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18. Past&Future

Kai sat across from Mama Mo, his gaze fixed on the endless stretch of ocean before him. The scene was beautiful and haunting, yet it left him at a loss for words. This was Earth—the cradle of humanity, the place where it all began. If that were true, then everything he’d been told his entire life was a lie. But why would anyone rewrite history? Why erase the past and bury it so completely?

“Is what we’re seeing real?” he finally asked.

Beside him, Mama Mo stood silently, her expression unreadable. For a moment, she seemed as spellbound as he was, as though even now—after what must have been countless viewings—the sight of Earth still struck her with awe.

“I hope so,” she said softly, turning to him. Her eyes shimmered with something he couldn’t quite name. “This is only a recreation, pieced together from fragments of data we’ve managed to gather. Truth be told, we don’t know much. It’s been too long since humanity left Earth. No one alive can say what it truly looked like.”

Kai studied her face, searching for any hint of doubt or deception. But there was none. Mama Mo’s voice held the weight of truth, her features grave and resolute.

“Who else knows about this?” he asked.

“Very few,” she said. “Most true kin only suspect. They know there’s something different about us. We don’t look like the rest of humanity. We speak languages that are other than English. Even the food we eat sets us apart.” She paused, her gaze sharpening. “There’s truth in these differences, Kai, and that’s why we brought you here.”

“What’s so special about me?” Kai asked, his voice low.

Mama Mo’s eyes softened as she looked at him. “You carry the gift. I see it in your glowing eyes.”

With a wave of her hand, the shimmering view of Earth disappeared, leaving behind the stark simplicity of the room they stood in. The sudden absence of the vision left Kai feeling hollow, as though something had been torn away.

“The legend has been passed down within the True Kins for generations,” Mama Mo said, her tone hushed but steady. “It speaks of a ship buried long ago, one that holds the key to Earth’s location. Whoever discovers it receives a gift—one that reshapes their body and mind. Strength beyond measure. Speed nobody can match. Perception sharper than any blade. That person will uncover the truth hidden from us all and lead humanity into a new age.”

She turned fully toward him then, her gaze piercing into his eyes.

“You are that person, Kai. The gift lives in you.”

---

Commander Yang stood tall, his posture straight and unmoving despite the weight of the moment. He had always known he would one day be the bearer of bad news, but this time, the consequences loomed far greater. Not only had he failed the mission entrusted to him by the council, but he had also shared their most guarded secret with an outsider—someone he believed to be the Gifted One.

Before him sat five figures, their identities obscured by intricate disguises and faces hidden behind thin veils. Their hushed voices filled the room as they debated his fate, their accents and tones a chaotic mix of tension and judgment.

Breaking the masquerade was a crime punishable by death. There was no alternative, no mercy to be found. Yang understood this better than anyone. He only hoped that Kai truly was the Gifted One—and that, with Mama Mo’s help, the truth could finally be uncovered for the sake of humanity.

“Commander Yang.” A woman’s voice broke through the murmuring. Her true face remained hidden, but her accent betrayed a heritage steeped in the Germanic language. “You are fully aware of the punishment for breaking the masquerade. Not only did you fail your mission, but one of your crew was captured by Draco Mining. And worse, you revealed our secret to the crew of the Black Swan.” She paused, her tone sharp and unyielding. “You had better have a compelling reason for your actions, Commander. Because if you don’t, you know exactly what awaits you.”

Yang nodded solemnly. “Ma’am, I believe the young man I shared the secret with—one of the crew members of the Black Swan—is the Gifted One. The one destined to uncover the truth of the buried ship.”

The room erupted into another wave of murmuring, the council members speaking in low, clipped tones, their accents overlapping—a chorus of concern, disbelief, and intrigue. Yang remained motionless, his gaze fixed on the veiled figures before him as their deliberation continued. Finally, the woman spoke again, her voice cutting through the noise.

“You understand that this is not your decision to make, Commander,” she said, her tone rising with barely concealed anger. “The council alone decides matters of this magnitude.”

“It was the best course of action at the time, ma’am,” Yang replied, his voice firm, unflinching. “I believed that what I did was in the best interest of all of us.”

“You are out of line, Commander Yang,” a man said, his Chinese accent pronounced. “However, what you’ve done cannot be undone. You know this matter divides the factions within the True Kin. There are those among us who hope we might one day walk openly among the rest of humanity. But there are also those who wish to remain hidden forever. And now, you’ve made that choice for us—one that was not yours to make.”

The rest of the council nodded in agreement, their veiled faces offering no comfort for Yang.

“Then we must call for a vote,” another voice declared—a man with a sharp British accent, his words clipped and formal.

