Chapter 08

Kador studied the human before him, a creature that seemed to have stepped out of a nightmare and, at the same time, embodied a miracle for his crew. Despite the tension and the blood still staining the stranger's armor, there was something profoundly intriguing about the being. With a calm gesture, Kador rose from his chair, his movements deliberately measured, and gave a slight bow—a gesture in his culture that signified deep respect.

"I know you won't understand me directly," Kador said, his voice deep but filled with gratitude, "but I want to thank you for saving my crew."

There was a brief silence as the A.I., Nyxis, translated the captain's words for the human. Once the translation was complete, the human inclined his head slightly—a gesture that might have been respect or acknowledgment.

"There's no need to thank me," he began, his voice low, almost monotone, as Nyxis translated for the others. "I'm just a CloneMarine, a soldier created for a purpose. And, honestly, I'm not even sure if that purpose still exists."

His tone seemed neutral, but there was something about his choice of words that made Tila uneasy. She felt an invisible weight in those statements, something that spoke of emptiness and a lack of direction.

The human continued, his eyes wandering across the bridge, taking in every detail of the space as he spoke. "My species never encountered another civilization... at least, not as far as I know. Before I vanished from my home system, there was nothing but us. Just empty stars and an endless war."

Tila, still sitting in the corner with her ears low and her body tired, looked up at him. Despite her fear and unease, there was something deeply intriguing about him. Gathering her courage, she spoke up.

"Why is your species so... large?" Her voice was soft, hesitant. After a second, she quickly added, "No offense, of course."

The human remained silent for a moment, processing Nyxis' translation. When he finally replied, there was an almost brutal simplicity in his words.

"I'm not the standard," he explained, gesturing toward Kador. "My species is, on average, about the size of your captain." He then lowered his arm slowly, his eyes meeting Tila's. "I was created, genetically modified to be what you would call... a combat machine. My size, my strength, even my endurance—it was all engineered for war."

Nyxis' translation filled the air with mechanical precision, but the words, devoid of emotion, seemed to weigh heavily on the bridge.

"So you're... a machine of war," Tila murmured, more to herself than to him.

The human didn't reply, but the look he gave her seemed to confirm her statement.

Tila clasped her hands in her lap. She hated the idea of war—the conflict that had destroyed her homeworld still burned in her memory. Yet, as she looked at the human, she couldn't feel anger. He hadn't chosen to be what he was. He had been created for it, shaped from the beginning to serve a purpose that seemed as empty as it was destructive.

"You, human, must have a home to return to," he began, choosing his words carefully. "Do you have any clue that might help us locate your world and take you back?" Said Kador.

The human crossed his arms, tilting his head slightly. For a moment, he remained silent, as if pondering the question more seriously than expected. Then, he finally responded:

"How do I know it would be safe to give you the location of my world?" His voice was direct, without hesitation, as Nyxis translated his words for the others. "I don't mean to diminish the fact that you saved my life... but think about it: would any of you give the location of your homeworld to strangers you've just met?"

Kador didn't reply immediately, but Tila looked at the human, understanding the logic in his words.

"And yes," he continued, his tone calmer now, "I want to go home. Even if I might no longer have a purpose there... it's still where I come from. But there's one problem." He paused, as if weighing the impact of what he was about to say. "I was never good at navigation. So, even if I wanted to tell you, I don't know where my homeworld is."

Kador took a deep breath, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he nodded in understanding. "I understand your concerns, human. They are valid, and I don't expect you to trust us so easily. Not after everything you've been through."

The human relaxed his arms slightly, looking at Kador with a neutral expression. Then he chuckled softly, almost humorlessly. "Well," he said, "in a way, and ironically enough, the only being I trust so far is your ship's A.I."

Nyxis responded immediately, her tone neutral but carrying an almost imperceptible note of satisfaction. "I appreciate your trust."

She continued with her usual clarity. "The crew of the Krysalyn is trustworthy. If that were not the case, I would not have sought their help to save the ship and their lives."

The human sighed, a heavy sound that caught Kador and Tila's attention. The two exchanged quick glances, a mix of surprise and discomfort. The sound seemed strange, almost alien to them, coming from someone so lethal and calculated.

"Well," the human said again, now looking at Kador, "if you really want to locate my world, perhaps the black box of my ship is still intact. You could try to find the wreckage. My ship must be somewhere in this system. That would be useful, wouldn't it?" He turned to Nyxis, as if expecting her confirmation.

