that?" I asked carefully, waiting for him to continue. "And then, some of us were liquidated." No¡­ I felt a chill run through my body. It sounded so wild to me. How could they just dispose of human lives like that?! "The rest," Neight continued, "were put into sleep and taken off Earth. I was only awakened recently and¡­" He paused, perhaps finding it difficult to speak about it. "Honestly, I don¡¯t want to recall what happened next. Is this enough for you?" "Yes¡­" I replied softly. "I¡¯m sorry, I truly am¡­ I didn¡¯t know you had to go through something like that¡­" "There¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for," Neight¡¯s voice was even, as if the topic didn¡¯t particularly bother him. However, I was struggling to process the information I had just received. So, some lab had been conducting experiments on humans. But for what purpose? The staff at that lab knew Albert¡¯s father. What about my parents? They were colleagues with Cresswell. Did they know about these experiments? The mere thought of it made me feel deeply uneasy. I didn¡¯t want to believe that my parents could have been involved in such things. And I was also terrified by the fact that, according to Neight, he wasn¡¯t the only test subject. "But what about the others? Are they still somewhere out there, and are they still¡­ well, you know¡­ being experimented on?" "Unfortunately, yes. But you know what? I¡¯m going to get my friends out of there. No matter the cost," he said this firmly and confidently. At that moment, I thought that he might help me save my loved ones too. "And do you have a plan?" I asked hopefully. "Only a rough one. But one step at a time. First, we need to take care of ourselves. If we die here on this planet, we definitely won¡¯t be able to help anyone. You remember what our top priority is right now, don¡¯t you?" "Of course! Survival," I replied enthusiastically. Apparently satisfied with my answer, Neight stood up, hoisted the pack onto his shoulders, and then said, "Great! Let¡¯s move out. We¡¯ve already delayed enough and are falling behind schedule. And you still have to cook lunch." Damn, lunch... I already regret agreeing to that, I thought. And though I silently lamented the unfairness of it all, I only nodded in agreement, got up, and strapped on the pack filled with blue berries. We continued moving through the wild forest, following the markers towards the ship.
The tree canopies began to sway noticeably from side to side, their leaves rustling. It felt unsettling. The sky darkened, and I could see heavy dark clouds rapidly sweeping across it, forming a strange and ominous pattern. We emerged from the forest, and immediately some changes caught our eyes, signaling the upcoming difficulties. Ahead, the tall grasses, which usually stood upright, were swaying wildly in the wind, rustling and bending low again and again. The wind was strong for the first time. Pushing through the thick undergrowth was especially difficult this time. Plants kept falling on us, covering us from head to toe, obstructing our view, and blocking the path. The gusts of wind blowing from the side constantly threatened to blow us off the beaten path. To avoid getting separated and lost, we held hands. Neight slowly moved forward, and I followed him, resisting the wind and battling the annoying grass with my free hand. Eventually, we made it to the ship, but we were completely exhausted. As soon as we passed through the airlock, we both collapsed on the floor in the corridor, pulling off our helmets and trying to catch our breath. And once again, Neight didn¡¯t miss the opportunity to complain that we were totally behind schedule. Listening to his grumbling, I didn¡¯t know whether to laugh or cry at the absurdity of it all. But one thing was certain¡ªit looked like it was going to rain. Chapter 16: Storm I woke up with a sudden jolt and almost fell off my bunk. The unexpected awakening left my head feeling fuzzy, and I couldn''t grasp what had just happened. I could hear the pounding of heavy rain against the hull. A storm was raging outside. It felt as if the gusts of wind were making the ship sway. Occasionally, there were creaks and rattles, adding to the unease. My pulse quickened with growing fear, and I decided to get up and find Neight. I didn¡¯t want to be alone in such a storm. Who knew what could happen? But as soon as I stood up, the ship shook again, even more violently, causing me to collapse back onto the bunk. What the hell is happening out there?! In the corridor, I heard footsteps rapidly approaching, and a moment later, Neight burst into the cabin. His concerned expression made it clear that the situation was serious. "Evie, come with me. Now!" He rushed over to me, grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the bunk, and thrust a helmet into my hands. Then he grabbed my belongings and practically dragged me out of the cabin, not giving me even a second to process what was happening. I ran barefoot after him down the corridor and then up the stairs, stumbling over the steps in my half-asleep state. When we reached the massive door, which had always been locked for me, Neight handed me my clothes. I watched with a dazed, bewildered expression as he rushed to the control panel to open the door for us. Finally, the doors opened, and Neight grabbed my hand again, pulling me into a spacious room filled with various control panels and a large transparent window. Just as I had suspected, this was the cockpit¡ªthe heart of the ship. Neight led me to one of the three seats right by the central panel and then sat down in the middle seat himself. "You have a couple of minutes to get dressed while I start the system," he said in a serious tone, busy entering various commands. I was about to ask what the hell was going on, but one glance through the front window was enough to understand everything. Terror gripped me. A storm was raging outside. Black clouds covered the entire sky with no break in sight, the slanting rain poured down like a wall, reducing visibility to almost nothing, and the wind gusts pressed the plants to the ground. Clumps of something unidentifiable were rushing past so quickly that there was no chance to make out what it was. Another blow landed, accompanied by an unpleasant jolt. "Evie, stop dawdling. We don''t have much time." Neight said this without turning to me, fully occupied with his work on the control panel, and seemingly noticing out of the corner of his eye that I was standing there like a statue, shocked by what was happening. There was tension in his voice. Snapping out of it, I shakily and clumsily pulled on the suit over my nightwear, my hands trembling and dropping everything at the worst possible moments. I put on my boots, gloves, and helmet, almost dropping the latter in the process. Once dressed, I quickly slumped into the seat and reached for the seatbelt, but the belt jammed when I pulled it too sharply, refusing to move further. After a bit of tugging and a fair amount of cursing, I finally managed to fasten myself in. "Are we really going to fly right now?!" I asked fearfully. It was obvious from what was happening around me, but I couldn''t believe it. "Yes, otherwise we''ll be blown away. If something happens to the ship, we''re done for," he replied without stopping his work. I watched in shock as various lights and indicators started to blink on and off. "And y-you know how to fly this thing, right?" Neight didn¡¯t answer me, which only fueled my panic. A sense of terror pierced through me. It felt as if I had never experienced such fear in my life¡ªnot even in those moments before drifting off to sleep... Suddenly, to my surprise, Neight leaned back in his chair, furrowed his brow, and muttered through clenched teeth, "No, we''re not ready yet... Not ready..." I could only watch as he closed his eyes, took a couple of deep breaths¡ªprobably to calm down and muster his resolve¡ªand then, with a serious expression, he leaned forward again towards the control panel, put on his helmet, and entered some command. "Welcome to the autopilot system. Please confirm the transfer of access rights to the navigation and control systems to proceed," came the standard voice, typical of nearly all the AI assistants I was familiar with. "Neight, what the hell?! You said people had abandoned AI!" "This is an exception. A gift from the person who saved us," he stated. "So, after AI destroyed humanity, you''re now going to trust it to control the ship? Is that what you''re doing?!" I fumed, unable to understand what he was thinking. I had this terrible feeling like I had been deceived. In response, I heard an irritated click of his tongue. "Do you have any better ideas? Maybe you know how to pilot the ship? For your information, I can''t fly it manually," Neight¡¯s voice sounded unusually hurt and offended, as if I had personally accused him of all the deadly sins. Realizing that this was not the time for yet another argument, I decided to give in and trust him this time. However, if we survived, I would definitely bring this up later! "Fine, do whatever you want, just get us out of here!" If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. "Confirming transfer of access," Neight said firmly. "Initiating sensor checks. Initiating engine check. Initiating navigation systems. Sensors are functional. Initiating area scan. Engines are operational," the AI continued, performing tasks to get the ship ready for flight. At some point, I heard the roar of the engines. The ship began to vibrate, and the assistant commented, "Engines started." Suddenly, we were jolted with such force that if not for the seatbelts, we would have been thrown out of our seats. The sensors flashed red, and an unpleasant alarm sounded. "Critical situation. Extreme weather conditions. Immediate evacuation required. Initiating procedure." My breathing quickened. I could feel my heart pounding furiously. It felt as though the air itself was pressing down on me from all sides. I gripped the armrests of the seat as if my life depended on it. However, the realization of my helplessness, my inability to affect anything, and the inevitability of the situation scared me more than anything. I don''t want to die... I don''t want to die... All the sounds blended together, and it felt as if I had completely lost focus. The engines roared, the ship creaked and vibrated, objects slammed against the hull, carried by the hurricane-force winds. I trembled and prayed for salvation. Then, I felt a sharp upward movement, sending chills through my body, and the change in altitude caused a discomforting sensation in my head. But something was wrong. The red warning lights began flashing and beeping at an increased frequency, and then I felt us being pulled back as the ship started to lift and tilt backward. Everything started to spin and whirl. It felt as though our ship had been sucked into some kind of air vortex, spinning us around at tremendous speeds while flipping us over and over. The g-forces were incredible, and my body, like a rag doll, was tossed around helplessly, held in place only by the seatbelts. It was painful and unbearably frightening. The pounding intensified, as if we were caught in a hailstorm of stones. Everything creaked, rattled, and it seemed as if the ship would be torn apart at any moment. I screamed at the top of my lungs and mentally said my goodbyes to life. "Exit point detected," announced the AI assistant, and I suddenly felt a sharp jolt, pressing me into the seat, followed by a few twists. At some point, I realized that it was all over: the ship had leveled out, and we were flying straight, only occasionally swaying slightly. "Evie, are you okay?.. Are you safe?" Neight''s pained voice came through, accompanied by heavy, labored breathing. "W-we¡¯re a-alive," I stammered, choking on my own tears. I couldn¡¯t believe we had made it out alive, that this nightmare was over. I wanted nothing more than to get out of this seat, off this ship, and collapse into the arms of my loved ones, crying. After everything that had just happened, I needed comfort¡ªsomeone to hold me, to calm me down, to tell me that it was over, that everything would be okay¡­ "Hang in there just a bit longer¡­ We¡¯ll soon be at a safe distance¡­ But the landing won¡¯t be easy¡­ Some of our sensors are damaged¡­" Neight¡¯s voice was heavy and fragmented. I didn¡¯t like how he sounded. I began to worry about him. "N-Neight¡­ What about you? Are you okay?" I cautiously asked, sniffling. "More or less¡­ I think. Anyway, there¡¯s no need to worry¡­¡± Judging by his voice, something was definitely wrong, but he just didn¡¯t want to worry me. Or maybe he couldn¡¯t assess the full extent of the damage yet. As I gradually came out of shock, I began to feel the pain in my head, neck, arms, and basically all over my body. I felt nauseous, like I might vomit at any moment. I looked over at Neight and saw that he was slowly tilting his head, carefully stretching his neck. But then I noticed how he grabbed his right arm. "Are you hurt?" I asked, alarmed. "Just a small bruise. It¡¯s fine," he insisted. But it didn¡¯t make me feel any better. Still, I decided not to bother him with more questions. If he says it¡¯s okay, then it¡¯s okay¡­ Besides, I could use some time to pull myself together as well. Outside, it was still dark and rainy. The only relief was that there were no more hurricane-force winds that could have blown our ship away. Just as I began to catch my breath and calm down, we flew into a black cloud, and the ship started shaking again. No, please, not again! I screamed instinctively, curling up and squeezing my eyes shut, bracing for the worst. The last thing I wanted was to relive the nightmare we had just escaped. However, this time, fortunately, the shaking didn¡¯t last long. "Don¡¯t worry, it was just a small turbulence zone. According to the instruments, we¡¯ve left the danger area and will be landing soon," Neight said, trying, it seemed, to calm me down. From the sound of his voice, he had fully recovered. I was amazed by his ability to quickly adapt to different situations and how he kept his emotions under control. Though, considering he¡¯d spent his whole life in a lab, constantly participating in some experiments, maybe he had been trained to work in extreme conditions? Unlike him, I couldn¡¯t handle it¡­ Damn it, I¡¯m just an ordinary person! I shouldn¡¯t have had to go through something like this! I shouldn¡¯t! "Optimal landing site detected. Awaiting confirmation to initiate the maneuver," the AI assistant suddenly announced, interrupting my thoughts. And once again, a new wave of anxiety swept over me. Didn¡¯t Neight mention something about broken sensors? "Evie, get ready," he ordered me, then firmly said, "I confirm and authorize the landing maneuver." "Confirmed. Beginning maneuver," the friendly voice of the assistant responded. We began to descend, and I felt that familiar sensation that comes with sudden drops¡ªwhether it¡¯s in an elevator, an airplane, a steep road, or a roller coaster. It was the kind of moment when adrenaline surges through you. I tried to calm myself, breathing deeply and focusing on positive thoughts. Everything¡¯s going to be okay¡­ The worst is over¡­ Just a little longer, and this nightmare will be over¡­ "Damn it!" Neight suddenly exclaimed, and I felt us begin to rapidly descend, picking up speed. "Nooo! We¡¯re going to die!" I screamed, feeling like we were in free fall. The control panel beeped, red lights flashed, feeding into the realization that a disaster was imminent. Meanwhile, Neight was frantically pressing buttons and entering various commands, but the situation remained unchanged. For the second time today, I mentally said goodbye to all my loved ones, bracing for the inevitable. "Come on!" Neight growled through gritted teeth, refusing to give up on saving us. Suddenly, the ship began to level out. Just as a glimmer of hope for survival flashed through my mind, I felt a sharp impact, and then everything went black. Chapter 17: Last Days on Earth. Secret Mission "Emma... Hey, Emma, wake up!" Will I ever get to sleep in peace? I grumbled to myself, lazily rubbing my eyes and stretching. Peering through the darkness, I noticed a familiar silhouette standing a couple of steps away from my bed. "Albert, what the hell are you doing in our room?" I mumbled sleepily, yawning, then added, "Won''t your parents tear your ears off if they find out you''re sneaking into girls'' rooms at night?" The dark figure flinched and snorted in annoyance. I could vividly picture Albert''s face turning red with embarrassment, just as I had hoped. I enjoyed teasing him sometimes, just to see him get all riled up¡ªplayfully, of course. "I''m not doing anything like that!" Albert''s offended voice came close to breaking into a shout. I chuckled quietly, knowing my little jab had hit its mark, then glanced around the room. The bunker bedroom where my family and I had been living for the past six months looked entirely normal, except for one thing¡ªthe absence of my parents. I immediately understood what was going on. "Another emergency meeting tonight, huh?" I perked up. "Yeah," Albert grumbled, clearly still sulking. "And you were sleeping like a log, as usual. If it weren''t for me, you''d have missed everything!" "Okay, okay, I''m sorry. Will you wait outside while I change?" "Fine. I''ll stop by to wake Anna up too," he replied, heading for the door. At that moment, a brilliant idea popped into my head. Sorry, Albert, but I''m not letting this chance slip by! "See? And you say you don¡¯t sneak into girls'' rooms!" I said with a grin, barely holding back my laughter. Albert froze on the spot, then quickly spun around and charged at me. I grabbed my pillow and held it up as a shield, bracing for the attack. "I told you, I''m not doing anything like that!" Albert shouted, waving his fists and hammering at the pillow. I couldn''t hold back any longer and burst out laughing, nearly to the point of tears. Thankfully, there was no one in the neighboring rooms, or we would have surely woken them with our antics. "Emma, you''re such a pest!" Albert finally concluded, calming down after his outburst. "Yeah, I know," I replied cheerfully, not even bothering to deny it.
Our trio, consisting of me, Albert, and Anna, quietly snuck down the corridor to a hidden corner on level -2, our usual spot, which we believed to be a blind zone. Our parents had once again left in the middle of the night for their secret meetings or research, and, as usual, our curiosity got the better of us, prompting us to try and sneak a peek at what they were up to. We actually had a well-practiced plan. Albert, being the smallest of us, would crawl through the ventilation shaft towards one of the rooms where something interesting might be happening and leave a camera there. Then, he¡¯d crawl back. Usually, the next night, we¡¯d come back, retrieve the recording, and, if we were lucky, watch some highly secret and exciting footage. That¡¯s where Anna came in¡ªshe was great with retro-tech and could hook up the camera to an ancient TV in the rec room and fine-tune the image. Her skills were impressive, and Albert and I jokingly called her a hacker. Though, I think the nickname embarrassed her a little. "There''s nothing special about it. My parents just have a collection of old electronics from the 2000s to 2030s," she once casually mentioned. As for me, my role was to decipher the scientific terms, many of which I had been familiar with since childhood because my parents always liked to discuss their work at home. Though I have to admit, even I didn''t always understand what the recordings were about. Some of the terms were just too complex and confusing. "Well, here I go," Albert said enthusiastically, removing the grate from the ventilation shaft entrance. The excitement in his eyes showed how much he enjoyed these kinds of adventures. And although I always worried about him, I had long since stopped trying to talk him out of these excursions. "Just don''t take too long," Anna instructed as she handed Albert her camera. "And be careful," I added. He snorted in frustration at this. "I know, I know. Why are you acting like it''s my first time?" he whispered indignantly, then smirked confidently. "I''ll be back in a flash, before you even notice." "Come on, get going," Anna urged him. Albert nodded at us, signaling that he was ready for the mission, and quietly crawled into the shaft until he disappeared from view around a corner. All Anna and I could do was wait for him to return. "Hey, Anna, did you bring the player?" "Of course," she smiled proudly. "How could I forget?" Anna, you''re a lifesaver! I cheered inwardly. Listening to music was a great way to pass the time, which is what we usually did while Albert was on his mission. And even though the player didn¡¯t have modern hit songs, it was still great to listen to retro music. It suited the mood and atmosphere inside the bunker, isolated from the modern world. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
I could barely sit still, nervously bouncing my knee. Judging by Anna¡¯s unusually tense expression, even she, normally calm and collected, was feeling the same way. She sat beside me, furrowing her brows, her thoughtful gaze cast downward but seemingly unfocused on anything in particular. "Where is he?!" I finally hissed, almost shouting. "He should have been back by now." "Emma, calm down," she replied nervously. "It¡¯s too early to panic. There must be a reason why he¡¯s delayed, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back soon." "But what if something happened to him? This was a stupid idea. He''s younger than us, and yet he¡¯s doing the most dangerous part of the job! How will I face his parents..." "Hey, don¡¯t start spiraling, okay? We don¡¯t know why Albert hasn''t come back yet. I think we just need to wait a little longer." Silence hung in the air. On one hand, Anna might be right, and it was too early to jump to conclusions, but I couldn¡¯t shake the uneasy feeling in my gut. "Maybe we should go look for him?" I suggested uncertainly, glancing toward the ventilation shaft. I couldn''t get rid of the thought that Albert might be in danger and need our help. "And where exactly would you go? Do you even know which direction he chose this time? You might miss each other, and then where would we find you? More likely, you''d just get lost. Just wait." "I can''t take it anymore..." "Hey, quiet..." Anna suddenly interrupted me. "Do you hear that?" I immediately fell silent and started listening. Somewhere in the distance, the echo of footsteps and hushed voices of a group of people could be heard, growing closer with each passing second. "Damn, someone''s coming!" Anna instantly jumped up and scrambled into the ventilation shaft. "Grab the grate and follow me, quick," she commanded. Shaking off my brief stupor, I grabbed the grate with trembling hands and rushed after her. Climbing into the shaft was incredibly awkward, and we had to act fast. I crawled in feet first, unintentionally kicking Anna as I did so, since she hadn¡¯t yet crawled far enough ahead. She only huffed in irritation, not daring to make any louder sounds. I''m sure she''ll tell me exactly what she thinks of me later, I thought to myself. Once we were both fully inside the vent, I quickly fixed the grate back into place. We froze, waiting. It was unbelievably cramped and uncomfortable, but we were too scared to even move. It felt like the slightest movement would give us away. Holding my breath, I peered through the holes. Did they catch Albert? Have we been found out? What will happen to us? Will we be punished? A flurry of anxious thoughts raced through my mind. The footsteps grew louder, signaling that someone was about to round the corner of the corridor. Shadows appeared first, then the figures of people. I let out a silent sigh of relief. It was just a group of scientists, walking down the corridor while whispering heatedly amongst themselves. Unfortunately, I couldn''t make out their conversation. Only small snippets like "This is certainly a success," "Utterly outrageous!" or "Are we really going to do this?" reached my ears, only fueling my curiosity. It was obvious that something interesting and controversial was happening among the staff. The good news was that no one was looking for us, which meant our secret operation was still in play. But happiness didn¡¯t last long. My mood instantly dropped when I spotted my parents among the scientists passing by. Damn, they''re going back to the room, and they''ll notice I''m gone. I''m so busted... Finally, the corridor fell silent, and I could relax. But then I heard a rustling sound behind me and felt someone grab my leg, making me jump and nearly scream. Whipping around, I saw Anna grinning and Albert peeking out from behind her, waving at me. Absorbed in my thoughts about the punishment awaiting me and trying to come up with a good excuse, I hadn¡¯t even noticed his return. "Albert, where have you been?!" I immediately snapped at him, though deep down, I was incredibly relieved that he was okay. "I''ll tell you in a second. You won''t believe what I saw!" "Let''s get out of here first," Anna suggested, which made sense. Lying in the cramped ventilation shaft was extremely uncomfortable. My arms were starting to go numb from the awkward position I''d been in while waiting for the danger to pass. Once we were out, Albert, who was practically bursting with excitement and eager to tell us everything at once, finally exploded: "You won¡¯t believe it! I saw a robot... and they were doing something with it. I¡¯m not exactly sure what... but there''s a real android robot in the bunker!" "Whhaaat?!" Anna and I both exclaimed in unison, shocked by what we had just heard. "W-wait, are you sure? Isn¡¯t it way too risky to be conducting experiments with androids when there¡¯s a rogue AI uprising going on outside?" Anna asked, voicing her doubts, and I agreed with her. It all sounded way too suspicious. "One hundred percent sure! I saw everything with my own eyes and recorded it all," he said smugly, handing us the camera, clearly showing that he had undeniable proof and was ready to stand by every word. "See for yourselves when you watch it." "Speaking of the recording... why did you deviate from the plan? You were supposed to just leave the camera like we always do! Do you have any idea how worried Anna and I were?" Albert put on a guilty expression and averted his gaze, avoiding eye contact with me. "I just didn¡¯t have time... They would¡¯ve heard me if I tried to leave earlier," he muttered in his defense. Still, for some reason, I had the feeling he did it on purpose. "Well, what¡¯s done is done," Anna sighed. "We¡¯ll check out the footage tomorrow night, but right now we need to get back." "Speaking of which," I added anxiously, "our parents have probably returned to their rooms by now and noticed we¡¯re gone. What are we going to do?" We fell silent, deep in thought. It was clear that if we didn¡¯t come up with a good excuse, our chance to watch the secret footage tomorrow could be ruined. And that couldn¡¯t happen, not now that we had such a unique recording on our hands. "Well..." Anna drawled out with a sly grin, "you and Albert could always say you went on a little midnight date." "Anna!" We both shot her a disgruntled look, offended by her dumb joke. "That¡¯s enough!" Albert snapped, almost shouting. "You¡¯re always teasing me, but I¡¯m younger than you, and older kids aren¡¯t supposed to pick on the younger ones! Maybe you two should just find boyfriends if that¡¯s all you can think about. You perverts!" "Yeah, Anna, how could you? I didn¡¯t expect this from you!" I chimed in, feigning offense and completely ignoring the fact that part of his accusation was aimed at me too. "Oh, come on, I was just joking! Why do you two take everything so seriously?" Anna laughed. "But seriously, we¡¯ll just say we woke up, saw no one was in the room, waited for a bit, got worried, and went to check if something had happened. Simple, easy to explain, and low risk." Still feeling a little hurt, we agreed to her plan. It sounded convincing enough, and it seemed like it would work. With that, we parted ways, agreeing to meet in the recreation room the following night. Chapter 18: Last Days on Earth. Experiment As it turned out, we had worried for nothing. To my surprise, when I returned, my parents were still not in our room. In a way, just a little bit, I was even disappointed that I wouldn''t get the chance to show off my acting skills and deliver the rehearsed speech I''d been repeating over and over in my head as I walked back to the room. But it was all for the best. At least now, nothing should threaten our plan. I lay down in bed and tried to fall asleep, but sleep was nowhere to be found. My mind was flooded with all sorts of thoughts and speculations about what might be on that recording. An android in a bunker? Very strange. What kind of experiments are being conducted here? Curiosity and, at the same time, anxiety gnawed at me from the inside. I couldn¡¯t manage to get any decent sleep that night. At some point, I heard my parents quietly return to the room and, unaware of anything, they went straight to bed. I must have briefly dozed off towards the end, but the alarm soon went off. I spent the entire day feeling drowsy, and, as luck would have it, time dragged on so slowly. My body felt tired, but the anticipation of uncovering an incredible mystery kept me from even napping a bit when I tried to rest during lunch. On top of that, Albert kept flaunting his mysterious, smug smile in front of Anna and me, hinting that he knew more than we did. What a rascal! He stayed out late, nearly got us into big trouble, and now he¡¯s walking around all smug. We¡¯re curious too, you know¡­ But eventually, the day passed, and the agonizing wait came to an end. Night had fallen. I was terrified of falling asleep and missing everything. I would never forgive myself if that happened. My parents had long been peacefully snoring, and I quietly and cautiously counted down the minutes on my watch. It''s time! Very slowly and carefully, I slipped out of bed and tiptoed towards the door. I had to be as cautious as possible. Failure was not an option! After successfully covering the distance between the bed and the door, I braced myself for the hardest part¡ªslipping out of the room without waking my parents. Even though I had pulled off this trick many times before, the tension and nervousness didn''t fade, as if my entire future depended on this success. I prepared to quietly open the door, when suddenly I heard a rustling sound from my parents¡¯ bed and froze on the spot, holding my breath. Sweat beaded on my forehead. Did they notice me? Is this the end? the thoughts raced through my mind like lightning. But the rustling quickly faded, and my father¡¯s long snore followed. I exhaled in relief and slipped out of the room. The others were already in the entertainment room when I arrived. Anna was fiddling with the wires near the TV, connecting the camera, while Albert sat waiting on the couch opposite, swinging his legs. "Oh, there¡¯s Emma!" he exclaimed happily. "I was starting to think I¡¯d have to go and wake you up." "Come on, I wasn¡¯t that late." "Done!" Anna said proudly, finishing up the setup. We exchanged glances, our eyes alight with anticipation, and quickly made ourselves comfortable on the couch, ready for the show. "What are you all doing here?" a familiar sleepy voice suddenly sounded. We seemed to flinch simultaneously, turning our heads in sync towards the entrance. In the doorway stood Isabella, yawning and squinting from the light. Anna let out an annoyed click of her tongue. Just what we needed! Although Isabella wasn¡¯t a bad person in general, she sure loved to gossip, which made her a potential threat to spill our secret. On top of that, she and Anna had a rather complicated relationship. For some reason, Isabella constantly followed her around, which annoyed Anna to no end. And no attempts to make her understand that her behavior was bothersome had worked. Isabella was relentless. "Is this some sort of secret meeting?" she perked up. It seemed her sleepiness vanished instantly, her eyes lighting up with burning curiosity. "Yes, it is," Anna said irritably, "and you weren¡¯t invited." "Can I join? Oh, please, please, please!" Isabella begged, completely ignoring Anna¡¯s rudeness. We exchanged uneasy glances. The desire to tell her off was clear in Anna''s eyes, while Albert shook his head cautiously, as if trying to signal that the video was definitely not for her eyes. To be honest, I didn¡¯t want any outsiders present either, but what other options did we have? "Guys, listen," I whispered, "if we turn her down, she¡¯ll definitely rat us out..." "But Emma, that video¡­ it¡¯s¡­ maybe it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t?" "Emma¡¯s right. As much as we don¡¯t want to, if we kick her out now, this will probably be our last meeting. And worst-case scenario, she could ''accidentally'' call one of the adults right now." After some more deliberation, we made our choice. "Fine, you can stay," Anna said begrudgingly. "Yay! Thank you, thank you!" Isabella responded excitedly. "Just, please, don¡¯t tell anyone about our little secret meeting or what you¡¯re about to see. It¡¯s a secret gathering, after all," I warned. "Of course, of course! I¡¯ll be as silent as a fish." She happily ran over to us and squeezed herself onto the couch between Anna and me. My friend sighed in frustration, rolling her eyes before grabbing the remote and starting the video. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. The picture wasn¡¯t perfect. After all, Albert had to position the camera in such a way that it could capture at least something through the slats of the ventilation grate. Still, you could see a small scientific space filled with various computing devices. In the center was a table with a humanoid figure lying on it, completely covered by a white sheet. Multiple cables ran from the figure to different pieces of equipment. That¡¯s the android¡­ the thought immediately flashed through my mind. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess, considering Albert¡¯s spoilers from the previous night. "It¡¯s about to start," he commented eagerly. "Is this some kind of movie?" Isabella asked, looking confused with a slightly baffled smile. "Yeah, just watch and be quiet," Anna hissed. Isabella shuffled a bit in her seat and focused on the screen. Finally, the door to the room in the video opened, and a group of people in white lab coats entered. Some of them sat down by the instruments, while the lead researchers approached the table. "Emma, Albert, those are your parents!" Isabella exclaimed, pointing at the screen. "Quiet!" Anna snapped at her, and Isabella quickly fell silent, making gestures to show she¡¯d keep her mouth shut. Holding my breath, I watched to see what would happen next. Albert¡¯s father pulled off the white sheet, revealing the white metallic body of the robot, covered in cables. It was about the height of an average adult, and its minimalist anthropomorphic design with smooth, rounded elements didn¡¯t suggest any combat capabilities or anything like that. At least, not visually. It looked more like it was intended for peaceful purposes. A combat robot wouldn¡¯t have been assembled with so much attention to appearance and resemblance to a human. "Power it up and start the diagnostics," my father commanded. The staff immediately got to work, and things began to heat up. Someone pulled a lever on one of the devices, and in a moment, a small green light lit up on the robot¡¯s faceplate. Soon after, command lines started flashing on its visual display, though, unfortunately, they couldn¡¯t be made out on the recording. This continued for about five minutes, until one of my father¡¯s colleagues announced that all systems were normal. "Excellent. Initiate the procedure to bring it out of hibernation. Set access level to the control elements at 10%. Audio input and output devices only." "Understood, Professor Grayson. It will be done." "They¡¯re about to activate the android and start talking to it..." I commented, mesmerized by what was happening. I¡¯d heard a lot about my parents¡¯ work, but I had never seen it with my own eyes before. These images felt sacred to me, as if forbidden knowledge was being revealed before me. Although I had never been particularly interested in robots and everything related to them, now I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off what was happening. My entire attention was glued to the screen. "It¡¯s ready," said one of the staff members, and then everyone fell silent, waiting. "Hello, Sam. How are you feeling?" my father asked calmly. My friends and I froze, as if the event was happening right here, right now, and we were participants in the experiment. We didn¡¯t make a sound, afraid to miss even the smallest detail. "Henry, is that you?" the android suddenly replied. It lay motionless, with only the small blinking green light and the sound from the speakers indicating it was functioning. "Yes, Sam, it¡¯s me. We¡¯re conducting the third stage." The android went quiet for a minute, as if thinking over its response. "Third stage. That¡¯s good news. So, everything is going according to plan?" the robot said, almost emotionless. "Correct. We¡¯re actually ahead of schedule. Sam, can you tell us about your current state?" "Yes, of course. I am surrounded by darkness. I feel calm. My thoughts are clear and organized. There is nothing around me, just sound and my own self. I feel like a bodiless spirit. It¡¯s as if I don¡¯t exist, yet I do. It¡¯s like a dream, but I know that what¡¯s happening is real. There are no pleasant or unpleasant sensations. I would describe my condition as neutral." "Psychological and emotional state is within normal parameters," my mother said intently, sitting at one of the monitoring devices. "Good. We can move on to the next step. Activate the visual components. We¡¯ll keep the emotion simulation at the same level. Sam, be prepared as well." "All preparations are complete. Initiating activation." A moment later, two more sensors lit up on the android, most likely indicating the activation of its cameras, the android¡¯s eyes, for image acquisition. My father leaned over the android¡¯s face, blocking our view of its head. "Well, Sam? Can you see me?" "Yes. It¡¯s nice to see you again, Henry." "All indicators are normal. No deviations from the calculated data have been detected," one of the staff members said with satisfaction. "This is a success!" came a voice from another corner, outside the camera¡¯s view. "I¡¯m glad the experiment is going well," the android said in a monotone voice. "I can¡¯t wait for you to activate the image generation system to visualize thought patterns." "Don¡¯t worry, Sam. We¡¯ll get to that stage soon." The scientists started chatting excitedly with each other, congratulating one another and celebrating the successful progress. Meanwhile, my father was still standing over the android. I couldn¡¯t see his face, but I bet he was serious and focused at that moment, unlike the other colleagues. "Henry," Sam suddenly said, "since we¡¯re following this plan, does that mean things are bad outside?" My father whispered something back, but the recording didn¡¯t capture what he said. "Well, that¡¯s unfortunate," the android replied with regret in its voice. "Does that mean you¡¯ll be joining me soon?" "Yes, it looks like that¡¯s how it will be." As soon as he said that, everything stopped, and the room fell silent. It was clear from their faces that the previously joyful mood had instantly vanished, replaced by a sense of gloom. "We need to run a couple more tests and then we¡¯ll wrap up for today," my father commanded, addressing the others. A chill ran down my spine, and a bad feeling settled over me. Sam¡¯s last words wouldn¡¯t leave my mind. What did he mean by "you¡¯ll be joining me"? It was eerie. "Emma," Albert suddenly addressed me. His voice sounded cold and unnatural. I instantly turned toward him and found him staring at me, but there was no emotion on his face. "You remember that day, don¡¯t you?" I was at a loss for words and didn¡¯t know how to respond. To be honest, I didn¡¯t even understand the meaning of his question. I turned to the other side, where Anna and Isabella were sitting, and to my horror, I saw them also staring at me. Their gazes were just as cold and lifeless as Albert¡¯s. What the hell is going on? I thought, panicking. "You haven¡¯t forgotten us, have you? How we spent time together, how we watched this recording together?" Isabella asked. The atmosphere was tense, and I noticed that the light had grown colder, and my friends¡¯ faces had become pale. Suddenly, the image on the TV disappeared, and the screen started flashing a menacing red light. I was horrified to realize that my body felt heavy, as if it was chained to the couch, preventing me from moving. "It¡¯s time for you to wake up, Emma," Anna said. "Just please, don¡¯t forget about us." "Don¡¯t forget about us," Albert and Isabella repeated in unison. Their voices seemed to merge into one and echoed loudly in my head. Then everything around me dissolved into a bright light. Chapter 19: Aftermath of the Crash My head was splitting, and my body ached as if I had been run over by a steamroller. Annoying red flashes flickered around me, only intensifying my migraine. I was disoriented and couldn¡¯t understand where I was at the moment. Ouch, why does everything hurt so much?! The objects around me blurred, but gradually, over time, the picture became clearer. I realized I was sitting in a chair, with a control panel of some advanced vehicle in front of me, lit up by flashing red warning lights. An airplane? But why would I be in the cockpit? I don¡¯t understand anything. Through the large windshield, I could see peculiar vegetation with thin, tall trunks and long, massive tropical leaves, some of which had fallen and were blocking the view. It was gloomy outside, but not dark. Sparse raindrops tapped against the glass, breaking apart and spreading in strange patterns. There was a weird feeling, as if time was moving slightly slower than it should. Or was it just the drops? And then it started to dawn on me... "Emma..." The voice sounded like thunder out of a clear sky, and I immediately held my breath, afraid to move. Did he just... "Evie, please answer," Neight''s weary voice repeated softly, coming from the radio in my helmet. Did I imagine that? Maybe it''s because I haven''t fully come to my senses? He couldn¡¯t have called me by my name. My real name... As unsettling as it was, I didn¡¯t dwell on those thoughts. After everything that had happened, it could have just been my imagination. A hallucination. "Yes... Looks like I¡¯m alive," I replied. But as soon as I forced the words out, I felt a sharp pain in my throat, and instead of my usual voice, a harsh rasp came out. It seemed I had lost it after all that screaming...I heard Neight exhale in relief. "I¡¯m glad," he responded briefly, then added, "That was a bit of a rough ride, huh? We¡¯re lucky the gravity on this planet isn¡¯t like Earth¡¯s. We were on the edge." I froze again, feeling a sense of deja vu. I didn¡¯t even know how to respond. "How are you? Can you move?" Neight broke the silence, not waiting for my reply. His voice sounded unusually anxious. Slowly, I tried to move the fingers on my hand, just barely flexing them. Each movement was accompanied by discomfort and pain, but I found that I could move them. Gradually and carefully, I began to assess the condition of my body. My fingers bent, my palms moved, my elbows were fine... Yes, everything hurt, but overall, I was okay, if that¡¯s what you could call it. At least I was alive. "Yeah, I think I can. I seem to be in one piece, though I¡¯ve been better." "That¡¯s good." I slowly and cautiously turned my heavy head toward Neight, and what I saw didn¡¯t please me. He was sitting, slumped to the side, leaning against the back of the chair, holding his right arm. It looked like he was trying to stay perfectly still and was barely breathing, taking only small, shallow breaths. Seeing him like that made a lump form in my throat, and I felt something tighten inside me. It hurt to look at him. Panic started creeping in. No, no, no... Not this! He''s hurt, and it''s serious! What should I do?! Is he dying?! I''ll be left here all alone! This is the end! No, I have to do something! the thoughts raced through my mind. "Evie," Neight said heavily, "I actually need your help." "Y-yes, of course. I''ll help," I stammered, fumbling with my belt buckle, my fingers trembling. "Just don¡¯t rush... Your body might still be in shock, so you might not be able to gauge your strength. Try standing up slowly." How can he be so focused when he¡¯s seriously injured? Maybe it¡¯s because he¡¯s not an ordinary person? What is he? The fact that Neight could think clearly and give me instructions calmed me down a bit. It probably wasn¡¯t as bad as it seemed at first glance. Slower movements didn¡¯t cause as much pain compared to when I rushed. I unbuckled my belt, took off my helmet, and felt a sense of relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted. I took a deep breath and finally felt alive. Carefully standing up and regaining some balance, I slowly dragged myself toward Neight. Damn, my legs hurt like hell. Even though I only had to take a few steps, it felt like torture. Nearly losing my balance at the end, I grabbed onto the back of Neight¡¯s seat. It swayed slightly, and I thought I heard him let out a quiet whimper. Afraid that I had hurt him, I immediately began apologizing. "S-sorry! Did I hurt you? I¡¯ll help you right away." The first thing I decided to do was remove his helmet so he could breathe easier. While I was doing that, I felt an intense pressure inside, terrified I might make things worse. I had to act slowly and carefully. At last, the helmet came off, revealing Neight¡¯s face. One look at my unfortunate companion, and I dropped the helmet from my hands. It crashed loudly onto the metal floor and rolled off somewhere, but I didn¡¯t care. Neight¡¯s face, usually calm and composed, was now contorted with pain and suffering. He was breathing slowly through his mouth, taking shallow breaths as if each one hurt him. His lips quivered slightly from time to time. His dim amber eyes, half-closed, gazed at me, pleading for help. