Miracle

It was 5 a.m., and Marie Durant was still asleep when her phone beeped. At first, she reached out to silence it, annoyed. Who dares to call at this hour? How rude. However, when she realized it was a call from the hospital, she froze. Someone she knew must be in trouble.

She picked up the phone, her curiosity tinged with dread, wondering if this call would mark the beginning of a much sadder chapter in her life.

"Ms. Durant? Are you the mother of Jacques Durant?" a calm voice on the other end asked.

"Yes. Has something happened to my son?" Marie's heart raced with unease—hospital calls outside normal hours were never good.

"Your son, Jacques Durant, was just experiencing a fatal accident. He will need your presence for moral support," the voice explained, calm yet steady, offering some comfort to Marie's rising panic.

"Alright, I'll be there soon. Where is he?"

Once she received the location—a hospital in Mojinko—Marie wasted no time. She quickly got into her black Guila and drove straight to the hospital. The car screeched to a halt outside the emergency room, and she rushed inside, heading straight to the receptionist.

"Where is my son?" she asked.

Marie, a professor of astroanthropology who specialized in studying non-Earthling human races, was known for her logical mind. Her ability to think critically and analytically often gave her an air of unshakable composure, even in the most dire situations.

Despite her worries, her calm demeanor remained intact. She stood composed as ever, her rational mind guiding her through the storm of uncertainty.

The receptionist mentioned Jacques's room number, and without wasting time, Marie hurried down the sterile, white halls. Her heels clacked sharply against the tiles. An accident, they said? How bad was it? She hoped it hadn't cost him his life.

When she reached the room, she froze. Through the glass wall, she saw her son lying motionless on the bed, his fragile frame surrounded by a tangle of wires and the rhythmic beeping of medical monitors.

Marie's eyes stayed fixed on Jacques as her memories took her back to the first time she ever saw him. The boy had been so dirty and smelled like sewage. He had spent most of his early childhood on the streets, surviving the cruelty of eight harsh winter nights with his mother dog, who was eventually killed by humans. Of course, he was difficult to control—how could he not be? His initial thoughts about humans were clear: they were monsters.

The moment Marie noticed the dragon tattoo on his right shoulder, she knew it wasn't just a tattoo—it was a sign of a contract. It marked the moment when a spirit decided to help an Argonarian by lending its power to them.

Typically, elemental spirits manifested in animal forms: fish for water elementals, birds for air, mammals for fire, and large, massive animals for earth. However, mystical forms like dragons and phoenixes were incredibly rare—almost unheard of. What power the dragon had lent him remained a mystery, but there was no doubt Jacques was special.

A doctor approached her cautiously, his expression somber. "He was the sole survivor of a traffic accident," he began, his voice laden with disbelief, as though recounting something unimaginable. "His injuries are extensive—his kidney was crushed, along with his hip bone, liver, and several of his lower ribs. Fragments from the ribs pierced his lung. He lost a significant amount of blood, but… we couldn't help him with a blood transfusion—because he's… apparently not an Earthling. We are sorry."

Marie stood still, the weight of his words settling heavily around her. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice calm yet distant. "Thank you for doing your best, Doctor. Life and death are part of the natural cycle. However, I wish there were a way to save his life."

"If you want," he said cautiously, "we could save his life… but it would require certain extreme measures."

Marie's eyes narrowed slightly as she kept her gaze fixed on Jacques. "I hope you're not suggesting cloning, Doctor."

The Doctor couldn't help but smile faintly. Of course, with Jacques possibly being the only Argonarian left in the world, and possessing chromosomes so distinct from Earthlings, finding a suitable match would be nearly impossible. This likely wasn't the first time such an offer had been made in a similar situation. But what choice did he have?

"What if it's the only way?" he replied, his tone measured but firm.

At that, Marie slowly turned to face him. Her gaze lingered on his name tag, she shall remember the name, it's "Zhicotte". The word "clone" carried a heavy weight—a reminder of the past.

A century ago: the last known Argonarian, a revered admiral and protector of the galaxy. After the destruction of their home planet, Martian, he had married an Earthling, hoping to preserve his bloodline. The union had produced three hybrid children. But the hybrids, though remarkable, were sterile, unable to bear the weight of their father's legacy.

Attempts to clone those children had all ended in failure. The genetic material simply couldn't sustain itself. Earthling genes, it seemed, killed off the Aether cells—those extraordinary components that defined the Argonarian essence, their strength, and magic.

Marie's voice cut through the silence. "We've seen the failures before. The hybrids couldn't pass on their legacy, and cloning them only deepened the tragedy."

"General Mricha's case was decades ago," Dr. Zhicotte began, his tone confident. "However, our technology has advanced significantly since then. We've successfully legalized cloning for individuals who are unable to find love or a mate but still wish to have children, as well as for talented athletes who fall into a vegetative state after an accident. These procedures are conducted under strict regulations, with the government monitoring every step of our activities. Instead of a tragedy, this could be an opportunity—saving millions of lives in the future. All we need is one sample to preserve life."

He smiled confidently, as if there was nothing wrong with his proposition.

Marie met Zhicotte's gaze, her expression unwavering. "Are you trying to convince me that my son's life purpose is to be a clone donor?"

"I'm saying," Zhicotte pressed, "that he is the Argonarians' last hope. And since Argonarians are like superheroes, he could very well be the universe's last hope. I hope you'll consider your options carefully, for his sake."

Marie turned away, her focus shifting back to Jacques. "For his sake…" Of course, the doctor had explained that Jacques desperately needed a donor to survive. However, his body would inevitably reject an Earthling organs. To save his life, he would require another Argonarian—or someone with a similar body structure and biological systems.

