In the year 2030, 1000 years ago. The earth convulsed into a monstrous tremor that ripped across the globe. The ground, once a source of stability, became hundreds of chasms; gaping like holes that swallowed large sections of land. Our cities crumpled in a terrifying ballet of dust and debris within seconds into the core of our planet losing millions, if not billions of people in the process. This wasn't just a mere earthquake- no; it was a systematic dismantling, a horrifying display of raw, elemental power...
Mother Nature at it's most gruesome.
The horror unfolded over a few agonizing years. Each tremor, a death sentence for another piece of humanity's world and a warning for what was to come. Soon after our ozone layers depleted, water was a hit or miss- radiation warming the skies and with oxygen becoming so little... Even the children could not survive. It only continued to get worse when the nuclear reactors collapsed- poisoning the air, and scarring the landscape as whole... adding to the already fractured pieces of our planet, Earth.
Factories that once stood as a symbol of 'progress' now stood as desolates husks- spewing toxic fumes into an already dying atmosphere. Humanity was on the verge of extinction. But with the foresight of humanities scientist; envisioned a project, led by the visionary E.M and the combined might of NASA, to prepare humanity's escape. A colossal exodus that was orchestrated as the greatest migration in human history. One million souls, chosen for their skills and resilience, ushered aboard a colossal starship, 'Arc X', humanity's last desperate gamble for survival with technology that could nearly reach the speed of light- leaving behind a world ravaged by its own ingenuity.
Earth, the cradle of human civilization, had become a wasteland unfit for human life and for a thousand years the refugees of what we called home, journeyed through the cold embrace of space, carrying with them the flickering flame of humanity and the haunting memory of a home forever lost. This exodus, this desperate escape from the event they called, 'The Hollow', had ripped everything we've ever known from right under our feet as a millennium has passed and now we- the remnants of a once-great civilization, are scattered across Sol's solar system.
Earth's moon, Mars, and here- on the icy plains of Titan, Saturn's largest moon.
We've established our foothold here on Titan. Kairos; a massive domed city from flying cars to hovering skateboards and towering buildings made from Titanian Glass- a special sand found here on the moon and a rarity for the dangers it carries receiving it. Nonetheless- it was beautiful when crafted properly. Though translucent, its hue shifted from purple to pink and sometimes yellow in the sun, if its in the right place. It made my city shimmer and the only thing to admire on a moon as wild as this.
In the center of Kairos sat the largest structure what we call 'X-HQ', the successor to SpaceX and our command center for humanity. X was a beacon of hope in this alien expanse and top in its scientific discovery yet, even as we celebrate triumphs like today- the question still remains. Given all of these luxuries we have, what is our purpose now? We strive to terraform this hostile moon while clinging on to the hope of recreating some semblance of a the home we destroyed but, is this truly a home? Or merely a means to survive in the vast cosmic wilderness?
My head spins with these thoughts as I, Atlas Hawthorne, stand on the stage at X-HQ facing hundreds of expectant eyes in a theatre specially made for these honoring events. Today, I am lauded for my 'adversity.' A meaningless word in the face of our daily struggles. Infrastructural failures, scientists vanishing into the abyss, encounters with alien life both wondrous and terrifying- Titan, the feral moon thats often unforgiving and unpredictable, making days like this seem almost tedious.
And yet, despite the fortune that falls on me today- We as humans? Have no one to blame but ourselves, being stuck here. The public says humanity fell due to global warming or our insatiable greed for 'money and power,' prioritizing profit over the planet's well-being. Some even whisper it was God's judgment, a cleansing of the Earth and its inhabitants. But no scripture, no historical record ever spoke of a divine wrath like this; Our home planet is now a hollowed shell no matter the reason, a chilling reminder of our folly insignificance in a universe as vast as this. Doing the same things we've done before, here, on a moon millions of kilometers away.
It really makes me wonder if humanity can ever really change.