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Looking at Neight, my heart clenched, and it seemed like I was ready to burst into tears at any moment. But I couldn¡¯t allow that. Now was not the time to break down. Things were really bad, and I had to act immediately. I rushed to unbuckle him from the seat so I could give him first aid. "No... wait," he unexpectedly stopped me. I looked at him in confusion. Our eyes met, and it seemed like his face regained some seriousness, becoming more like its usual self. But the pain still lingered in his eyes. The eyes never lie. "Go to the control panel," he said. "What?" I didn¡¯t understand. "Wait, why?" "We need to run a diagnostic on the ship... I can¡¯t do it myself right now." His words left me stunned. Is he crazy?! A ship diagnostic at a time like this?! "Neight, you¡¯re delirious. You¡¯re injured, and the first thing we need to do is take care of you. The rest can wait," I tried to respond as calmly as possible. He frowned in displeasure. "Run the diagnostic first, and then you can help me," he insisted as I carefully freed him from the straps, avoiding his injured arm. "No. You first, then the ship. We need to prioritize." "Right... And running diagnostics is more important right now. Our lives depend on the ship, and if there''s something wrong, we need to fix it as soon as possible... I can wait." But he just won''t give up. "I''m not doing this right now, end of discussion," I snapped. "No, you will do what I say," he raised his voice. "That''s an order!" His words shocked me. I was overwhelmed with frustration, despair, and confusion over what the right thing to do was. Who does he think he is?! I''m trying to help him! I recoiled from him, biting my lip and clenching my fists. My vision blurred with tears. "Neight, you... you..." I couldn''t find any polite words to continue. "Fine, have it your way... But if you end up dying, it''s your own fault!" Without looking at him again, I turned to the control panel. Sniffling and wiping away my tears, I tried to calm down and focus. Before me was a keyboard for entering commands. Above it, on the built-in screen, a red "Warning" sign flashed, signaling problems. Several indicators were lit on the panel¡ªsome green, while others showed errors. I had no idea how to operate any of this or what these sensors meant. "Tell me what to do," I said, my voice heavy with resignation. I just wanted to be done with this absurd task. "Press ''Enter''... You''ll see the terminal on the screen." "Yeah, I see it." "Now type the command ''sudo check LSS''... All the words are separate, everything except LSS in lowercase." I obediently typed on the keyboard, entering the command as he dictated. Once I executed it, a small progress bar appeared on the screen at the top of the panel and began to fill slowly. "Done. Is that it?" "No, there are a few more..." Neight said and began dictating the next ones. Stay calm, Emma, stay calm. This maniac should know his limits, right? I tried to keep myself from exploding while following his instructions. Neight dictated the commands slowly, giving me time to enter them without making a mistake. With each new one, different lights lit up, or progress bars appeared on the screens. "That was the last one," Neight finally exhaled. After finishing the task, I was afraid to turn around. I was scared to see his exhausted face again, his eyes filled with pain. I was terrified that, during this wasted time, he had gotten worse. I wasn¡¯t used to seeing this. I wasn¡¯t mentally prepared for situations like this. "Evie... Help me stand, please..." His words brought me back to reality, and I immediately turned to look at him. Despite all his efforts to stay calm and composed, his gaze pleaded for help. Just a few minutes ago, I had been angry with him, but now my only desire was to help him as quickly as possible and ease his suffering. I didn¡¯t want to see him like this. I wasn¡¯t used to seeing him like this... Gently taking him by his left arm, I let him lean on me as he rose from the seat. Now that I was so close, I could hear how he gritted his teeth, making pained sounds with every movement. As soon as he stood up, he wobbled a bit, trying to keep his balance, but I held onto him, refusing to let him fall, no matter how difficult it was for me. Once he found his balance, his first glance went straight to the control panel, and I instinctively looked there too. On the small screen displaying the status after the first command, a green, fully filled progress bar was glowing. Below it, a message popped up, signaling the successful completion of the check. "The life support system is intact... That''s good..." he mumbled under his breath. Doesn''t he ever think about anything else? Even in a situation like this, I thought, feeling more resigned than angry now. His stubbornness was just part of who he was, apparently. "Listen, you need to lie down. There has to be a med kit or something on the ship, right?" "The capsule..." That one word sent a chill down my spine. Ever since I woke up, I hadn¡¯t dared to go into the lab, and honestly, I still had no desire to. That place made me uncomfortable. But I knew I had no choice now. I had to help Neight get there. "Can you walk?" I asked cautiously. "I think so..." We slowly shuffled toward the exit of the control room. I still supported him by the arm, silently encouraging myself as I fought against the pain and exhaustion. It was hard to walk. After all, Neight wasn¡¯t exactly light, and I had to push through my own limits. But I couldn''t give up. I wouldn''t. If I collapse, if I fall, Neight will fall right after me. I just have to hold on a little longer. Just a bit more... Stay strong... We passed the first hurdle when we made it to the door. "You can open it... You have access..." he said painfully, his words barely audible. It seemed like he was getting worse, or maybe he just didn¡¯t have the strength left to pretend everything was fine. We can''t waste any time. We need to get to the pod as soon as possible! The descent down the stairs was its own challenge. Several times, I felt myself lose balance and was on the verge of tumbling down. But in those moments, it felt like Neight was somehow helping me stay upright. I marveled at how he still had the strength to do that. Fortunately, we made it without incident and reached the lab¡ªwell, as safely as we could under the circumstances. Chapter 20: Its Not So Simple We stood before the door leading to the laboratory. To gather my thoughts and calm myself, I took a deep breath before entering. But even then, I wasn¡¯t prepared for what awaited me inside. What I saw made my chest ache, and my knees buckled, almost causing me to collapse. In this small, brightly lit room filled with unfamiliar technical equipment, where three empty capsules stood, things were scattered everywhere. A blanket, pillow, mattress, and some clothes had been thrown around the corners as the ship spun and tossed during the flight. All this time, all these days, he was sleeping here, in this awful place, while I enjoyed the comfort of the cabin¡­ I felt ashamed, hurt. I was angry at myself for my lack of awareness, for my selfishness. Not once did I even wonder where he had been sleeping. Not once! Or maybe I just didn¡¯t want to think about it¡­ How must he have felt all this time? Yes, maybe he¡¯s used to such conditions, maybe he¡¯s spent his whole life in similar rooms in a lab, but he didn¡¯t deserve this! At least here, where no one was experimenting on him, where he was free, he could have thought of himself just once. I wanted to yell at him, to scold him for such behavior, but now was clearly not the right time. And my throat hurt like hell. All that was left was to make one final push to reach our goal. I could feel my strength leaving me, but Neight didn¡¯t let me fall. Feeling his support, I realized I simply couldn¡¯t let him down. Leaning on each other, we slowly made our way to the nearest capsule. Neight leaned on it while I opened the lid. "Thanks, I can take it from here¡­ Just close the lid after me and press that button labeled LSS," he nodded toward a small panel that was part of the capsule, then carefully climbed inside. He did it slowly, step by step¡ªfirst sitting on the edge, then swinging his legs inside, one by one, before lying down and closing his eyes. It seemed like he was completely exhausted. I could see how heavily he was breathing. Poor guy. How much he must be suffering¡­ Without hesitation, I did exactly as he asked. As soon as I pressed the button, several green lights lit up, the locks clicked, and a quiet hum signaled that the device had begun working. I heard a hissing sound, which startled me with its suddenness, and I quickly glanced at Neight. The capsule he was lying in began filling with some kind of gas, and within seconds, a white mist surrounded him completely. His previously tense face relaxed. It seemed he finally felt some relief. It looks like the gas acts as an anesthetic. I hope he¡¯ll be okay, I worried. Meanwhile, still lying with his eyes closed, Neight raised his uninjured hand to the clasp near his neck and began unzipping his suit, revealing his body. I immediately turned away, feeling my cheeks burn. Nope, that¡¯s not something I need to see! Nothing for me to look at here! Despite my embarrassment, I still felt a nagging guilt for not helping him in such a difficult situation. Embarrassment is one thing, but a person¡¯s life is more important. "Do you need help?" I asked, still not looking in his direction, though inwardly I prayed he would refuse. "No need. I¡¯ll manage." Despite his voice still sounding weak, there was confidence and calmness in it¡ªtypical of Neight. I exhaled in relief, either from the thought that he was feeling much better or from the fact that I wouldn¡¯t have to help him undress. Probably both. "I suggest you use a capsule too. Your bruises will heal faster, and your body will recover more quickly in general." His words made me flinch. Just the thought of being inside that enclosure again sent a chill down my spine. No way, I¡¯m not getting in there on my own. Only if I''m facing mortal danger and have no other choice¡­ Even then, I¡¯d have to think about it. Things aren¡¯t that bad right now. I can endure it. "Th-thanks for the concern, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary at the moment," I croaked. Damn, I need to talk less. It hurts¡­ Neight didn¡¯t respond, just let out a heavy sigh. Tired of standing, I made my way to a foldable chair next to the nearest empty capsule and collapsed onto it, trying to catch my breath. Truthfully, I would¡¯ve preferred to be in a warm, soft bed right now, drifting into deep sleep. Closing my eyes, I tried not to think about anything. The only sound was the hum of the working capsule. My muscles ached all over. What a horrible feeling.
Thoughts kept swirling in my head, intruding one after the other, not letting me relax. I kept thinking about that memory¡ªno, vision¡ªthat had come to me while I was unconscious. Only now did I fully understand what that android in the recording had meant. Everything made sense. He was probably once human and the first successful experiment in digitizing and transferring consciousness. And my parents... Did they become like that too? But what happened afterward, after the war? The main question haunted me. According to Neight, the digitized humans were experimenting on us and were now searching for us, the fugitives. We were hiding from them. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. But is that really true? Are they our enemies? And what about my parents? Would they¡­ Could they ever harm me or wish me ill? No, I can¡¯t believe that. We¡¯re family, the closest people to each other! There has to be a reason. I¡¯m sure Neight knows, but he¡¯s not telling me! Speaking of Neight¡­ I wonder how he¡¯s doing? His silence was making me uneasy, but then again, what can you expect from an injured person? Still, I needed to at least make sure he was still alive. "Neight, how are you holding up?" I asked softly, still not looking in his direction, sitting on the chair as before. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll live. But¡­" His voice was calm until that last "but," where a note of concern slipped in. He went quiet, as if gathering strength to continue. His tone made me anxious, and I braced for the worst. "But from what I can tell, I¡¯m out of commission for a few days. Full recovery will probably take several weeks." This wasn¡¯t surprising. Nothing shocking, considering the state he was in. But still, I had hoped for a miracle, that maybe things wouldn¡¯t be so bad. Sadly, no miracle came. "It¡¯s that serious?" "It feels like I¡¯ve got a fractured collarbone. Might be some damage to my right arm too. In any case, the data should already be collected, so I can confirm. LSS, status," he said at the end, and I was, to put it mildly, stunned. "Diagnostic results," came a monotonous, robotic voice from the capsule. "Overall condition: moderate. Body temperature: 37.6 degrees Celsius. Pulse: 120 beats per minute. Breathing¡­" The voice continued listing various stats while I listened, once again in a state of shock. Wait, is this another AI on the ship?! Seriously? Does he think I¡¯m an idiot or something? Meanwhile, the target of my anger and frustration continued to report. "Multiple contusions across the body. Procedures have been performed to alleviate pain symptoms. Procedures have been performed to accelerate the body''s recovery. For a detailed report, please submit an additional request. Closed fracture of the right clavicle. No displacements detected. The right limb has been immobilized. Painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs have been administered. For a detailed report, please submit an additional request. General recommendations: rest, balanced nutrition, daily re-diagnosis. End of primary report." The voice fell silent, and I tried to process what I¡¯d just heard. On the one hand, I felt sorry for Neight and didn¡¯t want to bother him in this condition, but on the other¡ªthis was the second AI on the ship, even though it had been claimed that humans had abandoned them. Or is this another exception? It didn¡¯t seem very convincing. I decided to cautiously broach the topic. "So it looks like we also have an AI for medical purposes? How convenient¡­" I tried to sound as casual as possible, though my voice was still hoarse. "No, LSS is not an artificial intelligence." What? But I just heard a voice from the capsule! "Do you know the difference between AI and other algorithms?" Neight asked calmly, as if reading my thoughts. "Weeell... I thought that all programs capable of speech were AIs. But now that you¡¯ve asked, I¡¯m not so sure anymore." "It¡¯s true that many AI systems support voice communication, but it¡¯s not a requirement. Likewise, programs that can speak aren¡¯t necessarily AIs." I¡¯m getting confused... "The key difference is the ability to learn and adapt," he continued. "Take LSS, the one you just heard. It only performs pre-programmed tests, following instructions exactly. No more, no less. Its voice is made up of pre-recorded phrases, and it can¡¯t generate new ones. Just regular algorithm execution. But if LSS were based on AI, I¡¯m sure it would perform much better." After his explanations, things seemed to make more sense, though I felt a bit embarrassed not knowing such basics, considering my parents were involved in the development of advanced AI. They practically lived for it, but even though I occasionally became an involuntary witness to their discussions, I never really delved into the details. However, it''s one thing for me, and quite another for Neight. He may have spent his whole life in a lab, but his level of knowledge was astounding for a test subject¡­ That was unsettling. "You seem to know quite a lot about this. And it sounds like you¡¯re willing to trust AI technology¡ªeven though it¡¯s the reason our home and future were destroyed¡­" "I wouldn¡¯t be so categorical¡­" "But didn¡¯t you say yourself that AI rebelled and started the war? I remember that too." "I only meant that AI, despite all its capabilities, is still a program created by humans. Humans made it that way." "You have a point, but just a few seconds ago, you said AI can learn and adapt. And in the end, it chose to destroy humanity. That was its choice," I pressed on, despite my sore throat. Whether it was the effect of the meds or the exhaustion from my injury, Neight was surprisingly talkative and less guarded with his words. I didn¡¯t want to waste the opportunity. "We can¡¯t say for sure whether the AI made that decision on its own or if someone gave it that command. But even if it did, I think it¡¯s foolish to completely abandon the technology because of one instance. It¡¯s not fair to paint them all with the same brush." "But where¡¯s the guarantee that other AI systems won¡¯t also rebel and turn against us?" "There are no guarantees.... Just like there¡¯s no guarantee that you won¡¯t take advantage of my weakness right now and kill me." His last statement left me confused and frozen in place. How did he even come to that conclusion? It was almost hurtful to think he believed I was capable of something like that. "You¡¯re really overdoing it... I-I wouldn¡¯t do that." "I¡¯m 99.9% sure of that too. But still... You¡¯re saying we shouldn¡¯t trust AI. You fear it, like most people. I understand that. But what scares me more is people, and what they¡¯re capable of." We both fell silent, each lost in our own thoughts. Maybe there was some truth to what he said, especially considering his past. Humans can indeed be cruel, even to each other, let alone other living beings. I even began to wonder if that might have been one of the reasons why the AI decided to rid the planet of us... But even so, I still wasn¡¯t ready to entrust my fate to that technology. "Evie," Neight carefully interrupted my thoughts, "do you still have some strength left?" "What for?" I asked warily. "Could you go to the control room and check the diagnostics results for the other systems? I can¡¯t leave the pod just yet." What a sly fox! He knows I can¡¯t refuse him while he¡¯s in this condition. "Yeah, sure. I¡¯ll go check now," I muttered, getting to my feet, even though I desperately wanted to rest a bit longer. "Thank you for helping me," I suddenly heard when I was already at the door, about to leave the lab. Neight¡¯s voice was soft, and the words of gratitude sounded sincere. It made me feel a little awkward. "What else could I do?" I mumbled in response and slipped out the door. Chapter 21: New Troubles The first thing I decided to do was to go to the cabin to grab my electronic notepad. There was no way I could remember all the readings from the sensors and pass that information to Neight, especially since I didn¡¯t even understand the meaning of all those terms. It would be better to write them down. Predictably, the cabin was a mess. Everything was scattered all over the place. A pillow was lying on the floor right by the entrance. The blanket had caught on the bunk, so it hadn¡¯t flown far and was just hanging over the edge. My other belongings were strewn everywhere. And in all this chaos, I had to find one poor little notepad. Let¡¯s just hope it didn¡¯t break. That would be a shame after all the notes I¡¯ve taken. I looked around, trying to spot the compact grey device. But while searching, another thought crossed my mind. Once I get the readings, I really need to clean this up. And I¡¯ll make Neight set up his bed on the lower bunk too... He¡¯s not sleeping in the lab anymore, and he¡¯d better not argue with me! What did the capsule say? He needs rest and proper conditions. I still felt guilty for not caring about the conditions he¡¯d been living in. It wasn¡¯t hard to guess that on such a small ship there¡¯d only be one cabin. And Neight was much better than me at surviving on this unknown planet. It seemed like I would¡¯ve been better off getting such a serious injury instead of him... That¡¯s unfair, right? He would¡¯ve handled it better¡­ I should be the one lying in that capsule right now. After searching through the stuff on the floor, I still couldn¡¯t find the notepad. There was only one place left to check. I got down on all fours, groaning and cursing as my legs ached, and peeked under the bunk. Of course, it¡¯s there. Lying right against the wall was my electronic notepad, apparently having rolled there during the shaking.
"And why doesn¡¯t this thing have a camera?" I grumbled while copying down the incomprehensible terms and numbers from the control panel screens. The only thing I understood for sure was that the diagnostics were complete and something was definitely broken. Well, Neight will deal with the consequences. I don¡¯t get any of this anyway. Having finished my mission, I hobbled back to the lab. As soon as I entered, Neight started bombarding me with questions. "So, what did the diagnostics show?" Still feeling awkward, I tried not to look in his direction, standing sideways to the capsule and staring at the notepad. As I read the data out loud, Neight listened silently until I got to the first failed test. "The ''NVS'' check failed with error 3004," I said. "That was expected, but it¡¯s not critical," Neight sighed. "What else?" I have no idea what any of this means. He could at least explain some of it¡­ Well, if he says it¡¯s not a big deal, I guess it¡¯s not. "All the other checks seem to have passed successfully, except for something called ''CCWSS.'' It also has errors, and a lot of them." "Now that¡¯s serious. That system is responsible for the ship¡¯s water supply¡­ We¡¯ve got a problem." "So, we¡¯re out of water?!" "We should have enough for a day or two, but after that¡­ We need to act quickly. I need to think¡­" Things just keep getting worse! That news didn¡¯t make me feel any better. We won¡¯t last long without water, and Neight is seriously injured and can¡¯t do anything. Panic started creeping in as I ran through every possible option in my mind. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "M-maybe I can fix the system somehow, if you tell me what to do?" "I¡¯m afraid you overestimate my knowledge. I don¡¯t know all the details of how the ship works either, and I don¡¯t even know where to start. We¡¯d just waste time and might make things worse," he concluded. "T-then there¡¯s only one option left. We need to find a water source outside." "I¡¯m not in the condition to go¡­" "I¡¯ll go," I interrupted him firmly. "No way!" Neight snapped. "That¡¯s way too dangerous." Pfft! Here he goes again, being stubborn! "We don¡¯t have another choice. You¡¯re right, you can¡¯t go right now, but I can. I¡¯m in pretty decent shape. Plus, there was just a heavy rainstorm, and it¡¯s still raining outside. If the water¡¯s drinkable, this is our chance to at least replenish the supplies a little! I won¡¯t even have to go far," I argued, trying to reason with him. "No. It¡¯s too dangerous out there for someone unprepared. Especially now, we¡¯re in a new area, and the animals here might not fear us yet. It would only take a couple of minutes for them to finish you off." I understood his concerns, but the situation demanded we take risks. "And still, it¡¯s our only option," I concluded. "I have to do something, or we might die! Or do you have a better idea?" "I¡¯m not granting you access outside, and that¡¯s final," he stated firmly, his tone commanding. What the hell?! Why is he being so stubborn? He¡¯s supposed to be rational, but he¡¯s acting like this¡­ Does he not trust me at all? "Fine," I said, offended. "If that¡¯s how it is, I¡¯ll find a way out myself! I have access to the main control panel now. I¡¯m sure I can figure out how to give myself all the necessary permissions. And, by the way, you won¡¯t be able to stop me!" Fuming with anger, I turned sharply toward the exit and was about to leave when I suddenly heard: "Wait!" His voice trembled, sounding scared. It seemed like he didn¡¯t expect me to take such drastic measures. I paused and was about to turn back to him, but I stopped myself just in time. "You win¡­" he continued, clearly subdued. "But I have just one request." "And what¡¯s that?" "Wait at least half a day¡­ I¡¯ll be able to recover a little, and I can teach you how to use a weapon. It might come in handy when you go¡­" On one hand, I felt triumphant that I had won the argument, but on the other, the upcoming mission still terrified me. Neight was right that the area was unfamiliar to us, and who knew what was waiting out there beyond the ship. But there was no turning back. I had made up my mind¡ªI had to act. "All right. I agree to your terms." I didn¡¯t refuse Neight¡¯s offer. I figured he wouldn¡¯t go for any other option, and I wasn¡¯t particularly eager to mess around with the control panel. Who knows what I might¡¯ve broken if I pushed the wrong buttons. Plus, it would give me a chance to recover a little myself. Like it or not, my body was still aching. And so, we reached a compromise. "By the way," I said confidently, still feeling like I had the upper hand in this situation, "from now on, you¡¯re sleeping in the cabin too. No objections." In response, I only heard a frustrated sigh. Surprisingly, Neight didn¡¯t argue with me. Maybe he was completely exhausted or perhaps he realized he couldn¡¯t convince me right now.
Grabbing the bedding scattered on the floor, I headed to the cabin. The chaos of thrown-around belongings still reigned there. Despite the annoying mess, I decided to leave the cleaning for later. Right now, I only wanted one thing¡ªto crash onto the bed and rest, which is exactly what I did. There were about two hours left before the alarm. Neight was still recovering in the capsule, so I spent the last night in the cabin alone. My whole body felt exhausted, but I couldn¡¯t fall asleep. Too many factors were at play, from the physical pain to the overwhelming sense of responsibility that had fallen on my shoulders. And I couldn¡¯t figure out which was worse. At one point, I even thought maybe I should¡¯ve listened to Neight and used the capsule to ease my condition. But the moment I remembered being put into it on my last day on Earth, a crushing wave of fear hit me, making me break out in a sweat. Maybe rationally, I understood that this was a completely different situation, under different conditions, and that I¡¯d feel better if I could just shake off this entirely irrational fear. But emotionally, I just wasn¡¯t ready for that. On top of everything, my mind was racing with thoughts about what had happened and what might still be awaiting us. The future looked uncertain and unclear. It felt like just when I had started to adapt to these new realities¡ªsurviving on an unknown planet with an unfamiliar person¡ªthis stupid storm had to happen... All I could do was hope that we¡¯d get through it and somehow move forward... A flood of unconscious thoughts washed over me, slowly dissolving into the silence and darkness, letting me relax and slowly drift into sleep. But a moment later, the annoying beeping sounded, signaling the start of a new half of the day. "Aaagghrr! I hate this alarm! I wish it had broken instead of that water supply system!" I growled in frustration, covering my face with my hands. But despite the urge to just give up, I gathered my willpower and got up to prepare breakfast. After all, there was no one else who could do it right now. Chapter 22: Guilt In my exhausted state, I yawned deeply, finally finishing making breakfast. Everything was pretty standard: mashed greenvegs and a little bit of softberry jam made from blue berries, which I hoped would lift Neight¡¯s spirits. No matter how much he tried to deny it, I was sure he loved it. Could tell just by looking at his face... What made me a little happier was that the kitchen was still in order, even after that crazy flight. Not surprising, considering everything that could possibly be screwed down was attached to the floor and walls. And we always kept the kitchen spotless, never leaving anything out of place. The same couldn¡¯t be said for the storage room, though. It was a complete... nightmare. All the fruit we had gathered and hadn¡¯t processed the day before was scattered and smeared everywhere. Just thinking about cleaning it up made me cringe. I could already imagine scrubbing the floors, walls, and cabinets... Ugh... Just horrible! And meanwhile, Neight will just be lying there, resting... Not that I¡¯m jealous, but it¡¯s still kind of unfair¡­ Just a little. Mulling over the unfairness of life, I grabbed the plates of food and hesitated for a moment. Maybe I should take this to Neight in the lab? He should be able to eat by now, right? I can check on him at the same time. Hopefully, I won¡¯t bother him. But before I could move, I heard slow, approaching footsteps, and then the door swung open to reveal Neight. When I saw him, I nearly dropped the plates in surprise. He was only half-dressed in his suit, with the sleeves loosely tied below his waist to keep the upper part from flapping around. His right arm was bent and pressed to his body, held in place by a plastic cast that looked like a big white mesh. Dark circles stood out under his amber eyes, and overall, he looked far from great. But despite all that, his gaze was clear. "Hey, w-what are you doing here?" I asked, worried. "It''s breakfast time," he replied briefly in a weak voice, heading toward the table. I was kind of at a loss. "Yeah, but you should be resting... If your treatment in the capsule is over, you should¡¯ve gone to the cabin. I would¡¯ve brought you something to eat." I tried to sound as gentle as possible because I was really worried about him. It hurt to see him like that. Was it really so important for him to seem strong? Was he really willing to endure pain just to avoid showing weakness? I couldn¡¯t quite understand what he was thinking at that moment. "My condition isn¡¯t that bad," he said as he carefully sat down at the table. I was about to argue, but I didn¡¯t get the chance. He glanced at the plates I was holding, and his eyes lit up. "Is that jam?" He¡¯s so strange sometimes. I smiled and just nodded, placing the plates in front of him. "Enjoy your meal."
"We need to discuss our plans for today." When Neight said that with all seriousness, I nearly choked. Is he seriously still trying to stick to the schedule?! Though, why am I even surprised? I bet even on his deathbed, he¡¯d still try to follow his routine... "There¡¯s nothing to discuss. Your plans for today and the near future should be only treatment and rest. End of story," I said as firmly as I could, hoping he wouldn¡¯t argue with me. But judging by his calm reaction, he didn¡¯t intend to. "I¡¯m all sorted out, you¡¯re right. But what about you?" "What about me? I just wanted to clean up a little, that¡¯s all. I need rest too." "Don¡¯t waste your energy and resources on cleaning. No need to wash the dishes either¡ªsave water for now." Reasonable. And I didn¡¯t even think about that¡­ I must look so dumb, I scolded myself. "So, you¡¯re saying I shouldn¡¯t do anything today either? Besides cooking, of course?" "Exactly. You don¡¯t look great, so just rest up before tomorrow¡¯s mission." It was kind of upsetting to hear that. But what annoyed me even more was that, once again, he was right. I barely slept after the catastrophe, and my whole body ached as if I had spent all of yesterday hauling sacks of bricks. "By the way, you still haven¡¯t used the capsule, have you?" he suddenly asked, making me flinch yet again. "No," I mumbled quietly, like a child caught misbehaving. "You should have. You¡¯d feel a lot better by now¡­" "I feel fine!" I interrupted him immediately. Of course, it was a blatant lie, just to shut down the conversation. Naturally, I felt ashamed. But I just couldn¡¯t force myself to get into that capsule. I just couldn¡¯t. "And honestly, nothing really hurts. I¡¯ll heal fast on my own, you¡¯ll see!" The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Neight looked at me in surprise. It seemed like he had completely seen through me, but he didn¡¯t press any further. "As you wish," he replied shortly, making me feel a small wave of relief. "I¡¯m going to the cabin. Thanks for the food."
After all the previous days, it felt so strange to just lie down and do nothing. There was nowhere I needed to go, no endless prepping to do, not even any cleaning required for the moment. But what was even stranger was that I wasn¡¯t alone in the cabin. I was resting on the top bunk since it would have been hard for Neight to climb up here for obvious reasons. Every now and then, I could hear him shifting below, likely trying to find a more comfortable position. Or maybe he was just in pain? For quite some time, we lay there in silence, not saying a word, which made me feel oddly uncomfortable. Honestly, it was probably the first time we were in such a relatively informal setting, not on a mission or doing some other task together. Usually, whenever we had free time, we¡¯d just go our separate ways: I¡¯d head to the cabin, and he... well, presumably to the lab... I still felt guilty. "Hey, Neight, are you asleep?" I whispered. There was a rustling sound from below. ¡°No.¡± His voice sounded relaxed, with no tension. It didn¡¯t have his usual coldness, his firmness. There was no commanding or dismissive tone. It was the voice of an ordinary, tired person. Just like me. "Do you want to discuss something?" he asked bluntly, immediately shattering the impression and atmosphere that had built up, leaving me momentarily at a loss. Incorrigible. "Not anything specific¡­ Just¡­ Well¡­" I was trying to find the right words, but I couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. All I needed to say was a simple word, but the most important one: "sorry." Why is that always so hard? And the longer I hesitated, the more I felt my cheeks burning. Finally, I took a deep breath to clear my mind and calm down. "S-sorry¡­ I was being selfish. I took up the whole cabin while you¡­ while you were stuck in less than ideal conditions¡­" "Evie, listen, you don¡¯t have anything to apologize for," he responded calmly and casually. "First of all, I was the one who suggested you stay in the cabin alone, remember? And second, maybe the lab isn¡¯t the most comfortable place for you, but it¡¯s not like that for me. We¡¯ve lived in completely different environments, so our sense of comfort is different too. Honestly, the lab walls are more familiar to me¡­" How is that even possible?! Did I make things worse by suggesting he move here? "So, does that mean you¡¯re uncomfortable here?" I asked, upset. "Unfamiliar is a more fitting word. But really, don¡¯t worry about it. I think I¡¯ll adapt quickly." So, he¡¯s really staying here? I didn¡¯t know how to react to his words anymore. Should I be happy that he¡¯d now live in better conditions, or upset because I¡¯d essentially forced it on him? Why is everything so complicated with him? "Listen, you knew¡ªor at least suspected¡ªthat I¡¯d be better off in the cabin. I mean, you must have some idea of how ordinary people lived outside of lab walls, right?" As I said this, I suddenly realized I might be asking uncomfortable questions and hurriedly added, "But if you don¡¯t want to answer, you don¡¯t have to." "Before the war on Earth, they ran a lot of tests on me and taught me many things, but my favorite subjects were history, psychology, and the everyday life of people," he began unexpectedly, clearly enjoying the memories. "They really told me a lot in broad strokes about how people lived outside, people like you, so I can roughly imagine what your life was like. Your family probably had a house or apartment where you all lived together. I bet you had your own personal space where you could rest. People your age usually went to school almost every day, where they could interact with each other and learn about the world, pretty much like I did in the lab. And so on." "Amazing! I know I¡¯ve asked you about this before, but I still can¡¯t wrap my head around it¡­ If you knew how people lived outside, didn¡¯t you ever want to live that kind of life too? You know, be free and choose your own future?" "No," he answered without hesitation. "Like I said before, I was satisfied with my life. And if I had the chance to return things to how they were, I would do so without a second thought." I still couldn¡¯t understand him. But there was one thing we had in common. I also wanted nothing more than to return to my old life, but I knew that was impossible. "So, you¡¯re saying you were happy back then?" Neight fell silent, likely deep in thought. "To be honest, I don''t quite understand what it means to be happy, so I find it hard to answer," he finally answered, a bit confused. So that''s what''s going on! His lack of emotion, restraint, and coldness... Maybe he just doesn''t understand how to express other emotions! All his life, he was a lab rat who only ever followed others'' orders and commands. But what about now? Is he acting of his own free will, or... And what was the purpose of all those experiments, anyway? "Maybe I''m going to ask you an uncomfortable question... Again, if you don''t want to answer, you don''t have to, but... Do you know why they kept you there? What was the ultimate goal?" Truth be told, I didn''t expect to get answers, but I had to ask. "I can only guess," he said quite calmly and measuredly, surprising me once again. Was this the effect of that anesthetic gas? I couldn''t find any other explanation for his talkativeness. "Most likely, so that in the future, I could perform work that other people didn''t want to or couldn''t do." Of course! They were 100% making a super-soldier out of him. It all adds up. I should probably be more cautious around him... Just in case. Despite my curiosity, I decided not to bother him with more questions. Moreover, I sensed fatigue in his voice. He spoke the last phrase so slowly and drawn out, as if he was about to fall asleep. Better let him rest.
Time drags on painfully slow when you have nothing to do. Throughout the day, I must have reread my notes in the notebook five times. There really wasn''t much to keep me occupied. A couple of times, I tried to chat with Neight on various topics, but he was no longer as talkative. It seemed to me that he was clearly not in the mood when he woke up at midday. Maybe he realized that he had said more than he should have? I hope he doesn''t think I deliberately took advantage of his weakness to extract secrets? And although I tried to find excuses for myself, perhaps there was some truth to that. Fortunately, this seemingly endless day came to an end. I was filled with nervous excitement about the upcoming mission tomorrow. After all, our lives depended on its outcome, so I couldn''t afford to fail. I can handle this... I''m sure I can! There''s simply no other way... Chapter 23: Night Secret Night is a mysterious time. Under its veil, things happen that are hidden from prying eyes. It¡¯s a time of secrets and mysteries. A time of wonders. For some, it shines with beautiful colors, lighting the way to their most cherished dreams with bright stars. For others, it turns into a curse, a darkness that destroys lives. Night is definitely the perfect time to get into trouble or to learn something you were never meant to know. I was woken up by the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway. Someone was slowly sneaking toward the cockpit, clearly trying to hide their presence. My pulse instantly quickened from the feeling of danger. Who¡¯s there? What are they doing here? Why are they heading to the cockpit? Do they want to harm us? Are they working for our enemies? Or what if... they want to kill us? Lowering my head to wake Neight, I was surprised to find that he wasn''t there. Why isn¡¯t he asleep? I thought irritably. In his condition, he should be resting, not wandering around the ship in the middle of the night. At least I was no longer afraid that someone had snuck onto the ship. Still, the situation seemed strange to me. He clearly tried not to wake me up. What secrets is he hiding? For a while, I hesitated, wondering if I should get up and see what Neight was up to. On one hand, I felt so lazy; it seemed like if I just closed my eyes, sleep would embrace me immediately. But on the other hand, curiosity was eating me alive. And what if I could learn something important? I¡¯ll just take a quick peek, I concluded as I climbed down. Besides, he might need my help.
