I don't know how long it has been. I've forgotten.
Since childhood, I was gifted, yet I accomplished nothing.
I had three girlfriends, and now I'm alone again.
It's been over a hundred years, hasn't it?
I no longer long for love.
Has wandering under the endless starry sky drowned me in the depths of loneliness?
— Written by Jiang Zhenshun
---
Inside the battleship Morning Star, the lights simulated day and night for the crew, but for Jiang Zhenshun, there was no difference between day and night.
The click of a military ration heater sounded in the room, releasing a faint scent of meat.
Jiang Zhenshun sat on a metal stool, tore open the package, and spooned the warm chunks of meat into his mouth.
"Gray, dinner."
At his feet, a gray-and-white husky looked up at him, its blue eyes reflecting the dim light.
"Woof."
Gray barked once, licked its nose, and lay down quietly at his feet, waiting without fuss.
Jiang Zhenshun tugged at the corner of his mouth, handing the spoon with leftover meat juices down for Gray to lick.
The metal fork clinked against the bottom of the bowl, making a crisp sound.
"They say it's better to heat these up, but honestly, there's no difference between warm and cold with this crap."
He muttered under his breath, glancing out the window at the black void, where fragments of debris floated, and distant starlight occasionally flickered.
Finishing the last bite, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and stared at the empty room, suddenly letting out a small laugh.
"A hundred years have passed, and I'm still alive."
"Woof," Gray barked softly, as if in agreement.
Jiang Zhenshun reached down to rub Gray's head, taking a deep breath.
"Come on, patrol time."
---
Patrolling was a soldier's duty. Even though this battleship had been cruising for five years, the patrol area still had to be checked daily.
In the corridor, the faint fluorescent lights flickered, accompanied by the buzzing of electricity.
Jiang Zhenshun carried a rifle on his back, his eyes calm. Gray followed at his side, paws tapping against the metal floor with soft "tak tak" sounds.
Suddenly, around the corner ahead, he saw a small figure squatting against the wall, hugging their knees.
Jiang Zhenshun tightened his grip on the rifle and stepped forward cautiously.
It was a girl.
She looked to be in her early twenties, with messy, slightly wavy brown hair draped over her shoulders, wearing a dark blue uniform with an engineering badge. There was an oil stain on her shoulder, and a small tear at the knee of her pants.
She had her head lowered, seemingly lost in thought. Beside her was a chubby white cat curled up, sleeping in her arms.
"Hey, this isn't a rest area. What are you doing here?"
His voice was firm, carrying the usual coldness of a soldier.
The girl looked up, her watery brown eyes meeting his for a moment. She blinked blankly before realizing someone was there, scrambling to her feet while clutching the cat.
"Ah! Sorry, I—I just wanted to rest for a bit…"
Her voice was soft, tinged with a cute panic.
Gray barked once, glancing at the cat.
"Meow," the cat meowed softly in response.
"Engineer?"
Jiang Zhenshun glanced at the badge on her sleeve.
"Um… Xia Ranjan, maintenance crew."
She bit her lip, smiling awkwardly. "Tuanzi ran out, and I didn't want to disturb the research area, so I followed it here…"
Tuanzi was the cat in her arms. Its fluffy white fur was pressed against her chest, round eyes flicking between Jiang Zhenshun and Gray.
"Don't wander around here again. If something happens in the patrol area, no one will be able to save you."
With that, Jiang Zhenshun turned and continued his patrol.
"Ah! Okay… thank you…"
Xia Ranjan waved at his back, whispering softly.
Gray followed, glancing back at Tuanzi and flicking its tail.
---
The corridor gradually returned to silence, the low hum of machinery echoing around them.
Jiang Zhenshun continued checking the passages, confirming each corner before heading back to the bridge for duty.
"Woof."
Gray suddenly stopped, ears perking up, letting out a low whimper.
Jiang Zhenshun crouched down, patting Gray's head, then looked up into the distance.
The battleship's searchlights shone through the window, casting long, silent shadows across the corridor.
"What is it? Smell something off?"
He patted Gray again and stood up.
"Woof," Gray barked, turning toward the bridge, tail low, looking uneasy.
Jiang Zhenshun frowned, just as he was about to contact the bridge, when suddenly—
> [Alert! Alert! Unknown energy strike incoming. All combat units prepare for impact!]
> [Repeating: Unknown energy strike incoming. All combat units prepare for impact!]
The cold, mechanical female voice crackled in his earpiece.
The entire ship shuddered slightly, the lights flickering.
Jiang Zhenshun pressed his lips into a thin line, looking out the window.
In the endless darkness, a streak of light was rapidly approaching.
"Woof!"
Gray barked loudly.
Jiang Zhenshun took a deep breath and hoisted his rifle.
"Looks like today won't be peaceful after all."