The room descended once again into heated chatter, voices overlapping in a cacophony of debate. Yang remained silent, his jaw tight, his fists at his sides. He knew exactly what the vote would decide, and there were only two possible outcomes.

Either they would entrust Kai with their secret and hope that he could uncover the truth of the True Kin’s origins, or they would choose the far grimmer path: eliminate Kai and bury their existence deeper into shadow, ensuring they remained hidden from the outside world.

Yang swallowed hard, forcing himself to stand tall as the council’s voices swirled around him. He could only hope they would not choose the latter.

---

Mama Mo took another sip of her tea, the delicate porcelain cup steady in her hand. Across from her, Kai stared into his untouched cup, his thoughts too heavy to allow for something as simple as drinking tea. Just a week ago, he was a miner, working long shifts and saving every credit he could in the hopes of one day buying a small spaceship. Now, he stood on the precipice of unraveling one of humanity’s greatest mysteries.

“Remember,” Commander Grayson’s voice echoed in his mind, calm and unwavering, “take the problem one step at a time.”

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Kai drew in a slow, deep breath, forcing himself to focus. He needed answers. Why had the True Kin hidden themselves for centuries? What had been the cost of such isolation?

“Mama Mo,” he began hesitantly, “I hope this question doesn’t come off as offensive, but why have the True Kin kept their secret for so long? Why choose to hide?”

Mama Mo’s expression darkened, a shadow of pain crossing her face. She lowered her cup, the faint clink against the disk punctuating the silence.

“The truth is, we’ve tried,” she said softly. “But it’s not as simple as you think. Let me ask you this instead: How did you feel when you first stepped into the gates of Chinatown and met our people?”

Kai winced at the memory, a faint flush of guilt warming his cheeks. “I felt nervous, maybe a little betrayed. And scared,” he admitted with a sheepish smile. “Honestly, it felt like making first contact with an alien race. It was so different from anything I’d ever known.”

Mama Mo nodded knowingly. “And you came alone. Even with Baiyan accompanying you, fear was only natural. That fear—the fear of the unfamiliar—is the same fear humanity holds for the True Kin. People fear what they cannot control, what they cannot understand.” She paused to take another sip of her tea, her gaze fixed on him. “Now, imagine what would happen if we revealed ourselves fully to the rest of humanity.”

“There would be mass panic within human society,” Kai said without hesitation.

“Exactly,” Mama Mo replied. “And panic leads to retaliation. Retaliation fuels discrimination. To truly hate someone, you must first convince yourself they are something ‘other’—aliens, demons even. That demonization inevitably leads to war. And war, Kai, is the last thing we want.”

Her words hung in the air. She continued, her voice steady but tinged with sorrow. “But isolation comes at a cost of its own. The True Kin are not just those hiding here in Chinatown. There are many divisions scattered across the stars, each seeking unification, hoping for the day we can stand together with the rest of humanity. But there are others that fear the possibility of a war, they fear that revealing the truth will only bring extinction for the True Kin. And for centuries the two side argued, never coming to an understanding."

“Kai,” she said, leaning forward slightly, her voice dropping to a near whisper, “you know there’s a plague coming. Something is out there, haunting humanity, it forced us away from Earth, from home. And one day it will return. If we don’t stand united, whatever lurks in the darkness will destroy us all.”

Kai sat in silence, her words sinking deep into his mind. She had reminded him of the greatest threat of all—the thing that dimmed the stars.

Kai nodded. In his mind, there was only one path forward for the True Kin: they had to reunite with the rest of humanity. It wouldn’t be easy, but it had to be done. If he played his cards right, the Federation might be willing to help. Yet, his greatest concern lay with the Empire. He doubted those war-hungry zealots could grasp the importance of unity in the face of a far greater threat. A chill ran through him as he considered the cost—the suffering for many that might lie ahead.

He lifted the tea cup to his lips, taking a small sip. The warmth spread through his throat and into his chest, grounding him. The tea was simple, with only one flavor, but it was rich and pure, its essence calming his restless thoughts.

“Mama Mo,” he said after a moment, his voice steady, “I have one last question. Did you order the attack on the mine?”

Mama Mo shook her head, her expression solemn. “The council made that decision,” she said. “They decide all important matters for the True Kin.”

That was all Kai needed to know. He held no grudge against these people—Commander Yan was just a piece in a much larger machine.

“That’s all I wanted to know. Thank you,” Kai said, rising to his feet. In truth his still had a lot of questions in his mind, but this was not the right time to ask. He did not want to get tangled in True Kins' internal affairs, at least not right now.