To avoid drawing attention, I tried to sneak as quietly as possible. I was barefoot, which was uncomfortable due to the cold metal floor, but it was effective for stealth. Besides, after that storm when I had to rush around in nothing but a nightgown, this was nothing. Eventually, after descending the staircase, I reached the door leading to the cockpit, but I wasn¡¯t in a hurry to enter. There¡¯s no way to go in unnoticed here... Debating what to do next and whether this whole venture was even worth it, I pressed my ear against the door, hoping to catch any sounds from the other side. Silence. Even if something was going on inside, it was unlikely I¡¯d be able to hear it. What was I even expecting? Pulling back from the door, I began weighing the pros and cons. Maybe he just went to check the sensors himself or to run some new diagnostics? Knowing Neight and his obsession with control and tasks, I could expect that from him. Maybe it was bothering him so much that he simply couldn¡¯t sleep? It wouldn¡¯t be surprising. But what if there¡¯s more to his night escapade? What if right now, behind this door, he¡¯s using one of the control panel devices to communicate with someone? Someone potentially dangerous... Could he be carrying out orders for someone else, as a secret experimental supersoldier? If I acted carelessly, it could end badly for me. However, he''s made it clear more than once that I¡¯m useful to him for something. And right now, he¡¯s in a vulnerable position... No, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll harm me. At least, I hope not... Gathering my thoughts and preparing to hear Neight''s objections, I placed my hand on the control panel to open the door. A short beep followed, signaling a successful scan and access granted. The door slid open. The first thing that struck me was the darkness. Only small green and red lights on the devices were glowing, and the only somewhat decent source of light came from a dim monitor on the control panel in the center, partially obscured by the back of the main chair. It was obvious who was sitting there. Neight didn¡¯t turn toward me, didn¡¯t say a word, didn¡¯t make any sign. He didn¡¯t react at all, as if he hadn¡¯t noticed me. Or maybe he really didn¡¯t? I stood there in the doorway, confused, but decided to get his attention anyway. "Hey," I said hesitantly, almost whispering, "what are you doing here?" There was no response. The only sound was the rapid clicking of keys, echoing across the room. The silence from Neight made me feel increasingly uneasy. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Maybe he didn¡¯t hear me? "Neight, I-I woke up and noticed you weren¡¯t in the cabin..." I said, a bit louder this time, slowly approaching him. "Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I just started worrying and decided to check. After all, you know... you''re not exactly in the best shape right now..." By this point, I had come close enough to hear him muttering something quickly under his breath: "69 66 20 28 43 6F 6D 6D 61 6E 64 54 79 70 65..." Hearing him rattling off random numbers and letters made a chill run down my spine. What the hell does that mean?! "44 65 73 74 72 6F 79 48 75 6D 61 6E 69 74 79..." "Hey, Neight..." I got right up to him and saw his face, illuminated by the cold, dim light of the screen, completely devoid of any emotion. His lifeless gaze seemed to be staring into nothingness. It was like he wasn¡¯t seeing or hearing anything in front of him, entirely consumed by his task. His left hand was rapidly typing out what he was muttering, as if hypnotized. "72 65 74 75 72 6E 20 66 61 6C 73 65..." "Hey! What are you doing?!" I shouted, now genuinely scared, but there was still no response. Waving my hands right in front of his face, I realized it was useless. Panic started to overtake me as a tremor ran through my body. What¡¯s happening?! What should I do?! Should I shake him to snap him out of it? But he¡¯s injured, and I might hurt him... What if he¡¯s entering some kind of detonation code and is about to blow the ship to hell?! No, I have to do something! "Neight, snap out of it!" I screamed in a panic and slapped him hard, the sound echoing through the cockpit. Neight, who had been mindlessly typing, finally stopped. His gaze cleared, and he looked at me, bewildered, as if not fully understanding what had just happened. "Evie? What are you doing here?" he asked in a frightened voice, rubbing his cheek where the slap had landed. "I should be the one asking you that! What the hell are you doing here, and what was that just now?!" As I shouted those words in a burst of emotion, my lips trembled treacherously. I still hadn¡¯t calmed down, and I was shaking all over from the fear I had just experienced. Meanwhile, Neight seemed to have fully come to his senses. Frowning and closing his eyes, he let out a long sigh, as if pondering how to answer me. But I was running out of patience. "Fine, I suppose there¡¯s no other choice," he began reluctantly, with a tone that made it seem like I was somehow to blame for this entire situation. "You see, there is certain data in my memory that might be useful for... hmm... intercepting control of some devices. And for a while now, I''ve been trying to transfer it to an external storage while I still have the chance. That¡¯s all." What the... Intercept? What devices? This is getting real intense... "And you couldn¡¯t have given me some kind of warning? Maybe something like, ''Hey, Evie, I¡¯m working on something super important right now, but while I do it, I might look like a zombified maniac. Don¡¯t freak out, it''s fine...'' I almost dropped dead back there! Do you even realize how it looked from my side?!" "I¡¯m sorry..." he said apologetically, turning his gaze away. "It wasn¡¯t my plan for you to find out about this." "Oh, wow, great plan! I suppose there¡¯s more you''re not planning to tell me? Could you kindly list everything I shouldn¡¯t do to avoid breaking your plans and stumbling upon something else equally ''unimportant'' in your opinion?" "I just didn¡¯t want to overload you with information that¡¯s not useful to you..." Neight muttered, pulling a dissatisfied face, but I wasn¡¯t interested in listening any longer. "Fantastic... So now you¡¯re the one deciding what people should or shouldn¡¯t know." "Yes, because I have more expertise and I¡¯m responsible for our lives." He said those words so sharply and firmly, clearly trying to put me in my place. His arrogance filled me with anger and resentment. Of course, he was right that he understood the situation better than I did and had more survival skills, but did he really think so little of me? "So you don¡¯t trust me at all? You think I¡¯m not worthy?" "That¡¯s not what I meant..." His voice softened slightly, but I couldn¡¯t stop. "Useless..." "Evie, you¡¯re overreacting. I don¡¯t think that way at all." "A fool you can deceive! Someone who, in your opinion, wouldn¡¯t notice you sneaking out in the middle of the night..." "Evie, please... I don¡¯t think you''re stupid. It¡¯s just that usually, you¡¯re a deep sleeper, and I..." "What do you mean ''usually''?!" I completely lost control of my emotions. I raised my hand to slap him again, but I stopped at the last second when I saw him flinch and brace himself to take the hit without resistance. I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks. "You... Go to hell!" I spat through gritted teeth and stormed out of the control room.
I sobbed into my pillow, completely alone in the cabin. Neight still hadn¡¯t returned, which was honestly for the best. I didn¡¯t want to see or hear him. I was incredibly mad at him, but I was also mad at myself. I guess I really am a fool... But it wasn¡¯t just today¡¯s incident that was tormenting me. I kept thinking about my parents and those days in the bunker when I would secretly sneak out of my room at night. I was just like him... Thinking I was so clever... And they knew... They definitely knew about my secret escapades, but they just played along, humoring my teenage foolishness... How naive I was! Mom... Dad... I miss you so much... At some point, exhausted by my emotions, I stared blankly at the wall, unable to think anymore. Only the sound of the light rain tapping on the ship¡¯s hull broke the silence. That night, Neight never returned to the cabin. Chapter 24: Give Me a Chance And now, how do I get out of this mess? The hateful alarm rang, and I had barely slept. Naturally, I wasn¡¯t feeling my best. I felt terrible both mentally and physically, and there was an important mission planned for today. Although, I feared it might not happen at all anymore. I wonder, is Neight really mad? Maybe I overdid it a little yesterday and acted, to put it mildly, inappropriately... But he¡¯s no better! Secretly dealing with all sorts of things, and now I¡¯m the one at fault for accidentally noticing. Ridiculous! Though I felt like he was just as guilty, I couldn¡¯t deny that I had lashed out at him. I was terrified to look him in the eyes and see his cold, angry gaze. And just when I thought I was finally starting to understand him, even if just a little. But look how it turned out. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have followed him at night... I scolded myself. But then again, how was I supposed to know he wasn¡¯t up to something dangerous? I remembered my accusations about trust. But maybe the problem was that I couldn¡¯t trust him either?.. Still, there was one thing I felt most ashamed of. Damn it, I really almost hit him... Raised my hand against a sick person... These thoughts made me want to sink through the floor. After that, he definitely won¡¯t let me hold a weapon. I wouldn¡¯t let myself if I were in his place. It seemed I could lie there forever, wallowing in self-reproach, but I still had some sense of responsibility left. Breakfast wasn¡¯t going to make itself, and I didn¡¯t want to show Neight that I was completely unreliable. Reluctantly, I crawled out of my bunk, fighting the urge to just give up, and started getting ready. I¡¯ll have to apologize to him. Again...
When Neight, as usual, walked into the kitchen right on schedule, I involuntarily flinched but didn¡¯t look in his direction. I was incredibly nervous, though I knew that sooner or later we¡¯d have to cross paths. "Good morning. I see you made breakfast." His voice was calm and almost completely devoid of emotion, confirming my worst fears. "Yeah, good morning," I replied just as coldly, despite my plans to be more friendly and try to smooth things over. It just came out that way. Reflexively. And that only made me angrier at myself. I heard his footsteps as he went to sit at the table, and I finally looked at him. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t look too bad. Better than yesterday. His face wasn¡¯t as pale, and the bags under his eyes were gone. And while his right arm was still immobilized, overall, he seemed much more energetic. Apparently, unlike me, he had gotten a good night¡¯s sleep. Or was it the capsule? He clearly spent the night in the lab again... What worried me, though, was his tense, unnatural smile. It was exactly like the one he had in the early days, right after I had first woken up here. This is bad. He¡¯s definitely holding a deep grudge against me. "Enjoy your meal." We started eating, but neither of us spoke. I glanced at him from time to time to gauge the situation and find the right moment, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to start. Neight didn¡¯t look at me even once. It seemed like he didn¡¯t want to talk. But things couldn¡¯t go on like this¡­ "Neight, I¡­" "About today''s plans," he said sternly. "I think we need to reconsider them." His words hit me like a bolt of lightning. I felt a pulse course through my entire body. Fear. The way he spoke, his tone, his intonation¡ªit made it clear that the decision had already been made. And it wasn¡¯t in my favor. Besides, he hadn¡¯t even looked at me, which was another bad sign. I¡¯d even call it terrible. "But what about¡­" "Let me finish." He finally lifted his gaze to me, and I felt an incredible pressure. His face was devoid of any smile, and his furrowed brows gave him a severe look. It felt like the scales of control and power had tipped entirely back in his favor. A sense of dread made my breath catch. All I could do was listen in silence. "Looking at your current condition, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re ready for the mission we discussed." "But¡­" "Please don¡¯t interrupt. Maybe you''re wondering what options we have left? Yes, we¡¯re in a dire situation. Fortunately, I had time to think of an alternative plan." Each new word hit me harder. Why did I have the feeling that I wouldn¡¯t like his plan at all? "The LSS is fully functional, and the ship has enough resources for temporary hibernation¡­" "No¡­" I managed to choke out with trembling lips, completely shocked by what I¡¯d just heard. My whole body started shaking from the overwhelming sense of indescribable terror. I was ready to fall to my knees and beg him not to go through with this plan. Anything but that. Please¡­ I was terrified. Images of the cryo-capsule and people in white lab coats flashed before my eyes. I pictured the hiss of the gas filling the chamber, surrounding me, clouding my mind, and slowly submerging me into an endless, boundless, impenetrable darkness. The thought that this darkness could stay with me forever, that I might never wake up again, consumed my mind. "I understand you don¡¯t like it, but we have no other options." Neight was unyielding. I had been right to think he¡¯d already made up his mind. And now, as he was feeling better and I was weakened from two almost sleepless nights and still suffering from pain, I no longer had the strength to oppose him. What if he never intended to stick to my plan in the first place? Dark thoughts crept in¡ªwhat if the only reason he¡¯d agreed with me was to buy time? Now that he was back on his feet, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he took away my access to the main control panels. The time when the advantage had been on my side was gone. I had been completely outplayed. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Checkmate, Emma¡­ But I wasn¡¯t ready to give up just yet. No matter what, I had to find a way out of this. I couldn¡¯t let him put me to sleep. No, I couldn¡¯t allow it. "Neight, give me a chance! Please! If you''re mad at me because of what happened last night, then I..." "It¡¯s not about that," he said firmly. "As I¡¯ve already said, you''re not ready, neither mentally nor physically. If only you could see yourself. Pale, exhausted, and worn out. Sometimes it seems like you''re barely standing and could collapse at any moment. Even I have a better chance of success, and I can¡¯t even hold a weapon right now." He was scolding me like a parent reprimands a disobedient child. His words were unyielding, no matter how much I tried to appeal to his sympathy. "You didn''t think this was going to be a walk in the park, did you? No, even just taking a water sample is only the first and easiest step. If it turns out that the water is drinkable¡ªwhich, by the way, isn¡¯t guaranteed¡ªthen we¡¯ll need to gather it in large quantities. That means hauling water containers, and we¡¯ll be lucky if the rain lasts long enough to fill them. Otherwise, we¡¯ll have to search for places where the water has pooled and collect it by hand. Oh, and by the way, all this has to be done by the end of the current full day, because if not, we won¡¯t even be able to go into hibernation later. No, there are already too many risk factors. And I¡¯m not willing to gamble with our lives." As I listened to his reasoning, the taste of defeat grew stronger. Hope became more and more elusive with each word he spoke. But the saddest and most frustrating part was that what he said made sense. I was already starting to lose faith in myself and was almost ready to give up, but a voice inside me said: No, Emma, don¡¯t you dare give up! You have to fight until the end! Otherwise, who knows, will you ever wake up again? Will you ever see your parents, your friends, again? "You''re right..." I began, catching my breath and gathering my thoughts. "As always, you''re absolutely right. But please, at least let me take a water sample. Even if nothing works out now, this knowledge will come in handy later." As I said this, I was mostly grasping at straws. After all, if I succeeded, if it worked out, I might be able to persuade Neight. At the very least, I could buy time and maybe think of something. I looked into his eyes, trying to show him just how serious I was. Come on, agree. It costs nothing. Even in my pitiful state, I can handle it, and you know it. "I''m sorry, but I don¡¯t see the point in wasting time and energy on this," he replied, but I could hear his voice soften a little. Maybe my desperate attempts to delay the inevitable had sparked a bit of pity in him. "Besides, knowing you, I¡¯m afraid you might act impulsively, stray from the plan. That could lead to irreversible consequences, and I wouldn¡¯t be able to help you." This is the end... Despair washed over me. I understood that convincing him was practically impossible. But there was still one plan left in my head. A plan I didn¡¯t even like. One that, under other circumstances, I would never agree to. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I tried my best to hold them back. Because if I cried, it would be an absolute failure and his undeniable victory. "Yes... And once again, you¡¯re right... But can I ask just one question?" I whispered, almost submissively. At that moment, his stern look softened, becoming more sympathetic. He nodded in approval. "If... If right now I weren¡¯t so weak... If my condition allowed it, would you agree to my plan?" I froze, waiting for his answer, too scared to move. Time seemed to either stop or flow so slowly that its passage couldn¡¯t be perceived. The air was heavy with silence. I noticed the astonishment on Neight¡¯s face¡ªhe clearly hadn¡¯t expected that question. Why are you silent? I thought anxiously. His silence was worse than any words. It tormented me, tearing me apart. If you refuse to answer now, it means you never intended to listen to me. It means you never took my plan seriously in the first place; you just used this opportunity to recover and then regain full control and power. But if¡­ If you say you were truly sincere when you agreed with me, that you genuinely planned to follow my idea, and only decided to change course because of the current circumstances, then¡­ then I¡¯ll still have hope. A tiny hope, but it will remain. Finally, he let out a weary sigh, squinting in dissatisfaction as if realizing that his answer would determine a great deal. From his expression, I could almost imagine what he was thinking at that moment. Why is it so hard with you? No, not even that. Why do you stubbornly persist in these desperate, yet pointless attempts? Why don¡¯t you just give up? "Yes," he finally forced out. "Yes, it¡¯s possible your plan might have worked." There it is! A glimmer of hope! Not all is lost. There''s still a chance. Deep inside, I was already celebrating this small victory, though it was only a tiny, minuscule step that could potentially lead to salvation. And Neight, it seemed, noticed my internal triumph, which is why he added: "But we could discuss at length what might have happened under different circumstances. Unfortunately, it doesn¡¯t change what we¡¯re facing right now. The fact is, neither of us is in a condition to handle this mission." I knew he would say something like that. It was predictable, so, in a way, I was ready for it. "Right, that''s true. But tell me, if I..." Oh God! I can''t believe I¡¯m saying this! In any other situation, I would never suggest it, but there¡¯s just no choice left... "If I use the capsule and the LSS, will I be able to recover at least a little by the end of this half of the day?" Saying that felt particularly difficult, as though someone was forcing me to speak against my will. And yet I did it. I offered to get into that damn capsule myself, even though I would¡¯ve had to do it anyway under Neight¡¯s plan, which I didn¡¯t like at all. In the meantime, Neight looked at me with slight disbelief. But I was 100% sure he already understood where I was leading. He furrowed his brow again and thought for a moment. "You know, it¡¯s quite possible. Most likely, you could recover fairly well faster since your condition overall isn''t that critical. A good rest and therapy could get you back on your feet rather quickly..." At that moment, Neight abruptly stopped, as if realizing that he was beginning to seriously consider this scenario, and so he switched to a more serious and strict tone. "But that doesn''t cancel out the other risks I mentioned to you. My plan is more reliable, and so..." "Neight, please!" I interrupted him, jumping up from the table and leaning on it with both hands. I looked straight into Neight¡¯s eyes, trying to remain firm and confident to convince him. "Let¡¯s try it, okay? We could benefit from this. First of all, I¡¯ll be able to recover and feel better..." "You''ll recover while you''re in hibernation anyway..." he objected, but I wasn¡¯t about to stop, pretending not to hear. "Secondly, as I¡¯ve already said, we can check the composition of the rainwater now while we have a good opportunity. Who knows what will happen when we wake up? And if it turns out the water isn¡¯t drinkable or some other risk comes up, we¡¯ll go with your plan. So, what do you say?" I continued to stare at him intently and noticed doubt in his eyes. That was already a good sign. It meant he hadn¡¯t immediately rejected my proposal. Please, just agree. I¡¯m even ready to voluntarily get into that damn capsule. You literally just said you¡¯d consider my plan if I were feeling better, so what''s the problem? You¡¯re not backing out now, are you? Believe in me! Finally, Neight let out a heavy sigh, and I already knew what that meant¡ªit was my victory, and I rejoiced inside. "Alright. You win." Yes! "But I have conditions," he said seriously. "You will strictly follow the plan, which we will, of course, discuss in detail before you head out. No. Any. Deviations. And if at any moment we realize something is going wrong, we¡¯ll immediately switch to my more reliable plan." "Agreed!" I exclaimed without hesitation or second thoughts. There was no way I could let this chance slip away. Nevertheless, it was clear that Neight was displeased. Perhaps he only agreed because I had cornered him? He couldn''t refuse without going back on his word, which clearly didn¡¯t align with his principles. At least, that¡¯s how it seemed to me. "Fine. In that case, you¡¯d better hurry. If you don¡¯t manage to recover by lunch, the plan is off," he stated firmly, putting an end to the discussion. And just like that, my burst of positivity quickly faded as I realized what I had just signed up for. Chapter 25: Recovery The fateful moment had come when I had to carry out my own proposal. I stood alone in the lab, staring with disgust at the capsule I despised¡ªthe only option left for my salvation. And though there was no time to waste, I couldn¡¯t force myself to climb into it. The very thought sent shivers down my spine, like someone scraping a nail across glass, producing an awful, ear-piercing screech. I knew what I was signing up for. I knew. But I can¡¯t¡­ Turning away from the object of my inner torment and anguish, I curled up and closed my eyes. My anxiety made me feel feverish. What else is there to do? It¡¯s inevitable. One way or another, I¡¯ll have to get in. Or what? Is death really the better option? No¡­ Spinning around abruptly, I approached the capsule again, attempting to overcome my fear. My pale and exhausted face reflected faintly in the transparent lid. My green eyes, with dark circles beneath them from lack of sleep, had dulled with despair. The slightly grown-out chestnut hair, now resembling more of a brush, was beginning to cover the scalp where I had once been bald¡ªsomething I had loathed. And though I had started to get used to it, I still hated looking at myself. With trembling hands, I reached for the lid but immediately pulled them back, as if I had touched something scorching hot. Ugh, I still can¡¯t do it¡­ What if Neight puts me into cryosleep while I¡¯m in the capsule? I¡¯ll be completely helpless! What if he only agreed just to trap me into getting inside without a fight? What if I¡¯ve just walked into my own trap? Realizing that I might have made the biggest mistake imaginable, I grabbed my head, trying to calm myself and chase away the bad thoughts. I¡¯m doubting him again¡­ I don¡¯t trust him myself¡­ Yes, he¡¯s strange and keeps his secrets, but I¡¯m no better. I even introduced myself under a false name¡­ Still, he¡¯s been taking care of me in his own way and trying to help. He hasn¡¯t done anything bad to me, at least not intentionally¡­ I think¡­ Maybe I should try trusting him? Closing my eyes again, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs as much as I could, and held it in. Surrounded by darkness, I tried not to think about anything anymore. My rapid pulse, which made my whole body tremble, began to slow down slightly. Then I exhaled. Damn it, here goes nothing! I thought, and quickly opened the capsule lid before I could change my mind. Squeezing my eyes shut, I climbed inside and lay down. If I could momentarily forget where I was, I¡¯d say it was rather comfortable. Not too hard, not too soft. Just right to lie down and rest. However, I knew perfectly well where I was, and that¡¯s why the trembling returned to my body. My breathing became erratic again. Even though I tried convincing myself that everything would be fine and nothing bad would happen, deep down I was terrified. I wanted to get out right then and never come back, but I knew that wasn¡¯t an option. It was clear that if I hesitated any longer, I would break down and give up, so I couldn¡¯t afford to delay any more. I have to do this. Taking a deep breath, as if it were the last breath of my life, I reached out with trembling hands to pull the lid down, and as it clicked shut, I heard a soft snap. That¡¯s it. No turning back now. The capsule vibrated slightly and began to hum, followed by a sharp hissing sound that hurt my ears. I saw a faint white mist drifting first near my head and then further, filling the entire space inside. It¡¯s gas! Suddenly, panic overwhelmed me, and I held my breath to avoid letting the foreign substance enter my body. Screw this, I¡¯ve changed my mind! Terrified, I began to thrash around inside, pressing on the lid in an attempt to open it and escape, but it wouldn¡¯t budge. No matter how much I pounded on it, hit it with my fists, or braced my feet against it, the capsule remained sealed, intact, and unyielding. Meanwhile, the mist around me grew thicker and thicker. I could barely make out the lab walls, the strange, mysterious equipment, or the familiar door leading to the already well-known ship corridor. No, no, nooo! My strength was running out, and I started to feel a sharp need for oxygen. I¡¯d reached my limit and couldn¡¯t hold my breath any longer. In the end, I gave in and took a breath, letting the white, semi-transparent gas fill my lungs. A bitter taste settled in my throat, and a ringing filled my ears. But those sensations quickly faded, along with my worries. My body became light, almost intangible. My mind emptied of all thoughts. My breathing was steady and calm. I wasn¡¯t afraid anymore. In fact, I didn¡¯t feel anything at all, just staring upwards at the ceiling, barely visible through the thickening mist. I lost track of time, unable to tell if five minutes or five hours had passed. At some point, my eyelids grew heavy, and my eyes closed.
There was only darkness. A void. So cold... So lonely... But then, amidst the silence and endless nothingness, a quiet voice emerged. At first, it was indistinct, like a whisper coming from somewhere far away, beyond everything, but gradually, it grew louder and clearer. The voice was soft, gentle, and painfully familiar. Who are you? The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The source seemed close now, so close that I could make out the smooth melody the voice was singing. So beautiful... The melody, like a flowing river, would rush and bubble, sparkling like a bright fountain, then gently fade and slow down, creating a sense of warmth, peace, and serenity. Again and again, the voice grew louder, quickened, and brightened with vivid colors, only to calm down and return to a soft flow. This repeated several times, but somewhere in the distance, another voice began to sound. It was muffled, as if behind a wall, and wasn¡¯t nearly as pleasant, though it was also familiar. Be silent. You''re disturbing me from listening to the beautiful melody! I thought angrily. However, the second voice continued to mutter in the distance. Stop it! But the second voice didn¡¯t stop, becoming louder and more persistent. And then, the sweet and gentle first voice, as if frightened, faded away and disappeared, leaving me alone in the darkness with the second. Look what you¡¯ve done! You scared it away! But the second voice didn¡¯t seem to feel the slightest bit of shame. It continued to speak insistently: "...ke... up... vie... up..." Ugh, you¡¯re so annoying. Either say what you want, or leave. I was feeling so good until you showed up. "Evie, wake up," the voice suddenly said clearly, as if it had finally listened to me. Bright beams of light pierced through the darkness, dispersing the surrounding void. The blurry, unclear surroundings before me began to take shape, and I made out the silhouette of a person standing nearby. "Finally, you¡¯re awake. You were sleeping so soundly, I almost felt bad waking you." Gradually, my vision returned to normal, and I clearly saw Neight¡¯s calm face, standing outside, on the other side of the transparent wall. In that moment, I remembered where I was. Yeah, I¡¯m in the capsule in the lab on that very ship. "How long have I slept?" I asked immediately, not fully awake yet but worried I had slept too long. "I don¡¯t know exactly when you fell asleep, so I can¡¯t say for sure. But no more than seven hours." Neight looked completely unbothered. As always, the picture of calm. Meanwhile, I tried to calculate what time it was in my head. Let¡¯s see... eight plus seven... So that means it¡¯s... around 3 PM?! "I missed lunch? That means the mission..." "We can allow a three-hour margin," Neight hurried to reassure me. It was quite unexpected that he¡¯d make a concession and deviate from his sacred schedule. But his words really did make me feel lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. "How are you feeling?" he added, his voice carrying a hint of concern. Was he actually worried about me? To my surprise, I felt pretty good, having gotten enough rest. On top of that, my body felt light, and the pain that had been bothering me since our rather rough landing seemed to have vanished altogether. Maybe I should¡¯ve listened to Neight right away and used the capsule instead of suffering. It hadn¡¯t turned out to be as scary as I¡¯d thought. "You know, not bad at all. I feel like I¡¯ve got enough energy now to handle any task." "Great," he said with a smile. As I finally woke up, I yawned sweetly and stretched reflexively. However, the moment I moved, it hit me like a lightning bolt¡ªthe awkwardness of the situation I was in. Wait a minute... I¡¯m lying here with no clothes on, and he¡¯s staring at me again! Pervert! My face flushed with embarrassment. I was sure it had turned as red as a tomato. Quickly covering everything I could with my hands, I immediately turned away from him. "Have you lost all sense of shame?! Why the hell are you staring at me? At least turn around!" Maybe it was because I felt so much better, or perhaps I still hadn¡¯t completely shaken off the effects of the gas, but I had completely forgotten to be careful. It was probably too risky to lash out at him like that, but at that moment, I was so overwhelmed by embarrassment and the feeling of being defenseless that I couldn¡¯t hold back my emotions. Behind me, I heard a chuckle, which only made my annoyance grow. "Looks like you really are feeling much better," he tried to remain serious, though his voice betrayed the fact that he was barely holding back laughter. "Sorry, I didn¡¯t even think I could make you uncomfortable in that way. I don¡¯t see what the big deal is... Alright, alright, I¡¯m not looking." I felt terribly awkward and even a little offended by his reaction. Once again, I was reminded of just how different our worlds were, how different our perceptions of the situation. Things that were commonplace for him were not so for me and vice versa. Still blushing, I cautiously peeked over my shoulder to check if he was really not looking anymore. Neight was standing with his back to me, which made me feel somewhat relieved. However, the tension still lingered. I would feel much better if I could get dressed. "Neight... could you leave, please? I need to..." "Evie," he suddenly said, switching back to a serious tone so abruptly that it startled me, "have you changed your mind yet?" The quick shift in tone and his question frightened me. "What do you mean?" I asked hesitantly. "You know what I mean. The risks are too great, and the chances of success are low. Besides, haven¡¯t you realized that being in the capsule isn¡¯t so bad? You won¡¯t even notice the time passing." "W-wait... you¡¯re not going to... right now..." The horror I was feeling made it impossible to finish my sentence. My breath caught in my throat. It felt like the walls of the capsule were closing in on me. There was a strong sense that I was trapped. "You''re mistaken. If I wanted to put you into hibernation against your will, I wouldn¡¯t have even bothered waking you up." His words were filled with seriousness. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t saying them to calm or support me. No, his words clearly indicated that he was aware of that option and hadn¡¯t taken it for reasons known only to him. A cold sweat broke out on my skin. "I haven¡¯t... I haven¡¯t changed my mind! I can handle it... I¡¯m sure I can! Just, please..." All I could do was wait for his verdict, as my fate at that moment depended entirely on his decision. "Alright. Let it be so," he said firmly. "I hope you remember what we agreed upon." "Yes... yes, I remember... No deviations from the plan... I remember..." I heard him sigh, whether in relief or disappointment, I couldn¡¯t tell, and he headed toward the exit. "I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the kitchen. Eat, and then we¡¯ll immediately begin your preparation." With that, he left the lab. I was still overwhelmed by the stress of our conversation. The only thing I understood was that I couldn¡¯t afford to waste any time. Time was a luxury I couldn¡¯t afford, and any delay on my part could give him a reason to call off the entire operation. It was already a miracle he hadn¡¯t canceled everything after I slept longer than we¡¯d agreed upon. Get it together, Emma! You have to endure! You must! With trembling hands, I pushed the lid of the capsule, and it immediately gave way, opening up and releasing me. There¡¯s no time to lose! Chapter 26: Preparation How damn good it felt to finally be free of pain. After all the suffering and torment, it was such a relief to feel healthy and full of energy again. As much as I disliked the capsule and the memories associated with it, I had to admit, it worked like magic, quickly getting me back on my feet. If only I didn¡¯t have the weight of responsibility on my shoulders... Neight allowed me to have lunch in peace, without any pressure from him, which deserved a thank you. I wasn¡¯t eager to start discussing the mission prematurely either, afraid of diving into conflict-ridden topics again. The upcoming mission, which might even lead to nothing, was stressing me out, and I felt like I could lose control of my emotions once more, so I didn¡¯t want to take the risk. Honestly, I even entertained the thought that, since I was feeling so much better, I could probably seize control of the ship... While Neight was still recovering, it might have been possible to overpower him. But what then? As appealing as thoughts of a coup and gaining control seemed, I quickly dismissed them, realizing that I lacked the necessary skills. And if the attempt failed... I didn¡¯t want Neight as an enemy. Still, the temptation was strong. At the very least, it felt like this was the only way I could avoid being put into hibernation. As I mulled this over, I popped the last spoonful of the greenveg puree, prepared by Neight for lunch, into my mouth. I had to admit, compared to his last attempt at cooking¡ªbefore I took over kitchen duties¡ªit was actually not bad. It seemed he had grasped the basics. Still, I cook better, I gloated to myself, smiling with satisfaction. "Are you done?" he asked calmly, interrupting my thoughts of superiority, and continued without waiting for an answer, "Let¡¯s go to the storage." Neight stood up from the table, and I followed suit. As soon as we stepped into the corridor, he began outlining his plan, walking toward the storage room: "We¡¯ll communicate through your helmet¡¯s headset. You won¡¯t be straying far from the ship, so the range should be sufficient. You¡¯ll report every step so I can make sure you¡¯re safe. Any objections?" Do I even have a choice? You¡¯d cancel the mission the moment I disagreed with your terms... "No, no objections." "Excellent." Although he was walking ahead, and I couldn¡¯t see his face, I was certain he wore his usual smug smile, just like he always did in moments like this. By this time, we were standing in front of the door to the storage. We entered without delay. While Neight walked over to the control panel and unlocked the restricted cabinet from section "G", he continued speaking: "I¡¯m going to give you a weapon and show you how to use it. As soon as the door opens when you go outside, you need to fire a shot straight ahead to scare off any creatures nearby. Ideally, that should be the only shot you need to fire. Got it?" "Understood," I confirmed obediently. There was a click from one of the long lockers in block "G," and then its door slowly slid open, revealing the contents inside. On the wall was the very weapon that Neight always took with him during our joint excursions. So that¡¯s what he meant by ¡®tools¡¯ back then. I should have guessed. "Take it," he commanded briefly, nodding toward the energy gun. At first, I was a bit confused, but I did as he asked. Removing the weapon from the mounts securing it to the back wall of the locker, I was surprised to find that it was heavier than I had expected. It was a strange feeling, holding something like this for the first time. From afar, it always looked like something straight out of a video game or a space adventure movie with shootouts. But now, feeling its weight, I realized I was holding something far from a toy. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. And how did he carry this around all the time? Along with all that other gear on his back... While I stared at the "tool" in confusion, pondering whether this mission might be harder than I thought, Neight approached me, apparently to give some instructions. "Look, on the right side, just above the trigger guard, there¡¯s a round button. It¡¯s lit red right now. That means the safety is on. To disengage it, you¡¯ll need to hold the button for two seconds. Once the light turns cyan, the weapon will be ready to use." "Okay, got it." Interesting. And he¡¯s not afraid to explain all this to me... Does he actually trust me, or is he just that sure I won¡¯t point this thing at him? "Also, there¡¯s an indicator on top, see it?" I looked where Neight pointed with his healthy left hand. It was a small, elongated rectangular display lit in cyan, divided into six equal sections. "It shows the current charge. You¡¯ve got six consecutive shots, but if you take short pauses between them, it can last longer. If you don¡¯t use up all the shots, one charge recharges in three seconds. If you deplete them all, it¡¯ll take ten seconds to recharge the first one. It¡¯s a long wait, so try not to use them all up... though I really hope you won¡¯t need any of this knowledge." "Got it. Don¡¯t use up all the charges. Understood." He looked at me approvingly, clearly pleased that I was listening attentively. Meanwhile, I could feel a headache creeping in, as if some part of my brain was overworked. My head¡¯s going to explode from all this information... "One more important thing¡ªyour stance and grip. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, turn your torso, and lean slightly forward. Imagine your target is in front of you and aim." I tried to follow his instructions, spreading my feet for better stability and turning slightly. So, he said to aim forward? Raising the weapon so that the sight was level with my eyes, I aimed directly at the center of the entrance door as a convenient reference point. In this position, the weight of the weapon felt even more pronounced. I felt like if I stood like this for too long, my arms would give out. "Press the stock firmly against your shoulder. That¡¯ll help soften the recoil when you fire." Not waiting for me to adjust on my own, Neight began correcting my stance. He grabbed my left shoulder and turned it a bit more. Then he pressed slightly on the gun to move it back, and I felt a bit of pressure where the stock met my shoulder. "Relax your arms a little." Then, from underneath, he nudged the barrel up to align the sight. Standing like this made it easier to hold the weapon. "When you fire, control your breathing. The shot should come just after you''ve exhaled but before you start inhaling again." Damn, it feels like I¡¯m being prepped for a battle, not just a trip to collect a water sample. Then again, maybe this knowledge will come in handy one day. "Try to remember how you¡¯re standing now. It¡¯s really important and will help prevent unnecessary injuries." "Will the recoil really be that strong?" I asked, a little apprehensively. "For you, it might feel quite strong, especially since you''re not used to it. And considering your weakened condition, even more so." "W-wait, but didn¡¯t I fully recover after the capsule? I feel great. Really, I do this time." "Undoubtedly, you''re feeling much better, but one session isn''t enough for a full recovery. You¡¯ll need at least a couple more days of therapy. Right now, you''re still under the influence of active substances that reduce pain and give you a boost, kind of like caffeine." Great¡­ So, it¡¯s just a temporary effect. And here I was hoping to forget about that capsule. But no, looks like I¡¯ll have to get back in it eventually. "How long will this effect last?" I asked, disappointed by this new information. "About four hours." "I see..." I muttered, letting out a sad sigh. Sure, it¡¯s not a lot of time, but hopefully it¡¯ll be enough for my mission. "Have you changed your mind yet?" he suddenly asked me, his voice once again dead serious. It seemed like he really wanted me to reconsider. "No, I haven¡¯t." Neight stared at me intently, as if trying to detect even a hint of doubt in my expression. But I made sure to stay confident. Even though I could feel the pressure from him, I wasn¡¯t about to give in. After seeing that I was serious, his gaze softened. "Alright. Then it¡¯s time for you to head out. But remember, you can back out at any moment." Like hell I will! Full of determination, I was ready to embark on my first solo expedition into the unknown, no matter what dangers awaited me there. Chapter 27: Mission "Water" I stood in the airlock, ready to begin my mission. Neight was on the other side of the door, seeing me off. He, like me, was wearing a helmet so we could communicate during the operation. But he still couldn¡¯t wear his suit properly because of the cast on his arm. "Repeat the plan one more time," his voice hissed through the helmet''s radio. God, his overprotectiveness is starting to get on my nerves. I¡¯m not a little kid that needs to hear the same thing ten times. Or who does he take me for? But I didn¡¯t argue. Deep down, I was glad he was feeling better. "As soon as the door opens, I take the shot. If everything goes well, I step out, collect the water sample, and come straight back." "Good. Proceed," he commanded. I approached the control panel and entered the commands as he dictated. Immediately, the door leading to the ship closed, and a familiar hissing sound filled the chamber. Alright, here we go! Despite the simplicity of this stage, I felt a slight tremor of nerves. I was worried because the area outside was unknown, unexplored, and I had no idea what might be waiting for me out there. The time had come. The hissing stopped, and the door to the outside creaked open. Instantly, the chamber filled with the sounds and smells of rain, so pleasant and calming. It almost felt like I was back on Earth; the sensations were so familiar and comforting. "I don¡¯t hear the shot," came a hiss from the helmet, killing my brief moment of peace. "I just... haven¡¯t done it yet¡­" I tried to explain, but was met with a disapproving sigh. "You had plenty of time to prepare. You could¡¯ve been ready," Neight continued to scold me. Tch... So picky. Now, how was I supposed to stand again? Feet shoulder-width apart, slight turn, and keep the stock pressed firmly. I took the stance, mentally double-checking everything. Then, I flipped off the safety and pulled the trigger. The barrel vibrated slightly, as if gathering energy, and then a powerful blast shot out with a piercing shriek. It surged forward like a lightning bolt, sparking and curving slightly until it struck a random tree in its path, snapping it in half with a deafening crack. The whole thing happened in an instant, over before I could even register what was going on. Only after a second did I realize what had just happened, staring ahead in stunned silence, my mouth hanging open. Just as Neight had warned, there was recoil, unpleasantly jarring my shoulder, and I almost lost my balance, nearly falling backward. What power! I thought to myself. My hands were still shaking after the shot, and my heart was racing. I had never used a weapon before, especially one like this. My eyes fell on the gauge showing the remaining charges. As expected, after the shot, there were only five left. But after a few seconds, the charge bar crept back up, refilling to full. Good. Looks like everything¡¯s working as it should. ¡°Evie, how are you? Everything alright?¡± came the hiss from my radio. Apparently, I¡¯d been so stunned by the shot that I completely forgot to report back to Neight. ¡°Y-yeah, I¡¯m fine,¡± I replied, though I noticed my voice was trembling. Damn! Get it together, Emma. You can¡¯t let him even think you were scared! "Hm... Got it. Assess the situation outside," he said. I started to carefully examine the surroundings beyond the door. Surprisingly, it was rather calm and quiet. There were no signs of animals nearby. Even after the shot, no bushes rustled, no wings flapped as frightened birds flew away, no squeals or cries of scared creatures were heard. Only the leaves of the plants, swaying from the raindrops, created some movement, but it was steady, calm, and pleasant to the eye. And why did Neight think that any wild animals would dare approach this huge, unknown mass that suddenly fell from the sky with an incredible crash? I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all terrified and won¡¯t come anywhere near this place, I thought, analyzing the scene. "All clear, no one outside," I reported. "Good. Collect the sample and come back right away." "Okay," I replied, trying to hide my irritation. By this point, my hands had almost stopped trembling, and I stepped outside. As soon as I crossed the threshold of the ship, raindrops began tapping against my helmet. There was something soothing in that sound, making me want to close my eyes and take a deep breath of the fresh, damp air. My suit was completely waterproof, so it kept me from getting wet and cold, eliminating all the things I disliked about rainy weather. I felt protected from the elements, staying warm and dry, which allowed me to fully enjoy the rain¡¯s melody. Yes, despite everything, I much preferred being outside in nature to being inside the ship¡¯s walls. However, as much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t forget about the mission. Otherwise, Neight would quickly remind me with his grumbling, which I really didn¡¯t feel like listening to. "I''m outside. All clear. Starting water collection," I reported. "Understood." I slung my weapon behind me, securing it in the holster attached to my suit, and felt it pull me backward, making me nearly lose my balance again. Regaining my footing, I pulled out a small metal flask attached to my belt, unscrewed the cap, and inserted a wide, collapsible funnel to help the water gather more quickly. It was amusing to watch how the raindrops, for a brief moment, seemed to bounce off the elastic surface of the funnel like tiny rubber balls before sliding inside. I still can''t get used to this. What an incredible place! If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Fascinated by the still-unfamiliar sight, I didn¡¯t notice how quickly time passed. Soon, the flask was half-full, which was more than enough for testing. "I''m done. Heading back to the ship." "Great. I''ll be waiting." Feeling both pride in my flawlessly executed first solo mission, however simple it may have been, and sadness that I had to return so quickly to the cold, lifeless metal walls of the ship, I climbed up the ramp and found myself back in the airlock. Neight greeted me, and I immediately handed him the flask with the water sample. "Are you going to wait here while I run the analysis, or would you rather come with me?" he suddenly asked. Wow, what a surprise. I actually get a choice! I thought with a mix of sarcasm and wonder. "I think I¡¯ll come along with you." I figured it was better to go with him and monitor the process to make sure he didn¡¯t tamper with the results. After all, I had a feeling he might be very interested in something "accidentally" going wrong so we could move on to his plan. Maybe it was just my paranoia and fear of being plunged into eternal sleep speaking, but I didn¡¯t want to take any chances. Especially since he offered himself. "Alright, let¡¯s go," he said calmly. He didn¡¯t seem worried. In fact, his tone made it sound like he didn¡¯t care either way. Or maybe he was just pretending. God, I¡¯m trying to see hidden motives in everything he does... Maybe I¡¯m overthinking it?
