Chapter 03

The atmosphere on the bridge was heavy as Kador slowly walked towards the center, hands behind his back. He looked at each crew member before speaking, his voice firm but calm:

"Let's vote. This is an important moment, and I want to hear everyone's opinion. We are facing something none of us expected: an unknown species, lost in this sector of the galaxy. We must decide together whether we awaken it or not."

Byra was the first to speak, crossing her arms as she watched the capsule's projection on the main monitor. "I vote in favor," he said resolutely. "If he's lost and capable of building that capsule, he might need help. We can't just leave him like that."

Loran, who until then had been silent, raised his hands in an almost casual gesture, although his voice carried a serious tone. "I agree. We don't know what happened to him, but leaving him in this state doesn't seem right. Maybe we can learn something from him—and he from us."

Everyone turned to Tila, who had remained silent until then, with her ears slightly lowered, a sign of her hesitation. She took a deep breath before responding, her voice tinged with concern.

"I vote against. We don't know what we're bringing aboard the ship. I think it would be better to leave the capsule at a fleet inspection station. They have more resources and can handle it more safely."

Kador watched her closely, tilting his head slightly. He seemed to weigh his words before responding.

"I understand your concern, Tila. And you're right, we could drop her off at a later station. But for now, she might need help. And we don't know how anyone in the Federation would react. From what we know, it's an unknown species , lost and alone in this sector."

Tila crossed her arms, her fingers lightly tugging at the skin of her forearm as she thought.

Before she could respond, Nyxis intervened, her voice soft but assertive.

"Based on the readings I have collected, the being appears to be harmless despite its unusual stature. Its physiology suggests an omnivorous diet, and statistically, omnivorous species tend to be more peaceful. According to galactic records, no cataloged omnivorous species has exhibited aggressive behavior without direct provocation."

Tila sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. She knew Kador and Nyxis's logic made sense, but the worry persisted. "Okay," he said finally, his reluctance evident. "I agree. Let's wake him up. But I still think we need to be extremely cautious."

Kador nodded, satisfied with the resolution. "Caution is always the right approach, Tila. But I believe we are making the right choice."

Tila looked at the capsule projection once more, her mind racing with questions. "But... how are we going to communicate with him? If he's a completely unknown species, how are we going to understand what he says?"

"I've already considered that," Nyxis replied, immediately adopting a more technical tone. "I have identified a primitive binary sequence stored in the capsule's onboard computer. It is a rudimentary pattern, but sufficient to establish an initial communication language. If this being is truly intelligent, it should be able to understand some basic concepts."

"That sounds…optimistic," Loran said, raising an eyebrow.

"For more complex communication," Nyxis continued, ignoring the comment, "I need to interact directly with the being. Based on anatomical readings, it uses sounds produced by its mouth to communicate, like many other recorded species. As soon as Once we have a sample of your language, I can calibrate the universal translator chip for your species."

| CloneMarine 42785/B | -- Location: Unknown

First Human Republic -

The darkness gave way to a diffuse glow inside the capsule as the internal systems began to shut down one by one. The human slowly opened his eyes, his vision blurry, and his body heavy as lead. He could barely make out the flashing lights on the control panel in front of him. A low mechanical hum echoed inside, followed by a long, deep wheeze — the capsule was opening.

Cold mist escaped from the sides as the seal broke, and he sucked in air as if it were his first breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he struggled to catch it. His entire body trembled, every muscle rigid from years of cryosleep. He could barely think clearly, only gasping for air and fighting the suffocating sensation of such an abrupt awakening.

With effort, he sat up, the simple movement feeling like a monumental challenge. His eyes scanned the narrow interior of the capsule as he tried to understand where he was. Everything seemed strange. The environment was metallic, with a cold, impersonal shine, unlike any place he knew. There were no windows, just plain walls and a sealed door. The capsule had done its job of keeping him alive, but the world outside was a complete mystery.

His still sluggish mind latched onto one rational thought: his mission tablet. He opened a side compartment in the capsule, his trembling fingers feeling among the stored items. When he finally found it, he exhaled in relief. The small screen lit up when he turned it on, displaying a simple interface. Fortunately, the nuclear battery was still charged—a small positive amid the chaos.

He looked at the tablet, a dark thought crossing his mind. "Was I captured by the rebels?" The thought was logical. Nothing made sense anymore. But at the same time, the idea was not sustainable. If that were the case, he would already be dead. The rebels were not known for keeping prisoners alive.

The tablet finally loaded the capsule's basic data, and when he saw the status screen, his eyes widened. The date was there, clear as day: ten years. An entire decade had passed. He shook his head, trying to process it, but the confusion was overwhelming.

"Shit," he muttered, rubbing his face with his hands. He didn't feel ten years older, but the numbers didn't lie. Taking a deep breath, he muttered to himself, "I need to get out of here."

With effort, he stretched his legs out of the capsule and stood up, but his body wouldn't cooperate. He staggered, his knees giving out almost immediately. He managed to catch himself on the capsule before collapsing, breathing heavily as he struggled to regain his balance.