A sigh escapes my lips as the General's voice drones on. His words were a distant echo against the backdrop of my troubled thoughts, standing on this stage at attention. We are a people adrift, haunted by the ghosts of our past. But perhaps, in this adversity, in this... relentless struggle for survival- we can forge a new path. Maybe even find redemption- not in rebuilding what was lost, but in creating something better. Something worthy of the sacrifices made. After all... the future of humanity rests on our shoulders and on this alien moon? We must rise to the challenge, or fade into oblivion.
This much we do know.
'I wish I'd been born in a different era,' or at the very least, into a different family. Being the daughter of the scientists who pioneered the Human Geno-Modification Program has been a curse disguised as a blessing. It has been unnatural, even inhumane- this science. Built upon discoveries made here on Titan, they managed to create a serum that can rewrite the human genome with a single injection over the course of 10 years. The power to reshape someone's very essence was a terrifying concept, and it sickens me to know that I, along with five others, are a result of such experimentation.
Five survivors out of 100.
Ninety-Five lives sacrificed on the altar of scientific ambition. Some say its admirable and it is those people that enrage me. That they, my parents, would choose their own daughter as a test subject let alone Ninety-Nine others... But they made it clear from the start: Ever since I was born, I was merely a means to an end. X's "gift" to a dying humanity though our proprietor's never treated me anything less than human as my parents have as I peered to the crowd before me.
Standing on this stage, I feel the weight of their hopes and dreams pressing down on me. They have even convinced me that I, along with my five fellow survivors, represent humanity's last chance. But as I stare out at the sea of faces, all eagerly anticipating news of our next dangerous mission, a wave of exhaustion washed over me and not from the lack of sleep. Though It made me conclude that one cup of coffee will NEVER be enough and whoever spread that lie clearly never faced the soul-crushing tedium of a general's briefing and drowned out thoughts.
I closed my eyes, fighting back the fatigue. My mind sluggish- struggling to keep up with the general's monotonous drone as he began the lists of names of those who came before us. The ones we would be commanding. 'It's time.' I tell myself, straightening my posture and looking down the line to see Nova, my friend and teammate, offering me a reassuring nod, mouthing message: "We got this, Atlas..."
A small smile tugged at my lips. Despite the burden I carry, the knowledge that I'm not alone in this fight gives me strength. Together, along with the other 4 are team ' Alpha-Elites' bearing the weight of a broken world on our shoulders, one injection at a time. And we will face whatever challenges come our way, for the sake of the future and for the sake of humanity's survival. For we have no other choice. Though, despite the weight of our existence, life hadn't been all bleak.
Nova, my beautiful blonde-bestie and most trusted confidant has become more family to me than the scientists who created me. She's a force of nature, equally adept at wielding a spear as she is with an AR but both kind and generous in equal measure. We've been inseparable since the beginning of the HGMP treatment, nearly ten Earth Years ago with nine years of shared trials and triumphs that has forged an unbreakable bond between us. Now, as graduates of X's grueling program, we face our true purpose:
To terraform Earth.
"Now I will introduce the team leading the Terraforming Excursion that will be escorting our scientists to Earth-" The general paused, his gaze settling on me with a snide grin. "Number 1, will you please step up." I nodded and saluted crisply, the crowd erupting in applause from their star pupil- me, apparently. "Number 2, please step up." Grey Beckett, the general's son, emerged from the ranks. Strong and imposing as he stood next to me. I could hear the women swoon over him in the crowd- an annoying prospect though he was an attractive man, I had to admit. But thoughts of romance were a dangerous distraction in our line of work; where our life expectancy was the equivalent of a fly's and no more.
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"Number 3, please step up." It was Tommy Gorm- our demolitions expert. I watched him lumber forward in the corner of my eye. He was a man of few words, his bulky frame and scruffy brown hair hinting at a quiet intensity. I couldn't tell if his silence was a blessing or a curse as the General continued announcing the remainder of my leads, "Number 4, please step up" I couldn't help but grin, Nova E-Stranza. My best friend, my rock, my confidante. Her kindness and unwavering spirit had carried me through the darkest days of the HGMP treatments. She was a beacon of hope and a kind reminder that even in the face of unimaginable pain, humanity could adapt and endure, feeling her energy radiate as the crowds began to bellow our names. "And finally, Number 5." Sir Emmet Buckley. Ahh, sweet Emmet. Our gentle medic who possessed a vast array of skills from computer hacking to curing even the most difficult of diseases. He had become the heart of our team, patching us up and keeping us sane in the weeks since we'd been assembled.