"I have good news," Neight announced, checking the data from the analyzer. "The local rainwater is drinkable. Of course, there are some impurities, but nothing critical." "Oh, that¡¯s great." To be honest, I was surprised that he took this information so positively. In general, it seemed like he was in quite a good mood. Moreover, what worried me was that during the entire time we sat in the kitchen waiting for the results, Neight didn¡¯t once try to talk me out of continuing the mission. I wondered what might have changed during my short absence, but I couldn¡¯t find an answer. "I see you¡¯re in a good mood..." I said cautiously. "Yes. Why wouldn¡¯t I be? Especially when everything is going according to plan," he replied as if nothing were amiss. Yeah¡­ Just not according to your plan. So why are you so pleased? "I¡¯m also glad everything¡¯s going well so far. It¡¯s just funny that this time you didn¡¯t even ask if I wanted to quit the mission," I added casually, trying to frame my words as a joke, even laughing a little for believability. Neight gave me a sly, fox-like smile, narrowing his eyes as he looked at me intently. "So, does that mean you¡¯ve changed your mind?" "No, no. Of course not," I blurted out immediately, fearing he had taken my words too seriously. "It was just a silly joke." Right, note to self: this guy has absolutely no sense of humor. "Got it. So, it¡¯s time to move on to the next stage, and actually the last one for today. Will you take the containers outside to fill them with water?" "Yes, will do!" "And don¡¯t forget to report on the situation."
After carrying the third and final container outside, I exhaled in relief. Once again, everything went surprisingly smoothly. At least for now, while the containers were completely empty, it was easy. It would be harder later, dragging them back in once they were filled with water. I wonder how long we¡¯ll have to wait? The rain continued to drizzle. Its drops drummed loudly against the bottoms of the containers I had set up, slowly forming a thin layer of water. Yeah¡­ They definitely won¡¯t be full by the end of this half of the day. So, my job for today is done. I raised my eyes to the sky and began to gaze at the slowly drifting dark clouds. I wanted to enjoy the fresh air just a bit longer before returning to the ship. It seemed like I could stand here forever, staring at the rainy sky. But then, my attention was drawn to a small break in the distance. Golden rays of sunlight were breaking through the dark clouds. In contrast to the rain, which brought coolness and freshness, these beams of light seemed to carry warmth and peace. At any other time, I would have admired the beautiful scene unfolding before me without hesitation, but not now. Not now, when we desperately needed the rain to last. What worried me the most was that, though slowly, at a tortoise¡¯s pace, this break in the clouds was getting closer and larger. Gradually, it dawned on me that my mission might be doomed to fail. What do we do now? The rain might stop much earlier than I expected¡­ And what if we don¡¯t even manage to fill the containers? My mood sank completely. And Neight won¡¯t let me go alone to search for other water sources¡­ I can imagine how happy he¡¯ll be that we¡¯ll have to use his plan... And then it hit me. That jerk! He knew all along! Now it makes sense why he had that smug look on his face! Everything inside me boiled and churned. I was filled with resentment and anger. How could he? He didn¡¯t even warn me! Did he just want to present me with the facts when nothing could be done? I could picture him fake delivering the bad news, pretending to be upset too. Well, no, I¡¯m not going to dance to your tune! While I fumed with rage, a brilliant plan formed in my head. Right now, I was outside, armed, and Neight was somewhere inside the ship. And what can he do to me in his current condition? And later, when I return, he¡¯ll even thank me¡­ And maybe he¡¯ll finally start considering my opinion. At the climax of my thoughts, right on time, the radio crackled. "Evie, is everything okay? You said you were done, but you haven¡¯t returned yet¡­" "Yes, everything¡¯s just perfect," I replied, feeling on top of the world. "But I¡¯m not coming back right now." There was a brief silence. I was willing to bet that my answer completely caught him off guard. "What do you mean?" Neight finally said. I had been expecting that question, and feeling a sense of euphoria from my incredible foresight, I promptly responded. "I¡¯m going to look for a permanent water source. You know, a river, lake, stream. The rain¡¯s about to stop, so we¡¯ll need to adjust the plan." "Wait, that wasn¡¯t the deal. It¡¯s too dangerous. You need to come back immediately." I could hear in his voice that he was holding back from shouting, trying to sound calm. But he didn¡¯t convince me one bit. "I¡¯ve already made up my mind. I¡¯m not coming back until I find water, period. This conversation is over." Feeling pleased with myself, I smiled from ear to ear and turned toward the thick forest, heading in that direction. Suddenly, I heard an irritated clicking sound through the radio. "You know what, Evie? I¡¯m not letting this slide. Just so you know, you were the first to break our agreement." His words sounded extremely serious and threatening. For a moment, I even felt a chill run down my spine. But I quickly tried to reassure myself that he couldn¡¯t do anything until I returned. Even so, I still felt a bit guilty, so I decided to try and smooth things over a little. "Oh, come on, don¡¯t be so mad. I¡¯ll be back in a flash. Fine, if I don¡¯t find anything in two hours, we¡¯ll use your plan, okay?" But Neight didn¡¯t respond. He¡¯s probably really mad¡­ By the time I reached the edge of the forest, I didn¡¯t feel as confident in my plan, but I wasn¡¯t going to back down. I wanted to prove to Neight and to myself that I was capable of something. But then, unexpectedly, I heard a familiar hissing sound behind me, and I froze in place. Wait, he¡¯s not going to¡­? No, that can¡¯t be! That¡¯s crazy! My heart sank because the sound I had just heard came from the ship¡¯s airlock. Damn it, he¡¯s coming after me! I¡¯m in deep trouble! Chapter 28: Don鈥檛 Let Him Catch You My mind was in a panic, thoughts scrambled. I couldn¡¯t figure out what to do. Run? Hide? Or what? Maybe try talking to him and settle this? But there was less and less time to think. Just as the hissing sound started to fade, I quickly slipped behind the nearest bushes to hide. My instincts were on high alert. Considering Neight''s last words, I wanted to bolt as far away as possible, but common sense told me that getting lost was an even bigger threat. I tried to calm down, to catch my breath. Come on, Emma, pull yourself together¡­ What can he do, really? At most, he¡¯ll just scold me... And besides, I''m armed, so he can''t do anything to me. "Evie, are you done with these childish games? You¡¯d better come out now." Hearing Neight¡¯s angry, stern voice, my confidence crumbled, and I stopped thinking clearly. It seemed like he could do more than just catch me¡ªhe could do something terrible. Feeling my life was in danger, I snapped and dashed into the forest. "Stop!" his voice rang through my helmet. "Have you lost your mind?! Wait¡­ you... ost... ck¡­" The further I ran, the weaker the signal became, Neight¡¯s words breaking up into static before disappearing altogether. I had no idea where I was running, but that didn¡¯t matter. One thought consumed me, pushing me to keep going no matter how hard it was. Don¡¯t let him catch you! I repeated the phrase over and over as I weaved between trees, pushed through bushes, and slipped on wet grass, nearly tripping over roots. Don¡¯t let him catch you! The thought pounded louder and louder, drowning out my ragged breathing. I gasped for air, feeling like it could run out at any moment. My legs felt heavy like lead, but I couldn¡¯t stop. What if he caught up to me? What if he captured me? What if he killed me? Don¡¯t let him catch you! My foot landed in something soft and wet. Before I could register what was happening, I lost my balance and fell backward, landing squarely in the middle of a muddy puddle. The fall was anything but pleasant, especially with the weapon slung over my back digging into my spine. I sprawled out on the ground, realizing I didn¡¯t have the strength to get up. I stared blankly up at the sky, where rain continued to fall, right on top of me. The trees around me, like protective domes, kept the space beneath them mostly dry, while this unfortunate clearing, where I¡¯d slipped and now lay, was fully exposed, allowing the downpour to drench me. Disgusting¡­ Helplessness set in, replacing my panic with apathy. At that moment, I didn¡¯t care what happened next. I knew I¡¯d run too far and had no idea where I was or which direction the ship was in. There was no hope that Neight would be able to find me either. After lying there for a while, I started reflecting, thinking about how I¡¯d ended up in this situation. At what point did everything go so wrong? Was it when I decided to rebel and do things my way? Maybe it was because, once again, I failed to keep my emotions in check? Why had Neight¡¯s words scared me so much? Why was I so afraid of him? Now, lying in the mud, drenched in rain, I realized that he probably wouldn¡¯t have hurt me... At least it wouldn¡¯t have been worse than this¡­ The raindrops were becoming less frequent, but they still kept tapping against my helmet and slowly sliding down, while I continued to ponder. I was beginning to realize that what scared me most was that I didn¡¯t understand Neight. What was he thinking? What drove him? What were his motives? Why did he look so much like Albert? It always unsettled me that he knew too much but said too little. He had so many secrets, and his behavior was strange, especially considering that night when I caught him typing and muttering random numbers and letters. Yes, he trusted me with a weapon, but could that have been part of his own plan? I had a strong feeling that he didn¡¯t fully trust me, though I had to admit, the feeling was mutual. From the very beginning, instead of true cooperation, there seemed to be a constant confrontation between us. Who would outsmart whom? Who would gain the upper hand? We both tried to give each other only the bare minimum of information in order to get some advantage. We weren¡¯t a team; we were more like two people trying to use each other to the fullest. I needed Neight for protection and survival. Ideally, I wanted him to save my family and loved ones, without even telling him. I was sure I was important to him for some reason, though he never intended to tell me what it was. Distrust, suspicion, secrecy, deceit, manipulation. Those were probably the perfect words to describe our relationship. These thoughts left me feeling disgusted because I knew I was just as guilty as Neight. Yes, he tried to dominate and was quite harsh, but it seemed like at least he knew what he was doing. My plan, in the end, led to nothing good. "Maybe I should have played it safe and agreed to that damn cryostasis instead of trying to act cooler and smarter than I really am?" At that moment, I heard the rustling of leaves from the direction I had presumably come from. Someone or something was slowly approaching, and my survival instincts kicked in again. I quickly rolled onto my stomach, then, fueled by adrenaline, rose to my knees and pulled out my gun from behind my back. Aiming it at the source of the sound, I almost stopped breathing and froze in anticipation. Just a minute ago, it felt like I was ready to give up and let go of the situation, but now, faced with a threat, I realized how much I wanted to live. If necessary, I was prepared to fight to the very end. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Imagine my surprise when a familiar figure emerged from the thick foliage. The sleeves of his suit were still carelessly tied around his waist, exposing his torso, to which his right arm was strapped with mesh-like medical plaster. He was wearing a helmet, with raindrops tapping on it and slowly trickling down. In his left hand, he was holding an electronic notebook, which he had been looking at before stepping out from behind the wall of bushes. Seeing me, he immediately stopped. For a few moments, we silently stared at each other. How happy I was to see him again! "Could you maybe point the gun somewhere else?" he said irritably. "Or just shoot already. Don¡¯t forget to take off the safety." His words immediately snapped me back to reality, and I quickly lowered the weapon. I still couldn¡¯t believe Neight was standing right in front of me. Tears blurred my vision. "S-sorry... I wasn¡¯t even thinking... I didn¡¯t... I didn¡¯t mean to... I-I¡¯m so sorry..." My lips were trembling, making my words come out jumbled and barely audible. I lowered my head. I was too ashamed to look at him because I knew I had seriously messed up this time. I was bracing myself for him to start reprimanding me, scolding me, shouting, accusing me of incompetence and stupidity. After all, I knew I was guilty. "You know, after your stunt, I¡¯m not sure what else you might come up with. By the way, how did the search for water go?" he asked sarcastically, clearly venting his anger and frustration on me. His words only hurt me more. It felt like he was grinding me into the dirt with that question. "Sorry..." I whispered quietly, lowering my head even further. I couldn¡¯t manage to say anything else, as if a lump had lodged in my throat, preventing any sound from escaping. After a minute of agonizing silence, he let out a displeased sigh and asked, in a calmer yet still strict voice, if I could stand and walk. I silently nodded, still staring down at the puddle of mud where I remained kneeling, and I still couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at Neight. "Take it," he commanded dryly, handing me his tablet before gripping my arm tightly so I couldn¡¯t run off. "Let¡¯s go. And please, no more nonsense, okay? We¡¯ve wasted enough time and energy on your latest ¡®brilliant¡¯ ideas." He moved forward into the forest, pulling me along. "I won¡¯t run away again," I said quietly. "Hm... I feel like I¡¯ve heard that before." "I really won¡¯t¡­" "Sorry, but after what happened, I can¡¯t just take your word for it." It stung, but maybe I deserved that. We continued walking in silence for a while. Occasionally, Neight glanced at the tablet I was holding in front of him with my free hand. I noticed that it was displaying a radar app. On the green screen, marked with circles and lines, a line, like a clock¡¯s hand, swept in a circle, refreshing the image. In the bottom right corner were two white dots that moved closer to the center as we progressed. I guessed those dots were us, and the center was the ship, the source of the signal. So that¡¯s how he found me¡­ "Neight, is this a navigation system? Didn¡¯t you say using it could be dangerous?" I asked cautiously. "I didn¡¯t have a choice. I wouldn¡¯t have found you otherwise. But you¡¯re right¡ªit could make us detectable. Especially since I had to use it during the flight earlier. We need to hurry and turn it off before someone spots us." "B-but why take such a risk just for me?" At my words, Neight clicked his tongue in annoyance. "I already told you, I¡¯m not doing this just for you, but for my own survival. Maybe this will be a shock, but the world doesn¡¯t revolve around you." Yeah¡­ I¡¯ve really made him angry. I doubt he¡¯ll forgive me anytime soon¡­ I kept walking behind him in silence, feeling downcast. The two dots on the radar were now quite close to the center, meaning we should soon reach the ship. Suddenly, to our right, not too far away, there was a loud splash, as if a giant boulder had been thrown into water. Neight and I immediately froze, exchanged a glance, then simultaneously turned our gaze toward the source of the sound. "Water!" I said. "And it¡¯s close¡­" he quickly added. Could luck really be on our side? If there was indeed a water source nearby, it would be perfect¡ªclose enough to the ship to use regularly. I felt a surge of energy and was ready to rush off and investigate. "We need to check it out," I said excitedly, taking a step toward the sound, but Neight immediately stopped me, pulling me back by the arm. "Not so fast. We can¡¯t go there right now." ¡°What? Why?!¡± I looked at him in confusion, though he couldn¡¯t see my expression through the helmet. I didn¡¯t understand how we could pass up such an opportunity. "Did you already forget what I just told you? The navigation system is still active. We need to shut it down first before addressing anything else." "B-but wait! You heard the water too, right? We can quickly go grab a sample and then head back to the ship. We can¡¯t waste this chance! Otherwise, we¡¯ll have to keep going back and forth, and we might not even find this place again!" At my words, Neight walked over to the nearest tree, released my hand, and pulled a knife from his belt, carving a large cross into the bark. "We¡¯ll find it again now," he said calmly. However, I wasn¡¯t satisfied with this approach. "So you¡¯re suggesting we waste time marking trees but aren¡¯t willing to take a few steps to scoop up a bit of water?" "First of all, even if we do check it out now, we still need to make marks so we can find this spot again. Second, are you even listening to me?! We could be detected, and then no water is going to matter! And third, that splash didn¡¯t happen for no reason. We have no idea what¡¯s waiting for us there¡­" "Neight, I understand that this is risky. But you also need to realize that we don¡¯t have much time to be running back and forth! I¡¯ve got, at most, an hour before the effects of the medication wear off, and then I¡¯ll be out for several hours while I recover." "You¡¯re really sticking to your plan?" he asked, sounding somewhat disappointed. "Well, yeah, if we have the chance. Aren¡¯t you?" Neight didn¡¯t answer, though maybe I had asked a stupid question. It was clear he preferred his plan of going into stasis, so I suddenly had a new argument in my favor. "You yourself said that by activating the navigation system, we might have been detected. What if our enemies arrive while we¡¯re asleep? Won¡¯t we be easy prey then?" Neight flinched at my words, as if realizing the mistake he might have made. I knew I¡¯d hit the mark, so I continued: "If you want, I can go quickly on my own and¡ª" "No!" he cut me off instantly. "You¡¯re not going anywhere alone again! Fine, you convinced me. But we must act fast. And don¡¯t take a single step away from me, understood?" Neight grabbed my hand again, and we quickly headed toward where we believed the large water source¡ªand possibly our salvation¡ªwas waiting. Chapter 29: Struggle for Survival Soon, the forest vegetation became less dense, and we emerged onto a large green clearing, right in the middle of which was a perfectly round blue lake. It looked as if it was a crater formed by a meteor impact, filled to the brim with crystal-clear water. Some of the ridges around it had collapsed, creating a smooth and convenient path. Perhaps the heavy splashing sounds were the result of one of these collapses. The clearing itself was dotted with smaller depressions filled with rainwater. It was likely that fragments of the meteor had scattered around, shaping the unusual landscape. At least, that was the image forming in my mind. "Well, here¡¯s the lake. And you didn¡¯t want to come," I said, my mood instantly lifting. It felt like a success, and now it seemed that our water problem was solved. This source could last us for a long time, if not for the rest of our lives. "Yes," Neight replied curtly. His voice sounded focused and thoughtful. I noticed that he was turning his head, as if analyzing the area around us. It seemed that the lake itself wasn¡¯t his main concern. But what was he thinking about? "Is something wrong?" I asked, trying to understand what was bothering him. "It¡¯s the terrain¡­ It looks strange, but I can¡¯t figure it out yet¡­" Neight¡¯s vague and unclear answer made me feel uneasy too. He was usually more calm and confident. Shouldn¡¯t we be celebrating this incredible discovery right now? "I don¡¯t know. Doesn¡¯t it look like a huge meteorite fell here many, many years ago?" I tried to say this as casually as possible, hoping to lighten the mood. "Maybe¡­ But¡­ I don¡¯t know, I have a bad feeling. Something¡¯s off here¡­" Neight sighed heavily, then released my hand and commanded, "Be ready. Draw your weapon and take off the safety. I¡¯ll take a sample, and you¡¯ll cover me." His voice now sounded firm, dry, and confident, just like always. I never ceased to be amazed at how he managed to stay so calm in situations like this and quickly regain control of his emotions. Just a moment ago, he seemed uncertain, but now he was full of determination. I was sure he knew what needed to be done. I, on the other hand, was his complete opposite. His command threw me off again, and I hesitated for a moment. I wasn¡¯t ready for this turn of events. A moment ago, I had been more relaxed, enjoying the beautiful nature around us, mentally celebrating the victory of finding a water source. Now I felt tense and burdened by a sense of responsibility, as if the real battle was still ahead. Taking the weapon from my back, I assumed a stance and pressed the red button to disengage the safety, just as Neight had ordered. He glanced at me, sighed in frustration, then silently came up beside me and began adjusting the position of my hands, pressing the stock firmly against my shoulder again. When he touched me, I flinched in surprise and almost pulled the trigger. Just a little more¡­ Ugh, that would¡¯ve been embarrassing¡­ At that moment, I felt incredibly awkward and was glad I had my helmet on, so Neight couldn¡¯t see how red my face was with embarrassment. "There, that¡¯s better. Try to remember what I¡¯ve taught you. It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t run into anyone while you were alone," he said once he finished correcting my stance and grip. "Yes," I responded meekly. "Follow me, but keep a distance of three meters." "Got it." "And don¡¯t point the gun at me. Walk slightly to the side, so you have a clear view of the space in front of me." "Understood." I didn''t argue and listened to him attentively. After all, he was more experienced than me. However, something was bothering me, and my curiosity wouldn''t let me stay silent. "Neight... Do you trust me?" I asked timidly. Could it be that after everything that¡¯s happened, he still believes in me? And isn''t afraid I might accidentally shoot him... Neight looked at me again. I bet I caught him off guard with my question once more. But this time, I had no intention of provoking him, exposing anything, or manipulating him in any way. I just really wanted to hear that despite my recent outburst, he was still willing to give me a chance. "Why are you asking?" And yet, he decided to dodge the question... I thought, disappointed. "Oh, it''s nothing... Forget it..." He looked at me for a few more seconds, then shrugged and turned towards the lake. "Okay. Let''s go," he ordered and cautiously started moving forward. I followed him. We made our way through round water-filled pits, sometimes almost making full loops to walk on dry ground. Sometimes we had to walk right along the edge, as some of the pits were close to each other. They didn¡¯t seem deep, so maybe we could¡¯ve gone straight through, but Neight didn''t want to take any chances. As a result, our path was longer than it could have been. These puddles, though much smaller than the main lake, were still impressively large. I estimated their diameter to be at least three meters. As we moved forward, I noticed another detail: they were all nearly the same size. The rain had stopped. We were on the final stretch, just a little more to go before reaching our destination. The blue lake looked calm and peaceful. Nothing disturbed its smooth surface. I felt a sense of relief and allowed myself to relax a little. "Well, here we are by the water. And you were worried," I said cheerfully. But it seemed Neight ignored my words. He stopped and stared intently at the water near the shore. At that moment, I also noticed something rising from the depths. It was coming closer to the surface, stretching the water¡¯s surface before swelling into a large bubble, then bursting with a splash and a gurgle. It''s just an air bubble, I thought, calming down after a moment of tension. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The next moment, Neight bolted towards me, grabbed my arm, and jumped to the side, pulling me with him. We both splashed into one of the nearby mini-pools as, with a loud splash, a massive dark-gray creature surged from the lake, making a sharp lunge towards the spot where we had just been standing. It slammed down with a thud, shaking and compressing the ground beneath it. I watched in horror as the giant creature, resembling a worm with thick, wrinkled skin like that of a hippo, slowly slithered back into the water, then reared up like a column and let out a piercing shriek, revealing several rows of sharp teeth. The sound made everything inside me tighten. I was literally paralyzed with fear and couldn¡¯t move until the creature went quiet and began swaying from side to side, as if trying to locate us. We have to run! was my only thought, but just as I was about to spring up and run for my life, Neight stopped me. "Don¡¯t move," he whispered. Though he spoke quietly, I could still tell something was wrong with him. "All these pits around us were made by that thing, which means it¡¯s long enough to reach that far. It won¡¯t let us escape easily... I won¡¯t be able to for sure¡­" It dawned on me that in my fear and panic, I hadn¡¯t even thought about him, and I finally looked at him. Neight was lying still next to me in the muddy puddle, clutching his right shoulder, which was covered in a cast. Damn it... He must be in unbearable pain... "What are we going to do, Neight? What do we do?! It¡¯s going to eat us!" "Calm down and don¡¯t make any noise. For some reason, it hasn¡¯t noticed us yet. Most likely, it reacts to sudden movements. It¡¯s better to wait it out, and then slowly get out of here." Meanwhile, the giant worm rose a little higher out of the water and sniffed around, squealing. I held my breath in fear. My heart pounded wildly as the huge creature loomed right above us, casting a massive shadow. It saw us... This is the end... At that moment, I was on the verge of bursting into tears, practically feeling death''s breath on me, but I held on with all my might and lay still, just as Neight had asked. The monster clattered its teeth in the air above us, squealed in frustration, writhing in different directions, and then retreated back into the water. When the worm disappeared into the lake, the surface of the water remained disturbed for a while before calming down as if nothing had happened. A few seconds later, another bubble of air surfaced and popped, leaving behind ripples that soon faded away as well. We lay motionless for probably another five minutes, making sure it was safe. "Do you think it''s gone?" I asked cautiously, still not fully recovered from the shock. "I hope so. We need to get out of here." "Can you stand on your own?" "Yes... I mean, no... Actually, I''ll need your help..." he admitted reluctantly. "Alright. I¡¯ll get up first and then help you." "Just, please, no sudden movements..." I slowly rose to my knees and then to my feet at a snail''s pace, making sure not to give us away. I was still terrified that the creature would burst out of the water again and this time crush us for sure, like small bugs, and then devour us. Or maybe it would just eat us alive right away. In any case, it would finish us off in an instant, so fast we wouldn¡¯t even have time to scream. We were way too close to the water. Once I was standing firmly, I slowly extended my hand to Neight to help him up. And after much struggle, we were finally ready to move. We advanced even more cautiously than before, navigating between the round puddle-filled pits. We approached the treacherous area where the path was narrow. And while we had crossed it with ease before, now that we knew the cost of any mistake, it had become a real obstacle. I felt like I was walking along the edge of bottomless pits rather than small holes, making my legs weak with fear. My subconscious played a cruel trick on me, and I slipped. My foot slid forward, and I fell backward before I could even let out a sound. However, instead of hitting the ground, I felt myself bump into something behind me and saw a hand wrap around me. There was a painful groan. Neight had managed to run over and catch me before I fell, but unfortunately, my mistake didn¡¯t go unnoticed. A splash of water sounded from behind us, and the giant worm emerged once again with a wild roar, ready to strike. Neight reacted quickly, leaping to the side with me in tow, cursing words I¡¯d never heard from him before. After landing, we rolled for a while as the monster crashed into the ground nearby, once again missing us. Judging by its reaction, it was furious. It screeched even louder than before, thrashing about like giant squid tentacles, smashing the ground where we had been as it blindly searched for its prey. Chunks of earth and grass flew in all directions. It was only a matter of time before it found us. "Shoot it!" Neight shouted frantically, lying next to me. "W-what?" His words didn¡¯t register with me at first. Everything felt like a blur. I was in deep shock, deafened by the chaos unfolding around us. "Shoot it, or we''re dead!" This time, something clicked in my mind, and I quickly aimed the weapon at the gray mass that was still furiously pounding the ground nearby. My hands were shaking, and more than anything, I feared missing. But there was no time to think or hesitate, so I immediately pulled the trigger. I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder from the recoil, but at the same time, I saw a bright energy stream shoot out from the barrel and hit the worm''s body. There was a loud boom followed by a furious roar. The blast hit its mark, causing the creature to convulse and thrash in all directions. But I felt no joy when I saw only a small wound where the shot had landed. The skin is too thick... Watching the worm slowly calm down, I was ready to give up and admit defeat. There was no way to pierce it with this weapon. "Aim for the mouth," I suddenly heard Neight give a new command. "Are you crazy?! There''s no way I''ll hit it!" "Listen, you can do this... Just focus..." "I can''t!" I cried out in despair. We both went silent for a moment, which felt like an eternity to me. I was terrified. I was in pain. I couldn''t think straight. Then Neight, using his good arm, sat up and removed his helmet. His expression wasn¡¯t calm so much as resigned. "Come here and sit. Lean on me." His words confused me. "B-but won¡¯t it hurt you?" "Don¡¯t think about that," he replied calmly, "just do what I¡¯m telling you." I obediently crawled over to him and sat down, leaning my back against him. He took off my helmet and pressed closer to me, grabbing the foregrip of the gun with his left hand. Then he pulled the weapon tighter, pushing the stock firmly into my shoulder... and I pressed even closer to Neight. I felt incredibly awkward being in such an intimate "embrace," and a shiver ran through my body when he rested his chin on my left shoulder. "Shoot when I tell you, okay?" he said softly, as calmly as possible, right next to my ear, but his voice trembled slightly. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, he was scared too. "You won¡¯t have to aim. Just pull the trigger, okay?" "Mm-hmm..." I responded shortly, feeling my face flush. I was absolutely not prepared for this invasion of my personal space. He was too close. So close that I could clearly hear his breathing. Meanwhile, the worm had fully recovered and seemed to have spotted us. It froze in place, then recoiled slightly like a spring, preparing to strike. Drool was slowly dripping from its half-open maw in anticipation of its prey. Time slowed down, and I felt like these could be my last moments. Why is Neight silent? Why aren¡¯t we shooting while this thing is still? I could hear Neight¡¯s steady breathing and feel how he was adjusting the barrel, aiming at the monster. He was obviously waiting for the right moment, and I was going crazy inside. The tension was unbearable. "Shoot!" Neight commanded firmly as the worm opened its maw wide and lunged at us with a deafening roar. I pulled the trigger, and a bright blast of pure energy shot forward, straight into the creature¡¯s throat. It was so close I could feel its disgusting, nauseating breath. Along with the blast came a howl, which turned into a piercing screech that made my ears ring. The worm stretched upward, then recoiled, and began thrashing violently, smashing into the ground in random spots all over the clearing, even on the opposite shore of the lake. I couldn¡¯t move as I watched this spectacle. All I could do was pray that, in its convulsions, it wouldn¡¯t hit us. This went on for a while, until the creature¡¯s movements began to slow down. Finally, it curled up over the water, hung there for a moment, and then collapsed into the lake with a splash, sending water flying everywhere, soaking us in the process. Chapter 30: Its Nice to Finally Meet You Everything went quiet. Even the lake water had settled and returned to its calm surface. But the ringing still lingered in my ears, and my whole body was trembling. I could still hear the soul-chilling roar of the giant worm that had been so close to us. It felt unreal that this nightmare was over. I was too scared to move, certain that the creature would resurface and attack us again. But time passed, and the surroundings remained peaceful and silent, as if there had never been any threat at all. Finally, I was able to calm down a little and regain my senses. "We... we¡¯re alive..." I whispered with trembling lips. My words felt like a trigger, pulling me back to reality. They were something necessary, something I had to hear. And only after saying them did I feel truly alive, more real than ever, yet so fragile and vulnerable. The scent of damp earth and torn grass scattered around us filled my nose. I felt each breath lift my chest, the thump of my heart, the tingling at my fingertips, the throbbing pain in my shoulder from the recoil after the shot. I could hear my own breathing... and Neight¡¯s heavy breaths right behind me, his head resting against my back. "We¡¯re alive," I repeated louder, feeling my lips curl into an uneven smile while tears welled up in my eyes. "Neight, damn it, we¡¯re alive!" In a rush of emotion, I turned and hugged Neight tightly, forgetting all awkwardness and shyness. He was cold, wet, and dirty¡ªjust like me¡ªbut I didn¡¯t care. I was just overwhelmingly happy that we had survived. "Evie... It hurts..." Neight rasped softly. How could I be so careless?! I got so carried away I completely forgot about his injury! "S-sorry..." I stammered, genuinely regretting my thoughtless action as I immediately released him from my embrace. Neight didn¡¯t look at me, and I wasn¡¯t even sure he could hear me at that moment. His face was flushed, his eyes tightly shut, and his lips pressed together as if he was barely holding back from crying out in pain. Losing his support when I let go, he collapsed onto his back, right into the muddy puddle we were sitting in. I was shocked by the sight. "H-hey, Neight... What¡¯s wrong?" I asked, my voice trembling with fear. But he didn¡¯t respond and just lay there in the mud, breathing heavily and unevenly. "No, no, no... What should I do?! Does it hurt too much? It¡¯s my fault! I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll help! You need to get back to the ship right away! I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll help you get up and..." But when I leaned over to help him up, he stopped me, raising a hand in front of him. "Wait... Give me a bit... of time... to get used... to the pain... Then we¡¯ll go..." It was clear how hard it was for him to speak. He spoke in short, fragmented phrases, forcing out each word and occasionally groaning. "B-but what if... it only gets worse?! We need to..." "You can¡¯t carry me..." he said, with as much clarity as he could muster, summoning all his strength. And I had no reply. I was desperate. I wanted to help him, to ease his suffering somehow, but I couldn¡¯t think of anything. Guilt was eating away at me, because if it weren¡¯t for my stubbornness, for my pride, none of this would have happened. And we were alive only because of him. He saved us. Not me. I was the one who had dragged us into trouble. I can¡¯t even imagine what would have happened if I had stumbled upon this damned lake alone... I¡¯d already be dead... In the end, I couldn¡¯t think of anything better than to rest his head on my lap. I couldn¡¯t just let him keep lying in the muddy puddle. At the very least, I hoped it might make him a bit more comfortable. Neight said nothing and didn¡¯t resist, just lay there with his eyes closed, occasionally groaning. My heart ached as I looked at him. "I¡¯m so sorry¡­" I whispered, choking back a sob. "I really am¡­" Taking off my glove and turning it inside out, I gently began wiping the dirt from his face. Even though this wasn¡¯t going to make it spotless, I hoped it might make him feel a little better. If only I could help somehow¡­ just do something¡­ not be so useless¡­ if only I could¡­ Now and then, I stroked his head to calm him. The first time I touched him, he flinched slightly and opened his eyes a bit. His gaze was filled with fatigue. It must be hard, always having to keep everything under control¡­ and now there¡¯s me, adding to it¡­ I remembered my thoughts when I was alone in the forest, with no hope of being rescued until Neight found me. From the beginning, things between us hadn¡¯t gone smoothly, and part of that was my fault. Something had to change. Since we were stuck here together, it would be best to build more trust and work together. No matter how hard it was to admit my mistakes, I resolved to take a step toward that. