Time is an illusion, a thin veil separating existence from oblivion. For Elena Petrova, time stopped four centuries ago, frozen in the cold stasis designed to preserve, not to halt. Yet, in the depths of that long sleep, her subconscious wove erratic dreams—fragments of forgotten lives, whispers from the past, and strangely, visions of an unfulfilled future. She drifted in an endless void, sometimes visited by shadows of long-lost Earth pine forests, sometimes feeling the warmth of hands that once held hers, or hearing laughter that was now just an echo. Then, often, a strange melody would hum, without a clear instrument, an odd tune that felt both ancient and futuristic, pulling her deeper into the fog of dreams. The melody wasn't from her memories; it was like a transmission from another dimension, a silent call piercing the isolation of space and time.
Awakening
Slowly, the frozen stillness began to melt. Not a gentle warmth, but a strange tingling sensation, as if billions of tiny needles pricked every nerve ending, waking her from suspended animation. The sensation spread, from her toes to her scalp, followed by a faint throbbing at her temples. A dim red light, like a beating heart in the darkness, began to penetrate her tightly closed eyelids. There was a hissing sound, like gas escaping, and a gentle vibration that spread from beneath her cryo-pod, breaking the long silence that had enveloped her.
Elena struggled. Her body felt heavy, stiff, and alien. Her muscles refused to obey, as if they had forgotten how to work. Panic began to creep in, trapping her in the shrinking darkness. She tried to open her eyes, forcing her sticky eyelids apart. It took several attempts before a thin slit finally formed, revealing a blurry, spinning world filled with flickering lights. For a fraction of a second, she didn't know where she was, who she was, or why she felt so cold and empty.
Alone
The sensation of disorientation was a tidal wave, threatening to drown her. She lay in what felt like a narrow coffin, surrounded by cold, gleaming metal walls. A transparent panel above her showed flickering green and yellow indicator lights, arranged in an intricate pattern. The air she breathed felt dry and smelled strange, a mixture of ozone and metal. She tried to move again, struggling, and managed to lift one trembling hand. Her skin was pale, almost translucent, and blue veins were clearly visible beneath it. Her fingers, once strong and agile, now felt like wooden blocks.
"Systems... active," a calm, emotionless synthetic voice sounded, breaking the absolute silence. It was the voice of Unit-X, the companion AI that was supposed to always be with her. However, the voice didn't come from outside; it sounded directly in her mind, as if Unit-X was connected directly to her nervous system.
Hearing the voice, a flash of memory broke through Elena's mind. Exodus Alpha. A mission. Stasis pods. A dying Earth. Despair. Elena's confusion subsided slightly, replaced by a cold awareness. She remembered her mission's name, but the details were still blurry, like a dream slowly evaporating as she tried to recall it.
"Unit-X?" she whispered, her voice hoarse, barely audible. Her throat felt rough, like sand. She tried to swallow, but there was only agonizing dryness.
"Elena Petrova. Status: Vital. Stasis terminated. Location: Xylos-7."
Xylos-7. The name echoed in her mind. An alien planet that was supposed to be humanity's new hope. But why was she alone? Where were the others? Where was the Exodus Alpha crew? A cold dread crept up her spine.
Suddenly, her pod began to vibrate more violently. A loud hiss sounded, and the transparent panel above her slowly lifted, releasing a puff of cold vapor. Fresh air, though still smelling of metal and ozone, rushed in, making her lungs constrict. Elena tried to get up, but gravity felt like a giant oppressor. She could only lift her head slightly, her eyes scanning her surroundings.
She was inside a vast cylindrical room, its walls made of dark metal that reflected the dim light. Dozens, perhaps hundreds, of other stasis pods lined the room neatly, each with inactive indicator lights. Dark. Dead. A cold and horrifying sight. There were no signs of life, no sounds, except for the gentle hiss from her own now-open pod. She was alone. Truly alone.
A Grave for Hope
A sense of loneliness enveloped her, colder than the stasis itself. Four centuries. Everyone she knew, everyone she loved, was gone. Lost. Even if Earth still existed, they would surely be gone. She was a remnant, an echo of a civilization perhaps long forgotten.