I couldn't help but smile. Buckley, the gentle soul made it to the final treatment as the general continued his speech. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were lambs being led to the slaughter nevertheless five survivors endured and is now tasked with the impossible. Though when I slightly glanced at my teammates, a flicker of defiance ignited within me. We were not just numbers, not just experiments. We were humanity's last hope, and we would fight for our right to exist- to reclaim our home, no matter the cost and you'd think with all of this in common with each other, we would have ample time to get to know our team, wouldn't you? But I will assure you that is not the case.
Between my parents' relentless modification projects, X's military command program, and AI enhanced training- a final, cruel project before sending us off to our potential deaths, I've barely had a moment to breathe, let alone bond. Thankful that Nova still loved me, though I still tasted of headache and chaos. No matter, we saluted, snapping back into formation, as the general droned on. His words fading into a meaningless hum as my thoughts drifted. What awaited us on Earth? What horrors had taken root in our absence? I couldn't help but glance at my teammates, their faces a mix of anticipation and nervous excitement. They were blissfully unaware of the true nature of our mission, the monstrous reality that awaited them.
Only Grey, the hire-ups, my parents, and I had seen the footage captured from Earth's ravaged surface. Gigantic, mutated insects, resembling praying mantises on a nightmarish scale, now ruling the planet. Apex predators, born from the toxic fallout of our own destruction that evolved into a terrifying force over the past century. And that wasn't even accounting for the other unknown dangers lurking in the ruins of our once-familiar world- like the massive holes that consumed it.
A sigh escaped my lips, and I shifted my weight. The pressure building in my chest when suddenly, a wave of applause jolted me back to the present. I instinctively saluted again with the others, hearing us be dismissed from the stage as the crowd dispersed, leaving me standing amidst the fading echoes of the general's speech, behind the stage with the others. "Oh my gosh, Atlas, did you hear that?" Seeing our men merge into their cliques as Nova's voice cut through my thoughts. She snapped her fingers in front of my face a few times to capture my attention though I still felt in a daze. "Atlassss!"
I blinked, offering her a weary smile. "Yes, Nova..." She grabbed my shoulders, her enthusiasm infectious enough to make me grin. "We get specialized weapons!" She exclaimed, her eyes shining with an excitement I had yet to see from her. "Tailored to us and this mission-" her lips curled into a devilish smile, "-made from Nova steel." She hummed. The mention of the valuable mineral piquing my interest. I raised an eyebrow, regretting the moments I'd spent lost in thought instead of paying attention. "Yeah? Got your attention now don't I? Get this... Power energy dispersers!" Nova continued, bouncing on her toes. "It should help us keep the noise down from predators and any lingering threats AND wipe out a group of insurgents in one swipe... I can't wait to try it!"
I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities. What kind of weapons had they deemed necessary to equip us with? If only I knew X's true motives and the thoughts that lay beyond the council as I watched General Beckett stride towards us, his voice cutting through the chatter. "Number 1. 2, with me." He barked and with a roll of my eye I nod to my compatriots- Nova giving me an encouraging pat on the back before following the General and his son into whatever doom they were leading me to next.
-
I trailed behind them, a sense of unease settling in my stomach. The unknown awaited, and with it, the terrifying truth of what Earth had become. "Atlas, the scientists are priority, do you understand?" The general's voice echoed down the long corridor, his back turned as he led us deeper into the heart of the facility. The bright white lights were blinding in reflection of the metal lined hallway. Poorly decorated if I might add, "Yes sir-" I exclaimed, though the place itself wasn't entirely unfamiliar. The labyrinth of locked doors and winding staircases hinted at a level of secrecy which was one I hadn't encountered before as we reached an elevator that took us deep into Titans core.