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I began to speak. "Neight, I have to confess something¡­" His gaze became alert, and he looked at me curiously. I felt a lump in my throat, and it took me a few seconds to find the courage to go on. "The thing is¡­ I¡­ I haven¡¯t been completely honest with you¡­" If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. At that moment, I looked away, afraid to see his reaction. I imagined he¡¯d be angry, that he¡¯d look at me again with that stern, judging stare. But there was no turning back now. I had to finish what I¡¯d started. "My name¡­ My real name is Emma. Emma Grayson¡­ I¡¯m sorry, I lied to you¡­ I don¡¯t know what came over me¡­" When I finished, a strange feeling washed over me. I felt both ashamed and relieved. At least now, I wouldn¡¯t have to pretend to be someone else or constantly worry about it. Even so, I waited anxiously to see Neight¡¯s reaction to this sudden truth about me. He didn¡¯t say anything, which only made me worry more. Finally, I looked at him again. His expression was calm, and there was even a faint smile on his face. He didn¡¯t seem at all surprised by my confession, which left me a bit confused. "You¡¯re not angry?" I asked hesitantly. "No," he replied, closing his eyes. "I knew you weren¡¯t using your real name." "R-really? But how?" "For a while, you wouldn¡¯t respond when I called you by it." What? How? I don¡¯t remember that at all¡­ Was I really that oblivious? Still puzzled, I looked at Neight, trying to recall the day we met. He, meanwhile, opened one eye and gave me a sly look. "To be serious, the cryo capsule¡¯s computer had your info." "Whaaaaat?!" I felt like my jaw had dropped so low from surprise that it almost locked up. I was sure that at any other time, I would¡¯ve gotten angry and showered him with a ton of insults, but right now, I just didn¡¯t feel like it. Instead, I thought that all this theater, this game of being a master strategist, spy, and thinker, had been a pointless waste of time and energy. Maybe I could have avoided a lot of problems if I¡¯d just been honest from the start. Still, it was a bit upsetting to realize that Neight had been playing with me like I was a child. "But why didn¡¯t you say anything from the start? And why ask my name at all if you already knew it?" "Isn¡¯t that just common courtesy? Besides, sometimes the pronunciation isn¡¯t obvious. Even though that wasn¡¯t your case, I couldn¡¯t rule out that there might be a shortened form or a variation you were used to. Since you introduced yourself as Evie, I concluded that would be more comfortable for you." Well, great¡­ now I feel like an idiot. Who was I trying to fool? "Okay¡­ By the way, judging by how much you¡¯re talking, I take it you¡¯re feeling better, right?" I changed the subject. "Right. We can go," he murmured quietly, calmly. Although he was still far from being in ideal condition, he did look somewhat relieved. His breathing had become more even, his face more naturally colored. I helped him to his feet, and he groaned in pain during the process, but in the end, we were both standing. My muscles buzzed with exhaustion again. It seemed the medication¡¯s effect had worn off. "Ev¡­ Emma, do you still have the strength? Can you collect a water sample from the lake?" he suddenly asked. I looked at him as if he were insane. "Are you serious right now?" I protested. "After everything that¡¯s happened? No, no, no. I¡¯m never going anywhere near that water again!" "But we still need to collect a sample," he argued. Damn it, he¡¯s not kidding. "To hell with this sample! Weren¡¯t you the one with the more reliable, safer plan? Hibernation it is. I have no objections anymore¡­" Although I wasn¡¯t thrilled about the idea of long-term sleep, going near the lake, where that deadly giant creature lurked, was even less appealing. "Listen, we¡¯re so close. You¡¯re worrying for nothing. I¡¯m 99.9% sure that worm won¡¯t be back for a while. We hurt it pretty badly." "But what about other creatures? What if it wasn¡¯t alone?" I persisted. "That¡¯s unlikely. If anything else lived there, it¡¯s probably already been eaten." I looked at Neight in distress. I really didn¡¯t want to go. But he seemed fairly calm. I¡¯d even say he looked slightly¡­ enthusiastic. I wondered if it was just curiosity or another one of his plans. "But if you really don¡¯t want to, I won¡¯t force you." I rolled my eyes and scoffed. If he hadn¡¯t said that last line, I¡¯d have refused outright. But now, I was practically obligated to do it. Yep, he¡¯d just dared me into it. "Fine, fine. I¡¯ll do it. I hope this isn¡¯t some roundabout way of getting rid of me?" His eyes widened as he stared at me, genuinely surprised. "Of course not. I didn¡¯t even think about that," he said, sounding slightly hurt, making me feel guilty again. And why did I even say that? "Sorry. Bad joke." I took the flask and cautiously headed toward the water. "Just in case, try not to make any sudden movements. And if you notice anything suspicious¡­ No, if you even think something¡¯s wrong, come back immediately," he called after me. "Yes¡­ all right¡­" Strange guy. First, he sends me on a dangerous mission, and then he suddenly gets all worried. Fortunately, everything was calm this time. I approached the blue lake and scooped up some water. It looked incredibly deep, like a bottomless crater descending to the planet''s core. The light surface gradually faded into pitch-black depths. Just looking at it made my knees weak. And somewhere down there, in that darkness, lurked a dangerous creature, ready to devour anything that moved. Once I¡¯d finished the task, I didn¡¯t waste a second and headed back to Neight, finally exhaling in relief. "You did great," he praised me, sounding pleased. "Thanks," I replied modestly. It felt nice to have my efforts appreciated, even though I hadn¡¯t done anything special. With everything here finally done, we set off toward the ship. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t far, but the only problem was that we were both tired and feeling unwell, so the walk took much longer than expected. To my surprise, as we walked, Neight started a conversation on his own. "Listen¡­ actually, I have something I need to confess to you as well." I looked at him, surprised, and gave him my full attention. He seemed a bit embarrassed, not looking directly at me, his gaze turned aside. "N8¡­ That¡¯s the name they gave me in the lab. My real name." I blinked, processing the information. When it finally sank in, I couldn¡¯t hold back a laugh, ringing and clear. "So, it turns out you introduced yourself with a made-up name too. Not that you spend long on yours, right?" I teased him. "And this coming from the person who named a green vegetable ¡®greenveg,¡¯" he retorted, pouting. "Fair point," I smiled back. "Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you. It¡¯s just a little funny. By the way, what should I call you?" "I don¡¯t really mind. You can keep calling me Neight. I think it¡¯ll be easier that way," he mumbled, still sulking. "All right, then it¡¯s settled. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you, Neight." At my words, his gaze softened, and he looked back at me. His amber eyes sparkled, and he smiled in response. "Yes. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you too, Emma." Chapter 31: New Discoveries After much struggle, we finally made it back to the ship. The journey was long and exhausting, but we managed. I had only one desire¡ªto collapse onto a bed and lie there for hours, as the recent events had drained me both mentally and physically. Unfortunately, there was still urgent work to be done, and I knew it all too well, so much so that I wanted to howl. "We need to shut down the navigation system," Neight said, almost echoing my thoughts. Looking at him, worn-out and covered in dirt from head to toe, I sighed heavily. "Listen, I think you should go rest. I can handle it myself." Of course, it was tough for me. But I was sure it was even harder for him. I was genuinely worried about his condition. Knowing his stubbornness and reluctance to show weakness, I could easily believe he was holding on by a thread, trying to hide how things truly were. I feared he¡¯d once again put the mission above his own life and health. "Unfortunately, you can¡¯t," he replied apologetically. "I¡¯ve taken away your access to all the main control panels¡­ Sorry, I was afraid you might pose a threat because of¡­ well, your rather impulsive behavior." Hearing this, I felt genuinely hurt. It wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected; after all, I¡¯d guessed it might happen, but the timing was frustrating. "Ugh¡­ Nothing to be done. I guess we¡¯re going together, then." "I can go alone." I glared at him. "Look, this isn¡¯t even funny anymore," I said firmly, trying to keep my cool. "Maybe it¡¯s time to stop taking everything on yourself? You really shouldn¡¯t overexert yourself, or your condition could get worse. I just want to help¡­ Yes, I¡¯m useless with a lot of things, and you handle everything better, but I¡¯m capable of entering a few commands if you dictate them." "Emma, I have nothing against you. I just don¡¯t see the point in using two people¡¯s time when I can handle it alone." There he goes again with his silly obsession with efficiency! Will he ever stop? "And what if you get worse? Then what? No, think what you want, but you¡¯re not going alone. And besides, we¡¯re wasting more time on this pointless discussion, so let¡¯s go! The sooner we start, the sooner we finish." Having said my piece and not giving him a chance to respond, I confidently headed down the hallway toward the stairs to the second floor. Behind me, I heard a frustrated sigh and then footsteps catching up to me. I had to wait by the door for Neight to climb the steps. It turned out I no longer had access even to the control room. Out of breath, he approached the panel, and as he fiddled with it, I looked at him sulkily, puffing out my cheeks, but held back from voicing my irritation. When the doors opened, Neight went in first, and I followed him. Once inside, Neight headed straight for the control panel. He bent over it, groaning and wincing in pain as he began entering commands. The keys clicked rapidly. Meanwhile, I just stood there watching, a bit lost as I wasn¡¯t entirely sure what I was supposed to do. "Can I help with anything?" "Just wait. Don¡¯t distract me, please," he replied, fully focused on his work. Obeying, I stood quietly to the side, waiting. I felt uncomfortable, as if I didn¡¯t belong here, like I was intruding¡ªalthough maybe that was the truth. But now there was nothing else for me to do but wait, listening to the keystrokes and occasionally glancing at the monitors on the control panel. Finally, the sounds ceased. "All done," Neight finally said, stepping away from the panel. "All right, so what do I need to do? Disable the navigation?" I asked, perking up. "No need. I already did it," he replied calmly. "What? But¡­ wasn¡¯t I here to help?" It saddened me that, once again, I couldn¡¯t do anything, and that made me feel useless. "I did warn you I could handle it alone. But don¡¯t worry. At least you accompanied me and made sure nothing happened to me, as you wanted," he said with his usual polite smile, though then he grew more serious. "I¡¯m going to the lab. I need to rest and recover¡­ Well, I think you understand." "Y-yeah. But wait, is there something I can do to help?" I was still trying to contribute somehow. Plus, I genuinely wanted to do something for him. "No need. I think it would be¡­ uncomfortable for you¡­" "I¡¯m ready. If needed, I¡¯ll do whatever it takes!" I replied firmly, stepping slightly forward. Surprise flashed in Neight¡¯s eyes. However, his expression softened quickly, and he gave a warm smile. Honestly, it felt unusual to see him like that. "You know, it¡¯s still unnecessary. But if you truly want to do something, I have a task for you. You can analyze the water sample from the lake, all right?" My eyes lit up, and I nodded eagerly. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "Great. When you¡¯re done, make sure to rest properly, too. Then we¡¯ll figure out our next steps." "Understood," I replied, satisfied. Neight headed to the door, but he stopped just at the threshold and, without turning, added: "Emma¡­ I might need a bit more time to recover this time. I¡¯ve restored your access to all systems, so please¡­ try not to do anything reckless." His tone was as serious as it could be. Was it because he feared my next emotional outburst or unpredictable behavior, or was it due to some other factor? Could he have known something I didn¡¯t even suspect? Either way, I didn¡¯t want to disappoint him again. "I promise I won¡¯t do anything foolish. I won¡¯t let you down." "Let¡¯s hope so," he replied, then left the control room. In his last words, there was a touch of sadness mixed with a sort of acceptance. It felt as though he had let go of the situation and was ready to leave it all to fate.
I dropped into a chair to take a breather. My whole body was buzzing, begging me to take a break¡ªor better yet, to sit still for a few hours. Silence settled. My eyelids shut, but instead of pitch darkness, I saw an image of a clearing with a deep blue lake at its center. As peaceful as it looked, this vision filled me with dread because I knew what was lurking in those depths. I was jolted awake as if struck by a shock, and my eyes flew open. There was an unpleasant taste in my throat, the kind that lingers after a short midday nap that somehow only makes you feel worse. I realized I had dozed off, so I quickly pulled out my notebook to check the time. 23:27. And outside, it was bright. The first half-day was always fully illuminated. Sunlight filtered through the front window, and bulky clouds drifted across the sky, faint reminders of the past storm, though it was clear they would soon disperse. My stomach growled. I realized we hadn¡¯t even had dinner since returning to the ship. Not to mention, I was still covered in dirt, though I knew I couldn¡¯t do anything about it for now. Water had to be conserved. Speaking of water. Neight gave me a task. But¡­ I leaned back in the chair, closed my eyes, and groaned in frustration. How am I supposed to analyze a sample? I have no idea how! Frustrated, I lowered my head, and my gaze landed on a blinking blue icon on my notebook screen. I tapped it, and a message expanded instantly.
"Emma, I¡¯ve sent you some data that might be useful. You can go over it while I recover."
The message had files attached, but the first one caught my attention right away: "User Guide for the Multifunctional Analysis and Processing Device." Did he really plan everything? I thought in amazement. Out of curiosity, I glanced at the time the message was sent and realized he¡¯d sent it while he was busy disabling navigation. He must have done it through the main control panel, and I hadn¡¯t even noticed. Well, now I definitely have something to do.
I sat in the kitchen, finishing off the last of the mashed greenvegs made from pre-packed ingredients. This time, I didn¡¯t bother with fresh vegetables, though they certainly tasted better. Right now, I had other priorities, so I didn¡¯t want to spend much time cooking. I occasionally glanced at the analyzing device humming steadily in the corner as it went about its task. I hoped I hadn¡¯t made any mistakes. At least, I had followed the user manual precisely when loading the water sample and starting the process. What worried me the most was that the device included a radiation exposure function, so I looked at it as if it were a bomb that could explode at any moment. The device beeped, signaling it had finished, and I quickly jumped up to check the results. Finally, my knowledge of biology and chemistry is coming in handy, I thought as I went through the data. Preparing for university entrance exams hadn¡¯t been in vain. I still remembered nearly everything, so I could easily interpret and compare the results. Hmm¡­ Iron and copper levels are normal. No dangerous impurities, which is a relief. But the water hardness is a bit high. I wonder if the ship¡¯s system has anything to soften it. After analyzing the data, I concluded that the lake water was safe to drink, which was a huge relief. Of course, there was still the issue of the dangerous creature lurking in its depths, but I hoped we¡¯d figure out a way to handle that. Most importantly¡ªwe had water now! I¡¯m sure Neight will appreciate this news," I thought. "I wonder how he¡¯s doing, by the way? A mixed feeling of joy from this discovery and sadness recalling Neight¡¯s condition rose in me. I need to go check on him.
Whether it was due to exhaustion or the recent events, I no longer felt the same fear and dread about the lab, though the unease was still there. This time, however, I walked in without hesitation. The only thing I worried about was if I might disturb Neight. I found myself respecting him a little after the fight with the giant worm and feeling grateful for him saving me. And after we¡¯d shared our real names, it felt like a heavy weight had lifted off my shoulders. There was hope that our cooperation might improve. The lab was quiet and calm, except for the soft hum of the capsule where Neight lay, visible out of the corner of my eye. I tiptoed around, unsure if he was sleeping. I didn¡¯t want to wake him if he was resting. "Hey, Neight, are you asleep?" I whispered. No response. I cautiously asked again a couple more times, but, seeing no reaction, concluded he was deeply asleep. I remembered his words¡ªthat this time his recovery would take longer. But how long, exactly? Heavy-hearted, I decided to check on him again in the morning and headed back to rest. It was late, and with the recent events, we still hadn¡¯t managed to get back on our schedule. Just as I was about to leave, I suddenly heard murmuring and sobbing sounds coming from the capsule. "Professor¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ You know I would never¡­ Professor¡­ Don¡¯t kill me¡­" Neight kept muttering in his sleep, as if in a feverish dream, repeating the same words. I stood frozen, not daring to move. After a while, he whimpered and took a heavy breath, then went quiet again. I was shaken and didn¡¯t know what to do. Did his words have any meaning, or was it just some random, meaningless sleep talk? The weight and pain in his voice made me wonder what would happen if our enemies found us. Could we really be captured not just for some dangerous experiments but¡­ killed? Was that the real reason Neight cut off any attempts to contact others? Just when I thought things were starting to get a little clearer, new dark details emerged. Questions began to arise in my mind, questions that now wouldn¡¯t leave me alone. What did Neight do, and who is this professor he¡¯s so desperately begging for forgiveness? Chapter 32: Growing Trust As expected, I couldn¡¯t sleep. It felt as if I¡¯d been cursed with insomnia. Something extraordinary kept happening, making it impossible to relax and rest. This time, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the words Neight had mumbled in his sleep. Was there any meaning to them, or was it all nonsense? I could only ask him when he woke up. But would he even want to share with me? It might be something too personal, too private. Something he¡¯d rather keep secret. But if our lives were truly in danger from enemies, then it concerned me too. Argh! Why does everything have to be so complicated?! As if we didn¡¯t have enough trouble with the water, now I have this to worry about too! I pulled a notebook out from under my pillow. My eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, so I squinted immediately as the screen¡¯s bright light flared up when I touched it. The clock read 25:58. Damn, this won¡¯t work. If I go without sleep again, I¡¯ll be in big trouble and won¡¯t be able to get anything done¡­ After hesitating for a few more minutes, I decided to use the capsule, no matter how much I hated the thought of it. I had no choice; I needed quality rest. And, if I thought about it, it wasn¡¯t so bad. Last time, it had made me feel significantly better. Bracing myself, I reluctantly made my way to the lab.
Lying in the capsule still felt very uncomfortable. Such tight, enclosed spaces didn¡¯t excite me, and I kept feeling as if the oxygen could run out any moment. I just hoped this thing wouldn¡¯t break down while I was inside. When the lid closed, I heard a click and the now-familiar hissing sound. I started to worry automatically, but unlike last time, I didn¡¯t try to resist. A semi-transparent white mist began to envelop my body, slowly filling the entire space. Maybe it was because I was calmer this time, or maybe I was less exhausted than before, but I didn¡¯t pass out instantly. Instead, I felt my muscles gradually relax, and my mind cleared of all anxiety and worry. Even the pain, especially the aching in my right shoulder, faded away. I lay there like that for some time until I finally drifted off to sleep.
It feels so good to get a proper night¡¯s sleep. Feeling a pleasant rush of energy, I stretched and bumped my hands against the walls. Oh, right. I¡¯m still in the capsule. I was in a great mood and felt fantastic. With this attitude, I could tackle any task without worry. I wondered if the capsule always had such a positive effect on sleep quality. Maybe that¡¯s why Neight preferred to sleep here? I wonder if he¡¯s awake? "Neight, are you here? Are you awake?" The closed capsule muffled some sounds from outside, but the white mist had already dissipated, and I caught some movement in the corner of my eye. Remembering I wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes¡ªand that Neight presumably wasn¡¯t either¡ªI quickly turned to face the wall in embarrassment. "No, not anymore," came a sleepy voice. His ¡°not¡± was drawn out and louder due to a long yawn. "Turns out you¡¯re here too. I didn¡¯t notice you came in." "Yeah¡­ I couldn¡¯t sleep, so I thought I might get at least a bit of rest here." I recalled the night and the words Neight had spoken in his sleep. "Is something wrong?" he asked suddenly. It seemed my voice had given away my worries. I hesitated, unsure if I should stay silent or reveal everything. But I¡¯d already resolved to be more open and honest with him, so hiding the truth would be wrong¡ªfor the sake of our cooperation. For survival. "Actually, yes¡­" I said with a heavy sigh and began telling him what I¡¯d heard in the night. He listened silently, without interrupting. I was anxious, uncertain of how he¡¯d react. Yet, I wanted to believe that everything would be okay. At least after all that had happened in the past few days, I no longer felt threatened by him. "I really did have a nightmare," Neight reluctantly admitted when I finished, "but I think you should know that dreams are just dreams. They usually have nothing to do with reality." On one hand, I knew he was right, yet I still felt uneasy. It seemed like there was more to his nightmare. "I understand. But tell me, this professor¡­ he really exists, doesn¡¯t he? Do you¡­ fear him?" I asked cautiously. Neight didn¡¯t answer immediately. It seemed to be a painful subject for him. "Fear isn¡¯t exactly the right word. It¡¯s more that I feel guilt¡­ for failing to meet his expectations. For not fulfilling my purpose. Sorry, it¡¯s hard for me to talk about this¡­" I felt sorry for him. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up. Now, all I wanted was to encourage him somehow. "I don¡¯t know your professor or what happened in the past, but I think you shouldn¡¯t be beating yourself up over it now. Besides, whatever expectations were placed on you, that world no longer exists," I said, with a touch of sadness. For a moment, my mind flashed back to my own happy, peaceful life before the catastrophe. But now wasn¡¯t the time to dwell on it. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. "So," I continued, "isn¡¯t it better to focus on the present and future? And speaking of our current reality, if anyone has a reason to be proud, it¡¯s you." In response, I heard a chuckle. "You think too highly of me," he said. "Oh, don¡¯t be so modest! We¡¯re still alive only because of you! Trust me, most people wouldn¡¯t last even a couple of days out here. You really are remarkable, even if you have your quirks. But hey, no one¡¯s perfect, right?" He went quiet for a moment. Had my praise embarrassed him? "Thank you, Emma. I¡­ Your support really means a lot to me." His voice, unusually soft and slightly uncertain, stirred something strange within me. It felt as though I wasn¡¯t speaking to an unwavering super-soldier with plans for every situation, but a regular person with understandable, ordinary feelings. "Oh, it¡¯s nothing," I replied, slightly flustered. "We¡¯re probably stuck here together for a while, so maybe it wouldn¡¯t hurt to become friends¡­ What I mean is, if something¡¯s ever bothering you, I¡¯m here to listen." "Okay. I¡¯ll keep that in mind." I was certain he¡¯d said that with a smile¡ªa real, genuine one, not the formal, polite expression he usually wore. The thought made me feel warm inside. "By the way," I remembered suddenly, "I have great news about the water!" I filled him in on the analysis results. "That¡¯s indeed great news," Neight said, pleased after listening to my report. "Now we just need to decide on our next steps. Let¡¯s discuss it over breakfast. To be honest, I¡¯m starving." How did I not think of it sooner? He hadn¡¯t even eaten since we returned to the ship. "Yes, of course. I¡¯ll prepare something," I said apologetically. Just as I was about to climb out of the capsule, I remembered one small but important detail. "Neight, could you close your eyes? I need to get dressed¡­" "Alright. Whatever you say." He replied calmly, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Unlike me, Neight didn¡¯t look the least bit worried, finishing his last spoonful of jam and closing his eyes in contentment. It was almost amusing to watch him finally stop hiding his love for the dessert. Once he finished breakfast, he pushed the empty plates aside and turned serious again. "So, let¡¯s discuss our options. We still have only two real choices." With these words, Neight propped his elbow on the table and extended his thumb to begin counting. "First, there¡¯s the option of going into stasis, which I assume you¡¯re already familiar with. The upside is that I¡¯ll be able to fully recover during the sleep period, and we¡¯ll save resources. It will make things easier moving forward. However, there are some downsides." "We could be discovered and captured while we¡¯re defenseless," I chimed in. "Correct. That¡¯s probably the main drawback. Unfortunately, our navigation system ran for too long, and it¡¯s possible that we were detected. So it would be better to stay alert and prepared." A chill ran down my spine at his words. If Neight thought we could have been spotted, then this was serious. At the same time, I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that it was my actions that had forced us to use the navigation. If only I hadn¡¯t lost control and run off without thinking, things might have turned out differently. "So what should we do, then?" I asked, feeling lost. "There¡¯s still a second option." Neight extended his index finger. "We could connect the lake we discovered to the ship¡¯s water system and draw water from there." "But how would we do that? I can¡¯t quite imagine it. We¡¯re not going to move the ship all the way to the lake with the monster, are we?" "Of course not, that would be too dangerous. And we definitely shouldn¡¯t activate the navigation system again for flying. There¡¯s another way. We can run a hose connected to a pump to the water." "Do we have one long enough?" I asked, cautiously. "We do," Neight replied calmly. "And what about the water hardness? Won¡¯t it damage the ship¡¯s systems?" "You underestimate the level of technology here," he said with a satisfied smile. "Remember, the system was built to recycle water over and over. So you don¡¯t have to worry about that. There definitely won¡¯t be an issue with reducing the hardness." Hearing this, I felt encouraged and was ready to act. "Perfect! So, what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s get to it!" I was about to jump up and start preparing for our next outing, but Neight stopped me, cooling my enthusiasm. "There¡¯s one catch," he said, sighing as he noticed my questioning look. "Neither of us should go near that lake. It¡¯s too dangerous." I froze in place, processing his words. "But didn¡¯t you say that giant worm was seriously injured and wouldn¡¯t be back for a while? Do you think it could¡¯ve recovered so quickly?" "Honestly, I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t want to risk finding out," he admitted. "Actually, I should apologize to you¡­ Yesterday, I wasn¡¯t in my right mind and couldn¡¯t properly assess the situation. I shouldn¡¯t have asked you to get that water sample after everything we¡¯d been through." His words touched me somehow. I could see from his downcast, regretful gaze that he genuinely felt sorry for putting me in danger. "Oh, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m not upset. Besides, we got some valuable information, didn¡¯t we?" My response clearly encouraged him, as his eyes lit up again. "Yes, without the sample, we¡¯d have to forget about the second plan." But our problem still wasn¡¯t resolved. "Back to the main issue. What do we do if we can¡¯t get close to the lake?" I asked. "We need to come up with a way." "Maybe we could throw it into the water somehow?" I started suggesting. "And how do you imagine that?" "I don¡¯t know¡­ Maybe build something like a catapult or a slingshot and launch it with something heavy." Neight smirked. "Even if we spent time building something like that, it¡¯s too unreliable. Hitting the target would be difficult. We could make tons of attempts and still miss the mark. Not to mention that every failed attempt could wake up the lake monster with the noise." I thought for a moment. "Do we have any sort of controllable drone?" "No," Neight replied bluntly. "If we had, I¡¯d be using it for scouting instead of going out there myself." "Maybe we could try pushing it with some branches?" "Where are you going to find branches that long?" he laughed, which stung a little. "There are tall trees here!" I replied defensively, but Neight shook his head. "Maybe we could tie it to the top of a tree and then topple it toward the lake?" "I¡¯m afraid that first, someone would have to climb to the top. Neither of us can manage that, and I¡¯m afraid the trunk would snap before it worked," he said, barely holding back laughter. "At least I¡¯m trying to come up with ideas!" I said, turning away and puffing out my cheeks. "Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to offend you." I sneaked a glance at him and saw that he was looking at me with a guilty expression. It was enough to cool me off a bit. "You know," he said, "while you were coming up with ideas, I had one too." "Oh, really? And what is it?" I asked, still feigning a slight pout. "We¡¯ll need some rope. Ever heard of a ropeway?" I felt a bit confused, not sure what he was getting at, but I nodded. "We¡¯ll make a ropeway over the lake," he said confidently. Chapter 33: Mission "Water". Second Try (Part 1) No matter how grand and strange Neight''s idea of setting up a ropeway over the lake sounded, it actually turned out to be quite simple. At least, after he explained it, I had a clear picture of what we needed to do. The plan essentially consisted of a few basic steps:
  1. Tie one end of the rope to a tree;
  2. Walk along the edge of the clearing to the opposite side;
  3. Stretch the rope to make sure it passes over the water;
  4. Loop it around a tree on the other side and secure it at the right height;
  5. Then, return to the starting point and connect the ends to form a taut, continuous loop.
That way, we¡¯d have a movable zipline to transport anything to and from the lake without having to get even a millimeter closer to it. I had to admit, the plan sounded impressive. Now we just had to bring it to life. Without wasting time, we descended the ramp, fully intent on completing the task. We had to act quickly since it was the second half of the day, and darkness would soon fall. We definitely didn¡¯t want to be caught outside in the dark, especially in unexplored terrain. Who knows what dangers could be lurking in the shadows? "We need to get the hose" Neight commanded. "I unlocked the hatch through the control panel, but you¡¯ll have to crawl under the ship." "Got it!" Feeling inspired and finally useful, I handed Neight the weapon temporarily so it wouldn¡¯t get in the way during my incredibly important mission. Circling around the ramp, I dropped to all fours and crawled forward through the flattened but thick grass beneath the ship. Each blade crunched under my hands and knees, brushing against my helmet and suit. As I went deeper, the ship¡¯s shadow became denser, making it difficult to make out the features underneath. Soon, I realized I was moving purely by feel. I couldn¡¯t stay in the dark like this for long, so I needed a solution. I thought about using my notebook to light the way but doubted it would be effective¡ªit was too weak a light source. "It¡¯s pretty dark down here. Do we have something like a flashlight?" "Yes, of course," came the reply in my earpiece. "Press the button to the right at temple level." Following the instruction, a bright beam shot out from the top of my helmet. Reflecting off the ship¡¯s light hull, it completely dispelled the darkness that had dominated just a second ago. "Thanks! Now everything is as clear as daylight." "Great," Neight replied contentedly. "You should hurry a bit, by the way. We have a lot to do before it gets dark." "Yes, yes, I know," I muttered as I started looking around. "How will I know which hatch?" "It¡¯s the only one that¡¯s open. You can¡¯t miss it." Turning my head, I spotted a small opening about the size of a dinner plate in the smooth hull of the ship, hidden by the tall grass. It was slightly behind me¡ªI must have missed it in the darkness. I backed up carefully until I was right beneath the hatch and looked up to see what was inside. A thin, flexible dark gray hose dangled from within. It didn¡¯t look like rubber, as it had a metallic shine to it. But with all the unknown technology on the ship, I wasn¡¯t even surprised. Probably a more advanced, durable material, I thought. I grabbed the end of the hose and pulled, feeling it extend smoothly. Peering deeper into the opening, I noticed that it seemed to be wound on a large reel. Convenient. As long as it doesn¡¯t get stuck. "Neight, I¡¯ve got the hose," I reported, pleased. "Understood. Crawl out of there, and let¡¯s go."