Marie made her decision. Jacques might be upset when he learned about this, but it was the only way. She just had to ensure that everything would be done properly, within the bounds of the law, and handled by people who respected the process.

With a heavy heart, she sighed. "Alright."

The doctor smiled, gesturing with his hand for her to follow. "This way," he said.

Marie's footsteps echoed on the floor as she followed him down the corridor, unease growing with every step. Memories surged back—she had already escaped one dangerous ordeal when a mafia group discovered Jacques' true nature. They had wanted the boy's genes to be transplanted into theirs to gain that superhuman strength, but she had fought tooth and nail to protect him, ultimately securing victory in a secret court hearing.

The courtroom had been closed to the public to prevent attracting dangerous attention. Jacques was an Argonarian, and his unique genetic makeup made him a target for power-hungry individuals.

Any being with Aether cells in their chromosomes was said to bridge the material and spiritual worlds. For Argonarians, this meant the ability to control the elements or even channel superhuman strength. The specifics varied depending on which spirits were willing to form a contract with them, sealed by tattoos on their skin.

Such power was priceless—who wouldn't want to possess it?

Marie was desperately trying to avoid powerful individuals who might use her son as a guinea pig. She knew it wasn't over yet. But with him lying there, unable to wake up, she was doing everything she could to protect him from an early death. It wasn't just about his genetics; it was also because the boy wanted to cruise among the stars.

All he ever wanted was to fly, but Marie had placed him in the police academy to ensure he didn't lose his sense of empathy when the time came for him to soar one day.

In his room, Dr. Zhicotte closed the door and politely gestured toward a chair. "Please, have a seat," he said, his tone calm and controlled.

Marie sat, her body tense with unease, as a holographic presentation of the cloning lab appeared before her. Dr. Zhicotte began his introduction to the laboratory in Avech, located in Drusal, Alayan's satellite. It was miles away from Mojinko, just outside the atmosphere.

Cold sweat drenched her skin as she instinctively understood exactly what she was facing. Her stomach swirled anxiously, like a laundry machine in overdrive. Such distance! They could do anything they wanted to Jacques up there, while she stood powerless down here, unable to protect him.

This lab that the doctor introduced to her—this was a legal laboratory, owned by the government. It was designed for people who didn't have a spouse but still wanted a child, offering cloning as a means to create offspring.

"Now, think about it," the doctor cleared his throat and spoke carefully. "This could save his life. Even if he never has to experience this horrible accident again, it could be used for something much bigger. You see, humans, like the Argonarians... they cannot restore their kind by mating with Earthlings. The children would be hybrid and sterile. There's no way they could reproduce normally. Even if we cloned an Argonarian female, the clone would be 100% his DNA, but they still couldn't produce healthy offspring. This is the best solution. It could save his life... and it might even revive an extinct species."

Marie froze for a few moments, unable to stop thinking about how right the doctor was. As a professor of Astroanthropology, Marie Durant had never felt as conflicted as she did in that moment. When she adopted Jacques eight years ago, she had secretly been searching for a way to help him reproduce. Which human races could possibly be suitable for breeding with a rare gene like that of an Argonarian? Because Earthlings weren't even a viable option.

The only possible match seemed to be the Xeravians, known for their adaptability in breeding—they could even clone themselves naturally. But the Xeravians were a lost race, their planet destroyed by a collision with a massive comet. This cloning technology seemed to offer a solution, allowing Jacques to potentially restore his race without mixing it with another species, creating another 100% Argonarian individual.

The doctor laid the paper on the table, along with a fountain pen. It was a contract. Since Jacques was only 17, his parent's permission was required.

"Sign this, and together, we can bring back the Argonarians, or even protecting the boy if he ever need donor. They were the guardians of the galaxy. This world needs them back to protect us," the doctor said, his voice full of conviction. He seemed certain that Marie would sign the contract without hesitation.

Marie take the paper and study the contract carefully. She took her time and so is the doctor. he enjoys his coffee and playing puzzle games on his android as he wait for Marie to study the content of the terms and agreements. 

When she finally finished reading everything, she look at the doctor sharply, "this contract is trying to reduce my son from human being into a mere clone donor. This is unacceptable."

"As I said, a little sacrifice for a greater good sometimes is what we need. Imagine in 30 years, we might produces small village of Argonarian, based on his DNA. we might produces hundreds or thousands super soldiers to help Earthlings protecting the galaxy from the evil force who try to take over the universe," The Doctor smiles, Marie cannot say that she likes his smile.

"Are we at war, Doctor? Really?" Marie tilted her head.

"No, but... should we wait until the war broke?" The Doctor flips his hands, showing his palms. Then he argue again, "Think about it. If you can save millions life by sacrificing one child, would you do it? Isn't it selfish to protect one child by sacrificing millions?" 

The words hit Marie like a moral dilemma. Dr. Zhicotte was right, but as a mother, Marie couldn't bring herself to do this to Jacques. However, what else could she do? Wait until Jacques wakes up? The doctor had explained his critical condition—he needed this desperately. His future, and perhaps humanity's future, was now in her hands.

Marie shook her head, a heavy sigh escaping her. "I will sign this, but only if you change a few points. It's for three years—after that, he's free to go. Also, both he and I must have full access to every piece of information regarding how many clones are made, and the process must remain transparent. If not, there will be severe consequences."

"That can be arranged," The Doctor happily nods.

He then ask his assistant to edit the terms and agreement, until Marie make sure her terms and agreement is right there in the contract, she signs it.

"You know how to do business, smart woman," the doctor praised Marie. But she didn't like how it sounded. Business? This wasn't supposed to be about business. Wasn't this about humanity? But the contract was already signed. She swore to herself that if anything fishy happened, she wouldn't stay silent. She would fight for both her and Jacques's rights, no matter the cost.