--
John Carter's heart pounded in his chest as the spaceship lurched violently, the gravitational pull of the black hole yanking it like a toy in a storm.
Warning lights flashed, bathing the cockpit in an ominous red glow, and the AI's automated voice crackled over the comms.
"Warning: extreme gravitational field detected. Structural integrity compromised. All systems critical."
The black hole loomed ahead, its edges shimmering with an otherworldly radiance.
It wasn't the darkness that terrified John it was the unrelenting pull, the sense of inevitability. He wrestled with the controls, his hands shaking as he tried to stabilize the ship.
"Come on!" he shouted, sweat dripping down his face. "Hold together, just hold"
A deafening groan of metal cut him off. The ship shuddered violently, and the forward hull began to warp under the strain. Panels exploded in a spray of sparks, and the gravity of the black hole tightened its grip.
John gritted his teeth, staring at the swirling event horizon ahead. He knew the odds. Everyone sent on this resource mission knew the risks of space travel near black holes. Yet, nothing could have prepared him for this.
---Inside the Black Hole
As the ship breached the event horizon, John's stomach dropped. Time seemed to stretch and compress simultaneously. Colors twisted and bent in ways that defied logic, and the controls in his hands felt both real and surreal.
"AI," he called out, his voice trembling. "What the hell is happening?"
"Uncharted spatial anomaly. Time dilation and spaghettification imminent."
"Spaghettification? That's not comforting!" John snapped, though fear tightened his throat.
The ship's structure began to stretch unnaturally, pulled by forces he couldn't comprehend.
He felt a strange sensation in his body, as if his atoms were being unraveled and stitched back together in an endless loop.
Reality itself seemed to fray, the edges of his vision blurring into a kaleidoscope of light and shadow.
Time lost all meaning. Seconds felt like years, and moments of clarity were drowned in the cacophony of light, sound, and gravitational distortion. Through it all, John held onto one thought: survival.
---Escape to the Unknown
Then, just as suddenly as it began, the chaos stopped.
John blinked, his vision clearing to reveal a vast, star-speckled void. The black hole was gone, replaced by unfamiliar constellations. The ship's alarms had fallen silent, leaving an eerie calm in their wake.
"AI," he whispered hoarsely, his voice raw. "Report."
A flicker of static answered. "Structural damage critical. Power reserves at 7%. Navigational systems offline. Current location... unknown."
John slumped back in his seat, his body aching from the ordeal. He stared at the viewport, where an alien planet loomed ahead.
It was desolate, its surface marked by jagged cliffs and barren plains, with a dim, reddish light casting long shadows.
The ship shuddered again, this time from atmospheric entry. Flames licked the edges of the hull as it plunged toward the surface.
"Brace for impact!" John shouted, clutching the armrests.
The crash was violent. The ship slammed into the ground, skidding across the rocky terrain before coming to a grinding halt. Sparks flew, and debris scattered as the cockpit filled with smoke.
---Surveying the Wreckage
When John regained consciousness, the world was still. Pain radiated through his body, and his head throbbed as he unbuckled his restraints.
Every movement was agony, but he forced himself to stand, his legs trembling beneath him.
The cockpit was unrecognizable. Monitors were shattered, wires hung loose, and the once-pristine panels were scorched. He staggered to the emergency hatch, forcing it open to step into the alien world.
The landscape stretched endlessly before him a wasteland of cracked earth and jagged rocks, devoid of vegetation or life.
The air was thin and dry, carrying a faint metallic tang. Overhead, two pale suns hung low in the sky, casting a weak, reddish light.
John turned back to the ship, assessing the damage. The rear section was completely gone, likely torn off during the crash.
The remaining half was barely intact. He climbed back inside, determined to take stock of his supplies.
The emergency kit yielded little: a bottle of water, a protein bar, a thermal blanket, and a flare gun. His heart sank. This wasn't enough.
---The First Few Days
John spent the first three days scavenging the wreckage, trying to salvage anything useful.
The ship's power core was damaged beyond repair, and the communication systems were fried.
The AI, reduced to basic functionality, offered no solutions.
The water bottle became his lifeline. He rationed it carefully, taking only small sips to conserve every drop. The protein bar was gone by the second day, leaving his stomach aching with hunger.
At night, the temperature plummeted, forcing him to huddle in the thermal blanket for warmth.
The wind howled through the rocky terrain, carrying an eerie, otherworldly sound that set his nerves on edge.
He ventured out during the day, searching for food or water, but the barren landscape offered nothing.
The twin suns beat down relentlessly, and the dry air sapped his strength.
---A Month of Desperation
Weeks passed, each day blending into the next. John's body grew weaker, his movements sluggish.
The once hopeful determination that had driven him began to waver, replaced by a gnawing despair.
He scavenged the wreckage repeatedly, hoping to find something he might have missed, but the ship held no secrets.
His attempts to signal for help were futile; there was no one to hear him.
The landscape taunted him with its emptiness. Every step he took felt like a wasted effort, every distant glimmer of hope revealed itself to be a mirage.
His throat burned with thirst, and his muscles ached from malnutrition.
By the end of the month, John was a shadow of his former self. His skin was pale and clammy, his cheeks sunken. The water bottle was empty, its contents long gone.
He collapsed one evening, unable to take another step. The ground was cool against his feverish skin as he lay there, staring up at the alien sky.
"This is it," he whispered, his voice barely audible. His vision blurred, and tears streamed down his face. "I'm sorry, Earth. I failed."
---The System Awakens
As his consciousness faded, a sharp, mechanical sound broke through the silence.
"Ding!"
John's eyes snapped open, his heart jolting with alarm. The sound came again, followed by a calm, robotic voice.
"All conditions met. Overlord System activated."
"What... what is this?" he rasped, his voice barely audible.
___