Mama Mo smiled gently, her expression warm but knowing. “I’ll have Baiyan escort you back to your ship. I trust you’ll make the right decisions. Your wisdom far exceeds your years, Kai. Don’t think of yourself as a child—you are destined to do great things for humanity.” She glanced toward the entrance, her smile fading into something more serious.

“Wait.” The word came from Kai’s mouth before he could stop himself. “I want to see Earth one more time.”

Mama Mo paused, studying him, then nodded. She waved her hand, but before anything could happen, the door burst open, and Baiyan rushed in. His face was tense, his voice urgent.

“Kai, you have to leave now,” Baiyan said, his words clipped. “The council has decided—they want you dead.” He turned to Mama Mo, his voice tight with worry. “Mama, they’ve taken Yang.”

Mama Mo stood, her serene demeanor replaced by fiery resolve. Anger flickered in her eyes as she straightened her back. “Fools,” she muttered. “They always choose the wrong path for us.” She gestured firmly to Baiyan. “Take Kai back to his ship. Don’t worry about me—they won’t dare touch me. But make sure the Gifted One remains unharmed. Now go, and use the hidden path.”

Baiyan nodded without argument, grabbing Kai by the arm and pulling him toward a concealed doorway. As they moved, he handed Kai a pistol and two spare magazines.

“Don’t hesitate,” Baiyan said, his voice low and steady. “If you need to pull the trigger, do it. If you don’t, they will.”

Kai followed Baiyan out of the simulation room, pausing for one last glance at Mama Mo. She sat calmly, sipping her tea as though oblivious to the storm brewing outside. The door behind them closed with a soft thud, and Baiyan burst through the next, leading them into a dimly lit maintenance tunnel. The air was damp, the walls peeling with age, their once-white paint streaked with grime. Kai glanced down the spiraling staircase ahead of them—it was a long way down.

“Follow me,” Baiyan said in a hushed but firm tone. “If I stop, you stop. Keep a little distance between us. This path leads to the first level, and if all goes according to plan, we’ll sneak out without any trouble.”

Without waiting for a reply, Baiyan started down the stairs, moving quickly but cautiously. Kai followed close behind, his heart pounding as they descended flight after flight of stairs, the sound of their hurried footsteps echoing in the narrow passageway.

When they finally reached the first level, faint noises drifted through the walls. Kai could hear commotion outside—shouting, the clinking of weapons. Baiyan raised a fist, signaling him to stop. They were now only a single door away from the bustling streets of Chinatown. Both men leaned toward the small, grimy window embedded in the door, peeking through.

Armed men with rifles stood outside, stopping passersby and demanding identification. Kai felt his stomach twist. Things weren’t looking good.

Before he could dwell on it further, an alarm blared through the town, its sharp, wailing sound cutting through the noise of the street. The riflemen looked around in confusion, their attention momentarily diverted.

Baiyan didn’t hesitate. He pushed the door open, and the two slipped outside, darting into the back of a small, dimly lit shop.

“Alright,” Baiyan whispered once they were inside, his voice steady but urgent. “Those are elite forces. They’re no joke. We can’t take them head-on. We’ll use the back alleys to sneak around and loop back to the maintenance tunnel entrance.”

Kai nodded, taking a moment to check his pistol. The magazine was full, the safety off. He adjusted the weapon in his grip, then ran his hand over the hilt of the sword Commander Yan had given him. He hoped he wouldn’t have to use either, but the weight of them was a small comfort. He gave Baiyan a sharp nod, signaling he was ready.

They moved silently through the narrow paths between buildings, their steps careful and deliberate. Kai’s eyes scanned the shadows, watching the elite soldiers patrolling the streets. Judging by their movements, they hadn’t yet realized Kai had escaped the assassination attempt—they were still searching the crowds for him.

From one alley to another, they moved quickly, only crossing open streets when absolutely sure no one was watching. By now, the streets of Chinatown were nearly deserted, the tension driving most residents indoors. Baiyan cursed under his breath as they reached another vantage point.

“They’re guarding the exits,” Baiyan muttered, pointing toward the maintenance tunnel entrances.

Kai’s heart sank as he followed Baiyan’s gesture. Elite soldiers, armed to the teeth, were stationed at every exit point. Their posture was tense, their weapons ready. This wasn’t going to be easy.

“They’re here!”

The shout came from behind, sharp and unmistakable. Kai spun around to see an elite soldier, rifle in hand, his gaze locked onto them.

Baiyan didn’t wait. He raised his pistol and fired two quick shots in one smooth motion. Both hit their mark, striking the soldier in the shoulder and arm. The man staggered back, his gun clattering to the ground.

“Run!” Baiyan barked, his voice urgent.

They had been found.