Year 2037
Rhett Calder stared through the reinforced glass of his spacecraft, watching the cataclysm unfold behind him. A planet—his planet—was cracking apart, its surface torn by monstrous fissures. Molten lava surged through the fractured crust, swallowing land and sea alike. Water evaporated into dense clouds, shrouding the dying world in a final, suffocating embrace.
Then, from deep within the planet's core, a blinding flash erupted. In the soundless void of space, Earth began to crumble like a fragile glass sphere.
Rhett trembled. His chest tightened.
Because that was his home. That was humanity's home.
One Hour Earlier
A nameless, incomprehensibly powerful energy beam had struck Earth. In an instant, the planet's atmosphere was annihilated. Unimaginable energy ripped through the very fabric of the solar system, warping the magnetic fields of every celestial body—including the Sun.
Chaos followed. The Earth was yanked from its orbit, its trajectory spiraling towards the Sun. Gravity tore it apart piece by piece.
Today was April 27th.
It was as if the universe had lit a grand firework display to commemorate the extinction of mankind.
Rhett Calder struggled to breathe.
He wasn't a high-ranking official. He wasn't a brilliant scientist. He was just another overworked engineer at a leading AI company.
Their firm had partnered with a renowned spaceflight corporation to develop a colossal liquid-fueled rocket, capable of carrying over 420 tons—pushing the very limits of physics. Just hours ago, he had been performing final AI diagnostics on that very rocket.
It was outfitted with the company's most advanced AI core, boasting near-quantum computational speeds. As the lead software engineer, Rhett's job had been to ensure the AI's flawless functionality.
Then, the apocalypse arrived.
No warning. No time to react. Humanity's observational technology was still bound by the speed of light—and the beam that ended Earth was light itself.
As the energy wave slammed into the planet, every electronic system failed. But by some cruel twist of fate, the rocket launched. An unknown error in the system ignited the engines, and before Rhett even realized what was happening, he was hurled into space.
He was alive.
And if the AI's calculations were correct—he was the only one.
Inside the cramped module, Rhett gasped for air. The acceleration had been brutal on his untrained body.
The cabin lights flickered back to life, indicating they had passed the immediate danger zone.
"Was that… a gamma-ray burst?" he murmured, hoping the ship's systems had survived the surge.
Before impact, he had instinctively shut down all non-essential electronics, reducing the chances of irreversible damage. He hesitated, then pressed a glowing red power button on the control panel.
The ship came alive.
Monitors flared to life, readings stabilized, and most importantly—the AI core was intact.
Relief washed over him.
The trajectory display showed their destination: Mars.
This spacecraft had been designed for a manned Mars landing. Now, it might be his only chance at survival.
He took a deep breath and called out.
"NOVA."
A smooth, synthetic voice responded immediately.
"How may I assist you?"
The AI was operational. That was the best news he had received since the world ended.
NOVA wasn't just any AI—it was humanity's most advanced artificial intelligence, a digital mind with vast computational power and a near-limitless database of human knowledge.
Rhett clung to the smallest shred of hope.
"Run a probability analysis—is there any chance anyone else survived?"
The response came without hesitation.
"According to my calculations, the probability of life remaining on Earth is 0.0000000000272%. This was not a simple gamma-ray burst. The energy signature suggests properties of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays, with particle energies exceeding 10,000 EeV."
The AI paused, then delivered the final blow.
"Additionally, gravitational anomalies detected within Earth's core were the likely cause of its rapid fragmentation. Even if any life remained, you would have no feasible means of rescuing them."
The cold, calculated response sent a shiver down Rhett's spine.
He swallowed hard. "What about the space stations?"
If anyone had a chance, it was the astronauts in orbit.
"Attempting to establish communication," NOVA replied.
A long silence followed.
"No response. No satellite debris detected."
"Estimated cause: The beam's electromagnetic disruption forced all near-Earth satellites and stations to deorbit and crash into the planet's surface."
There was no one else.
Rhett sat there for a long time, his mind numb, staring at nothing. The faces of his friends, his family—everyone he had ever known—flashed through his mind.
They were gone.
More than an hour passed before he found the strength to speak again. His throat was dry, his voice weak.
"NOVA… analyze the feasibility of colonizing Mars."
Mars was humanity's dream—its backup plan. Maybe it could be his new home.
But NOVA's response crushed even that fragile hope.
"Analysis complete. In 28 years, the Moon will be drawn into Earth's remnants due to gravitational instability, accelerating the planet's disintegration. Debris will collapse into the Sun, triggering an unprecedented solar storm."
"The resulting magnetic disruption and radiation levels will render Mars' surface temperatures uninhabitable, exceeding 500°C. The gravitational shifts may also pull Mars towards the Sun, repeating Earth's fate."
"The Solar System will undergo a catastrophic reshuffling."
Rhett clenched his fists. Even Mars wouldn't survive.
If he wanted to live, he needed to think bigger.
He needed to leave the Solar System.
His mind raced. Proxima Centauri.
"Generate a trajectory to Proxima Centauri b."
The planet—often called Earth's twin—was 4.22 light-years away. A potential refuge.
"Course calculated," NOVA confirmed.
"Current velocity: 20.3 km/s. Estimated travel time: 62,365 years."
Rhett's breath hitched. Sixty-two thousand years?
That was the closest habitable exoplanet, and it would still take longer than human civilization had existed.
His hands trembled.
"Optimize the route. What's the fastest possible time?"
"Utilizing gravity assists from Jupiter and Neptune, peak velocity can reach 35.4 km/s. Estimated travel time: 35,764 years."
Still impossible.
NOVA's voice remained calm. "Given human biological limitations, I recommend modifying the spacecraft upon reaching the asteroid belt."
Rhett exhaled sharply. "What's your plan?"
"Initiating blueprint generation… Plan complete."