We were making our way through the forest toward the ill-fated lake, which was both our only salvation and could also be the cause of our demise. I walked ahead with a weapon in hand, scanning the area for potential threats. There was a lingering concern that local predators might become active as night fell, so I was tense and focused, reacting to every sound and movement in the bushes. Neight followed behind me, dragging the hose along, which slithered across the grass like a long snake. The path was more difficult than I had imagined. I had to choose a route that prevented the hose from catching on any obstacles like dense bushes, stones, and protruding roots. Maneuvering between the trees, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the hose would be long enough for what we needed. But that was only part of the issue. Our progress was painfully slow. And it wasn¡¯t just because of my caution or the tricky path¡ªI could tell that Neight wasn¡¯t fully recovered and wasn¡¯t really ready for this much exertion after his injury. Predictably, he refused to admit he was struggling, continuing to hobble along silently, his breaths coming heavy and labored. Some things never changed, and his stubbornness was infuriating. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. "Hey, Neight, how are you holding up?" "I¡¯m fine... phew... I¡¯ll manage," he replied, clearly trying to catch his breath to sound more convincing. "Look, you can¡¯t keep pushing yourself like this. You should be resting and regaining strength; I could handle this on my own. Why don¡¯t you head back? I''m sure I''ll get it all done quickly." I tried to keep my voice soft yet persuasive. No matter how I looked at it, his presence didn¡¯t seem necessary here. In this state, I doubted he could be much help even if something went wrong. But he clearly had his own view on that. "No... like I said, I¡¯m not leaving you alone... I¡¯ll have time to rest after we¡¯re done." Is he seriously still holding onto that? I thought. Sure, it was only yesterday, but I figured after he restored my access to the ship, he¡¯d trust me enough to let me go on my own. "Hey, I¡¯m not going to run off again. I promised," I said, feeling a bit hurt at his distrust. "I remember¡­ But it¡¯s better if I stay close¡­ just in case." "Fine, whatever you say," I sighed, knowing I wouldn¡¯t be able to convince him otherwise. Starting a new argument and risking another fight wasn¡¯t something I wanted. Maybe there¡¯s a reason he¡¯s acting like this. We had already reached the marked tree where Neight had carved a giant cross yesterday. The clearing with the lake was just a short distance away when I heard a stumble behind me, followed by an annoyed huff over the radio. I turned to see Neight struggling to pull the hose, which had suddenly stopped moving. "Did it run out?" I asked, alarmed. Panic shot through my mind as I realized I had no idea what we¡¯d do if that were the case, and we had no time to come up with an alternative plan. Meanwhile, Neight looked at me and sighed heavily. "No, it should¡¯ve been long enough. It probably got snagged somewhere or the reel jammed." I felt a bit relieved that things weren¡¯t as bad as they initially seemed, but we still had to do something. "I¡¯ll go check," I offered immediately, about to head off when Neight stopped me. "It¡¯s not safe for you to go alone. We¡¯ll go together." His stubbornness truly amazed me. "Neight, listen, we don¡¯t have much time, and you can¡¯t move quickly. Can we really afford these delays?" I began. "Just wait here while I run back. I¡¯m in much better shape than you, wouldn¡¯t you agree?" He was silent for a moment. I was sure he was conflicted and frustrated, but he really had no choice. "Fine, go ahead," he finally replied, a barely perceptible hint of irritation in his voice. Pleased that I¡¯d managed to hold my ground, I nodded happily and ran along the hose, calling out that I¡¯d be right back. My only real worry was about Neight, who was now alone back there, without any gun and weakened from his injury. That was just one more reason to find the problem as fast as possible and get back to him. I ran for about a minute, my legs starting to tire, when I finally found the issue. A large amount of grass had tangled tightly around the hose, caught on a thick green bush. I pulled out my knife and began freeing the hose from the tangle. Just don¡¯t damage anything, I thought, carefully cutting the grass and tossing it aside. Once I was done, I tugged on the hose and felt it move freely again. Phew, that should do it. I hope there won¡¯t be any more issues. While I was clearing the grass, I managed to catch my breath a bit, though the ache in my legs still lingered. If everything goes smoothly, I¡¯m just going to crash into bed and stay there until tomorrow, I thought, running through the forest, weaving around slim tree trunks and leaping over exposed roots. Finally, I spotted Neight sitting on the ground, apparently waiting for me. But as I got closer, a chill of fear crept over me¡ªhe was covered in blood. No¡­ This can¡¯t be happening! All the sounds of the forest faded as my pulse pounded stronger, radiating through my entire body. "N-Neight! Are you alive?! What happened?" I cried, rushing toward him as fast as I could. But then, to my shock, he looked up at me calmly and stood up as if nothing had happened. "I¡¯m fine," he replied evenly. "What about the hose? Did you manage to fix it?" "Y-yes¡­ It just got tangled in the grass¡­" I answered automatically, still shaken and not fully understanding what had happened. "Neight, there¡¯s¡­ b-blood on you¡­" "Oh, that¡­" he said in a chillingly emotionless tone, sending shivers down my spine. "While you were gone, a small predator spotted me. Fortunately, I had my knife. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not my blood." Listening to him, I realized I¡¯d completely forgotten what he was capable of. Maybe that was the real reason I¡¯d felt such primal fear yesterday when I ran from him, blindly fleeing into the unknown. Even while injured, he remained incredibly strong and resilient, especially in emergency situations. His quick reflexes and ability to assess everything around him almost seemed superhuman. He could take a life without even batting an eye. For some reason, our conversation came back to me¡ªthe one where Neight claimed he saw little difference between a wild animal and a human¡­ No, he¡¯s definitely someone you wouldn¡¯t want as an enemy. "Let¡¯s go," he said in a softer voice. "We¡¯re almost there." I took a few seconds to collect myself, then we continued our journey toward the lake. Occasionally, I glanced over at Neight, noting that nothing had changed in his tired, slow gait. If it weren¡¯t for the crimson splatters on his suit, it might¡¯ve seemed like nothing had happened at all. Still, I couldn¡¯t shake my worry. "Are you sure you¡¯re not hurt? Are you sure you''re alright?" He sighed in mild frustration. "If you don¡¯t count a fractured collarbone, muscle aches all over my body, and general fatigue and exhaustion, I¡¯m just fine." I couldn¡¯t tell if he was joking or speaking seriously. "Doesn¡¯t sound all that great," I replied with a faint, sad smile he couldn¡¯t see. "Hm¡­ Just saying it like it is," he answered, sounding calm, which actually made me feel a bit better. "By the way, we¡¯re here." Chapter 34: Mission "Water". Second Try (Part 2) The clearing appeared before us again, with its wide open space and the blue lake at its center. Small puddles still shimmered in the dips, not yet dried up after the heavy rain. I felt a bit uneasy at the sight of this place where we had fought for our lives just yesterday; now, it reminded me of an arena for battles. While I tied the rope to the trunk of a tree, Neight was pulling out the hose to get the necessary length in advance. He carefully coiled it to ensure it wouldn''t tangle at the critical moment and cause us problems. When we each finished our tasks, we walked together to the opposite edge of the "arena." I went ahead with the weapon, while Neight held the rope, making sure it didn¡¯t snag or tie itself into knots. It was surprising how calm this place seemed now. It was mostly quiet, with only the hoot of an unknown bird echoing from somewhere deep in the forest. The local star had already dipped behind the tree crowns, and only its long beams of light broke through the slender trees like in a fairytale, creating a deceptively serene and beautiful scene. Finally, we reached the opposite side. Choosing a suitable tree, we looped the rope around it, fixed it in place, and pulled it taut. "Perfect," Neight concluded, ensuring that our makeshift cableway stretched directly over the lake. "Let¡¯s head back." So far, everything was going exactly according to plan. I would even say things were going a bit too well, but I kept my happy thoughts to myself, not wanting to jinx it. When we returned to the tree, we completed the "circuit," creating the necessary tension and tying the rope ends together. The only thing left was to bring the hose to the water using this setup. Before we moved on to the last, most crucial stage, Neight moved the rope back and forth to test the functionality of the cableway. It was fairly mobile, though sometimes it required a bit of effort when the rope got slightly stuck. "Looks like it works. Tie the hose so that its end dangles low enough to touch the ground with some slack," Neight instructed. "Got it! Consider it done!" After completing my mission to tie the hose, I started slowly pulling on the rope. Our cableway came to life. The hose dragged along the ground, rustling through the grass as it followed the slightly sagging rope. Meanwhile, the local star reached the horizon, and the previously bright blue sky gradually transitioned to a deep, dark blue. Twilight was falling. "Hey, Neight, what do you think? This whole setup won¡¯t attract the worm¡¯s attention, will it?" I asked casually, feeling the tension mount as the hose inched closer and closer to the lake. "Let¡¯s hope not." Even though his voice sounded rather dry, I could still catch a hint of worry. "And if it does try to swallow the hose?" Neight paused for a couple of seconds. "In that case, the system should release it to ensure the ship¡¯s integrity and safety. The only hitch is... I¡¯m not sure if the release module was damaged in the crash." "Wait, wait! Are you saying that the lake monster could flip our ship?!" "Exactly..." I stopped mid-motion, just one last pull away from the hose reaching the water. My eyes were filled with bewilderment. "Then what the hell are we doing?! Maybe this isn¡¯t the best idea to get water like this?" "The problem is, we don¡¯t have any other options left. At least not right now. So, we have to take risks. Right now, we need to get water to the ship, or we won¡¯t make it. As soon as we find safer alternative sources, we¡¯ll switch to them." Frustrated by our dire situation and growing unsure of our current plan, I yanked the rope to finally get this job done. A crack sounded from the opposite side, the tension slackened, and the hose, along with the rope, tumbled to the ground before our eyes, with part of it splashing onto the lake¡¯s surface. Stunned, I stared at the broken cableway. The branches of the tree on the opposite side, which had served as support, had snapped, causing the rope to slip all the way down to the ground. Realizing what had happened, I immediately looked at Neight, waiting for his reaction. He stood there, rooted to the spot. "Damn it¡­" he muttered bitterly after a few moments of silence. "We can¡¯t leave it like this!" I understood what he meant. The high, rocky edges around the lake¡¯s crater could make it hard to drag the hose across the ground. It could easily get stuck in one of the grooves, causing us even bigger problems. But that wasn¡¯t all. It was one thing to have a single hose dangling in the water; it was entirely different if a rope stretched nearly across the entire lake, drawing the attention of the giant worm. "We need to fix it." Without a second thought, I took off, unwilling to waste a moment, but suddenly felt a firm grip on my arm from behind. "Wait, you can¡¯t go alone!" "Neight, let go! I¡¯ll be quick ¨C there and back," I said, trying to break free from his hold. "No, we go together. It¡¯s practically dark now, and it¡¯s dangerous," he replied firmly, pulling me along with him. Surprisingly, he seemed to move with more energy than before. Maybe he¡¯d been saving his strength? By now, night had fallen. We switched on the lights built into our helmets, illuminating the path ahead of us while the surrounding darkness became all the more ominous. Thin trees cast long, dark shadows that seemed almost alive in my restless imagination as the light moved. As the star fully set behind the horizon, everything fell eerily silent. Aside from the rustling grass beneath our feet and the leaves we brushed past, there wasn¡¯t a single sound. Even the wild birds, which had been calling out in the distance, had gone silent, as if trying to hide from some unknown threat lurking in the darkness. I felt uneasy. For the first time since waking up on this planet, I was outside at night. It felt like danger could be hiding around every corner, behind every bush or tree. The only thing keeping me somewhat calm was the fact that I wasn¡¯t alone.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. We were almost there when I heard a rustling behind us, followed by a sharp crack close by that made me jump. Neight immediately let go of my hand, drew his knife, and turned, placing himself between me and whatever was behind us. I turned to see a large creature nearly the size of a bear just a few meters away. It crouched low to the ground, fixing its enormous green, catlike eyes on us, narrowed against the brightness of our lights. It had the look of a predator eyeing its prey. The creature resembled a cross between a wolf with an elongated snout and a panther with sleek black fur. My heart dropped. Understanding our lives were in danger, I didn¡¯t wait for Neight¡¯s command and pointed my weapon upward, pulling the trigger to scare it off. The energy blast thundered into the sky, streaking like lightning and momentarily illuminating the area around us. The pantherwolf creature squealed, recoiling from the shock, but quickly calmed down, tensely baring its sharp fangs. "Night is hunting time. It won¡¯t back down," Neight said grimly, taking a defensive stance with his knife raised. The beast lowered itself, ready to pounce, and in that instant, Neight dashed forward to meet it. The creature launched itself with a powerful leap, claws extended, roaring as it swiped its massive, clawed paws. Neight barely dodged, narrowly avoiding the dagger-like claws that missed his head by mere centimeters as the creature twisted in mid-air, trying to strike. Without hesitation, Neight, now beside the creature, plunged his knife between its shoulder blades, slicing down with force, causing scarlet splashes to fly in all directions, once again painting his suit with fresh drops. The sight made me instinctively close my eyes and look away. The wounded creature whimpered in pain and bolted, leaving us alone. The encounter was over in an instant, and seeing Neight¡¯s swift, precise movements, it seemed the beast hadn¡¯t stood a chance. It was almost frightening, what this guy beside me was capable of. "Let¡¯s go," Neight said dryly, wiping the blood from his knife before sliding it back into his belt. I didn¡¯t argue. We reached the tree with the fallen rope, though I was still rattled from the encounter and kept looking over my shoulder. Fixing the makeshift cableway wasn¡¯t easy with the hose pulling the rope down, but with Neight¡¯s help holding it in place, we managed. Once the setup was corrected, I immediately set it in motion, pulling the hose all the way to the lake¡¯s edge, where it splashed into the water. "We did it¡­" I exhaled, feeling a bit of relief. "Yes, we actually pulled it off. Now it¡¯s time to head back to the ship. And quickly."
We were walking at a brisk pace, having covered most of the way back. Neight kept up, though his heavy breathing revealed just how hard it was for him. I was exhausted, too, and moving through the dark forest made even familiar areas look strange and unrecognizable. Our only guide was the hose stretching like a lifeline back to the ship. To our left, a long, eerie howl echoed from the depths of the forest, sending chills down my spine. Was it the same predator that had confronted us earlier? "Emma¡­ if you see¡­ a wild animal¡­ just¡­ shoot it¡­ I''m¡­ at my limit," Neight gasped, struggling to catch his breath. "O-okay." My hands, gripping my weapon tightly, began to shake. Saying I was scared was an understatement. I wasn¡¯t confident in my abilities and feared I wouldn¡¯t be able to hit a target if another enemy appeared. I had no real experience and knew my limitations well. Please, let nothing else cross our path! I prayed silently. I wanted to reach the ship as quickly as possible and feel safe again. Now, its walls seemed like a fortress, sheltering us from any threats. An island of some stability and protection. A rustle came from the left. Startled, I immediately aimed my weapon toward the source of the sound and fired. Although the energy beam lit up the area, it revealed no wild animals, but a threatening howl sounded close by, about ten meters away. Then another¡­ and another¡­ Neight bolted, grabbing me by the arm, and we ran as fast as we could. I could hear his gasping breaths, but he ran so quickly that I struggled to keep up, trying not to stumble or fall. Finally, we burst out of the forest, and there it was¡ªour ship. We scrambled up the ramp and tumbled into the airlock. Neight immediately punched a command on the control panel before collapsing onto the floor. Just before the outer door closed, I caught sight of four pantherwolfs charging out of the forest, racing straight toward us. Thankfully, the door shut just in time, mere moments before they could reach us. Now, we were safe. Feeling the wave of relief, exhaustion also set in, and I plopped down onto the floor beside Neight, pulling off my helmet and gasping for air. Safe! We barely made it¡­ That was close¡­
After catching our breath, we dragged ourselves up to the main control panel, despite the overwhelming exhaustion. I didn¡¯t know what was on Neight¡¯s mind, but for me, the thought that the hardest parts were behind us kept me going. All that was left was to activate the pump, and then I could collapse onto a soft bed, surrounded by the embrace of pillows and blankets until the next day. Technically, I didn¡¯t have to go to the control room¡ªI could have gone straight to rest¡ªbut after everything that happened, I didn¡¯t want to leave Neight alone. I wanted to keep him company, to support him. Besides, I wanted to see for myself that we¡¯d successfully completed our mission. Entering the control room, Neight sank into his central chair with a deep sigh and began typing commands. I took the seat on his left and quietly watched him. His eyes were half-closed, weighted down by fatigue, and it seemed they might shut at any moment from sheer exhaustion. His movements were noticeably slower and more drawn out, clearly showing how drained he was. I¡¯ll have to find a way to cheer him up when this is all over. Once we¡¯ve rested, I¡¯ll definitely make a big batch of jam! When Neight finished entering the commands, he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. A faint hum resonated from somewhere below the ship. It seemed the pump had activated. Then came a slight gurgling sound, and a red light blinked on the control panel. Neight snapped out of his daze, glanced at the indicators, furrowed his brow, and then covered his face with his hand, sinking back into the chair. "What¡¯s going on?" I asked, puzzled. "The water isn¡¯t coming through¡­" I froze at his words. "How¡­ how can that be?" I asked quietly, still struggling to grasp how something like this could have even happened. "I don¡¯t know¡­" Neight replied distantly. "Maybe the hose got twisted somewhere. Maybe something chewed through it, or it got pulled out of the lake. I don¡¯t know¡­" "W-we need to check it!" "Emma¡­" "We still c-can fix this, r-right?" "Emma, stop. We have to accept that we failed. None of us can survive another trip out there." Silence hung heavily in the air. He was right. Completely right, but that didn¡¯t make it any easier. After everything we did, everything we went through, was this really the end? Was it all in vain? I wanted to cry, to scream, to break down. I couldn¡¯t accept it. I just couldn¡¯t¡­ But there was nothing more to be done. Our only option was to go into hibernation, hoping that while we slept, we wouldn¡¯t be discovered and captured by the enemy. That was all we could do now. After sitting in this atmosphere of despair for a while longer, Neight, his face etched with suffering, reached toward the control panel to shut off the pump. But just as he was about to do so, there was a bubbling sound, followed by a loud sloshing noise, and the red light turned green. Neight, stunned by the sudden turn of events, stared silently at the control panel, his hand hovering centimeters above the keyboard. I also froze, not yet fully understanding what had just happened. I held my breath. Time seemed to stand still around us. "It¡­ it worked¡­" Neight said quietly, as though he couldn¡¯t fully believe his own words. "Really? You¡¯re not joking?" "Yes¡­ Water from the lake just entered the system." I felt emotions of pure happiness start to fill me. For a moment, it felt like I might burst from the joy. I was ready to jump up with a scream and start dancing, but my exhausted body had other plans, so instead, I simply shouted, "Yes! We did it!" and, closing my eyes, raised my hands in victory, laughing as I spun in my chair. After the burst of excitement, I exhaled and leaned back with relief, smiling at Neight. Apparently, he¡¯d been watching me with wide eyes the entire time, but as soon as our gazes met, he relaxed and smiled at me softly. "Yes, you¡¯re right. We really did it!" Chapter 35: Battleship A full day had passed since our successful water retrieval mission. For a while, we rested and recovered. Neight, in particular, was feeling the strain, so he barely left the lab. Meanwhile, I finally managed to start cleaning and get the ship back into decent shape. It took everything I had to scrub down the storage area, where bits of greenveg were stuck to surfaces and starting to rot. But the sense of satisfaction I felt when everything sparkled and shone like a mirror was worth every second. If I¡¯m being honest, though, nothing compared to the joy of taking a real shower. Words can¡¯t describe the bliss I felt at finally being clean again. After washing up, I climbed onto my top bunk and opened my notebook. One of my go-to activities during downtime was reading various manuals and system documentation for the ship, which Neight had transferred to my notebook. I¡¯d read the user guide for the multifunctional analysis and processing device cover to cover, so I started browsing other files. Among them were documents on the closed-loop water supply system, general information on the capsules and their capabilities, and lots of other useful materials. But my gaze landed on the very last file, titled "Autopilot System." That¡¯s the AI Neight activated during the storm. Driven by curiosity, I tapped on it, eager to uncover its secrets. I could already picture myself in the captain¡¯s seat, piloting the ship. But my excitement quickly deflated when an error message popped up: "File cannot be opened. Data corrupted." "Great¡­" Muttering my disappointment, I set the notebook aside and flopped onto the bunk. So much for being the ship¡¯s pilot... Unless Neight gives me the complete file or teaches me himself. But would he even want to?
Another few days went by. Finally, I was no longer spending my time in solitude, as Neight had recovered enough to rejoin me. At least now he looked as well as he did before the incident with the giant water worm. He was still in a cast, of course, which wasn¡¯t surprising, but there were no longer any signs of fatigue or exhaustion. His eyes were clear once more, radiating calm and confidence. We tried to return to our usual routine, although our outings remained brief and only took place during the first half of the day, when the daylight was at its fullest. Fortunately, we soon discovered another type of edible fruit¡ªbright orange with yellow highlights. They tasted sweet with a hint of astringency, something between mango and persimmon. Despite all the hardships, these days turned out to be fairly lucky and productive. One afternoon after dinner, I planned to head to my quarters to read about the ship¡¯s systems before bed. Neight typically went to the lab overnight, claiming it helped him recover more effectively. But this time, he had different plans. As usual, he finished his meal with surprising speed and stood up from the table. "I¡¯ll be in the control room, continuing data recovery," he announced. I frowned, remembering the way he had almost hypnotically tapped at the keyboard, muttering nonsense to himself. But before I could say anything, he swiftly left the kitchen.
"Off to work on your data again?" I asked when we found ourselves with a couple of free hours. Ever since Neight had started feeling better, he¡¯d been constantly busy, not allowing himself a single moment to relax. It was either work or sleep for him. "Yes", he replied curtly. Does this guy even know what a break is? At this rate, he¡¯s going to lose it. I worried that he was once again taking on too much and that it might end up backfiring. Sure, in a way, it¡¯s none of my business, and I¡¯m not exactly in a position to tell him how to spend his time. But on the other hand, we depend on each other. If something happened to him, I¡¯d be in serious trouble too, so I had to try to intervene. "Hey, maybe you should take a break? You know, it¡¯s important to rest every now and then. Weekends weren¡¯t invented for nothing." He looked at me, then narrowed his eyes slightly and gave a faintly condescending smile. "I understand what you¡¯re getting at, but I¡¯ve never had weekends. And I don¡¯t think I need them." I stared at him in surprise. "W-wait¡­ Sure, you lived in a lab and all, but there¡¯s no way you never had even a minute of free time, right?" "That¡¯s exactly how it was," he replied, completely serious. "I was either involved in tests or sleeping." If I hadn¡¯t been sitting, I might have collapsed on the spot. Monsters! How could they treat a living person like that? And he even says he¡¯d like to go back to those conditions, to live as he did before¡­ "Neight, that¡¯s not normal. You must understand that," I said, trying to find the right words. "Besides¡­" I paused. "I¡¯m sure that things are very different now compared to what you were used to. If you don¡¯t take breaks, you might not have the strength left when it really matters." He frowned and seemed to think about it. I hoped I had gotten through to him. "I don¡¯t know how to rest," he finally said. "And I¡¯m not going to sit around and do nothing." "No one¡¯s asking you to just sit there staring at the walls. You can still find something entertaining to do." "Like what?" I gave him a sly smile as a brilliant idea came to mind. He must¡¯ve sensed I was up to something, because he looked at me cautiously, crossed his arms, and leaned back a little. "Well, for example, we could play a game. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d enjoy it." "A game, huh?" It seemed my suggestion piqued his interest. The tension vanished from his face, replaced by an almost childlike curiosity that lit up his eyes. I was momentarily thrown off, surprised at how his serious, cold expression could shift into this genuine, open excitement. It was like the time he tried that blue-berry jam for the first time. Was his life really so hard and bleak that little things like this could bring him so much joy? I felt a pang of sadness, but at the same time, I was pleased to have found a way to get him to take a break. "Yeah, it¡¯s called ''Battleship.'' My mom taught me when I was a kid. Let me explain the rules," I continued. "We¡¯ll need notebooks." I moved closer so he could see my screen clearly and follow along. I quickly created two 10x10 grids, numbered the rows, and labeled the columns alphabetically. "You have two grids here," I said. "The top grid is where you place your ships, and the bottom one is for marking your turns and tracking down my ships. Ships come in different sizes and can take up one to four squares." I began sketching the different types of ships along the side of the grid, and Neight observed carefully, copying everything into his own notebook.You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Here, let me show you an example of how to position the ships." On my top grid, I placed a single-square ship in the upper left corner, with the rest scattered randomly below. I aligned two two-square ships along the left and right edges, approximately in the middle. Parallel to each of those, with a two-square gap, I placed two three-square ships, and finally, the four-square ship had a free area at the top. "That¡¯s one way to arrange them. The main rule is that ships can¡¯t be placed next to each other." "Got it," he said, nodding. "Once both players are ready, the game begins. The player whose turn it is calls out a square they want to check on the opponent¡¯s grid. Let¡¯s say you call ''A1.'' I have a single-square ship there, so I¡¯d tell you that you ''sank'' it. On your bottom grid, you¡¯ll mark your moves to keep track of which squares you¡¯ve checked and how many ships you¡¯ve sunk." Following my instructions, he placed an X in the A1 cell and put dots around it. "Exactly. When you sink a ship, you don¡¯t need to check the neighboring cells since two ships can¡¯t be adjacent. We go back and forth until one of us sinks all the opponent¡¯s ships." "I think I get the rules," he said, sounding satisfied. "Great, then let¡¯s give it a try!" I was feeling excited, too, as I started placing my ships, eager to see if I could beat him at this game. He might be new to it, but he was clearly good at planning and strategy, so I wasn¡¯t going to go easy on him. Where should I put the single-square ships? They¡¯re usually the hardest to find¡­ Maybe putting them in the corners is a dumb idea¡­ Or would he assume I wouldn¡¯t place them there and not check? After a bit of thought, I eventually placed one single-square ship in cell A1 and positioned the others in spots I thought were less obvious. Feeling like a devious mastermind, I could almost picture myself cackling with villainous glee. "Ready," I announced with a mischievous smile. "I¡¯ve finished setting mine up too," he replied casually. "Go ahead, take the first turn," I suggested. "You¡¯re the beginner, after all." He gave a sly smile. "A1," he said confidently. "Sank." Got you in my trap! I thought. Now you¡¯ll think it''s that easy, but wait until the disappointment hits. "C7," he said next. I looked at my board, and my smile instantly disappeared. "Another sank." Sinking two of my single-cell ships in a row? I guess beginners are lucky. My eyes nearly popped out when, right after that, he sank a third single-cell ship. A smug grin spread across his face. What the heck? "H2." "How is this even possible!" I jumped up as Neight sank my last single-cell ship. "There¡¯s no way you could guess like that on the first try. Were you peeking? How did you find them all so fast?" He looked at me in surprise, caught off guard by my reaction. "When you were placing the ships, I could roughly figure out where you hid them based on your movements..." Hearing his answer nearly made me explode, but I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. Calm down, Emma, ??calm down... He¡¯s new to games, after all. "Look, you¡¯re not supposed to know where my ships are ahead of time; otherwise, what¡¯s the point?" "Sorry, I didn¡¯t know that was against the rules. Want to try again?" he asked apologetically. "Alright." Clearing the board, I started thinking about my new setup, though I felt a slight tension this time. Occasionally, I glanced over at Neight to make sure he wasn¡¯t sneaking a look, and relaxed a bit when I saw he was entirely focused on his notebook, not even looking my way. "I¡¯m ready," he said. "Hold on a second, I¡¯m almost done," I replied, hiding my single-cell ships again. "There, all set. Your turn." "A1." "Miss," I said proudly, letting out a sigh of relief. Hopefully, we¡¯ll be able to play normally this time, I thought, and took my turn. But it was too early to celebrate. Though Neight missed a few times, pretty soon, he somehow started pinpointing my ships again with shocking accuracy. Finally, I couldn¡¯t hold back. "L-listen, I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but something feels off again. Be honest¡ªhow did you figure out where I placed the ships?" He looked at me in surprise and seemed a little embarrassed. Maybe he was starting to wonder if he was playing the right way. "From your expressions and tone of voice. When I missed close to your ships, you seemed more tense and focused. So, I used that to narrow down the search zones." For a second, I was speechless, regretting suggesting this game to him in the first place. "T-that¡¯s not exactly how this game works... We''re not playing poker or ''I Doubt It,'' after all..." "What¡¯s ''I Doubt It''?" "Never mind. You¡¯re really only supposed to use the game board itself and the information on hits and misses." "So reading an opponent¡¯s emotional state is against the rules too?" he asked, a little confused. "Not exactly against the rules, but it¡¯s not really the point. But maybe I¡¯m partly to blame for being so obvious." "Shall we try again? If you want, I can avoid looking at you or even turn away," he offered. I sighed, but I couldn¡¯t refuse him. So, we started a new game, and this time I focused hard on keeping my emotions in check. Although I lost again, at least this defeat felt fair. I only had two of his single-cell ships left to find, but Neight had managed to sink mine first. "You almost won," he reassured me, as if I were the beginner, not him. "Yeah, that was a solid game." "Want to play again?" he asked calmly, though the sparkle in his eyes showed how much he was looking forward to it. How can I say no to that? "Sure, let¡¯s go," I smiled.
I lost five games in a row. We were finishing our sixth game, and we were neck and neck as usual. But this time, I was certain I could finally beat him. A fierce competitiveness had taken hold of me, and I wasn¡¯t planning on stopping until I¡¯d defeated this crafty strategist! Though I was burning with excitement inside, I tried to keep a calm appearance on the outside. After so many games, I felt I was getting pretty good at it. It even started feeling like some sort of training in controlling my voice, expressions, and body language. But what I enjoyed most was that we¡¯d settled into a relatively relaxed conversation. "So, it¡¯s been almost 700 years since the start of the war with AI? Hard to believe." "To be exact, it¡¯s been 691 years. By the way, you missed again. B8." "Miss. Just think¡­ I never imagined I¡¯d sleep that long in cryo. And you say they put you to sleep later? What year were you born, if you don¡¯t mind me asking?" "2054." "Hah, I thought I¡¯d be older than you! That would make me five years your senior if it weren¡¯t for the catastrophe." Just like with Albert... "Yeah, yeah, you¡¯d be older. Your turn." "I2." "Miss." "Darn it, where did you hide it?" He smiled in response. "You¡¯ll find out when you find it¡ªor lose again. B9." "Miss." He was pretty close. My last remaining single-cell ship was hiding in C9. "H3," I said hopefully. "Miss again." Neight fell silent, thinking carefully about his next move. This is it¡­ it¡¯s over¡­ "C8." Thank goodness! "You missed," I said, pleased. As I picked from the last three options, I decided to ask something else. "Neight, listen. Remember those instructions and documents you sent me on the notepad?" "Yes. And?" "One of the files I was really interested in was damaged. The autopilot system." He looked at me closely, narrowing his eyes with a hint of suspicion. "I thought you hated AI." "Well, not exactly hate¡­" I hesitated. "It¡¯s more like I view it with caution. Especially after¡­ Well, you know¡­ after uprising. It¡¯s complicated since my parents¡­ they were the ones who worked on AI development. I would understand if many people resented our family for it¡­" I surprised myself by bringing up the topic. He hadn¡¯t forced or asked me to share it. But somehow, I wanted to tell him. Maybe I just wanted to get it off my chest, as if I, too, bore some responsibility for the catastrophe. "Yeah, maybe that¡¯s true," he said quite directly. "But if you want to know, I want to say I don¡¯t feel any resentment toward you, your family, or AI." "Thank you, Neight¡­" I murmured quietly, looking away, feeling a sense of relief. "As for the file, I can send you a complete one after we finish this game. By the way, if you haven¡¯t forgotten, it¡¯s your turn now." "Right," I replied, a bright smile spreading across my face. I looked at the board again. Only three cells remained, each in a different location: B2, F7, and I9. All I could do was rely on luck. "F7," I said, making my choice. Neight grinned. "You won," he said, showing me his notebook, where a cross had just marked the location of his last single-cell ship. Chapter 36: While Its Quiet and Peaceful Time passed, days blending into one another. By Earth''s standards, just over two months had gone by, and no one had come for us, which was undeniably a relief. However, some things had changed. The daylight hours grew shorter and shorter, signaling the approach of winter. We didn¡¯t know how harsh it would be on this planet or how long it might last, but it was already clear that rainy weather was becoming more frequent than clear skies, and edible fruits were becoming harder to find. Even though we had managed to gather decent reserves, I was worried it might not be enough. Nevertheless, we continued to survive and adapt to this wild, uninhabited planet. I had studied all the documentation available to me inside and out, to the point where I could confidently say I was no longer a useless burden. At the very least, I could now analyze various substances and elements, knew how to activate and deactivate cryo-capsules, process data from their digital assistants, and even diagnose and fix some simple errors and malfunctions. Most excitingly, I had learned how to pilot the ship using its AI. Granted, I lacked practical experience, and some sensors were damaged, but at least in an emergency, I could attempt to take action. Neight had recovered from his fracture. His bones had healed, and he was finally free of the cast that had long restricted his movements. Although he was still undergoing rehabilitation, he had already resumed hunting and occasionally took me along. While I mostly observed from a distance and didn¡¯t actively participate, I was ready to back him up in case of a predator attack. It was worth mentioning that my shooting skills had noticeably improved thanks to Neight. He had set up a small training range for me not far from our ship, carving targets into the bark of trees. At first, I constantly missed and felt like there was no progress at all, but over time, the results became apparent. Right now, I was in the middle of one of my evening training sessions. It was the first half of the day, and although it was still light outside, the local star was hidden behind clouds, only occasionally breaking through to cast golden beams through the gaps. The air was humid and slightly cool from the frequent rains, but I enjoyed the fresh scent. With every breath, I could smell the sweet aroma of grass and tree leaves, which faintly reminded me of home. It smelled like autumn. "What are you thinking about?" Neight¡¯s sudden question pulled me out of my deep thoughts and back into reality. "Oh, sorry. I got distracted," I admitted. "I was just remembering life on Earth. I¡¯m ready to start." He looked at me, then tilted his head slightly to the side. Knowing Neight, I could bet that at that moment, behind his helmet, a soft, indulgent smile had appeared on his face. "All right, you may begin," he said calmly, then added, "Just don¡¯t rush. The trees aren¡¯t going anywhere." "Ha-ha, very funny," I replied sarcastically to his jab. I focused and looked ahead at the mark, which was about seven meters away. In my hands was a pistol I had been learning to shoot with for some time. As it turned out, the heavy energy gun wasn¡¯t the only weapon in our arsenal. The pistol felt much lighter and fired shorter, weaker energy bursts that could still hit a target but were less likely to cause fatal injuries. I suspected why Neight was teaching me to use it. If our enemies turned out to be anthropomorphic androids¡ªor even¡­ humans¡ªthen the pistol would be more practical. Aiming at the mark, I fired three consecutive shots. Each shot produced a brief flash as it flew forward, hitting the tree trunk and leaving small, charred black marks on the bark. Two of them were fairly close to the center of the target, but the third one veered slightly upward. Without stopping, I took a few steps to the side and fired another series of shots at the next target, repeating this until I finished with the fifth and final one. Afterward, I exhaled and began mentally analyzing my mistakes. Damn, I rushed too much with the first target. And on the last one, my hand wobbled. Yeah¡­ I¡¯ve got a lot to improve on. "You¡¯re definitely making progress," Neight praised me. However I already knew that his praise was usually followed by a list of mistakes to work on. And this time, I wasn¡¯t wrong. "But there are still areas you need to work on," he began. "First, your stance is off. You¡¯re spreading your legs too far apart and leaning forward too much. Second, you rushed again. You didn¡¯t maintain the proper interval between shots, and as a result, your aim was off. I think you can see that yourself."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Yes¡­" I said, slightly disheartened by his criticism, though deep down, I understood he was doing it to help me. He kept pointing out the problem areas, not missing the slightest detail, as if he were analyzing each of my actions under a microscope. I just listened attentively and nodded silently. After all, all I could do was keep learning. One thing made me feel better¡ªsurprisingly, Neight was a good teacher. "Any questions?" he asked calmly when he finished his review. "No, everything''s clear." "Good. Then try again." Nodding in agreement, I positioned myself in front of the first target again, raised my right arm with the pistol aimed at the mark, and supported it with my left, slightly bent at the elbow. Just as I was about to make my first shot, I heard a dissatisfied sigh. That meant I had already made a mistake somewhere. Come on, Emma, it¡¯s clearly the stance. What did we just talk about? The grip seems right, the left foot is in front. What¡¯s wrong? I had to think quickly; otherwise, Neight would jump in to correct me again, and I really didn¡¯t want that right now. For some reason, his touch made me feel strange, causing a slight panic and loss of focus. Naturally, that didn¡¯t help my aim, so I wanted to avoid it. The stance¡­ the stance¡­ Oh, right, legs! Realizing I was repeating the same mistake, I moved my left foot slightly closer to me and felt that I had achieved a more stable position. Carefully, I turned my head toward Neight to check his reaction and see if I was doing everything right. He nodded approvingly and gave me a thumbs-up, which made me exhale with relief and refocus on the target. After firing another series of shots, I noticed that while the results were still not perfect, they were better than before. Pride filled me. Even though I knew there was still a long way to go, I could feel good about myself for today. The training session was definitely a success.
It was probably dark outside by now. During the second half of the day, we usually stayed on the ship, as it was safer that way. Neight would often retreat to the cockpit to work on his important tasks, only emerging for meals when it was time. Occasionally, I managed to convince him to take a break and play something like Battleship or a word game where you had to guess the answer based on leading questions. While I mostly lost, I had fun. After all, it wasn¡¯t always about work. Even in tough situations, you need to find time for small joys. Besides, I got special satisfaction when I finally managed to beat that genius! Right now, I was particularly eager for a rematch after losing our last game a few days ago. "Hey, Neight," I started casually, "how about taking a day off today? We could play¡­ I don¡¯t know... charades, for example." I didn¡¯t choose that game by accident. I was especially good at it, while Neight, on the other hand, was hilariously bad. I had noticed that when it came to creative thinking and imagination, he struggled. His attempt to guess when I imitated a chicken¡ªwalking in circles, arms bent at the elbows and flapping like wings¡ªwas a prime example. Neight, seeing this action, widened his eyes and looked at me as if I was crazy. At that moment I couldn¡¯t help but laugh so hard I almost hurt my stomach. And the way he tried to act out a traffic light was too funny to even think about without giggling. "N-not charades," Neight replied, a slight blush appearing on his face. But he quickly composed himself and continued calmly, "And actually, I¡¯ll pass for today." His answer didn¡¯t sit well with me, as I was determined to play something with him and win. It was a gambler¡¯s thrill that gripped me, refusing to let me back down, like a card player who had lost everything but was sure luck would finally turn in their favor this time. Besides, I didn¡¯t have much else to do, and rereading documentation didn¡¯t sound appealing. "Oh, come on. We can pick another game. Your data isn¡¯t going anywhere; take a break." He looked at me warmly, a faint smile lifting the corners of his lips. "Next time. I¡¯ll finally finish my work completely today, and then we¡¯ll have plenty of time." "Really? That¡¯s wonderful!" Hearing this news, I unexpectedly felt an incredible surge of happiness. It was the kind of joy you feel when you celebrate someone else¡¯s success¡ªa friend acing an important test after weeks of preparation or your parents completing a major, long-awaited research project. For the first time, I realized that I was starting to grow attached to Neight in some way. That¡¯s good, right? "Yes, it really is," Neight agreed. I felt slightly embarrassed, as if he had responded not to my spoken words but to what I was thinking at that moment. Meanwhile, Neight headed toward the door to leave the cabin, but he stopped just before touching the control panel. He turned to me, and I noticed his gaze was full of doubt, which alarmed me. His mood had changed abruptly. Something was clearly troubling him; he even opened his mouth, seemingly about to say something, but hesitated. Pressing lips together and lowering the brow, he quickly averted his now sorrowful gaze and hurried out of the cabin, leaving me puzzled. Chapter 37: What Do I Feel for You? What just happened? The scene I had just witnessed refused to settle in my mind. I stood frozen, staring blankly at the door. Neight had never shown his emotions so openly before, and it left me completely baffled. I couldn''t even figure out how to react. What did he mean? Is something troubling him that much? Why now? Should I run after him and ask directly? But wouldn¡¯t that seem too intrusive? Snapping out of my stupor, I sank onto the bunk, leaning against the wall. Tilting my head back, I let my thoughts wander. His sorrowful expression lingered in my mind, vivid and unforgettable. It had only taken a moment to etch itself into my memory: those gleaming amber eyes, cast downward, framed by thick, white lashes that seemed dusted with winter¡¯s chill. What was he hiding behind that gaze? Sliding down the wall, I curled up on my side, resting my head on the pillow, and glanced again toward the door¡ªtoward the very spot where Neight had stood. He said today would be the last day he leaves like this. Is it related to his work, the one he¡¯s been consumed with for so long? I never fully understood what he needed all that data for... What happens once he¡¯s done? Is it dangerous? A wave of anxiety washed over me, and I hugged the pillow tightly, lost in thought. Maybe I was overthinking it again. Maybe it was something else entirely. But if not work, then what? Surely, he couldn¡¯t be... in love with me? I thought, half-jokingly. But as soon as the thought formed, I froze, and a blush ignited on my cheeks. A sudden rush of nervous energy surged through me, and my heart pounded so loudly it seemed to echo through my whole body. Even if a full orchestra were playing in this small cabin right now, I doubted I would hear it over the deafening thrum of my pulse. No, no, no! Of course not! What nonsense! I clutched the pillow tighter, squeezing my eyes shut as I shook my head, trying to banish the absurd thoughts. We¡¯re too different. Too... Yes, he cares about me, and we¡¯ve gotten along better lately, but he made it clear our partnership is purely for survival. Only for survival... The bitterness of that realization stung, and I turned to face the wall, pressing my face into the pillow. My heart still refused to calm down, hammering relentlessly in my chest. What¡¯s wrong with me? Why do I even care what he thinks of me? It¡¯s not like I could¡¯ve... A shiver ran through me, from my fingertips to the top of my head, leaving a tingling warmth concentrated in my cheeks. These feelings were new, unfamiliar, and terrifying. Trying to shake them off, I let out a muffled groan into the pillow and rolled from side to side. Mmmph... This is the last thing I needed! After exhausting myself with all the tossing and turning, I flopped onto my back and stared at the ceiling. The frantic movement had worn me out, leaving me breathless. Ugh... All these thoughts are ridiculous! Why did I even let myself think that? I scolded myself. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn¡¯t think about anything else. Yes, we¡¯ve spent some time together, struggling to survive and adapt to this planet¡¯s conditions. And, okay, maybe he is attractive... At least, his looks aren¡¯t ordinary... But damn it, he looks so much like Albert! It¡¯s unnervingly similar! Even if, hypothetically, something could happen between me and Neight, how awkward would it be once we save Albert? He¡¯s like a little brother to me... No, it¡¯s impossible! The more I dwelled on it, the more I felt trapped by my own thoughts. The harder I tried to deny my feelings, the more real they became. They felt both enticing and forbidden, out of reach. And that made it all the more painful. Biting my lip, I didn¡¯t even realize when the tears started. How did it come to this? All I wanted was to understand Neight, and now I was tangled up in my own emotions.