There was a Floor marked '02', guarded by a formidable metal door. I watched as a thin beam of golden light scanned the general face in both directions before it slid open with a hiss of pressurized air, "Welcome, General." A disembodied voice announced, the words swallowed by the rush of air entering a highly illuminated sterile room. I looked around unbelieved by the level of technology before my eyes and knew exactly what this room was- It was a testing facility.
For more than just 'New Tech.'
Beyond housed two teams of scientists hunched over consoles along the edge of the room with a cylindrical glass in the center, flanking a pair of empty beds. My parents, engrossed in their work, barely acknowledged my arrival standing outside the glass chamber with their devices in hand. A wave of disappointment washed over me that was quickly replaced by irritation as I noticed the general in hushed conversation with his son.
"This is highly classified," he whispered, a pointed glance in my direction. I bristled, my hands clasped behind my back as I faced the glassed room with animosity. Despite being designated as Number 1, I was constantly left in the dark. The general's blatant favoritism towards Grey was no secret, but it still stung. How am I supposed to become a better leader with this level of adversity? I could feel my eyebrows furrow as I panned over and saw Grey's eyes flicker towards me, a sign of something unreadable in their depths, before he turned back to his father.
"Yes, sir. Of course." Grey assured him, his voice loud enough for me to hear. "I will watch our team closely and be wary of each individual." I scoffed inwardly. The general's distrust of me was palpable, his constant critiques of my "incompetence" during training thinly veiled attempts to elevate his son. It was a game I refused to play, choosing silence over confrontation. "Of course, sir, this part of the mission will be kept highly confidential." Grey continued, casting a wink in my direction. The general responded with a curt nod, leaving me with a bitter taste in my mouth as I watched him turn to me- his voice sharp. "Make sure to follow orders." He snarled.
But I couldn't help but grin and salute stiffly, "Yes, sir!" I replied as the General moved to confer with the scientists, seeing my parents finally approach. "Atlas, this is the final stage." My mother stated, her voice cold and distant. "Melding the human body with Artificial Intelligence- I hope you're prepared, as we've advised..." Her arms remained crossed, her pale eyes reflecting a chilling detachment that always left me feeling empty. Does she even love me? I wondered, a familiar ache settling in my chest.
My father, his expression equally stoic, pushed his glasses up his nose with a single finger. He said nothing- his attention focused on the device he attached to my temple, humanity's latest marvel; a combination MRI, ECG, CT Scan and heart monitor, a testament to our technological advancements even in the face of near-extinction nicknamed 'M.E.C.H' as he gestured towards one of the beds, his voice as clinical as the room itself. "Please, lay on the bed."
No greeting, no warmth, just a command. I brushed past them, my heart heavy, and entered the glass room with Grey as we both laid down on the familiar cold surfaces. Another experiment, another day in the life of Atlas, only this time I wasn't completely alone as I closed my eyes, a deep breath anchoring me to the present feeling the familiar sting of the needle and the cold bite of antiseptic. Mere precursors to the agony I knew was coming.
Choice had never been a luxury in my life; all I could do was endure, adapt, and hope to emerge stronger on the other side. This relentless cycle forging me into the battle hardened warrior I was today, but it didn't make the pain any less agonizing. "Hold still..." My father's voice, devoid of any warmth, cut through the sterile silence of the lab as I watched a surgical robot descended from the ceiling, its metallic limbs poised like a spider ready to strike. I turned to take one last look at Grey- stiff beside me, his unease mirroring my own.
He glanced at me briefly, and I offered a cold smile in return. 'It'll be okay.' my thoughts reflected through my eyes, seeing him nod as if he read my mind before turning back to the metal spider before him. I closed my eyes again, steeling myself for the inevitable as relaxed myself and felt another needle pierce my neck. It was then my mind began to falter, the world around me blurring at the edges hearing the glass door close behind. "Let us begin" My mothers monotone voice filled the speakers of the lab, hearing the whirring of a drill inch closer to me. My heart raced as the sensation of the robot drilling into my forehead was a fleeting- sharp burst of pain followed by a merciful descent...
-into oblivion.