Chapter 1
Adrian actually liked space travel, but only in theory. Before he decided to become an astronaut, it delighted him that not all astronauts even got to see the inside of a spaceship, and that kept a smile on his face.
Until the previous week.
Commander Vasich had appointed him as a crew member of Mission NEXAR, and despite all his efforts to pull out of it, the man remained unyielding. So here he was, stiff as a rock, in the Galactic Rider spaceship, while praying under his breath for some miracle to take him out of the situation. The moment the spaceship doors shut, he stopped mumbling as he knew he was definitely going to another planet.
"Welcome, Cadets," the leader of the voyage started immediately after the spaceship took off, "to Mission NEXAR."
His name was Anthony, and although Adrian hadn't had a personal encounter with the man, he believed he was a nice man. At least, all the tales he heard of the captain were quite amiable. That was the only silver lining of the travel so far.
"Everyone here has been on a space voyage before, so this one should be no different." Captain Anthony scanned the crew and grimaced when his gaze fell upon Adrian. "Well, almost everyone. I'm thrilled to have you on my spaceship for your maiden voyage, I hope you have a wonderful experience."
Adrian responded with a grateful nod; so the tales were true indeed!
"I hope we've all acquainted ourselves with the guide." Anthony inquired and grunts of confirmation echoed from different spots.
Adrian also nodded, albeit with little enthusiasm. NEXAR was an unknown planet, so the guide was rather useless and just a bunch of big words collated to form a tiny brochure. Apparently, the first and only crew that went to planet NEXAR about 320 years ago took all the studies about the planet and never returned to Earth. Just knowing that he might have a similar fate to that unlucky crew, which he had to remind himself, had a comprehensive guide unlike his current crew members, was very disheartening. He looked around to see if the other crew members shared his sentiments, but it seemed he was alone in that boat as most of them were already engaged in conversations.
"It'll be fun, don't worry." A calm voice startled him, and he turned to behold the face. The woman was beautiful, and he was suddenly embarrassed that she had noticed his discomfort. Another reason to hate space travel. She stretched out her hand and he shook it. "My name's Laura. This is my third voyage."
"Adrian. My first."
She nodded. "If Tony hadn't pointed it out, it'd have been hard to clock. You look so composed." He scoffed in disbelief, and she chuckled at his reaction. It was a pleasant sound, he decided. "No, for real. During my first voyage, I puked on myself."
Adrian grimaced, and she laughed even harder. "Well, this voyage isn't over yet. I might still puke on myself, don't count me out yet."
"Nah, men as handsome as you don't puke."
He cracked up at that. "I'd like to inform you that your knowledge of handsome men is quite limited, as I throw up every single time I think about being on a space voyage. Emphasis on the word 'think'."
She chuckled once more, and their mild banter went on for the rest of the short voyage. Adrian decided that flirting might just be her own form of offering comfort which he was quite grateful for. He learned some things about her as well: she was the only daughter among three brothers in a family from Michigan, she lived alone with her two dogs, she became an astronaut because it was her dream to have her honeymoon in space, which he had to admit was smart and silly in equal measures. She did the majority of the talking and was in the middle of one of her college experiences when Anthony spoke again.
"The spaceship's landed. And as you can see," He gestured to the huge digital piece that had a series of numbers displayed on it. "Planet NEXAR is a millennium ahead of Earth. It probably won't change anything as creatures of most planets are barbaric, uncivilized, and devoid of any structured rule, at least on a global scale. We're just here to gather knowledge, get some study materials and just observe, alright?" Heads bobbed in agreement and the Captain's lips stretched to form a wide grin. "To Mission NEXAR!"
"To Mission NEXAR!" The crew members cheered and despite his apprehension, a smile started to form on his face.
"You really should stop smiling like that; you're going to charm these alien women." Laura whispered in his ear and winked as she walked to Anthony. He'd heard compliments all his life and one would think he should be used to it, but no, his cheeks always managed to grow warm every time and not in a million light years did he think he was going to be blushing on another planet.
The hatch opened with a mechanical groan, and blinding light flooded the cabin. He squinted, trying to adjust to the sudden brilliance. The metallic room beyond was vast, lined with pulsing lights and strange, unreadable symbols. It felt more like stepping into the heart of an advanced machine than an alien planet. The hum of the lights and the faint buzz of alien technology contradicted Anthony's comforting predictions about uncivilization, and a cold sweat of fear broke out on Adrian's brow.
Anthony was the first to move, and like a well-oiled machine, the rest of the crew followed immediately with looks of awe and determination, Adrian reluctantly following at the rear.
Then he saw them.
Arrayed in a semicircle, a group of alien figures stood waiting, their weapons trained on them the moment they emerged. There were dozens of them, humanoid yet distinctly alien, with elongated limbs, antennas and iridescent skin that shimmered like oil on water. Each held a different weapon, some familiar in shape like guns and flamethrowers, others utterly alien in design and function. From sleek, pulsating rods, to menacing, multi-bladed contraptions that looked disturbingly efficient, each weapon had discernible signs of threat that raised Adrian's heart rate. He'd be damned if he passed out in that spot.