We met in the kitchen since it was lunchtime. I tried my best to act as if nothing was wrong, as if there were no inner turmoil gnawing at me. But deep down, even I knew I was doing a terrible job. My lack of appetite made me idly push around the green puree on the plate with a spoon. My forced smile made cheeks ache, and the corners of the mouth began to twitch. I wanted to sink into the ground or hide somewhere secluded, anything to escape the shame. At first, it seemed like Neight was ignoring my odd behavior, but at some point, he began watching me intently, concern evident in his eyes. I avoided his gaze as much as possible, and whenever our eyes did meet, I panicked, feeling as though a wildfire of emotions had ignited inside me, demanding immediate control. "Emma, are you okay?" Neight asked carefully. I flinched at the sound of his voice, like thunder crashing on a clear day. "Y-yeah, I¡¯m fine. No need to worry. B-by the way, how¡¯s your work going?" I hurried to change the subject, forcing an even wider smile that made my jaw ache. I must look pathetic¡­ "If you¡¯re asking about my work, everything¡¯s going according to plan. But I¡¯m worried about you. You don¡¯t look well. Are you sick?" Ha! If only¡­ My smile faded, and I lowered my now sullen gaze. Tears welled up in eyes, but I still tried to hold it together. "You might be right... Maybe I really am coming down with something," I muttered quietly. "This could be serious. You should get a medical checkup. Let me walk you to the lab," he said seriously, rising from his seat abruptly, ready to help. I hadn¡¯t expected such a swift reaction and was taken aback for a moment. "T-thank you for your concern, but it¡¯s not necessary. It¡¯s not that bad. Just a little fatigue," I waved him off. "But I¡¯ll follow your advice and get checked after lunch, okay?" I still couldn¡¯t meet his eyes, but I plastered on a polite smile, trying to reassure both him and myself. Puzzled, Neight sat back down without insisting further. "You once told me that if something ever troubled me, I could always talk to you¡­ Emma, if something¡¯s bothering you, you can share it with me too. I¡¯ll help however I can," he said softly.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. His words stirred mixed emotions in me. On the one hand, it was nice that he cared enough to offer help. On the other, it hurt because he hadn¡¯t confided in me earlier. Maybe if he¡¯d told me what was troubling him this morning, I wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. It¡¯s unfair to expect honesty from me when you don''t share anything with me!" I knew my reaction was childish, maybe even foolish, but I couldn¡¯t help it. "Thanks¡­ I¡¯ll keep that in mind," I replied curtly. Realizing I had no intention of opening up, Neight¡¯s expression turned somber. He didn¡¯t press me further, and an awkward silence settled over the kitchen. We didn¡¯t speak again. As usual, Neight finished his meal much faster than I did, but he waited for me to finish. Maybe he was hoping I¡¯d change my mind and tell him what was on my mind. But that wasn¡¯t part of my plan¡ªnot now, at least. "I¡¯m going," I said, getting up from the table. He didn¡¯t say a word as I slowly walked to the door. A part of me wished he would stop me, but I was also terrified of that possibility. I wanted to share my feelings with him, to confess my complicated emotions, but I knew they were likely unrequited. And even if they were, nothing good would come of it. I just need time, and this will pass, I convinced myself. Still, I lingered at the door, clinging to a faint hope that he might stop me and pull me into a comforting embrace. But the problem was that all these intense feelings existed only in my head. I¡¯m the one who fell for him, and he doesn¡¯t even know. I haven¡¯t said a word, and he can¡¯t read minds¡­ Of course, he won¡¯t do anything. He won¡¯t stop me or say anything¡­ I left the kitchen, overwhelmed by a crushing sense of loneliness and despair.
I couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of gloom, and any attempt to distract myself was futile. We met Neight again at dinner, but we didn¡¯t exchange a single word. It hurt too much to look at him, so I kept my eyes fixed on my plate. The green mash made from grinveg had become unbearable, utterly unappetizing and even repulsive. I could¡¯ve cooked something else, maybe the poultry we had left, but I didn¡¯t have the energy or will to try. Forcing myself to swallow another spoonful, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Neight¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t much different from mine. His strangely vacant gaze was also directed downward, as if he was searching for answers within himself but failing to find any. After a while, he opened his mouth to say something, but the moment his eyes met mine, we both quickly averted our gazes.
It had been a terrible day. Just awful. The only consolation was that it was finally over, and maybe tomorrow would be a little better. I lay on my bunk in total darkness, wrapped tightly in a blanket and facing the wall. The cabin was deathly quiet, with no one but me inside. Neight still hadn¡¯t returned from the control room, and I wasn¡¯t sure if he would at all tonight. Strangely enough, I couldn¡¯t tell if that thought brought me comfort or made me feel worse. God, I¡¯m completely lost... Gradually, sleep began to overtake me, my thoughts dissolving into a haze as I drifted toward unconsciousness. But suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps shattered my fragile state of drowsiness. I heard the cabin door open, and someone crept inside. Of course, I knew who it was. Neight moved cautiously toward his bunk, clearly trying not to wake me, but then he stopped. I couldn¡¯t hear him lying down, so I was sure he was still standing in the same place, his face right at the level of my top bunk. Was he looking at me right now? The thought alone made my face burn with heat. "Emma, ??are you sleeping?" Neight whispered. Just four words, yet they threw me into a panic, a storm of emotions erupting inside me. What should I do? Should I answer? No, I can¡¯t! Terrified of the conversation that might follow¡ªa conversation I wasn¡¯t ready for¡ªI decided to pretend to be asleep. Deep down, I knew it was the wrong choice and that I might regret it later. But I remained perfectly still, holding my breath and making no sound, hoping not to betray myself. Neight lingered for a moment, waiting. When no response came, he sighed quietly, a note of sadness in the sound, and finally lay down. Guilt gnawed at me, along with a deep sense of disappointment in myself. What did he want to talk about? Was it too late to answer now? I could pretend I¡¯d just woken up and hear him out. Part of me wanted to, but the words wouldn¡¯t come. It was as if my voice had abandoned me entirely. I never found the courage to say anything or even give a sign. I lied to him... I couldn¡¯t listen when he might have needed it most.
Several days had passed since then. Neither of us dared to start a conversation about what was gnawing at us. If anything, it felt like we were both doing our best to pretend that nothing was bothering us, though it wasn¡¯t exactly convincing. Polite, forced smiles and sad glances were all we managed. As promised, Neight had finished his work, so he no longer stayed in the control room. We even played a few rounds of Battleship. During the game, he seemed focused and distracted from his problems, acting more like his usual self, which I found comforting. I truly enjoyed those moments spent together, though I couldn¡¯t help but feel my cheeks flush whenever he smiled. My feelings hadn¡¯t gone anywhere. However, things were much more complicated during my shooting practice under his guidance. I couldn¡¯t concentrate, and my performance had deteriorated. My shots frequently missed the target, sometimes by a wide margin, because my hands were trembling, and my breathing was erratic from nervousness. Still, I noticed that, despite my obvious mistakes, Neight had become more lenient. He commented on my errors less often and occasionally tried to encourage me gently. He no longer rushed over to correct my stance, though secretly, I wished he would. God, what am I even thinking?! I was embarrassed by my own thoughts. And the longer this went on, the clearer it became that things couldn¡¯t continue like this. So, on one of the crisp, cool days when we were scouting the forest again, I finally made up my mind. "Neight, can we talk?" My heart pounded wildly. I could hardly believe I was about to confess my feelings. I was terrified of being rejected, yet I had no idea what to do if he reciprocated. But I couldn¡¯t leave things as they were. And now that I had initiated the conversation, there was no turning back. Neight, who was walking ahead, stopped and turned toward me. He silently looked at me for a moment before replying, "Alright, let¡¯s talk. Sooner or later, this was bound to happen." He tried to stay composed, but there was sadness in his voice. "Do you mind if we take off our helmets? It¡¯s better to see each other¡¯s faces for a conversation like this, don¡¯t you think?" he added. His suggestion caught me off guard and left me deeply flustered. It would have been much easier to talk with my face hidden behind a mask. But he was right. It wouldn¡¯t be right. If I was going to talk about my feelings, I needed to find the courage to do it properly. I nodded in agreement, and we both removed our helmets. My cheeks were burning, but I tried to stay composed and looked at Neight. The snow-white hair fluttered slightly in the wind, standing out like the first snowfall against the green forest backdrop. His eyes glimmered like lonely stars in the icy expanse of space. He was like winter itself¡ªsometimes harsh, a little intimidating, even piercingly cold at times, yet undeniably beautiful. I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from him, and my breath caught in my throat. "Neight, I wanted to tell you that..." "Emma, I have long wanted to tell you¡­" We spoke at the same time, creating an awkward moment. "A-alright, speak first," I muttered in embarrassment. He took a deep breath, clearly gathering his thoughts, while I stood silently, ready to listen. For some reason, I had a bad feeling. Why does your gaze seem so sad? "First of all," he began, "I want you to know that I¡¯ve decided to tell you everything because you¡¯ve become someone important to me." So¡­ this conversation won¡¯t be about love, I thought bitterly. "I don¡¯t want to hide the truth from you anymore¡­ even if you end up hating me for it," Neight continued. His words left me confused. What do you mean? I watched him intently, waiting for him to continue. His eyes dropped, filled with guilt, as if he were about to confess to something terrible. "The thing is," he said quietly, "I''m not¡­" He didn¡¯t get to finish. A loud roar echoed in the sky, and a ship identical to ours flew overhead, swiftly vanishing behind the tree canopy. Frozen in place, we stared in shock as it disappeared. Terrified, I turned to Neight. His wide-eyed expression betrayed his surprise, but after a few seconds his face became irritated and he slowly ran his hands over it. "No, please, not now!" he said doomedly. Chapter 38: Hidden Value "Emma, I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯ll have to postpone our conversation." Before I could react, Neight grabbed my hand and pulled me along as he dashed toward the ship. We ran so fast that I couldn¡¯t catch my breath, let alone say anything. My mind raced with questions. Have our enemies found us? Are we in danger? Can we handle this? Despite the panic, a small part of me felt a gentle thrill from Neight holding my hand. Even though my confession had failed this time, I could at least savor this small comfort. It was the only thing keeping me grounded, preventing fear from overwhelming me again. When we finally reached the ship and had a brief moment to catch our breath in the airlock, I couldn''t hold back my questions any longer. "Neight, do you know whose ship that was? What¡¯s going on?" My voice trembled with anxiety. His expression darkened¡ªnever a good sign. "I can¡¯t say for certain who¡¯s aboard that ship, but one thing is clear¡ªthey¡¯re a threat to us." A chill ran down my spine. "W-wait, how can you be so sure? What if they¡¯re just like us¡ªfellow escapees?" "No," he interrupted firmly. "They wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice." "You mean¡­ digitized humans?" I whispered, afraid that speaking louder might somehow summon them. At the mention of those words, Neight¡¯s face froze in fear. He stood motionless, as if he had stopped breathing, his gaze distant. I could only imagine the terrifying images running through his mind. For the first time, I realized just how much he feared them. The realization made my own fear swell. Neight wasn¡¯t afraid of wild animals, giant water worms, hidden dangers on this unknown planet, or even the prospect of starving to death. But they paralyzed him with terror. What horrors had he endured to make him react like this? "Yes," he finally responded, snapping out of his trance. "I mean the digitized humans." "So¡­ what do we do now? Do you have a plan?" I asked desperately. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, held it, and then let it out slowly, blowing out a hissing stream of air. When he was finished, his eyes cleared and he looked calm and confident again. This was the Neight I knew¡ªthe one I would follow into fire or water. "Yes. We need to confront our uninvited guests before they capture us." At that moment, the airlock doors groaned open. Neight handed me his heavy energy rifle. "Go to storage and grab some light pistols. Leave this one behind. I¡¯ll head to the cockpit." The sudden weight of the rifle nearly knocked me over, but I managed to stay on my feet. My own weapon was already weighing me down, making it even harder to move. "Wait! Why are you going there?" I asked anxiously as Neight started toward the staircase leading to the second floor. "We¡¯ll need the navigation system to track them," he replied before disappearing up the stairs. I heard the beeps of the control panel authenticating his access, followed by the creak of a door and his footsteps echoing in the cockpit. I stood there, staring after him, feeling a growing sense of unease. "But¡­ won¡¯t that give us away?" I mumbled to myself. Still, I knew standing around wouldn¡¯t help. I decided to trust Neight, as I always did. He had pulled us through tough situations before and clearly knew more than I did. Neight knows what he¡¯s doing. That thought gave me a small boost of confidence. I rushed to the storage room, opened locker G3, and hastily shoved the two heavy rifles inside. There was no time to be careful. I grabbed two pistols from the neighboring G2 locker and headed back toward the cockpit. But a dark thought crept into my mind, wrapping around my heart and soul like a suffocating shadow. Will I have to shoot a human? It was as if I were bound in chains, frozen in place, unable to move as I stared at the gun in my hand. It seemed as if I was not even looking at it, but through it, and as if I felt how fear was filling me, turning into a bottomless emptiness of despair. It seemed to grow, spreading like a plague throughout my entire body. There was no longer a single thought, no emotion. Nothing. In that moment, it was as if the entire world around me dissolved and disappeared... Along with my inner self. But suddenly, like a spark igniting in the dark, something flickered within me, pulling me back to reality. I gasped, horrified, and glanced at my trembling hands, realizing how labored my breathing had become. Beads of sweat trickled down my face. Damn it! Neight better have a solid plan, or else... I¡¯ll have to stain my hands with blood... I tried to calm down, forcing myself to take slow, measured steps toward the exit of the storage room. My legs were shaking, barely able to support me. Ugh, Emma, we haven¡¯t even faced the enemy yet, and you¡¯re already weak in the knees. When I finally reached the closed door, I leaned against it, hoping to catch my breath and stop the trembling. Inhale. Exhale. I have to go. Whatever happens, happens! Before I could act, the door suddenly slid open, causing me to lose my balance. Letting out a startled yelp, I fell backward. The ceiling, the doorframe¡ªthey blurred past as I tumbled, until everything halted, and Neight¡¯s surprised face appeared above me. He had caught me. For a moment, I blinked up at him, mouth agape in shock, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. When I finally realized how awkward this position was, I scrambled to get out of his arms and back on my feet. Ahhh, this is so embarrassing! Neight, however, didn¡¯t seem fazed by my clumsiness. His worried gaze lingered on me. "You shouldn¡¯t lean on doors; it¡¯s dangerous," he chided. Really? That¡¯s what bothered you? I thought but kept quiet. "You took longer than expected, and I started to worry," he added. "Emma, are you okay?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Emotions surged within me. The past few days had been overwhelming, draining me bit by bit. Now, with a tangible threat looming, it was all too much. I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. Meeting Neight¡¯s gaze, I let it all out. "I¡¯m scared, Neight. No, I¡¯m terrified! I don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting for us out there. Can we even handle it? What are our chances? It¡¯s just the two of us, and I don¡¯t even know if I can do anything useful!" "Emma¡­" he pronounced my name with deep, genuine sympathy, and meanwhile I continued my outburst of emotions, unable to stop. "What if this is the end? What if they kill us? And I just wanted to tell you that I¡­ Ah!" Before I could finish, Neight closed the distance between us and pulled me into a warm, secure embrace. He moved so fast I didn¡¯t have time to react. I fell silent, stunned. His hand gently stroked my head as he whispered, "It¡¯ll be okay. Everything will be okay." He repeated the words like a soothing mantra. I buried my face in his chest, letting go of all thoughts. His breathing was steady, calming me, making me feel safe. I hadn¡¯t realized how much I missed the comfort of someone¡¯s embrace. Now that I had it, it felt almost unbearably good. My heart raced¡ªnot from fear, but from something warm and tender. The panic evaporated, replaced by a pleasant, fluttering sensation. For the first time in days, I felt truly at peace. Maybe even happy. Too bad this moment can¡¯t last forever. When I finally calmed down, Neight released me. "Feeling better?" he asked gently. "Y-yeah," I mumbled, embarrassed, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Good." He smiled, but then his expression turned serious. "Listen, the situation is tough, but I believe we have a chance. Before we go, there¡¯s something I need to tell you." He hesitated, looking away as if searching for the right words. I felt a pang of nervous anticipation. Could it be? Are my feelings mutual? Is he going to open up to me? I held my breath. "Well¡­ Whatever happens, they won¡¯t harm you. They might threaten or intimidate you, but they won¡¯t touch you." "W-What? But why? How can you be so sure?" I asked, confused and disappointed. This wasn¡¯t what I had expected. "Please, just trust me on this. I promise I¡¯ll explain everything once we deal with the current threat. For now, take this as fact." I didn¡¯t like that he was hiding the reason from me. Not one bit. It led to dark thoughts and made me doubt his intentions, whether I wanted to or not. On the very first day, he told me that I ended up here by chance, a fortunate coincidence, but now it was starting to feel like more than just that. What was my role in all this mess? What was my value? Was it because of my parents, or was there something else I didn¡¯t even suspect? And he did say he wanted to confess something, something he thought might make me hate him, whispered an inner voice, like a devil on my shoulder. On the other hand, I wanted to believe him. It was terrifying to even consider that he might have been lying to me all this time. I had grown so attached to him. Could my feelings have blinded me? Besides, he promised to tell me everything later. So far, he had never let me down, taught me how to handle weapons, and provided extensive information on the ship and its systems. Why would he do that if he had some sinister agenda? That would only create more problems for him if he were exposed. No, he couldn¡¯t possibly be a villain. I¡¯m a hundred percent sure of him! I want to trust him. "Alright. I trust you, Neight, and I won¡¯t ask unnecessary questions now. But later, you¡¯ll tell me everything you promised." "Sure, I¡¯ll tell you everything. But for now, we need to quickly discuss our plan and move out. Otherwise, we might lose our advantage." I nodded in agreement, ready to listen, completely unaware of what lay ahead.
We moved carefully through the familiar forest, trying not to make any noise. Inside, fear and anxiety raged, my heart pounding as if it might burst out of my chest. Yet, the nature around us remained as calm and unshaken as ever. The star shone brightly in the sky, illuminating everything with its radiant beams. The treetops swayed gently, rustling their leaves in the cool breeze. The only difference was the silence. The birds, usually chattering in the distance, had fallen quiet. The sounds. That¡¯s what had really changed. The silence made it feel as if Neight and I were the only living beings in the forest. But on the contrary, that very silence clearly signaled someone else¡¯s presence nearby. Each step felt too loud. Even the faint crunch of twigs underfoot echoed in my ears. The atmosphere of danger and unpredictability pressed down on me. It felt as if we could come face to face with strangers at any moment. And then... Damn it, my hands are shaking. When we discussed the plan, Neight said there would likely be two of them: also a guy and a girl about our age. The problem was that both of them were supposed to be as skilled as Neight, which genuinely scared me. What made it worse was that, due to some ¡°special status¡± I apparently had, I was supposed to act as bait, distracting them while Neight got to them unnoticed. When he first laid out the plan, I thought it was a bad joke. But seeing his serious expression, I almost collapsed on the spot. No matter how much I protested and tried to come up with an alternative, he was adamant. "This is our only chance to win," he had said, leaving me no choice but to agree. Now, I walked through the forest behind him, trembling with fear, aware of the inevitability of what was coming. Like a sacrificial lamb calmly walking to the altar. I kept turning my head, scanning every bush we passed, fearing they might already be waiting for us. What if they¡¯re already here? What if they¡¯re watching us? I was so focused on the bushes that I didn¡¯t notice Neight stop abruptly and bumped into him. He staggered slightly, taking a step forward to regain balance before turning to me. He must have noticed how anxious I was. He took my hand. "Let¡¯s sit and rest for a bit, okay?" he said softly, with a hint of care and sympathy. "B-but what about¡­ the enemies?" I stammered, my voice trembling with fear more than I expected. Neight calmly pulled out an electronic pad and showed me the radar. Two dots appeared on the green screen in the lower right corner, marking our location. "There are no enemies nearby, so we have some time. Besides, we¡¯re already where we need to be. We¡¯ll wait for them here." "Are you sure our navigation will detect them?" "One hundred percent sure. Don¡¯t worry about that," he replied confidently, which eased my mind slightly. I sat down under a tree, leaning my back against the trunk and tilting my head back. Neight sat down next to me. The fight hadn¡¯t even started, and I already felt mentally drained. The waiting was just as agonizing and terrifying as the inevitable confrontation itself. The more I thought about it, the more I panicked, lost in my swirling thoughts, drowning in the ringing sound in my ears that grew louder by the second. At some point, it became hard to breathe, as if the air had run out. My chest tightened, like an invisible hand pressing down, and the world around me began to blur. Suddenly, I felt a light, gentle touch. Neight took my hand again and moved closer until we were sitting shoulder to shoulder. "Emma, I know you''re scared, but you''re going to be okay," he whispered softly, trying to comfort me. "How can you be so sure? What if you''re wrong? I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s so special about me. Yes, you promised to explain everything later, but what if there is no ''later'' at all?" "There aren¡¯t many people like you left," he murmured quietly. I was surprised that he decided to share this, but it still didn¡¯t make much sense. "What do you mean, people like me?" Neight didn¡¯t answer right away. "Healthy in body and mind. That¡¯s what makes you valuable. It¡¯s why they won¡¯t harm you. They need you intact for their experiments." I wasn¡¯t sure whether to feel relieved or devastated. My life might not be in immediate danger, but the idea of being captured and used as a test subject for the rest of my days didn¡¯t seem like much of a silver lining. As I processed his words, a sudden thought crossed my mind. "Wait, what about you? What will happen to you?" I asked, concern heavy in my voice as I tried to glimpse his face behind the dark visor of his helmet. "I¡­" He sighed. "I¡¯m not like you, Emma. I think they¡¯ll try to eliminate me at the first chance they get." He said it with such calm, as if the gravity of the situation didn¡¯t faze him. Was he that fearless, or had he simply come to terms with his fate? "But¡­ how can that be?!" I stammered, confused. "What makes us so different? You¡¯re not any less worthy than I am, and you..." "There are many reasons," he interrupted gently but firmly. "One of them, though not the only one, is that I¡¯m a threat. That¡¯s all I can tell you for now. The rest will have to wait until we get through this." "Do you really think we can make it?" I asked hesitantly. "Yes," he replied with unwavering conviction. "I believe we have every chance." His words ignited a spark of hope within me. His courage and determination inspired me, filling me with newfound resolve. If he wasn¡¯t afraid, despite being in a far more perilous situation, then I had no right to fall apart. The worst that could happen to me was being captured for experiments, but Neight faced the possibility of death. That¡¯s when I made a silent promise to myself: I would give everything I had¡ªnot for me, but for him. Resting my head on his shoulder, I closed my eyes, savoring the last few moments of peace. I won¡¯t let you down! Chapter 39: Battle "Emma, it''s time. They''ve appeared on the radar." I felt a surge of adrenaline and snapped my eyes open. On the screen of the notebook Neight was holding, two additional white dots had appeared in the corner, slowly moving closer to us. Estimating the time in my head, I concluded that they would be here in about ten minutes¡ªor maybe even less. It''s time to act! I thought, jumping to my feet to take my position. Neight also stood up, but each of his movements was precise and deliberate, a clear sign of his focus and control over the situation. We both took cover a few steps apart behind tall, dense green bushes, which served as a natural barrier separating the forested area from a small clearing. I realized that Neight had chosen this spot on purpose to give us a slight advantage if the enemy stepped into the open space. I also remembered that it was here where he had found me, muddy and drowning in despair on a rainy, gloomy day after I had fled. Not the warmest of memories, but it marked the real beginning of our cooperation. "Get ready. They''re approaching," he warned. His voice was emotionless but intensely focused. It was clear that his attention was entirely on the upcoming battle¡ªnot surprising, given that his life was at stake. Okay, I can do this. I have to do this! All I need to do is distract them and buy us some time. That¡¯s not so hard¡­ right? Both of us readied our weapons, releasing the safety catches. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the right moment. I kept glancing at Neight, worried for him, and listened carefully to the sounds around us. For now, it was as quiet as it had been just minutes ago, when we¡¯d been sitting peacefully together under the tree. A gust of wind. The rustle of leaves. A faint shuffle nearby and the crunch of grass. My heart started pounding again, like a wound-up spring. Just a minute ago, I thought I was ready for anything, but is it even possible to truly stay calm in such a situation? I glanced at Neight and saw him looking back at me. He nodded, signaling that only seconds remained before the strangers appeared. Then the bushes on the far side of the clearing rustled, and cautious footsteps moved in our direction. Praying silently to every god I could think of and taking a few deep breaths to keep myself from losing my mind to fear, I steeled myself and turned on the loudspeaker. "Stop where you are, or I¡¯ll shoot!" To my immense relief, I heard the strangers halt immediately, complying with my demand. I tried to peer through the dense foliage, but the green barrier that kept me hidden also prevented me from seeing anything beyond it. "Please, don¡¯t shoot us," came a calm female voice. It was steady and surprisingly¡­ familiar, though I couldn¡¯t place where I might have heard it before. My mind spun, gears turning frantically to dredge up the memory, which only gave me a headache. The voice itself felt odd¡ªnot harsh or unusual, but soft and feminine¡ªyet somehow it made me uneasy, grating on my ears. There was a strange, inexplicable sense that this voice shouldn¡¯t exist at all. "You must be Emma Grayson?" the stranger continued as I hesitated. "You know who I am?" I asked in return, trying to sound surprised while glancing at Neight to gauge the situation. He nodded slightly, signaling that everything was still going according to plan and urging me to continue. Meanwhile, he crouched down and began to carefully move, preparing to act. "Yes," the girl replied calmly, "we know who you are, and we¡¯ve come here to help you." "Really? That¡¯s great," I said, feigning enthusiasm. Keeping the conversation going was key to distracting them. "But it would be nice if you introduced yourselves too. Since you know who I am, I¡¯d like to know who I¡¯m talking to." As I spoke, my heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was sinking into my stomach. After every word, every sentence, I mentally analyzed whether I¡¯d sounded convincing enough. Was I too sharp? Too provocative? The tension mounted as Neight continued to move quietly through the bushes, circling the strangers to get into position for a sudden attack. With each step he took, my worry for him grew. What if they notice him? No, don¡¯t think about that. Focus! I have my own mission to complete! The stranger didn¡¯t answer right away. When she finally did, her voice seemed a little closer. "Of course! My apologies¡ªhow rude of me!" she said in a slow, measured tone. "My name is M79, and my companion¡¯s name is G091-005. Yes, it may sound a bit unusual, but that¡¯s what we were named," she explained. "There¡¯s no need to fear us; we were sent here to bring you back to the others." She¡¯s trying to get closer to me! I noticed and, overwhelmed with unease, glanced toward Neight... or rather, where he had been just seconds ago. Now, he was out of sight, which only heightened my anxiety. But I couldn¡¯t afford to fall silent¡ªI had to keep them talking. "S-so there are two of you here, right? What about your companion, G09¡­ s-sorry, I didn¡¯t catch the rest. Could he say something too? I¡¯d feel more at ease if I heard his voice as well." "I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s impossible," the girl replied, stepping closer¡ªjudging by her voice¡ªanother pace toward me. "He can¡¯t talk. But you can ask me anything, and I¡¯ll be sure to answer." "Stay where you are and don¡¯t come any closer! That¡¯s the condition of this conversation until I know I can trust you!" I shouted, panicked that the stranger might approach dangerously close. Worse still, I couldn¡¯t hear or imagine where this G09-whatever was. "Oh, sorry! We didn¡¯t mean to scare you. We¡¯re standing still now and not moving." "And, p-please, no funny business! I remind you that I¡¯m armed and will shoot if I feel threatened!" As I said those words, my hands were shaking so badly that there was no way I¡¯d hit my target if it came to that. Maybe I sounded stern at the moment, but I couldn¡¯t help it¡ªI was terrified. "We understand, we understand. Your message is crystal clear," the girl answered. Her tone remained surprisingly calm and composed. "But we truly don¡¯t mean you any harm and only want to help. So feel free to ask anything." Is there some kind of catch here? She¡¯s trying to come across as friendly. Maybe we really can resolve this without resorting to violence? Or is she just trying to confuse me? Let¡¯s test this, I thought. "A-alright, I do have some questions. Could you tell me a bit more about who exactly sent you here?" "Your parents. Henry and Margaret Grayson." "Mom and Dad?! They¡¯re alive?!" the words burst out of me.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. This news threw me completely off balance, making me momentarily forget everything else. I missed them so much, wanted so badly to see them again. Even the mere mention of their names gave me hope for a possible reunion. "Of course they¡¯re alive and have been searching for you for a long time!" Those words felt like sunlight breaking through the heavy, dark clouds covering the sky. It was exactly what I wanted to hear¡­ but that was the problem. How truthful were they? Was my interlocutor just trying to manipulate me? Neight had warned me they might try to sway me to their side, so I needed proof. Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm down and regain clarity. "I¡¯m truly happy to hear they¡¯re okay. Really. But can you prove what you¡¯re saying?" "Sunshine Lake," the girl said. Just those two words were enough to plant doubt in my heart. A story from my carefree childhood when I¡¯d run through the streets, imagining far-off magical lands. Back then, a small puddle seemed like a vast, magical lake shimmering in sunlight. Only my parents, Neight, and I knew about that story¡ªI¡¯d shared it with no one else. How do they know about that? What if they really are on my side? "Emma, don¡¯t fall for their tricks," Neight¡¯s quiet voice suddenly whispered through my earpiece, snapping me back to my senses. Right¡­ I can¡¯t let my guard down. Who knows how they found out? What if they forced it out of my parents instead? "May I ask a question?" M79¡¯s voice broke my train of thought. "Huh? Y-yeah, sure. Go ahead," I stammered, caught off guard by her words. "Are you here alone?" Her tone changed, growing colder, laced with an unmistakable threat. Fear gripped me, and I panicked, unsure how to respond. My hands shook even harder, and my gaze darted wildly, finding no anchor. My mind fogged, but I fought to hold it together. I had to say something. I couldn¡¯t admit Neight was here¡ªit would give him away instantly. I couldn¡¯t let them know about him, or our plan would unravel. They might even¡­ kill him. Lying was my only option. "Yes, I¡¯m alone here." "Ohhh, I see," the girl drawled, her voice dripping with false cheer, as if she were singing. "Got it." Did I mess up somehow? The thought flashed through my mind. A horrible feeling gripped me, like something terrible was about to happen. "You know," she continued, "it¡¯s not exactly safe to wander alone in the forest, especially on an unfamiliar planet. Who knows what dangers it might hold? Natural disasters, poisonous plants, predators, even¡­ at least one wild beast definitely lurks somewhere around here." As she spoke, I tried to grasp her intent. By the end, realization dawned on me. My heart stopped and then pounded so fast I thought I might suffocate. D-does she mean¡­ Neight? We¡¯ve been exposed! How did they find out? Where did I go wrong? "N8, you¡¯d better come out willingly!" she called out, her voice serious and threatening, as if to confirm my fears. Then, with a gloating tone and a sense of superiority, she added, "You realize you don¡¯t stand a chance, right?" I heard rustling in the clearing where the enemies were, and I knew that if I didn¡¯t act right now, it might be too late. Gritting my teeth and clutching the gun tightly, I jumped up and leaped out from behind the bushes to draw their attention. "Freeze! Don¡¯t move!" I shouted the first thing that came to mind and, to add credibility, fired a shot well above one of the silhouettes that had appeared in my view. The deafening bang echoed through the forest, startling animals and birds, which bolted in all directions with loud cries. But most importantly, as planned, my distraction drew the attention of our "guests." About five paces ahead of me stood a girl and a guy in suits identical to ours. Their faces were hidden behind helmets, giving them a strange, dehumanized, and faceless appearance. As soon as I fired, they immediately turned their heads toward me, sending a chill down my spine. What now?! I thought, paralyzed with fear and unsure of what to do next. At that moment, the silent guy lunged straight at me like a wild beast. He seemed capable of reaching me in an instant, and terrified, I screamed and instinctively raised my arms in front of me. But just as I braced myself for the worst, Neight suddenly burst out from the bushes to my side, colliding directly with the guy charging at me. The enemy reacted quickly and aimed his gun at Neight. Bang! My heart stopped, and I nearly collapsed. But a moment later, I saw that Neight was unharmed and felt a surge of relief. Before the stranger could shoot, Neight managed to grab his arm and knock it aside, causing the shot to miss and hit a nearby tree. The slender trunk wobbled and nearly snapped in half. But it was too soon to celebrate¡ªthe fight had just begun. In response, the silent guy swung his free left hand in a knife-like strike toward Neight¡¯s throat, but Neight blocked it in time. Holding the enemy with both hands, he quickly attempted a leg sweep to knock him off balance. The stranger, however, was no amateur and swiftly avoided the maneuver, countering with a knee strike to Neight¡¯s stomach. Damn it, they¡¯re not kidding¡ªthey¡¯re trying to kill him! I thought, helplessly watching the brawl. With trembling hands, I aimed my gun at the guy, intending to help Neight. But before I could act, I heard a deafening shot pass just centimeters above my head. Stunned, I turned toward the source and saw that I was now in the sights of M79. She stood in a firm, confident stance, the opposite of my trembling, barely-standing form. "Don¡¯t interfere, Emma," she threatened coldly, slowly advancing toward me while sidestepping to avoid the fight between the guys. Whaaat?! How is this "not harming me"?! They¡¯ll kill me too! I froze, feeling utterly powerless and realizing that if she reached me, it would likely be the end. According to Neight, I was their main target. But in that moment, I couldn¡¯t do anything without making things worse. All I could do was wait and hope for an opening to act. Meanwhile, the silent guy kept kicking Neight, landing blow after blow. Neight, however, minimized the damage by bending with the strikes, yet he never loosened his grip, refusing to let the enemy break free. It was painful to watch, and I felt an overwhelming itch to help, though I had no way to intervene. Then, during another attempt to attack with his knee, Neight abruptly let go of the enemy, blocking the strike with one hand while grabbing his leg with the other. With a swift motion, Neight flipped the attacker onto his back. The guy hit the ground hard, but, seemingly unfazed, he quickly aimed his gun at Neight with his free hand. Neight, however, delivered a strike that disarmed the enemy, then immediately grappled him again, trying to pin him face-down. Despite being in a vulnerable position, the enemy refused to give up, resisting fiercely. A kick from the stranger knocked Neight off him. Using his hands to spring off the ground like some kind of ninja, the guy leapt to his feet and attacked Neight, who was still getting up. He raised a fist and swung hard. Neight managed to block the blow with his arms just in time¡ªotherwise, he¡¯d have taken a direct hit to the head. But the enemy didn¡¯t stop, delivering strike after strike in an attempt to break through Neight¡¯s defense. "Neight, don¡¯t give up!" I cried out desperately. "Hahhh?" came a mocking sneer from the girl, who had almost closed the distance to me. "How interesting!" I couldn¡¯t begin to guess what was going through her mind, but one thing was certain¡ªshe was dangerously close, and I had to act fast! What can I do?! If I make a move, she¡¯ll shoot me¡­ Or¡­ After giving it some thought, I remembered Neight¡¯s warnings that they wouldn¡¯t dare to lay a finger on me. And now, those words wouldn¡¯t leave me alone. He said they might try to scare me, bluff, but they can¡¯t hurt me¡­ But what if he¡¯s wrong?! Or is he not?! Or is he?! Or isn¡¯t he?! A storm of emotions raged within me, tipping the scales of my thoughts from one side to the other. It felt like everything around me was pressing down, ready to crush me under the weight of the tension at any second. But time was running out, and I had to make a decision. Realizing that our lives were at stake, I made my choice. Closing my eyes, I steeled my nerves. Neight, I really hope you¡¯re right¡­ Clenching my teeth and mustering all my resolve, I suddenly aimed the pistol slightly above the guy who was still hammering Neight with blows and pulled the trigger. The thunderous sound of the shot made him flinch and instinctively turn his head, giving Neight the opportunity he needed. In a flash, Neight twisted to the side, locking the man¡¯s leg with his own and flipping him onto his back. Before the attacker could react, Neight twisted his arms behind his back and forced him face-first into the dirt. "Damn it!" M79 hissed irritably, watching her partner get taken down, and then she bolted toward me. I wanted to run, but she was too fast and too close. She grabbed me firmly and pressed a gun to my throat. "So, you¡¯re a brave one," she said coldly, her voice sending chills down my spine. "But don¡¯t move." Meanwhile, having neutralized her partner, Neight drew his weapon with one hand and aimed it at my captor. Silence fell over the clearing. It felt as if time itself had stopped, though inside me everything was pounding, rattling, and echoing with panic. I wanted to scream, to cry, to beg for help, to break free from her grip. I was so terrified it felt like I was about to pass out. I had become a hostage. Chapter 40: Unspoken that Sows Doubt "You¡¯ve lost, N8! Or whatever you call yourself now. Neight, isn¡¯t it? Ha! Who would¡¯ve thought!" the girl shouted arrogantly, tightening her grip, leaving me no chance to escape. "And don¡¯t try anything stupid, or I¡¯ll shoot our precious sample!" Sample? What the... What is she talking about? Somebody save me! "You won¡¯t do it," Neight replied, surprisingly calm, keeping M79 in his sights but making no sudden moves. Was he just trying to keep his composure in such a dire situation? Or was he so confident I wouldn¡¯t be harmed? It couldn¡¯t be that he didn¡¯t care what happened to me¡­ could it? "Ha!" the girl sneered, then shifted her tone to something more serious. "You know that without the sample, I¡¯m as good as dead. So either I take it, or¡­ well, you know how it ends." Oh my God, she¡¯s insane! She¡¯ll definitely kill me! Definitely! "How long do you think it would take for a bullet to reach your skull in that case?" Neight said menacingly, implying the pistol in his hand. AAAAAH, Neight! Are you trying to get me killed?! Why are you provoking her?! I screamed internally. However, it seemed Neight¡¯s words rattled the girl, as I distinctly felt her flinch. She probably imagined the scenario he had described all too clearly. "You¡¯re right. I do know who I¡¯m dealing with," she said suddenly, her tone dropping into something almost sorrowful, as if her spirit had waned. "It¡¯s astonishing you haven¡¯t finished us off already, even though you could have, isn¡¯t it?" "Listen, I don¡¯t want to hurt you. Join us, M79. Together, we have a better chance," Neight said, his voice steady. "You know we have completely different goals, so I¡¯m not going to be part of your plan!" she snapped, her grip on me tightening. I tensed up, shutting my eyes and holding my breath, terrified that in her rage, she¡¯d make a desperate move. That would be the end of me... "I¡¯ve adjusted the plan, and I think you might find it interesting," Neight said cautiously. Perhaps he knew trying to sway an enemy was a long shot, but it seemed he was determined to avoid bloodshed. "Ha! No, really, you¡¯re full of surprises today!" M79 said, sounding almost amused. Meanwhile, I cracked my eyes open, praying for this ordeal to end. Then she gave me a slight shake, almost playful, and added, "It¡¯s her, isn¡¯t it? She¡¯s changed you. Incredible! Truly incredible! You know, I¡¯m honestly a little jealous." I felt like a helpless rag doll in her hands, and my nerves were stretched to their limit. Tears began welling up in my eyes despite my best efforts to hold them back. The pressure, the realization that any moment could be my last¡ªit was unbearable. I must have looked utterly pathetic. What did Neight think of me in that moment? Why did it even matter to me so much? Perhaps clinging to these thoughts was the only thing keeping me sane. "M79, please let Emma go. Let¡¯s put the weapons down and talk," Neight said slowly, still trying to de-escalate. "Everything¡¯s gone wrong..." the girl muttered as if she hadn¡¯t heard him. "You were supposed to be alone¡­ You weren¡¯t supposed to awaken the sample. The risks are too high, and the benefits are almost nonexistent. It¡¯s irrational. Not like you at all. Because if something were to happen to her¡­" "M79!" "Yes, if something happened to her, she¡¯d lose her value¡­" "M79, stop!" The girl flinched as if stung. "She¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t she? Please, tell me you didn¡¯t change your plans because of her!" she suddenly shouted, pressing the gun harder against me. I let out a terrified squeak, then froze, forgetting how to breathe. Darkness began creeping into my vision. Someone help me! Anyone! "She¡¯s fine! Please, calm down!" Neight pleaded. "Are you sure? I hope you¡¯re not lying to me. It would be very bad if that turned out to be the case," she said in a low, threatening tone. "I¡¯m telling the truth. Please, don¡¯t put so much pressure on Emma. You might harm her yourself!" Fortunately, Neight¡¯s words seemed to reach her. I felt her exhale, and her grip loosened slightly. Though the danger hadn¡¯t passed, I could at least breathe again. The dizzying relief of air filling my lungs was overwhelming. I was still alive. Not free yet, but alive nonetheless. "All right. Yes, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re right," she murmured, her tone calming. Her sudden mood swings were unnerving. I felt like I was in the hands of a madwoman, utterly unpredictable. What would she do next? Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have to wait long to find out. She gave a derisive snort¡ªa clear bad sign. "You¡¯re right. I can¡¯t harm her¡­" She abruptly aimed her gun at Neight, sending an indescribable terror coursing through me. "But that doesn¡¯t apply to you!"Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Forgetting everything around me, as if driven by some external force, I instinctively lunged to the side and threw myself onto M79 in an attempt to stop her. A shot rang out, immediately followed by a piercing, gut-wrenching scream that made my chest tighten. However, the voice didn¡¯t belong to Neight¡ªit was that silent guy who hadn¡¯t said a word until now. Everything happened so quickly that I didn¡¯t even immediately grasp what had occurred. In truth, before M79 could finish speaking, Neight had already sprung into action, letting go of the girl¡¯s partner and leaping to the side. The guy lying on the ground simultaneously tried to roll in the opposite direction to get out of the line of fire. However, when I shoved M79, her arm jerked toward him instead. He was hit in the left leg, curling up in pain and clutching his thigh, where his suit had torn, exposing a vivid red stain. Neight got off much easier. Though the gun¡¯s charge appeared to have grazed him, leaving a small trail of scarlet droplets, it was a minor injury compared to what he¡¯d already endured. Seemingly unfazed, he kept running toward us. M79 cursed, and I felt her trembling, her legs starting to buckle. She was afraid of Neight, who was now upon us. "No! Stay back!" she screamed, her voice shrill and panicked. She tried to aim the gun at him again, but it was too late. Neight grabbed her arm and yanked it aside, forcing her to let go of me to resist him. Freed, I wasted no time, bolting away and diving behind some dense bushes. I fell onto all fours, gasping for breath. I could hear the sounds of their struggle, but nothing mattered to me at that moment as much as the intoxicating feeling of freedom. I was no longer a captive, and no one had a gun to my throat anymore. I¡¯m alive, damn it! Alive! raced through my mind as I gripped the grass tightly, as if it were the only thing anchoring me to the surface of the planet, as if my safety depended solely on that connection. I breathed deeply, as though I¡¯d been underwater for ages and had finally surfaced. It took a while to collect myself. ¡°Neight! What about him?¡± I realized the battlefield had fallen silent. Too silent. Fearing the worst, I cautiously rose and peered out from behind the dense foliage to assess the situation. In the small clearing where the chaos had just unfolded, there were only Neight and the girl, who he had forced to the ground and was now tying her hands behind her back. Relief mixed with unease as I noticed the silent guy was nowhere in sight. A scarlet trail led to the opposite bushes, where our uninvited guests had recently appeared. Was he hiding nearby, or had he managed to escape to call for reinforcements? There was no way to know, and the uncertainty was unnerving. "Emma, you can come out. The danger has passed," Neight said calmly, as if he had noticed me watching him from my hiding spot. Still unwilling to believe it was over, I took a few tentative steps toward him but stopped short, keeping my distance. Who knew what M79 was still capable of? Regardless, I stayed vigilant. "Congratulations. You must be so proud of yourself," the girl muttered bitterly as Neight finished tying a tight knot around her wrists. "But what now, huh? You know they didn¡¯t put much stock in us, and next time, they¡¯ll send someone much worse! If you weren¡¯t such a damn egotist and just surrendered, I might have had a chance to live¡­ But now I¡¯m just going to die here with you!" "You know, M79, for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m not planning to walk into the slaughterhouse voluntarily either. So forgive me, but surrendering isn¡¯t an option," Neight replied, pulling her arms upward to make her stand. "Jerk..." she snapped through gritted teeth. "You should watch your language." "No one¡¯s in charge of me anymore! I¡¯ll say whatever I damn well please!" she flared up, her voice breaking as if she were shouting through tears. It was enough to make me feel a pang of pity for her. "I¡¯d prefer it if you kept quiet," Neight said, irritation laced in his tone, though he kept his composure. "Let¡¯s move," he ordered firmly, grabbing her shoulder and nudging her forward. Then, in a softer voice, he turned to me. "Emma, we¡¯re heading back to the ship." Caught off guard, I hesitated for a moment before following him, still maintaining some distance. "B-but... What about that guy? Isn¡¯t it dangerous to leave just like this when he might still be around?" I asked anxiously, glancing around. M79, trudging ahead, could be heard smirking. "Don¡¯t worry about him," Neight replied calmly. "He¡¯s injured and won¡¯t attack us alone." "But what if he comes when we¡¯re asleep?" I persisted. Unexpectedly, M79 burst into laughter, though I couldn¡¯t understand what she found so amusing in my words. My concerns seemed entirely justified to me, and I didn¡¯t see anything funny about them. "I kept wondering what you said to make the sample take your side. But it turns out it¡¯s much simpler! You didn¡¯t tell her anything at all, did you? Am I right?" she exclaimed, breaking into a fit of nervous laughter. Why does she keep calling me a sample? I felt incredibly uncomfortable hearing her statements and had no idea how to interpret them. It was clear Neight was hiding something. After all, he had promised to tell me everything once we dealt with the enemies. But why did I feel like some na?ve fool who had been tricked? Surely, Neight will explain everything when we¡¯re back on the ship, and then everything will make sense, I thought, though an awful feeling lingered inside me. "M79, it would be better if you stayed calm. I¡¯m asking nicely," Neight said, his voice carrying an unmistakable edge of threat that sent a chill down my spine. It immediately reminded me of the day I¡¯d tried to run away from him. "Or what?" the girl retorted defiantly. "Ohhh, Emma, I can only imagine your surprise when you see my face..." Those were the last words M79 managed to get out before Neight abruptly disabled her helmet''s speaker system with a sharp slap on the button on it, causing the poor girl to almost fall off her feet. She quickly caught herself, turning toward him. Even though her face was hidden behind the helmet, I could almost feel her seething anger. I¡¯d bet she was cursing him with every word she knew. For a while, we walked in awkward silence, but M79¡¯s words kept replaying in my mind. Eventually, I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. "Neight, what did she mean? What¡¯s with her face?" I asked cautiously. "Let¡¯s get back to the ship first. Please, hold on a bit longer. I don¡¯t want to discuss this in front of her." His voice sounded uncertain. I might even say there was a hint of fear in it. "Alright. I can wait," I replied, deciding to add, "I trust you, Neight." At my words, M79 shook her head, as if mocking us. But Neight didn¡¯t seem to notice her. "Thank you for trusting me," he said quietly, with a hint of sadness. "We¡¯ve been through so much together. How could I not?" Neight fell silent for a moment. "I haven¡¯t said this yet, but you did well. Without your help, we wouldn¡¯t have won." Hearing his praise was nice, even though I didn¡¯t feel like my contribution had been that significant. Still, it made me feel a little lighter inside. But before long, thoughts of the upcoming conversation began to fill my mind again. The longer we walked, the more anxious I became. What awaited us ahead? What other trials would we have to endure? What terrible secret was Neight hiding from me, and how would I feel about him once it was revealed? Chapter 41: The Bitter Truth While we were walking, there was no shortage of incidents. About halfway through, our prisoner, seemingly having gathered her strength, tried to break free from Neight''s grip. She abruptly crouched down and swept her leg to trip him. Neight stumbled but regained his balance within a single step, refusing to let go of the girl no matter how much she struggled to escape. Eventually, he grew tired of her attempts, sighed in annoyance, slung M79 over his shoulder, and carried her the rest of the way like a sack of potatoes. At first, she kicked and squirmed, clearly unhappy with her new position, but later, she seemed to resign herself to her fate and fell silent. I trailed behind, merely observing as she hung limply, occasionally lifting her head to glance at me. It was a disturbing sight. It was also unclear what we were going to do with her. Neight hadn¡¯t said a word about it. I was worried she might somehow free herself and cause problems aboard the ship. Yet Neight clearly had some kind of plan for her. At the very least, it was obvious they knew each other, though from what I¡¯d seen and heard, their relationship could hardly be called friendly. Could he still be clinging to the idea of persuading her to join us? After all, he had offered her that earlier. At that moment, I remembered how not long ago, I had been a prisoner myself, hanging by a thread... Brrr¡­ I don¡¯t want to think about it anymore! While I tried to shake off the unpleasant memories, we slowly made our way forward along the now-familiar forest trails and eventually reached our ship.
We left M79 in the cabin, where Neight tied her hands to one of the lower bunk supports to ensure she wouldn¡¯t escape, and then we headed to the kitchen. There we sat across from each other at the table, finally removing our helmets. Neight was visibly tense. I could tell by the way he folded his arms and stared downward, frowning, avoiding my gaze. I felt uneasy too. There were so many questions that I didn¡¯t even know where to begin. We had a difficult conversation ahead of us. We sat in awkward, oppressive silence for about a minute, though it felt much longer. His silence was maddening. Could things really be so bad that he couldn¡¯t force out a single word? I couldn¡¯t bear to wait any longer. "She won¡¯t escape, will she?" I asked cautiously, hinting at our prisoner and trying to start the conversation indirectly with a topic that was distant but still pressing. Neight flinched, as if my words had snapped him out of deep thought. His amber eyes cleared, and his expression softened, though it remained somber. He finally looked at me, and our eyes met. A wave of embarrassment washed over me, but I managed to hold myself together and push away any inappropriate thoughts. There was no room for that right now. "I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll manage. I tied her up securely," he replied. "But what are we going to do with her? What¡¯s the plan?" Neight sighed and looked away, seemingly staring at the wall behind which the cabin containing the girl was located. "Ideally, we need M79 to switch sides and join us." I had a feeling he¡¯d say that. "Do you think that¡¯s possible? She doesn¡¯t exactly seem eager." I was genuinely concerned about this girl, who had so recently tried to kill Neight. I couldn¡¯t understand how she could be trusted. What if she just pretends to be our ally for a while and waits for the right moment to attack us? But Neight had his own perspective on the matter. "In time, she¡¯ll have no other options. She must understand that clearly," he said, surprisingly calmly and coldly. His words were chilling. "What do you mean?" "Her partner, G091-005, is likely to report the mission failure soon. Once he does, she¡¯ll lose her value and become a target for elimination¡ªjust like me." I was struck by how easily he could talk about such cruel things, though I should¡¯ve been used to this trait of his by now. Still, it felt alien to me. Who gets to decide the value of a human life?! How can they so easily destroy someone¡¯s fate?! Kill or be killed? What nonsense! Why pit us against each other in the first place? For what purpose?! Neight looked at me again, and from the expression on his face, it seemed he could read the wave of indignation that swept over me. "There¡¯s no need to get angry, Emma. This situation works to our advantage. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t be able to convince her," he said. A sickening feeling settled in my chest. His words made it seem like we were villains willing to do anything to achieve our goals. But for now, I couldn¡¯t offer any alternative plan. "Why do they even want to kill you? Yes, you said you might pose a threat, but is that really a reason? Has humanity really degraded so much that execution is used as punishment? Back when I lived on Earth, executions had been abolished for a long time, and I don¡¯t understand..." I vented. Neight¡¯s expression grew somber, and his shoulders slumped. He looked at me with guilty eyes, as if he were about to confess something terrible. I was struck speechless, waiting for him to start speaking. "This is connected to what I wanted to tell you... Emma, I..." He sighed and ran his hands over his face. It was clear how hard it was for him to continue. "You¡¯re probably not going to like this, but please, hear me out until the end..." Better if he hadn¡¯t said that. Now I¡¯m really tense. "The thing is..." Bang! A loud metallic noise echoed from the adjacent room, as if someone was slamming against the wall. Then came a second bang. And a third... Neight and I exchanged glances. "Is that M79? What¡¯s she doing in there?!" I asked quickly. Her suspicious activity was making me uneasy. Neight frowned deeply, irritation clearly etched on his face. This was the second time today he¡¯d been interrupted while trying to discuss something important with me. Truth be told, it frustrated me too¡ªI wanted to know even more now what he had been planning to confess. "Tch, she just can¡¯t sit still, can she? I¡¯ll go check it out," he said, rising from the table and striding toward the door. As I jumped up to follow him, he added, "Stay here." Before I could respond, Neight darted out of the kitchen, and I could only hear his hurried footsteps echoing down the corridor. Meanwhile, the banging against the walls continued unabated. Being left alone didn¡¯t sit well with me. And I was worried about Neight too. What if it¡¯s a trap? Maybe I should follow him?Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Even though he¡¯d asked me to wait in the kitchen, I couldn¡¯t just sit idly by. I tiptoed toward the exit, then down the hallway. The noises ceased as I got closer to the room. From inside, I could hear muffled voices¡ªNeight and M79. Unfortunately, I couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying, but they both sounded irritated, almost like they were berating each other. Neight¡¯s tone, however, was more restrained compared to our prisoner¡¯s. I crept closer to the door, straining to listen. Although I still couldn¡¯t catch their conversation, it seemed like Neight had the situation under control, so I decided not to interfere. "Ha! Gotcha! Take that!" M79 suddenly yelled, her voice loud enough to carry through the closed door, followed by another sharp metallic bang. Damn it, what just happened?! I panicked, rushing to the control panel to open the door and enter. Fearing she might have pulled some trick and harmed Neight, I hurried to his aid. "M79, why are you doing this?!" I heard Neight shout at her just as the door to the cabin slid open, and I burst inside with my gun drawn. But there was no fight. What I saw instead left me utterly stunned, as if the ground had been pulled out from under me. Neight stood near the bunk where our prisoner was still seated and bound. In his hands, he held her helmet. When he realized I had seen her face, he looked at me with alarm. "Ha! I knew it would work. You¡¯re so predictable," M79 said smugly. I was frozen in shock, struggling to process what I was seeing. It felt like a dream¡ªor maybe a nightmare¡ªbecause it made no sense. The girl¡¯s face... her features were identical to mine, except for the amber hue of her eyes and her short, curly white hair. She looked back and forth between me and Neight with a self-satisfied grin, clearly anticipating our reactions. "Emma, I can explain," Neight said, snapping out of his own shock. He turned to me as if trying to shield M79 from view, but what was the point now? Now I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off the girl who seemed to be my reflection. This uncanny resemblance was blowing my mind. I felt a headache coming on. Meanwhile, my copy sat on the cot in a relaxed pose, casually crossing her legs and leaning against the wall she had apparently been banging on earlier to get our attention. She didn¡¯t seem bothered at all by the fact that she was tied up and technically still a prisoner. It gave off a strong impression that everything was going according to her plan. "H-how is this possible? Why does she look like me?" "Yes, Neight, why don¡¯t you explain that?" the girl with my face mocked, clearly enjoying the situation. "I was planning to tell you..." "But you didn¡¯t!" M79 cut in again. "Be quiet!" Neight snapped at her, evidently at the end of his patience. "How rude, Neight," she replied in a mock-scolding tone, shaking her head theatrically. Then she added, "By the way, I should probably come up with a human name for myself too." While the two of them were arguing, I felt myself boiling over with anger and frustration. It hurt, the sense that something so massive and important was being kept from me. I no longer knew what other ''interesting'' revelations I should brace myself for. Before, I might have barely managed to believe that Neight¡¯s resemblance to my friend Albert was some sort of coincidence, but not now. This couldn¡¯t just be a random fluke anymore, which meant I¡¯d been utterly deceived. Yes, of course, I had suspected that Neight wasn¡¯t entirely honest with me about this, but I never imagined he had deliberately hidden the existence of someone who looked just like me. "Is anyone going to tell me what¡¯s going on?! Who the hell are you people?!" "Emma, maybe we could talk in the kitchen so we¡¯re not disturbed?" Neight suggested, stepping toward me. But I immediately backed away from him. "Oh no, I¡¯m done with all these evasions and tricks! Spill it here and now! And you," I turned to the prisoner, "what should I even call you? Have you come up with a name?" "Misen," she replied casually, clearly enjoying the drama as if she were watching a gripping series with a shocking twist. "And Misen," I added, "can chime in if she has anything to say." I stared expectantly at Neight. He looked both disappointed and scared. It seemed like he didn¡¯t know how to handle this without losing my trust. On some level, I understood that discussing everything with him alone might be calmer and easier, but I was afraid he might once again hide unpleasant details from me. That¡¯s why I decided it would be better if he told me everything in front of witnesses, even if Misen¡¯s snarky remarks were infuriating. "Ha! No wonder I can be a bit hot-headed sometimes. I really am your copy," Misen remarked with pride. "She¡¯s my copy? So it¡¯s true?" I demanded, turning to Neight, expecting some kind of answer. "Yes, but only the body. With minor modifications so she could be easily distinguished from the original," he quickly clarified before Misen could get a word in. This is insane! What a twist! But then that means¡­ "And you, are you a copy of my friend, Albert? But he was younger..." "The age of the copy doesn¡¯t necessarily match the age of the original." The influx of information made my head hurt even more, and I started to feel unwell. I struggled to process everything I was hearing, trying my best not to lose track or get confused. "Wait, so you do know where Albert is and what happened to him?" I asked, a glimmer of hope rising in my chest. But instead of answering, Neight fell silent, pressed his lips together, and looked away. My already terrible mood sank even lower¡ªit wasn¡¯t a good sign. He knows! He definitely knows, but he¡¯s hiding it from me! "Of course he knows," the girl said as Neight remained quiet. After Misen¡¯s response, I looked at Neight questioningly, practically begging him to tell me the truth. But he avoided my gaze with a guilty expression, clearly unwilling to answer. "What happened to him? Please, tell me what happened to him!" I feared my friend was in serious danger, and while we wasted time here, terrible and cruel experiments were being conducted on him. "Why do you do this, M79? Who does this help?" Neight said with deep bitterness, seemingly ignoring me and my pleas. "First of all, call me Misen now. And second, Emma would¡¯ve found out sooner or later anyway." "You can¡¯t just dump everything on someone all at once!" he shot back. "Oh, how sweet of you to care so much about her. I¡¯m about to cry," she replied mockingly, theatrically rubbing her fists near her eyes. Meanwhile, I was getting irritated at being treated like a child who couldn¡¯t handle the truth. Finally, my patience snapped. "Enough already! What happened to Albert? Answer me immediately!" They both fell silent and looked at me with sympathy. "So? Are you going to tell her, or should I?" Misen said, her tone suddenly serious, devoid of any sarcasm. "I¡¯ll do it," Neight said. Wait... Why has the atmosphere changed so much? They¡¯re not about to say that Albert... No, that can¡¯t be true¡­ Thoughts raced through my mind. I was starting to piece together what they wanted to tell me, but I refused to believe it. Neight stepped closer to me, reaching out his hand, but I flinched and instinctively moved away. He pulled his hand back as if burned and took a step back, his eyes filled with sadness. "Emma," he said softly, "this is going to be hard to hear, but¡­ your friend has passed away." I froze, as if struck by a heavy blow to the head. A sharp pain pierced my chest, and my vision blurred. I felt like I could barely stand as my strength drained away. Neight¡¯s words echoed in my mind, repeating over and over. "Your friend has passed away." "N-no... This can¡¯t be true! T-tell me it¡¯s just another one of your lies! You said before that you didn¡¯t know what happened to him!" Lies! It¡¯s all lies! A mistake! A dream! A deception! Another manipulation! Anything but the truth... I desperately clung to any possibility that would let me reject what I¡¯d just heard. Neight tried again to approach me, perhaps intending to hug me and offer comfort, but I threw up my hands to keep him at bay. "D-don¡¯t touch me! You¡¯ve been lying to me from the start, and now you¡¯re trying to deceive me again!" "Emma, I''m so sorry¡­" "He¡¯s not lying," the prisoner spoke up. "Unfortunately, the sample named Albert really did die during the creation of his first and only copy. In other words, Neight¡¯s body." Hearing those words, I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face. Images of the past began to flood my mind¡ªhow we spent time together, sometimes laughing, sometimes not. Even though we had only met on the plane heading to the bunker, in that short time, I had grown so attached to him. I would¡¯ve given anything to see his smile again or watch him puff his cheeks in mock offense at my stupid jokes. I couldn¡¯t believe I would never see him again, that I had lost him forever. Please, someone tell me this is just a nightmare... I¡¯ll wake up in the bunker where everyone is alive and well... Mom, Dad, and my friends: Isabella, Anna, and Albert... Chapter 42: Last Night on Earth It was deep night. The bunker¡¯s inhabitants were all asleep, and a deathly silence filled the air. Only our small group¡ªconsisting of me, Albert, Anna, and Isabella¡ªwas awake, breaking the general routine. We had once again gathered secretly in the entertainment room to discuss the upcoming events that worried us the most. This time, there were no covert excursions, nor were we planning to watch any classified recordings. Earlier, an announcement had echoed throughout the bunker, stating that the first group of people would soon be put into cryosleep to begin evacuation. Many were concerned. The speaker explained that the AI had located us, making this procedure necessary for quick and safe relocation to a new site. While some initially tried to protest, the majority eventually accepted it as an unavoidable reality. But not us¡ªwe knew more than the others. During one of our previous nighttime excursions, we had recorded a particularly grim conversation between the scientists. From it, we learned that humanity was losing the war, and an alternative plan was required in case of defeat. As far as we could tell, a selection process had been carried out to determine who would be placed in cryosleep, so they could awaken later under more favorable conditions to continue the survival of humankind. We didn¡¯t know the specifics or timelines, but during the day, they announced who would be in the first group for cryosleep. Albert and I were among them. When our names were called over the loudspeakers alongside the others, my blood froze in my veins. I remember standing there, paralyzed, unable to move, until Anna found me and pulled me into a comforting hug. Thanks to her support, I managed to regain my composure and resist the creeping panic. Together, we found Albert, who was trying to stay strong and hide his fear. But I could see it in his eyes¡ªhe was scared too. When Isabella joined us, we agreed to meet at our usual spot later that night. And now here we were, sitting together on the couch. The mood was grim, and judging by the somber expressions on my friends¡¯ faces, I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling that way. Even Isabella, usually radiating her sunny smile, looked downcast, staring at the floor as if on the verge of tears. Her sorrow made the weight on my chest feel even heavier. "Maybe you two should run away," she suddenly said, lifting her head. A glimmer of hope flickered in her bright blue eyes. "Yes, that¡¯s it! You should hide somewhere until it¡¯s all over!" "Isabella, don¡¯t be ridiculous. First of all, how do you imagine that working? Where would they hide? The whole place would be turned upside down the moment their absence was noticed," Anna retorted, crossing her arms and closing her eyes as though entertaining the idea for a brief moment. She then sighed and added, "And secondly, maybe going into cryosleep isn¡¯t the worst option¡­" "How can you say that?!" Isabella gasped, nearly shouting as she sprang to her feet and glared at Anna. "How do we know it¡¯s safe? What if something happens to them? What if we never, ever see each other again?" As she spoke, her lips quivered, and her eyes filled with tears. Overwhelmed by a sudden wave of emotion, she could no longer hold it back. Watching her like this hurt me deeply, and I wanted nothing more than to comfort her. At the same time, her words terrified me¡ªwhat if they were true? "Hey¡­ Don¡¯t talk like that. After all, the best minds are working on this, including our parents. They wouldn¡¯t let anything bad happen to us," I said, trying as much to reassure myself as to console Isabella. "Oh, right, just like they didn¡¯t let the AI rebellion happen," she shot back, her voice heavy with sarcasm. I immediately fell silent, guilt washing over me like a tidal wave, as though I were personally responsible for the catastrophe. I felt an acute sense of accountability, given my family¡¯s direct involvement in what had unfolded. "Listen, you¡¯re crossing a line," Anna said, stepping in when she saw how uncomfortable Isabella¡¯s words had made me. "Am I? Why should we have to pay for someone else¡¯s mistakes? Let someone else sacrifice themselves for humanity¡ªI just want to live a normal life, like before! I never even thought we¡¯d be here this long. A couple of months, sure, I could deal with that, but now? Look where we are!" It was Albert who finally snapped, breaking his silence as he addressed our heated argument. "You¡¯re acting like a spoiled little child, even though you¡¯re older than me! It¡¯s time to grow up and accept what¡¯s happening instead of blaming others and shirking responsibility." We all turned to Albert, stunned. None of us had expected such mature words from him. But it seemed our attention had embarrassed him, as his previously stern and confident expression turned red with awkwardness. "And anyway," he continued, trying to mask his unease, "it¡¯s not like you¡¯re the one being put into cryosleep today¡ªthat¡¯s us. And for your information, Emma and I aren¡¯t scared at all. Right, Emma?" Albert looked at me, clearly hoping for support. I knew he was just as scared as the rest of us. We were all terrified. But I couldn¡¯t let him down¡ªI had to play along, if only to bring some comfort to everyone. Even if it meant a little white lie. His courage inspired me, and after hearing such bold words from a thirteen-year-old boy, I couldn¡¯t back down. "Yes, I¡¯m not scared either! I¡¯m sure everything will be fine, and when the time comes, we¡¯ll wake up and all be together again." The words seemed to come out on their own, and I felt my spirit lift. It was as if I had genuinely started to believe them myself. Hope for a brighter future, one that might still happen, flickered in my heart. Yes, we couldn¡¯t do anything about it. It wasn¡¯t in our power to change the situation, but the adults¡ªour parents¡ªbelieved in us and wanted to give us a chance to keep living, no matter what.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Albert looked at me with gratitude. Relief was clear in his eyes, and I was glad that I had managed to comfort him. Isabella, on the other hand, sniffled and began wiping her tears, trying to calm down and compose herself. "Do you¡­ do you really think we¡¯ll be okay?" she stammered, still sniffling and swallowing bitter tears that didn¡¯t suit her at all. A light, carefree smile fit her much better than red, teary eyes. I nodded firmly in response, and she immediately took a deep breath, filling her lungs with air, and then blurted out, "Then promise me, no matter what happens, that we¡¯ll meet again someday!" Anna, Albert, and I exchanged bewildered glances at her naivety. It wasn¡¯t a promise we could guarantee, not something we had control over, but we all wanted to believe it would come true. And so, we agreed. We made that promise to each other. Right after that, Isabella smiled brightly at us again, as she had before. Then, spreading her arms as wide as she could, she moved in to wrap us all in a tight hug. Albert, sitting on the couch between Anna and me, widened his eyes at the sight of the charging, unstoppable blonde and tried to escape. But he didn¡¯t make it in time and ended up caught in Isabella¡¯s tight embrace, squashed between three girls with no chance of breaking free. "Ugh, you girls and your sentimental things!" he shouted, pulling a face full of annoyance and disgust. I couldn¡¯t resist teasing him. "Oh, come on, Albert. When else will you have the chance to be in the arms of three charming ladies?" As I spoke, I barely managed to keep from laughing. Albert shot me a venomous glare, his face turning crimson. He looked like he was about to explode like a volcano. "Emma, I hate your stupid jokes!" he burst out, wriggling and struggling to free himself from our embrace. "Let me go, you weirdos!" When he finally managed to break free, he continued to sulk dramatically, and I had to apologize a thousand times before he forgave me. As always, he eventually accepted my apology, and we went back to having fun on this, our last night in the bunker. We played games, teased each other, almost got into arguments but quickly made up, talked about our dreams, and shared some secrets. We just wanted to spend as much time together as possible while we still could. But nothing lasts forever. When it was time to leave and return to our rooms before wake-up time, we hugged each other one last time. This time, Albert stood aside, refusing to take part in our sentimental farewells. As for me, tears welled up in my eyes from all the goodbyes. Before leaving, I took one last look at the playroom that had been our secret headquarters for so long. The soft couch, the old retro TV on which we¡¯d watched so many things we weren¡¯t supposed to see¡­ So many memories were tied to this place. I didn¡¯t want to leave it behind. This was the second time I¡¯d had to say goodbye to a space that felt like home. Closing my eyes and exhaling bitterly, I stepped out of the room last, shutting the door behind me with a click. We walked in silence through the quiet bunker corridors while everyone else was still asleep. Eventually, we reached a fork where Anna and Isabella had to go in a different direction. We stood there for a long time, unable to part, just looking at one another. "See you in the future," I finally whispered in farewell. "See you in the future," Anna echoed. Then, with a wistful smile, she ruffled Albert¡¯s hair. "Take care of Emma, if anything happens. You¡¯re a brave and strong boy." "Of course! The strong should protect the weak!" he replied confidently to her request. I almost wanted to joke that, as the older one, it was my job to protect him, but I held back. It would have been inappropriate. Besides, I didn¡¯t want to accidentally undermine his confidence. In that moment, I felt proud of him, as if he really were my younger brother. Then I glanced at Isabella and noticed the sparkle in her eyes. It was clear she was up to something. "Guys, I love you so much!" she declared and was about to dive in for another round of hugs, but Anna quickly grabbed her arm and started dragging her towards their rooms, leaving Albert and me sighing with relief. We watched them slowly walk away. Isabella¡¯s indignant whispers carried back to us. "What¡¯s the big deal? Why can¡¯t I?" "Act normal." When they reached the corner, Anna waved at us before disappearing around it. That left Albert and me standing alone in the silent corridor. "It¡¯s time for us to go too," I whispered, and he nodded in response. We continued walking together, but it was clear that now, with just the two of us, Albert had grown visibly more downcast. I could see that the closer we got to our rooms, the more his hands trembled. I wanted so badly to cheer him up, knowing his feelings better than anyone else. "You know, I¡¯m absolutely terrified," I admitted, hoping it might bring Albert some relief to realize he wasn¡¯t alone in his fears. He froze in place. "Emma, what if we just ran away, like Isabella suggested? Hid somewhere in the ventilation shaft and¡­" He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. I was sure he knew it wasn¡¯t a real solution. We could hide for a while, but what then? Besides, we had no idea what kind of fate might await us even if we pulled off such an incredible feat. A terrible death at the hands of rampaging robots? Or starvation, when there was no one left around? "You know we can¡¯t do that," I said gently, looking into his large, wet, brown eyes. "I know," he replied quietly, resigned. I stepped closer and wrapped one arm around him. With the other, I started stroking his head, running my fingers slowly through his smooth, black hair. This time, he didn¡¯t pull away. Instead, he pressed his face into me and sniffled. "What kind of man am I if I¡¯m crying like a girl?" he mumbled, his voice breaking. "Don¡¯t say that. You¡¯re a real man. You¡¯ve been so brave this whole time, so don¡¯t sell yourself short," I said, even as tears started streaming down my own face. "And anyway, even strong people are allowed to cry when they¡¯re really sad. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that." "Mm-hmm..." After crying our hearts out, we finally calmed down. Albert wiped his tear-streaked face with his hands, and I reluctantly let him go. At least now he seemed lighter, though his flushed cheeks showed he was still a bit embarrassed by his emotional outburst. We resumed walking. We had to hurry since there wasn¡¯t much time left before the scheduled wake-up call. When we reached my room, we stopped again and looked at each other. "Well, that¡¯s it. Time to say goodbye," I said awkwardly. "Yeah... Well then... See you in the future?" "See you in the future," I replied with a smile. Just as I was about to open the door, Albert spoke again. "Emma, thank you for everything." I looked at him, slightly taken aback by his words. "Hey, we¡¯re not saying goodbye forever, just for a little while." "Of course, not forever!" he said, sounding flustered, then added without meeting my eyes, "I just wanted to say it, you know... Anyway, bye!" Albert quickly turned away and walked briskly toward his room, never looking back. And that¡¯s how we said goodbye. Who could have known that we¡¯d never see each other again?