Anji didn't know how long she floated there alone in space, with nothing but an energy bubble keeping her alive from the vacuum of space.

But at least she calmed down now and no matter how weird her situation is, at least she got used to it. somehow.

Below her, if that was actually 'below' since in space you never really know your real position is relative to anything, about 50 feet away floats a single oblong shape machine. A thin blue laser, reminiscent of the tactical scope used by SWAT connected them both and Anji guessed that this is where the energy is coming from.

Besides the bubble that is keeping her alive, Anji is also grateful to the machine because somehow it kept the bubble from moving around. She knew enough from documentaries that in space, it is really hard to find your bearing, and a few twist and turn is only what it takes for you to lose your knowledge of which way is up (If you ever know it in the first place). She watched the other debris around her and she knew that without the help of the machine, she will be circling around and around until she pukes her guts out.

But how is that thing doing this? She knew she'd been on the bubble for at least 2 hours and the bubble could not have held more than that amount of air in it. The only conclusion she can make is that somehow the machine is supplying her with oxygen.

Maybe I can coerce the machine to push me closer to the debris out there and see if can find something useful. And then what? build yourself a spaceship that will bring you back to earth? Anji snorted.

Her dad made her help him fix car after car until she can probably replace an engine with a blindfold on. She was alway been a natural in fixing machines that her sister Isabel commented once that she can have a second job as a mechanic. or a clerk in radioshack.

But being able to fix the occasional radio or coffee machine or old car doesn't make her a rocket scientist and she knew it.

But doing something will hopefully take her mind off of the fact that she is floating away in the freaking outer space!

suddenly the machine, or the drone as Anji corrected herself, lit up in multiple colors around itself. She cannot hear anything because of the vacuum of space but she could just imagine that bleeping sound accompanied the sudden light coming from it.

More lights were generated from the drone and then suddenly the drone turned to its right. Anji turned to that same direction expectantly, but nothing happened. She waited for a half minute more but then she sighed and slumped.

"well, that was exciting..." She said disappointedly. She turned back to the drone who still have excited lights blinking all around it. Anji tried to understand the light pattern when all of a sudden the bubble began to shake.

"Whoah," Anji said worriedly. She tried checking for any crack in the shield that would spell her doom, but the shield seems intact... for now.

A massive light flashed and in a blink of an eye, a massive ship was parked right on top of her. The ship was at least 2000 feet long and 500 feet at its widest point. It was smooth and sleek and looking very deadly. It's very presence block whatever light shined on Anji from the red star, and besides the navigation light present from the ship above, the entire place would have been in total darkness. The bubble started to move toward the ship and Anji didn't know if she wanted to be worried or relieved.

Anji's mouth dropped open though when a cargo door became accessible in its belly and a new blue light covered her bubble and begun to pull her towards the door.

The light deposited her inside the spacious cargo and only then did the door closed. Before Anji could digest exactly what was going on, her bubble dissolved and she panicked. But then she realized she can still breath in the cargo hold, albeit now she can also smell metal, oil and other machinery and worst of all, the stink of eternity.

This ship is old.

She took two step forward and suddenly a panel opened up from the ground and rose up to her waist level. Anji cringed when another laser light scanned her her head, but she held her ground. then a blue screen simply pops up in front of her.

   Please place your right hand in the panel provided for you.

Anji hesitated while the screen waited patiently for her. She looks around the room but saw nothing. All she knew is that she is in a large room with lots of space. There is but very small amount of light sources and the blue screen in front of her is the biggest source of light at this time.

"Where am I and who the fuck are you?"

  Please place your right hand in the panel provided for you.

"...Aah, No."

   ..I will try to answer all your questions after you have placed your hand in the panel provided for you.

Anji stared at the screen for a little longer and finally made up her mind. She shrugged and then slowly placed her hand on the panel and almost jump when the floor she is standing at change features and begun to scan her from head to toe. She felt something from her right hand as if mild cold static played within her palms.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

     Please state your name, age, and place of birth.

"...Anjanette Agayarri, 24, manila philippines."

     Error. Place of birth does not compute. please state the name of the planet of your birth.

Anji sighed. "Earth."

A massive amount of tiny lights burst into life all around the room as more and more function were activated and became busy all around her. It is as if the room, no the ship itself, became... more excited.

A computerized voice began to speak all around the room in a slow, concise words. The voice was not shouting but the voice ring in her head painfully until it subsided as if the voice found the right volume automatically. It took Anji a minute to realize that the voice was talking to her right into her brain.

"DNA sample confirmed. The subject is a member of species 01. Human. Priority encoded message sent to Mother. Alpha Codex 1 to 6 are summoned to Subject's location. Alpha Codex 7 to 12 are summoned back to Mother's location to prepare subject's arrival. Ship 219-806, Catalan Class, is now reassigned as Command 01. Ten other ships in the sector, 6 Catalan class, 3 Nova class and one Frema class, had dropped their current activities and are now proceeding to an intercept course of Command 01 for escort duties. A new course is plotted to the Eden system. Engaged."