"I'm weak," he muttered through clenched teeth. His throat felt as dry as paper, and he swallowed hard, only to feel more discomfort. "I need food... and water."

Before he could do anything else, something caught his attention. A section of the metal wall suddenly lit up, as if it were a built-in screen. The glow was soft, but bright enough to highlight the surrounding space. He felt no fear, just an unsettling discomfort mixed with curiosity.

"What the hell is this?" he asked in a low voice, frowning as he leaned slightly closer, still staggering. He was familiar with technology, but this was unlike anything he had ever seen.

Suddenly, binary codes began to appear on the screen, quickly scrolling from top to bottom. Strings of 1s and 0s filled the space, moving in a pattern that seemed intentional. He blinked, confused, trying to understand.

"I don't understand..." he muttered to himself, but his eyes remained fixed on the screen, starting to feel like it wasn't just a random jumble of numbers. There was rhythm and logic, as if it were an attempt at communication.

At that moment, the tablet in his hands began to flash with a notification. He jumped slightly, startled, and looked at the screen: "Unknown access detected. Operating system being accessed remotely."

"What the hell...??" He immediately tried to turn off the tablet by pressing the power button repeatedly, but nothing happened. The interface remained frozen, the notification blinking red. He growled in frustration, looking back at the wall screen as if she were to blame.

Suddenly, the screen went dark, the light disappearing as if it had never been there. The tablet vibrated in his hands one last time before completely rebooting. The screen went black for a few seconds, and then the system logo reappeared, as if starting from scratch.

The silence in the room was broken by a clear and serene voice, cutting through the void with precision:

"Hello. My name is Nyxis, and I am the artificial intelligence of the ship you are currently on."

The human flinched slightly, his eyes searching for the source of the voice. There were no visible speakers, nothing to indicate where it was coming from. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"Nyxis...", he murmured, then raised his voice. "Where am I? Are you part of the Republic Marine Corps?"

"I don't know what this organization is," Nyxis replied in a polite tone. "I apologize for accessing the device you removed from the capsule. I attempted to communicate my intentions through the binary codes displayed earlier. Your capsule's technology is advanced in isolation, and I was only able to access the device after it was disconnected from the capsule. Through this access, I learned your language."

He chuckled softly, though his exhaustion was evident in his voice. "And now you want to know what I am?"

"Indeed," Nyxis replied without hesitation, her tone inquisitive.

The human leaned more firmly against the capsule, still breathing heavily. A faint smile crossed his face as he replied, "I think I should be the one asking that question."

"Understood," the impassive voice replied. "I am Nyxis, an artificial intelligence programmed to monitor and operate a merchant ship that is part of the Federation. I can assure you that I am not here to cause harm."

The human raised his head, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Were you raised by the rebels? Is this some kind of psychological torture from them?"

"I don't know who these rebels are," Nyxis replied in a calm but informative tone. "As I explained, I am part of a merchant ship. My ship and crew belong to the Federation, an intergalactic coalition of civilizations."

"Federation?" repeated the human, frowning. "So...you were made by aliens? Is that what you're saying?"

"Correct," said Nyxis. "My origins are not human, and I believe this could be considered a 'first contact' for you. But I remain curious: who exactly are you?"

He laughed again, softer this time, but no less tired. "Didn't you find that out by snooping on my tablet?"

"I have all the data on your physiology," Nyxis replied. "But that doesn't answer who you are."

The human shook his head, realizing that the conversation would not progress without answers. "I am a human."

"Interesting," said Nyxis. "Your species is not cataloged in Federation databases or in any known part of the galaxy."

Still weak, the human gathered the strength to stand up. He forced himself upright, albeit with difficulty, staggering slightly before righting himself. With a posture that demonstrated effort and discipline, he gave a military salute, his right hand on his forehead — a strange gesture for Nyxis.

"Marine Clone 42785/B," he said formally.

"Are you a clone?", Nyxis questioned almost instantly. "Such practices are prohibited by the Federation."

"I am a human clone, modified to serve in the Republic Marine Corps," he explained with a tone that mixed pride and exhaustion. "That was the purpose of my creation."

After holding the position for a few seconds, he gave in, leaning against the capsule. The weight of his fatigue seemed to increase with every moment. "And this Federation... what exactly is it?"

"According to the records of my species, the Federation has existed for approximately 200,000 years," Nyxis replied accurately. "It comprises some 60,000 species and their respective civilizations, cooperating in a system of intergalactic peace and trade."

The human blinked a few times, trying to process the amount of information. He took a deep breath before muttering, "Well... that's a lot..."

"I must inform you," Nyxis continued, "that your blood pressure levels are dropping."

He laughed softly, almost humorlessly, as he ran a hand over his sweaty forehead. "That's what happens when you don't eat or drink for ten years, and then someone decides to wake you up."

"Based on preliminary data, I can provide you with something to eat and drink," Nyxis said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Do you agree?"

The human looked up, letting out a tired sigh, but with a slight smile of resignation. "What choice do I have?" he muttered rhetorically, before resting his head on the capsule.