Chapter 02

The group descended to the hangar, the soft sound of boots on the metallic floor echoing through the corridor. When the doors opened, Tila felt the heavier air of the hangar, carrying a faint smell of oil and metallic resin. There, right in the center, rested the capsule. Under the yellowish light of the overhead panels, the metallic surface appeared even more worn, with scorch marks and scratches that told the story of some difficult event.

The capsule was enormous, about three meters long and just under two meters tall. Its edges were rounded, and what looked like emergency thrusters at the rear were all nonfunctional. To Tila, it seemed far too large for an escape pod. Why would it be so big? The question hammered in her mind as she walked toward the object, her tail swaying slowly in a reflex of her unease.

"Do you really want to open that?" Loran asked, breaking the silence. His voice carried a light tone, but the way he looked at the capsule, with his ears slightly lowered, showed he wasn't as calm as he pretended. He crossed his arms, his dark gray fur appearing even darker under the hangar's lights.

Byra smirked but kept her focus on the capsule. "Always so optimistic, Loran," she said, adjusting the glasses she used for data readings, even though it was clear she was just trying to lighten the mood.

Before any further comments could be made, Nyxis's calm voice filled the space. "I am conducting a preliminary scan of the capsule. The structure is robust, but the technology is considerably primitive yet effective by Federation standards. It's an interesting example of containment engineering."

"Primitive, yet effective," Kador repeated, stepping closer to the capsule with his imposing but composed demeanor. He analyzed everything with a calculating gaze, his scaly fingers smoothly swiping across the console on his wrist device as he reviewed the data Nyxis provided. "Let's move this to the containment room. We won't make any decisions here without proper precautions."

Tila watched as Kador adjusted the anti-gravity cart. There was an almost delicate precision to his actions, contrasting with his strong, reptilian appearance. The anti-gravity device began to hum softly as it activated, and Kador and Byra carefully positioned the capsule onto it. Tila kept a cautious distance, her ears still lowered. She didn't like the idea of moving something so mysterious, but she also knew they couldn't leave it in the hangar forever.

The cart glided effortlessly across the metallic floor, emitting a faint buzzing sound. The group followed in silence, the only soundtrack being the hum of the device and the occasional clicks of its motors adjusting to the load. The corridor was narrow, the walls reflecting the cool, bluish light from the overhead panels. The air seemed heavier, and the silence only amplified the weight everyone felt.

When they reached the containment room, the doors slid open automatically, revealing a completely isolated space. The walls were made of reinforced gray material, with shiny sealing marks that indicated the presence of advanced security systems. In the center of the room, a metallic platform awaited the capsule, surrounded by a series of sensors embedded in the floor and ceiling.

"Place it in the center," Kador instructed, moving to adjust the cart. With a faint click and a final hum, the capsule was positioned exactly where it needed to be.

Nyxis spoke again, her voice lower now as it echoed in the isolated room: "The capsule is in position. I will continue structural analysis and attempt to gather more information about what is inside."

Tila stared at the capsule for a moment before stepping back. Her expression was cautious, but there was a genuine spark of concern in her large brown eyes. "Be careful, Nyxis," she murmured, more to herself, though she knew the AI would hear her.

Kador motioned for everyone to leave, his short tail moving with an air of controlled urgency. "Let her do her work. We'll be on the bridge."

The group walked back through the corridors, their small silhouettes contrasting against the tight but vast feel of the ship. Tila couldn't help but glance back for a moment, feeling as though something invisible was happening. Something she couldn't yet understand.

The bridge was enveloped in a heavy silence, broken only by the soft hum of monitors and the pulsing lights on the panels. Tila remained seated, her tail curled around her legs as her eyes fixated on the screen in front of her, though her mind was far away. Kador sat in his command chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest as he waited patiently. Loran and Byra were occupied at their respective stations, but the tension in the air was palpable.

Finally, Nyxis's voice broke the silence.

"Initial analysis is complete," the AI announced, its tone controlled but tinged with something that almost resembled curiosity. "The capsule's technology is rudimentary but surprisingly efficient. The life-support systems were designed to operate on minimal energy cycles, which explains why the capsule is still functional. There is enough energy to sustain it for approximately two more years."

Tila perked up her ears, tilting her head slightly. Two years? That detail was impressive, but another caught her attention even more. "And how long has it been active?" she asked, though she realized the answer was already coming.

