Chapter Twenty-Three: S.T.A.R.S

The room felt unbearably hot, the tension thick enough to choke on. The sterile hum of the medical equipment was drowned out by the oppressive weight of anxiety pressing down on Yozora and T.LAC. They both stood still, processing the whirlwind of revelations swirling in their minds. The question that had haunted them for so long now demanded an answer, burning at the forefront of their thoughts.

Yozora’s eyes locked onto Selene, frustration and curiosity clashing in his gaze. “What is S.T.A.R.S?” he demanded. “Why are children selected for this program? And why is it that, in my memories, we look and act like adults when we were just kids?”

Selene stood frozen for a moment, her mind racing. I should have told him the truth before he was zeroed. But now things were complicated. There was so much she couldn’t reveal—not yet. She knew the truth would be difficult to explain, but they deserved to know at least part of it. After all, they had been zeroed precisely to forget this kind of knowledge.

Taking a deep breath, she met Yozora’s intense gaze, her expression softening with a mixture of guilt and resolve. “Let me start by explaining why children are selected,” Selene began, her tone careful. “The truth is... none of you were ‘selected’ in the traditional sense. Every child in the S.T.A.R.S program wasn’t chosen, but created—from donated eggs and sperm, through a specific process. That process, I’m afraid, I can’t fully disclose. But I can tell you this: the donors—both egg and sperm—are... special.”

Yozora’s eyes narrowed, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

“In short,” Selene said, choosing her words carefully, “you weren’t born in the usual way. You were formed here, in S.T.A.R.S. This is your origin, your home, whether you like it or not.”

Yozora felt a cold knot form in his stomach at her words. Created here? The thought sent an icy shiver through him, cutting through the stifling heat of the room.

Selene paused, watching their reactions carefully before continuing. “Things have changed since you were zeroed. Children are no longer treated the way you were. No more cold, white-and-gray rooms. They go to schools, make friends, play video games... they have more freedom.”

T.LAC, fists clenched, took a step forward, his voice filled with anger. “So, we’re just lab experiments? Products of some twisted project?”

Selene’s gaze remained steady. “No,” she said, her voice firm but gentle. “You are more than that. But yes, you were created for a purpose.”

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Yozora’s frustration boiled over. “What purpose?” he demanded.

“S.T.A.R.S stands for Sub-Dimensional Tuning and Advanced Resonance Studies. It’s a covert initiative created by the United Nations to protect Earth from external threats—and to study ancient artifacts and technologies from a civilization that predates our universe,” Selene explained, her voice growing more serious.

She hesitated for a moment before continuing. “Have you ever heard of Roger Penrose’s hypothesis? He proposed that our universe arose from a pre-existing one—that traces of the previous universe were left imprinted on our current cosmos. Well... he was right.”

Yozora and T.LAC exchanged a glance, disbelief flickering in their eyes, but curiosity overriding their doubt.

“These ancient imprints are the foundation of the S.T.A.R.S program,” Selene continued. “They hold knowledge, artifacts, and powers beyond what we can comprehend. And the Star Crossed—children like you—were created to be the guardians and protectors of humanity against threats from these unknown forces.”

Yozora’s mind raced. Everything they had been taught in school suddenly seemed like a lie—a carefully constructed illusion. “So, everything we learned in middle and high school... it was all fake?” T.LAC asked, his voice edged with frustration.

Selene nodded. “In many ways, yes. But this isn’t new to you. Before you were zeroed, you knew all of this. You and the other Star Crossed were trained with this knowledge from an early age. Your memories were locked away during the zeroing process, but the truth is still inside you.”

Yozora stared at the floor, trying to make sense of it all. “Why were we zeroed, Selene? Why take away our memories?”

Selene’s face darkened briefly, the guilt evident in her eyes. “You asked too many questions—questions that were considered dangerous. After... certain incidents with other Tuners, the decision was made to reset you all.”

T.LAC began pacing the room, visibly shaken. “So we were just wiped clean? Like erasing data from a computer? What could have been so dangerous that they had to erase us?”

Selene’s voice grew more serious. “You were not ordinary children. The Star Crossed are special. You were developing powers and understanding at an accelerated rate—faster than we anticipated. But some of the others couldn’t handle it. They broke. And after what happened, they decided it was safer to reset your memories and start over.”

Yozora’s anger simmered beneath the surface. “So, we were thrown back into this like nothing ever happened?”

Selene took a step forward. “No. You were given a second chance. Yozora, T.LAC, and Mara... you three survived what most couldn’t. Even though you were zeroed, your genetic enhancements and your connection to the Toro remained. You still have your abilities—you just need to unlock them.”

T.LAC stopped pacing, turning to face Selene. “What do you mean by ‘genetically enhanced’? And what about Mara? She didn’t get a second chance—her being zeroed is why she’s dead!”

Selene’s eyes filled with sorrow as she answered. “I know. I’m sorry about Mara... but you have to understand. You’re not human, at least not entirely. You’ve been genetically altered, and that’s why you look, feel, and act older than your age. Genetically, you’re already adults. Your minds, your reflexes, your abilities—they’ve been accelerated beyond normal human capability.”

Yozora’s eyes widened. “So... we’re not going to age anymore?”

“Once you reach eighteen, you won’t age. Depending on your Tuner Class, you’ll essentially be immortal,”Selene explained. “You won’t die from illness or disease. But... you can still be killed.”

Yozora’s head spun. Immortal? We can’t die of old age?

T.LAC’s face hardened. “So what’s next?” he asked, his voice low. “How are we supposed to protect Earth when we can barely control our Toro?”

The room fell silent as Selene let her words sink in. “That’s why you need to start over,” she said quietly. “Go back to the basics. Learn everything about the Toro again. Master your abilities. Once you do that, you’ll be ready to face what’s coming.”

Yozora and T.LAC stood in silence, the weight of their existence—what they had been created for—suddenly more real than ever.