In a dark and dusty room, a blue light suddenly sparked and shined. Slowly, the light spreads across the room following ley lines as if it was intended to do so.

After a while, this light fully illuminated the room and revealed its contents.

The walls, ceiling, and floor were made out of steel. Wires were hanging from the ceiling, walls had scratch marks that have rusted over with time, and the walls have started to bore holes from the erosion.

Though despite that, one side of the wall was clearly different. This was where the first spark of light originated from and it was both unscratched and was visibly made of different materials.

Poof! Air suddenly blasted out from the vents that opened on this wall.

The sound of iron hitting iron inside this wall clang as if it gained life, then after, a jagged line appears in the center and divided it.

It was by no means just a mere wall. It was an iron containment vault large enough to be a room.

[Nano Bio-steel Synthesis Stabilization Complete]

[Prototype Augment Suit No.0002 Activating]

[Cryo-Stasis now on standby for deactivation]

[Defibrillation of test subject “Sargent Phillip” will now commence. Standby for Confirmation]

A mechanical female voice resounded from inside the room’s computers. Everything on the monitors suddenly sparked showing everything about the Sargent Phillip, from his flat-lined heart rate to brain activity to even muscle cell status. These apparatuses were clearly advanced form of medical equipment.

[Highest Authorized Personnel Dr. Grant: Deceased]

[Authorization Command is granted to Dr. William]

[Highest Authorized Personnel Dr. William: Deceased]

[Authorization Command is granted to Dr. Jonathan]

[Highest Authorized Personnel Dr. Jonathan: Deceased]

[All Authorized Doctors are now unable to give command]

[Unable to detect viable commanding body]

[Will now review command transfer protocols]

All the names mentioned by the mechanical voice were on the floor of the room. Specifically, the nametags were on the floor. All of them were detected by a scanner from the ceiling of the vault room.

The voice keeps on mentioning names and makes an error noise repeatedly. And after a few seconds of processing, the lights and everything shuts down for a few seconds. And then, the lights glowed again.

[Reboot complete]

[System Protocol No.001: Authority will go to viable command body]

[Detecting Sargent Phillip: Possibly viable for Command]

[Sargent Phillip is now promoted to Captain]

[Congratulations for the promotion Captain Phillip]

[System Protocol No.006: Awakening Captain to assume command of Science Vessel Gondola]

After saying so, a large glass tube slowly slides up from the vaulted iron floor. Inside is a man in a tight grey suit in frozen liquid, and once the blue light from underneath turned red, the ice slowly starts melting.

When the ice finally melted, mechanical tentacle-like arms with needle tips slides from the base of the tube and pointed on every vital points of the body from head to toe. And in one quick motion, all the needles pierced his skin. But no blood came out.

[Re-oxidizing suspended cells]

[Muscle degradation at 40%]

[Injecting muscle stimulants]

[Cellular Integrity at 30%]

[Injecting synthetic vitamins and minerals necessary]

[Initiating Defibrillation in 3… 2… 1…]

When the countdown hit 0, the base of the tube sends a high voltage electric shock into the water, making Phillip’s body spasm for a bit.

[Defibrillation Failed]

[Increasing Power]

[Reinitiating Defibrillation in 3… 2… 1…]

And again, a stronger shock of electricity was sent unto this body.

But this time, a beeping noise could be heard from one of the apparatuses.

[Vital Signs detected]

[Brain activity detected]

[Draining Stasis Liquid]

[Deploying Cradle]

As mentioned, the water starts draining out from underneath the tube and then mechanical arms come out and hold the head and base of the tube while tilting it to the back.

After a while, Phillip’s body begins twitching and his eyelids were slowly opening. What greeted him was a reflection of himself.

[Good Morning Captain Phillip]

A voice reverberated inside his tube, but it only hurt his eardrums due to it being too degraded. He wanted to speak, but his throat was weak and could only let out a weak groan.

[Confusion and Anxiety detected]

[Captain Phillip, my name is G.R.A.A.I which stands for Genealogy Research Assistant Artificial Intelligence, the former captain Dr. Grant called me Gray. As official System Protocol No.001, you are now my new captain.]

Though Gray said all of that, Phillip doesn’t understand due to the aching pain his body is experiencing.

[Stress and Pain Detected]

[Injecting Cyclobenzaprine and Acetaminophen]

After one of the tubes injected chemical into Phillip’s back, Phillip finally calms down and breathes normally. This time, he could finally look around calmly while feeling

[Breathing Levels normalizing... Direct oxygenizing will now halt.]

Two of the tentacle-like tubes detach from his body and retracted to the base.

“G-Gray…”

[Yes captain?]

Though barely, Phillip was able to say Gray’s name even with his hoarse voice.

Phillip raises his shaking hand and touches the glass. He then notices the tips of his fingers react to the cold glass’ temperature as it felt very foreign for him.

[Apologies Captain, the air outside the tube is still poisonous. Air-purifying still at 20%, please wait.]

“…yes.”

Though he doesn’t really understand, he could only agree to what Gray was saying with the only little noises he could make.

For the meantime, his consciousness was gradually improving and he could move most of his body parts.

“Who... am I?” he asked with his strained throat.

[You are Captain Phillip Gregory, promoted to Captain on March 20 on the year 1064 W.E. You are 213 years old, body age is 24. Age distortion cause: Cryo-stasis for 189 years. Divorced, and no children. Further memory logs have been destroyed over time.]

“I see…”

[Detecting slight disappointment: No available solution]

Phillip tried to remember himself, but for some reason, his head would hurt.

[Detecting Cerebrum Trauma]

“It’s… okay… I can… manage.”

He couldn’t remember anything. He could feel his memory missing and for some reason, it didn’t surprise him that he was over 213 years old already. He could feel it in the back of his head that he was expecting it.

Phillip noticed that he was wearing a tight fit suit that covered his torso and legs and felt like it was his skin.

“What… is… this?”

[Prototype Augment Suit No.002, first of its kind to use Nano-tech to synthesize bio-steel into human tissue, hypothesized function: Body durability and motor enhancement, untested and dangerous. May have unknown functions.]

[Air-Purifying at 80%, it is now safe to breathe.]

When Gray notified him, Phillip looked beyond his reflection and out to the room. There, he saw that the room was already claimed by nature except for the vault. However, something felt off.

“Where are we?”

[Planet E17B, an unnamed Habitable Earth-like Planet that is orbiting a star similar to the Origin System Sun but smaller than Earth. Exact location unknown due to missing system segments after the crash.]

“Is there anything outside?”

[Detecting local life-signs…]

[Local Life-signs detected: Unknown.]

When Gray said that, a part of Phillip felt relieved. Not because he knew that he wasn’t alone, but because he knew he could actually live.

Though vague, he understood what he should do. Unable to remember his past, unable to determine whether he could live, and doesn’t know what the future holds for him, all he knew is that he needs to survive.

And this is where his story starts.

-End of Chapter-