"An excellent idea," Nyxis replied. "The black box could contain navigation logs and FTL jump data. It would be a valuable resource. But before that, we must get Byra to a doctor." She paused, then added, "Speaking of which, Captain, refueling is 100% complete."

Kador visibly relaxed, leaning back in his chair as he nodded. "Understood." He activated the FTL engine controls, adjusting the route to the pre-set destination. The hum of the engines grew louder, and the bridge lights automatically adjusted as the ship prepared for the jump.

Turning to the human, Kador made a gesture with his hand, almost as if indicating that he could relax. "You can rest for now. We'll take care of it." Then he added, "And for the time being, the A.I. will translate our interactions. But eventually, we'll need to get you a translation chip. Everyone on this ship has one, and it'll need to sync with your language."

The human simply nodded, saying nothing, but something in his posture suggested he was processing the idea. The bridge fell into a brief silence as the glow of the stars turned into a bright blur, and the Krysalyn finally jumped into hyperspace.

---

The transition from hyperspace to real space was almost imperceptible to the occupants of the Krysalyn. The intense glow of stars, stretched into shimmering lines during the jump, slowly returned to their normal form, revealing the vast emptiness of space dotted with tiny, bright points. Ahead, Cassur Prime emerged—a planet that looked like a blue and green jewel floating in the ether.

The world was mesmerizing, its features standing out against the dark backdrop of the cosmos. Unlike Earth, which the human knew so well, Cassur Prime had no massive continents dominating its surface. Instead, a mosaic of islands dotted the vast oceans, with some larger landmasses scattered across the globe, though none as immense as Earth's continents. One of the largest landmasses was roughly the size of Greenland, while another resembled Australia in scale, but with irregular shapes and intricately detailed coastlines.

The oceans sparkled under the light of the local sun, and white clouds drifted softly over the islands. It was a vibrant, almost idyllic planet, radiating a sense of peace and serenity. To the human, it was fascinating. He had never seen a world like this. Earth and Mars were the only planets he had known, and both, in very different ways, were marked by exploration, war, and constant struggle. Cassur Prime was... something else. He stood silently, gazing at the scene through the bridge's viewport. There were no words to describe what he felt, but his eyes were fixed, absorbing every detail.

Kador approached his command station, pressing a few buttons on the console to open a communication channel with the spaceport orbiting Cassur Prime. The structure circled the planet like a segmented metallic ring, with various ships of different sizes coming and going from its docking platforms.

"This is Captain Kador of the Krysalyn, requesting permission to dock," he said, his voice firm yet respectful. "Our crew requires urgent medical assistance. We were attacked by pirates in the gray zone."

The channel remained silent for a few seconds before a male voice, authoritative but professional, responded. "Krysalyn, permission granted to dock at Bay 17. We are dispatching medical assistance for your injured crew member."

"Thank you," Kador replied, relieved.

There was a pause before the controller continued, now with a more inquisitive tone. "However, our sensors have detected three types of biological species aboard. Two are recognized by the Federation, but the third is unregistered."

Kador froze for a brief moment, casting a discreet glance at the human, who was still gazing at the planet in silence, unaware of the growing tension in the room. The captain knew he couldn't reveal the truth about who the human was—it would be too dangerous for him and the entire crew.

"Ah," Kador began, carefully choosing his words. "He's a mercenary from the outer rim systems. His species isn't part of the Federation, but his skills are known. You know how these barbaric species can be…"

The voice on the communicator sounded cold but firm. "We cannot allow a non-Federation species to enter our world. It's the law."

Kador sighed, running a hand over his face. He tried again. "But at least send someone to help my crew member. She's gravely injured and on the brink of death."

There was a brief pause, and then the response came. "A medical team is already on its way. You are authorized to disembark if you wish, but the barbarian cannot. Rules are rules."

The communicator cut off, leaving the hum of the ship's systems to fill the tense silence that followed.

"Damn it," Kador muttered, leaning over the console. He took a deep breath before turning to the human. His yellow eyes met the serious, expressionless face of the alien in his armor, still partially stained with the blood of the pirates.

"I'm sorry about all of this," Kador said, his voice heavy with sincerity.

The human didn't respond. He simply nodded slightly.