A sharp jolt of consciousness struck Alcia, pulling her from the abyss of nothingness. Her eyes fluttered open to a blinding light, and for a moment, she was disoriented. She wasn't in her cozy apartment back on Earth. This was something entirely different.
The room was sleek, metallic, and coldly pristine, illuminated by soft, bluish light emanating from walls that seemed to pulse with energy. Strange symbols flickered across a hovering panel nearby, and the faint hum of advanced machinery filled the air.
But none of that mattered as her gaze fell downward. Cradled in her arms were two tiny, perfect beings—a boy and a girl. The boy had soft tufts of dark, curly hair, and the girl's golden locks shimmered faintly under the strange light. Both were impossibly beautiful, their tiny faces serene in sleep.
"What…?" Alcia whispered, her voice trembling. Her memories felt fractured, like a puzzle missing crucial pieces. She knew her name, her age—thirty-five—and the aching truth of her past life: she had been infertile. Her love for babies had driven her to volunteer at childcare facilities, but her own dreams of motherhood had been left unfulfilled.
Yet here she was, holding these two miracles.
"They're mine," she whispered, a wave of maternal instinct flooding her heart. Tears pricked her eyes as she pulled the babies closer. "My babies."
The boy stirred first, a soft gurgle escaping his lips. Alcia smiled, instinctively bouncing him gently. "Little Meatball," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "And you," she said, looking at the girl, "Little Pepper."
The names felt right, even in this surreal moment.
A melodic chime echoed in the room, snapping her attention to the door. It slid open with a quiet hiss, revealing a tall man with sharp features and glowing, turquoise eyes. His uniform was unlike anything she'd ever seen—sleek and adorned with a badge of unfamiliar symbols.
"Awake, I see," he said, his voice smooth but laced with curiosity. "You're the anomaly."
Alcia tensed, clutching the twins protectively. "Who are you? Where am I?"
The man raised a placating hand. "You're aboard the medical station orbiting Helion Prime. I'm Ryven Solis, an independent contractor specializing in…unique cases."
"Helion Prime?" Alcia repeated, the words foreign and strange. "I don't…I don't understand."
Ryven's glowing eyes softened. "You're not from here, are you?"
Alcia shook her head, her voice breaking. "I was on Earth. I—I don't know how I got here. And these—" She looked down at the twins, her heart aching with both love and confusion. "They're mine. I don't know how, but they're mine."
Ryven's gaze flicked to the twins, his expression unreadable. "You're in the interstellar era, Miss. Earth is…ancient history. But these children," he said, gesturing to the babies, "are most certainly yours."
Alcia's chest tightened. "What do you mean?"
He hesitated, as if weighing how much to tell her. "Their genetic profiles match yours, and their origins…are complicated."
"Complicated how?"
"That," he said, stepping aside as the hovering panel projected a stream of data, "is what we need to figure out. But for now, let's focus on getting you settled."
Alcia's instincts screamed not to trust him, but her options were limited. Protecting Little Meatball and Little Pepper came first. She nodded, her resolve hardening. "Fine. But you'll tell me everything, eventually."
Ryven gave a slight nod. "Deal. Let's get you off this station and somewhere safe. The interstellar world isn't kind to anomalies."
As Alcia followed Ryven, clutching her twins tightly, she couldn't shake the feeling that her new life would be anything but simple.