Panic surged through him, his mind racing back to every reason he had not wanted to be there. He could have been safe back on Earth, far from the terrifying encounter. However, he was staring down the business end of alien weaponry, his pulse a deafening roar in his ears.
Anthony raised his hands in a gesture of peace, the universal signal that they meant no harm. "We come in peace," he said clearly, though the edge in his voice was distinct. "We are explorers, seeking to learn and understand."
The one who seemed to be the leader, distinguished by a purple cape over his shoulders, had a deep scowl on his face and he jerked his head towards them. "What is your name, where are you from, and what is your mission in Vortexia?" His voice had some sort of reverberation to it, and surprisingly, Adrian wasn't shocked. It sounded exactly how he thought aliens should sound.
The crew members instinctively looked to Anthony who, still with his hands up in surrender, answered. "My name is Captain Anthony Pierre, a member of the NASA, and we're from planet Earth."
The moment Anthony stated their origin, the atmosphere in the chamber shifted drastically. Their sleek, iridescent skin shimmered with a sudden, discordant intensity, and although they made no sounds, their antennas waved erratically in alarm. If he weren't so scared himself, Adrian would have been fascinated by the sight.
One of the creatures, his limbs trembling slightly, instinctively raised his weapon a notch, the smooth surface of his weapon now reflecting a harsh, defensive light. Another one's eyes narrowed, a faint, hostile glow emanating from the once-neutral expression. The air seemed to vibrate with the collective unease of the aliens, and Adrian's dread escalated. Why the switch?
The leader's eyes flickered with a combination of fear and disdain, his posture straightening as if bracing against an unseen threat. "You're Earthlings?" He asked rhetorically, his voice buckling under the weight of anxiety. "Damned creatures." He mumbled and without warning, he aimed his weapon —a sleek, metallic device with an array of intricate, glowing symbols that Adrian thought looked like it belonged in a comic book— directly at Anthony. The weapon discharged with a sharp, resonant click. A brilliant beam of light shot forth, striking Anthony squarely in the chest. In an instant, the captain grunted in pain and was enveloped in a series of glowing energy bands that materialized around his wrists and ankles.
Impulsively, Adrian reached for his gun and was immediately hit as well, his gun rattling like a useless piece of metal on the floor. There was a moment of intense, white-hot pain, followed by the sudden sensation of being restrained. The handcuffs, or hand bands as Adrian thought of them, constricted tightly, their design ensuring that escape was nearly impossible. Unlike regular handcuffs, there was no link between the bands, and Adrian's efforts to break free proved ineffective as the energy bands pulsed with a cool, unyielding pressure, holding him immobile. He gave up with a grunt and looked helplessly at the rest of his captured crew members. For the thousandth time, he blamed himself. Why hadn't he chosen something as mundane as accountancy?
Anthony, despite the restraints, managed to hold his head high, his voice steady though tinged with frustration. "We come in peace. There's no need for the restraints."
The leader's gaze remained impassive. "That is for Mother Xyra to decide."
A series of sleek, hovering platforms—reminiscent of advanced air hoverboards but far more sophisticated—glided into the room. The machines, elegant in design, with smooth, reflective surfaces and soft, ambient lights that cast a gentle glow on their surroundings, were equally futuristic and fearsome.
The platforms silently maneuvered towards them with a pair of articulated arms that reached out with precise, mechanical movements. The arms gently but firmly lifted Adrian and the other crew members off the ground, securing them onto the platforms with minimal discomfort. The sensation of weightlessness briefly replaced the pressure of the restraints, and for a moment, there was a collective sigh of relief.
The leader watched as the platforms began to hover smoothly towards the chamber's exit, before mounting a bigger and more sophisticated platform. As they emerged from the metal chamber, the planet of Vortexia stretched out before them, a stunning display of alien architecture and advanced technology. The sky was a shimmering expanse of crystalline spires, their surfaces reflecting the light of the twin moons. Flying vehicles darted between the towers with effortless grace, their streamlined designs cutting through the air with a whispering hum.The city’s infrastructure was a marvel of illuminated engineering. Buildings were adorned with intricate light patterns that shifted and flowed, casting a mesmerizing array of colors across the surfaces.
Despite the grandeur of the Vortexia civilization, Adrian was sure the crew of Mission NEXAR felt exactly as he did —scared, defenseless and regretful. Who thought it a good idea to go to a planet from where the first crew never returned? Was it about to be a repeat of history?
As they were transported through the heart of the city, Adrian's spirit plummeted. The Vortexians' advanced technology was not just a display of their capabilities but a testament to their power and control, who knew what they'd do to earthlings like himself? He thought about his widowed mom back home on the ranch in Texas, and his heart wept for her. She was so happy when he started working at NASA; what would be her reaction if he doesn't return?
That thought, and many more, plagued his mind until they approached a towering structure in the city’s center —an imposing building that seemed to pulse with an authoritative energy. It was here, he realized, that their fate would be determined. The planet of Vortexia, with all its technological wonder, now stood as the backdrop to a critical moment in the unfolding drama of interstellar diplomacy.