"Status of the Exodus Alpha crew?" Elena asked, her voice slightly stronger, driven by growing despair.
Silence enveloped her for a moment before Unit-X responded. "No data regarding other crew members at this location. Environmental analysis indicates that you are the only biological entity detected within optimal radius."
The words hit her like a hammer. No data. The only biological entity. This meant she was truly alone. They had all failed. Exodus Alpha had failed. Tears welled in her eyes, but none flowed. Her body was too dry, her emotions too frozen.
She forced herself to crawl out of the pod. Her legs trembled, her muscles protested. She fell to her knees on the cold metal floor, her body shaking uncontrollably. The room looked like a mass grave for hope.
"What... what happened?" Elena gasped.
"Critical data lost. Analysis of remaining logs indicates severe damage to navigation and communication systems during the final stasis transition phase," Unit-X explained, its voice remaining calm and informative, in contrast to Elena's emotional turmoil. "Your pod was the only one that successfully reactivated vital functions."
She looked around. Dim light came from a distant crack in the wall, revealing a passage fading into darkness. The air felt slightly warmer now, perhaps from newly activated life support systems. On the floor, near her pod, she saw a shattered control panel, its wires dangling like severed veins.
"Mission... Exodus Alpha," Elena tried to delve deeper into her resistant memory. "What was its ultimate goal?"
"To establish a new human colony on Xylos-7. To preserve the species. Project Omega," Unit-X replied.
Project Omega. The words felt heavy, laden with unimaginable responsibility. She was the sole hope. The thought pressed on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.
"Where... where are we on Xylos-7?"
Unit-X projected a holographic image in the air before her. A magnificent blue-green planet, with swirling white clouds and intricate brown landmasses. A small red dot blinked on one continent, indicating their location. There were towering mountains, deep valleys, and strange structures that didn't appear natural.
"We are in an underground complex, beneath the surface of Xylos-7. Depth: 1.2 kilometers," Unit-X said. "This structure is not registered in the Exodus Alpha mission database. Analysis indicates non-human construction. Estimated age: very old."
A Mysterious Call
The words "non-human" made Elena gasp. She wasn't alone on this planet, but not in the way she had hoped. There was something else here, something that had built this complex.
As if responding to Elena's thoughts, a faint light began to pulsate from one of the complex walls. The light wasn't from artificial lamps; it was like living, organic light, dancing in intricate patterns. Then, the sound returned. The same melody from her dreams, that strange, odd tune, now clearer, more urgent. The melody wasn't just in her ears; it resonated within her soul, drawing her towards the pulsating light.
"What is that?" Elena asked, trying to stand upright. She succeeded, though her legs still trembled.
"Energy signal. Unidentified pattern," Unit-X reported, with a hint of curiosity in its synthetic voice. "This signal appears to have a biometric resonance with the subject. A... call."
A call. That was the right word. It felt like every cell in her body was being pulled by an invisible force towards the source of that melody. The signal felt like a giant heartbeat, inviting, pleading, and promising something she didn't yet understand. She felt fear, but a strange curiosity, driven by that powerful call, was more dominant. After four centuries in darkness and solitude, the promise of something else, a mystery waiting to be solved, felt like the only thing that could give her purpose.
"We have to go there," Elena said, her previous despair now replaced by a newfound determination. She didn't know what awaited her at the end of that call, but she knew she couldn't stay in this cold tomb any longer.
"Confirming destination. Following energy signal," Unit-X replied, and the holographic projection of the planet dimmed, replaced by a glowing route map on the wall, showing the way to the source of the call.
Elena stepped forward, each stride feeling like a struggle. The sound of the melody was clearer now, guiding her out of the pod chamber, down dark, unknown corridors. In the depths of this alien planet, where time and hope had stopped for others, a new destiny began to beat. She was Elena Petrova, the only one left, drawn by the echoes from her cryo-pod, towards a mysterious call from the stars. Her adventure had just begun.