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In the vastness of space, where time and distance seem infinite, two enormous spacecraft drifted silently, their destinations set on a distant planet. It had been discovered decades ago, a beacon of hope for humanity as Earth's sun was slowly transitioning into its Red Giant phase. The decision was made to leave, to find new homes beyond the stars. Each nation had sent ten pairs of their finest citizens, chosen to populate this distant world and ensure the survival of the human race.
The ships had already passed one of the most treacherous parts of the journey: the Asteroid Belt. With their advanced magnetic fields acting as a shield, they had fended off the floating debris. Now, entering the gravitational pull of Jupiter, the two ships were preparing for the next leg of the journey. Using Jupiter's gravity as a slingshot, the spacecraft could conserve precious fuel for the remainder of their interstellar voyage.
Years passed...
Suddenly, the AI system aboard the first ship flickered to life, a soft mechanical hum filling the ship's control room.
AI: "[ALERT]: We are approaching a new solar system. Calculating the time to reach NHF190C... beep... Calculation complete. Estimated time to arrival: 3 pseudo light-years."
The AI, maintaining its vigilant oversight of the mission, attempted to establish a connection with the second ship to confirm their progress.
AI: "[ERROR]: Connection with the second ship failed. Re-establishing connection... [FAILED]... Initiating backup protocol. Rebooting the second ship could wake passengers earlier than expected. Rerouting systems... [SUCCESS], connection restored. Communication with the second ship stable."
Both ships continued on their way, now steadily moving toward their destination—NHF190C, a planet that, in a few short years, would become the new home for humanity.
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Time skip: 1.5 light-years later...
The AI voice, calm yet authoritative, spoke again:
AI: "[ALERT]: We have reached the final phase. Initiating wake-up sequence for all survivors. Sending signal to the second ship to begin their process as well."
Inside the cryo chambers, a faint hissing sound began as the long-dormant survivors were brought out of stasis. The soft blue glow of the cryo-pods intensified, and the lids opened. Cold vapor escaped, and monitors mounted above each pod came to life, flashing a welcome message:
"Good morning, survivors. I am Survivor Habitat for Interstellar Traveling—SHIT for short. Let's begin by checking your vitals."
All around, groggy and disoriented passengers started to wake. Inside one of the pods, Rudra (Nation: India, Age: 25) groaned, his muscles stiff from years in cryo-sleep. He blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden rush of stimuli. His shoulder ached intensely, a lingering effect of the long sleep.
"Ahhh, my shoulder hurts like hell. Did that monitor just say SHIT? Who on Earth thought that was a good name? Must've been some comedian who mixed Deadpool and Iron Man," he thought, rubbing his aching muscles as he sat up.
A few pods away, another young man named Krish (Nation: India, Age: 23) was also waking up, his mind groggy from the cryo-sleep.
"Are you kidding me with that name? SHIT? Really? Wait... did I pee my pants?" He instinctively checked, relieved to find he hadn't.
"I can't believe we made it... to a planet with only a 3.1415 percent chance of success. Hopefully Pi won't be a curse in the end."
Krish tried to climb out of his pod, shaking off the stiffness in his limbs. As he stretched, he noticed a girl in the distance—a stunningly beautiful girl—struggling to stand. He wanted to go over and help her, but as soon as he took a step, his legs wobbled beneath him. He lost his balance, and just as he was about to fall flat on his face, a firm hand grabbed him, steadying his fall.
Surprised, Krish looked up at the girl who had caught him. She smiled, though it was clear she was still feeling the effects of the cryo-sleep herself.
Girl: "Don't be too surprised that I can hold you up. We're in space, after all."
Her tone was playful, though her exhaustion was evident.
Krish quickly regained his footing, adjusting his clothes as if the near fall hadn't happened. He looked at her, noticing how everyone else was still struggling to stand. Meanwhile, he was already moving with ease.
Krish: "Thanks for catching me. I'm Krish, by the way."
As he was about to continue, the girl interrupted him, curiosity lighting her features.
Girl: "Wait—how are you standing so easily? My legs are shaking, and so is everyone else's! How are you managing?"
Krish smiled at her, his expression calm.
Krish: "Shhhh... what's the rush? Let's sit and talk. Wait—let me help you."
With surprising grace, he stepped forward, gently taking her right hand in his own. His left arm moved around her back, guiding her toward her pod. She blushed at the unexpected intimacy of the gesture but allowed him to help her sit back down.
As she settled, she couldn't help but stare at Krish, still bewildered by how he could move so effortlessly while everyone else struggled to even sit up. Breaking the silence, Krish spoke again, his tone soft but steady:
Krish: "Before I answer all your questions, why don't we start with our introductions? What's your name?"
The girl, still blushing from his touch, answered nervously:
Girl: "Oh... right. Sorry, I was just... you know... surprised."
Her voice trailed off as the AI interrupted their conversation once more.
AI: "[ALERT]: Open your profile to check your personal information. You can now share your data and connect with other survivors, even across long distances."
At that moment, every survivor was presented with a personal HUD, projected right in front of their eyes. It displayed critical stats: health, magical energy, level, speed, stamina, intelligence, strength, and oxygen levels. The survivors, still adjusting to the reality of being awake, glanced at the information, trying to comprehend the strange mix of technology and survival that lay ahead.
Krish glanced over his own stats, but his focus quickly returned to the girl. She seemed overwhelmed by everything happening around her.
Krish: "Don't worry. We'll figure all of this out together."
He gave her a reassuring smile, his calm demeanor putting her slightly more at ease.
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To be continued...