Anji is trying to understand the message she is just heard when her eyes caught something else. Snapshot of pictures that are familiar to her. Then it clicks, it was her memories.

"Hey, why are you..." a picture of a very intimate moment with an ex lover flashed at the screen for half a second, but it was more than enough time to change Anji's mood.

"What the fuck are you doing?"

The screen stop and another computerized voice began to speak, If Anji didn't know better, she could have sworn that she detected concern in the computer's voice. "We are detecting an elevated increase in your blood pressure by 10 percent. Are you in pain? or in any form of discomfort?"

"What I am, is pissed off! Explain to me why you are showing my memories on that screen."

The voice answered promptly. "We are downloading your memories as part of the communication protocol program. Analyzing and applying your native language is easy enough, but to decrease error in contextual nuances, we are forced to try and understand your culture and current social experiences to have a general idea of what you are saying."

"What is there to understand? I can understand you properly," Anji asked, baffled.

"For example, your continued used of sexual slang every 3rd or fourth sentences. We are not sure of its significance."

"Oh, Well," Anji scratched the back of her ear as she blushed. "Yeah, it's ah... cultural thing."

Anji could almost hear the computer voice nod. "I understand and will incorporate that to the communication AI... done."

The panel in the floor immediately retracted back to the wall. Then a new one appeared in the top wall. This time, a giant injection needle hovered near her.

"Whoah! Whoah!" Anji said, alarmed. "What is that?! If you think you will stick that thing in me then you have another thing coming, Mister!"

"Please look at the monitor to your left," The voice said.

Anji turned and watched a chibi alien octopus dancing in a cute manner on the screen. Anji frowned for a moment until realization hit her. "Wait, are you trying to distract me with this video, you stupid robot?! What am I? A two-year-old?!"

The next picture was that of Lulu and despite herself, Anji did get distracted by the picture being shown. "OUCH!" she yelped as the giant injection retreated away from her left arm. away from her. A burning sensation came to her arm and suddenly she cannot move the damn thing.

"What the hell did you do to me?" She demanded.

"By the standards of biological lifeforms in the known galaxy, your current physical frame is considered... delicate. This ship may not have the full evolutionary nano programming suite but we do have the basic package. And that was the one injected into your body."

Anji's eyes widened. "Wait, you mean Nano Machines are inside me right now?! Tiny robots are swimming around my blood?" She asked, looking at her arm with child-like fascination.

"Yes, our course of action is been approved by mother, that is why we considered it a priority action. Within the hour the nanites in your body will increase blood circulation by 15 percent and oxygen carrying capacity by 28 percent. Bone density will be strengthened by 12 percent and clot in your tiniest vessel will be cleaned out. Every known foreign object will be digested by the nanites and broken down to the atomic level and to be reconstructed to the amino acid as needed by the body."

"Foreign objects?"

"Tubular blockage, excess oil, cancer, gall bladder stones, most harmful viruses, excess waste in the large intestine-"

"You mean poop?"

"ANY foreign matter inside the body that is not helping in the proper function of the system will be destroyed, deconstructed and change into minerals needed to strengthen or repair the body."

"Oh you mean I will never ever need to use the john again? That's... gonna be weird."

"Affirmative. It takes a few minutes for the nanites to acclimatize to their new home and for your body to accept them as part of your natural defense and not as intruders."

"Any side effect I need to know about?"

"In 21 standard minutes, your nipples will fall off."

Anji's mouth drop open. She started blabbering when the voice beep again. "We believe that this is considered a joke in your culture."

Anji closed her mouth. Hard."No, it isn't," She said grating her teeth. "In my culture, this is someone who is asking for an ass whooping!"

"Understood."

"So is there anything else you plan to experiment on me? Any more big needles I need to know about..."

"Not at the moment," The voice answered promptly. "Be advice that the air circulation in this ship had been modified not only to produce the exact oxygen-nitrogen combination that is ideal for a human consumption, but also the air will include sizable numbers of nanites injected in the current atmosphere for your body to gradualy inhale or absorb directly into the skin. This process will gradually increase your natural speed, strength, stamina, lung capacity, and natural defense to universal diseases that are out there in the known space."

"... Fine."

"Lastly, be advice that from now on you are now designated as Command Alpha."

"Yeeeah," Anji said stretching the word. "Command Alpha is nice and all, but don't you think it's kinda 'blaah'? If you are going to give me a codename, I prefer something like 'Maverick' instead. Now THAT will be cool!"

"Suggestion denied. You are Command Alpha."

Anji sighed.