Humans

Three figures, bipedal. Their motion signature tracks their movement proving highly similar to human physiology. Their heat signature is within acceptable range as well, further reinforcing the unsettling possibility.

However, their current posture seem unusually agile. Their body behavior is fluid yet unpredictable, its not within human pattern.

I knit my brows as the visor HUD zooms towards the designated point of interest. I disabled the digital effects for clearer visual, but alas, it revealed mostly of dense forestry, a naught.

Frustrated, I switched back to motion tracking. Their signatures flickered against the scanner, erratic yet intentional.

They seem dangerous, according to their intention.

"I wanna go."

"Unnecessary," LANA's voice responded instantly, newly synthesized into a natural feminine tone. There was something unusual about it—an artificial softness, a manufactured concern. "Remain within hub perimeter for safety precautions."

Due to the current situation, I decided to activate LANA's audio feedback for improved real-time communication and less distraction in my vision from the visor; a necessary adjustment. Relying on text-based updates had proven inefficient, especially in times like this where reaction is critical.

The unpredictable nature of the current situation made distractions dangerous. LANA's messages, which usually appeared in the corner of my visor's HUD, often overlapped with vital statistics, forcing me to glance away at crucial moments. Now, with her voice feeding directly into my headset, I could focus entirely on what mattered.

"This could be a good chance to form first contact. A monumental record in history... Not only that, they are humanoid beings, perhaps capable of reason. That increases the likelihood of having a peaceful encounter!" I exclaimed, unable to suppress the surge of excitement.

But LANA's voice cut through my optimism like a blade.

"They are armed," she stated, her tone flat yet edged with something resembling disapproval. "Their movement patterns indicate aggressive maneuvering."

"And!?? Do you really think they can hurt me with those weapons? I mean, look, they wield crude swords, improvised bows!" I reason with LANA, trying to convince her with my logic, "Though it greatly increases the risk for violence, let's be real, they will probably do nothing with my exosuit!"

But LANA remained unimpressed.

"Hypothesis rejected," she stated coldly. "Motion detectors cannot visualize inanimate objects. Current weaponry is unconfirmed."

Her voice carried no emotion, no hesitation—just a flat, unwavering rejection.

"Remain within the hub."

"You're such a bore. I'm going" Scoffing at LANA's continuous objections, I made my way down from the hub's fortified wall, determined to press forward. But as I reached the gate, I stopped short.

It was locked.

A red warning light flickered above the reinforced doors. The drones stationed nearby remained motionless, their automated systems unresponsive.

LANA had declared a full lockdown.

Her voice resonated coldly through my headset, devoid of emotion. "Current situation breaches one of three primary directives: Sustainment."

I scowled and turned toward the surveillance camera positioned above the gate, where I knew she was watching. I raised a hand, gesturing sharply. "LANA, this is not funny! You're the one breaching one of the three primary directives—Command! Open this gate!"

"Denied," LANA replied without hesitation. "Current situation triggers emergency protocol, overriding two of the three directives: Prevention and Command. Your intended action violates pilot safety, breaching the Sustainment directive. Pilot Zeervin, please reconsider. This action is unnecessary and dangerous."

I clenched my fists. "LANA, you're being stubborn. Open this gate."

"Denied."

"LANA!"

"Please return to your station."

A sharp silence hung between us. My patience was wearing thin.

I exhaled slowly before uttering my final threat. "I will blow this damn gate open if you don't do what I say."

"Your actions are unreasonable."

"And so are you!" I shot back, frustration laced in my voice. "You're outright rejecting my command. That violates one of the three primary directives I gave you!"

A brief silence followed, the kind that told me LANA was recalculating—rethinking her next move.

"...Negotiation."

I raised a brow. That was new.

"You may initiate first contact with the three humanoid figures," she continued, her tone as flat as ever. "However, you will be required to comply with specific security protocols. Multiple combat drones will be deployed, surveillance will be reinforced to ensure no additional threats enter the perimeter, and I will monitor your encounter in real time."

My lips curled into a victorious grin. "Deal!"

Leaning back, I clasped my hands together. "See? Wasn't that easy? No need to get all worked up! Just follow my orders, and everything runs smoothly."

A beat of silence.

I smirked. "Wait… are you sulking?"

"Negative."

I chuckled. "Alright then—let's get moving!"

***

I moved swiftly through the dense forest, my exosuit seamlessly adjusting to the terrain. Designed for extreme environments, it adapted to gravitational fluctuations, ensuring my mobility remained unhindered. On low-gravity worlds, internal mechanisms increased my weight for stability; on high-gravity planets, the suit's assisted actuators enhanced my maneuverability.

It was an energy-intensive system, but right now, it was worth every ounce of power.

As the distance between me and the unknown figures dwindled, I pressed myself against a thick tree trunk. My visor's digital enhancements highlighted their silhouettes, but I needed a clearer look. With a quick command, I disabled the overlay—

And a jolt of shock coursed through my body like a thunderbolt.

"Humans. Impossible." My voice came out as little more than a whisper. I forced myself to blink, to reprocess what I was seeing. "LANA, are you seeing this?"

"Affirmative. Three humanoid figures confirmed. Their physiology strongly resembles that of human beings. However, their movement patterns remain irregular. Exercise caution—"

"No, I mean look through my visor. Can you see them clearly?"

A pause. Then, for the first time in a while, LANA hesitated.

"…Hmm. Unusual. A potential explanation: this planet may be located within the core systems, and the navigation panel is simply malfunctioning."

I frowned. "And what about the beacon? There's no way no one picked it up, right?"

"Affirmative."

I waited, expecting her to continue, but the silence stretched.

"That's it? No hypothesis or whatever?"

LANA's voice crackled with something strange—an artificial restraint.

"[REDACTED]."

I stiffened. "What?"

"System override." My voice turned sharp. "Code 1-00215A, deactivate censor output."

A brief hum, then—

"Disabling censor output."

LANA's next words sent a chill down my spine.

"Lost Colony."

I sucked in a sharp breath. "LOST COLONY?!"

"Correct. Lost Colonies refer to multiple cases classified under the United States Space Faring Law Memorandum. These were pre-Fusion Drive interstellar colonization attempts. However, communication was lost midway through their journeys, and they were never recovered. The project was ultimately cancelled and overshadowed by more ambitious—and controversial—missions."

I swallowed hard. "But… what are the chances of them actually making it? Surviving deep space without a fusion drive?"

"According to previous calculations, the probability of a successful colony establishment is 0.0000000023%. This does not account for generational ship communication failures, which would further decrease the likelihood of survival."

I stared at the figures in the distance, my mind racing.

"I'm going to talk to them. They might be one of us."

"Affirmative," LANA acknowledged. Then, after a brief pause— "Remain cautious."