"The capsule has been active for exactly ten years, four months, and six days," Nyxis replied, with almost casual precision.

Ten years. Tila blinked, feeling a chill run down her spine. Ten years drifting through space, silently floating in the infinite void. She couldn't help but voice the question echoing in her mind: How has something like this gone unnoticed for so long? The route they were traveling was frequently used by merchant ships. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of vessels must have crossed this path in recent years. And yet, no one had discovered the capsule.

"What are you hiding?" she murmured to herself, her gaze fixed on the screen.

Kador, who had remained silent until now, leaned forward in his chair, his eyes glinting under the glow of the monitors. "And what about the being inside the capsule, Nyxis? What have you been able to learn about them?"

His voice was calm, but there was a hint of urgency in it. He knew it was the question everyone wanted to ask but hadn't yet had the courage to voice.

At that moment, everyone on the bridge seemed to hold their breath, their attention entirely focused on the answer that was about to come. The monitor lights reflected off Tila, Byra, and Loran's fur, while the ship seemed to plunge into an absolute silence, as if even the sound of the engines had faded in anticipation.

Nyxis hesitated for a brief moment—or at least, it seemed to hesitate, though that might have been just an impression.

"I have completed a more detailed analysis of the being inside the capsule."

Everyone leaned in slightly in their seats, attentive. Tila felt her ears perk up, and the fur on the back of her neck stood slightly on end. She didn't know what she expected to hear, but she was certain it wouldn't be anything mundane.

"Based on the readings I've collected," Nyxis continued, "the being has a body structure inconsistent with any species recorded in the Federation's databases. It is an unknown species."

That statement caused a brief, heavy silence. An unknown species. It was rare, almost impossible, for something to escape the vast Federation's records.

"Describe it," Kador requested, his voice calm but firm.

"Certainly," Nyxis replied. "Morphological analysis indicates that the being is bipedal, similar to many species within the Federation. It has two upper limbs and two lower limbs, each articulated for complex movement. The skin appears smooth, with no significant fur except for localized areas on the upper head and specific parts of the face and body. Skin tone varies, but the predominant detected hue is pale, with subtle natural pigmentation."

Tila tilted her head, intrigued. "No fur? How does it protect itself from the cold?"

Nyxis continued, momentarily ignoring her question. "Estimated height is approximately 2.5 meters, placing it far above the average for any recorded bipedal species. Additionally, the muscular structure is extremely robust, suggesting immense physical strength. Despite this, the anatomical proportions indicate agility and a high degree of balance."

"Two and a half meters?" Loran murmured, his voice tinged with disbelief. He shook his head. "That's... massive. How does something like that even move?"

"Biometric scans reveal that it is in perfect health," Nyxis proceeded, unfazed by the comments. "Vital organs are functioning normally, albeit in a state of deep cryogenic suspension. There are no signs of illness, injury, or muscle degeneration. All indications are that the being is in a form of suspended animation, preserved under ideal conditions within the capsule."

"What about the brain? Anything unusual?"

"Yes," Nyxis replied. "The brain is notably large relative to body size. Tissue density suggests high cognitive capacity and potentially advanced reasoning, but this cannot be confirmed without direct interaction."

Tila crossed her arms, feeling more unsettled than ever. "So... it's strong, tall, healthy, and probably intelligent. And you're saying it's not in any of the Federation's databases?"

"Correct," Nyxis confirmed. "There are no records of a species with these characteristics in any official Federation archive. This suggests it may originate from an unknown region of space... or an undocumented historical period."

Tila's mind swirled with questions. How could something like this exist and remain outside the Federation's reach? And more importantly, what did it mean for them?

Kador took a deep breath, his reptilian eyes glinting with a mixture of caution and curiosity. "What about potential behavior? Any way to determine if it poses a threat?"

"Based on the available data," Nyxis replied, "there are no indications of aggressive tendencies. However, this conclusion is limited, as we lack cultural, historical, or social information about the species."

Tila moved closer to the screen, staring intently at the projected data. "So it's just... sleeping? All this time?"

"Exactly," Nyxis said. "The capsule has kept the being in a cryogenic state for the past ten years. It is perfectly preserved but in a state of suspended animation."

There was a brief pause, as if even Nyxis were calculating the weight of what it was about to say. Then her voice echoed again, soft but laden with significance:

"Shall I initiate the process to wake it?"