It's one thing to travel through space, but it's another to venture into the uncharted—or as Commander Grayson called it, No Man’s Land.

  The journey itself wasn’t the danger. There was nothing physically stopping a ship from leaving the known boundaries of human civilization. But the deeper a vessel traveled beyond the "bubble" of charted space, the fewer terraformed planets, space stations, and human settlements there were. Out there, help was not existent.

  Traveling into No Man’s Land was like kayaking into an endless ocean with no land in sight. And most ships that ventured too far into the abyss simply never returned.

  But that didn’t deter the Black Swan. It was on a mission.

  Kai sat in his room, flipping through an encyclopedia he had found aboard the Ark —one of the old generation ships from Earth. The book was written in Japanese, a language he didn’t know.

  Even though he couldn’t read it, he had been painstakingly translating sections using a Japanese-English dictionary. It had become his main pastime since they left Aurelia Prime, and found himself fascinated by what was inside.

  The encyclopedia was filled with things he had never seen before—fauna, flora, landscapes. It was like looking into another world entirely.

  Yet, some things were familiar. There were machines and vehicles that bore striking resemblances to the technology he knew. Some of the transportation designs were almost identical to modern equivalents used in human space.

  A chill ran down his spine when he came across an image of a luxury car that looked exactly like the one Mr. Drako owned, except, according to the book, it was built by a company called アストンマーチン.

  A knock sounded at the door—three distinct taps. The first was heavy, the second light, and the last one heavy again. Kai immediately recognized it. It was their knock, the one he and Eliana had used for a while to identify each other.

  "Come in," Kai said, still flipping through the encyclopedia.

  The door slid open, and Eliana stepped inside. She was dressed in the ship’s uniform, a sleek black design with silver-threaded lines running along the seams. The subtle patterns that represented the Draco mining’s origins.

  On her left chest was the small, swan-shaped pin worn by all crew members. Until recently, none of them had truly known what the Black Swan symbolized back on Earth. In their culture, the name simply referred to something rare and unexpected, but now, Kai knew the truth. A swan was a bird, one that had once lived on Earth’s rivers and lakes, long before humanity left their homeworld behind.

  Eliana took a few steps toward him, leaning down slightly to see what he was reading.

  "You’re obsessed with this thing," she said with a teasing smirk. "I bet there’s something really interesting in there if it’s keeping you from visiting me."

  Kai apologized, shutting the book slightly but keeping his finger between the pages. "I’m sorry, Eliana. I didn’t mean to get so caught up, but I just can’t put this down." He turned the book toward her, pointing at a page. "Here, take a look at this."

  She leaned in, eyes scanning the page he indicated. It was a detailed breakdown of how cocoa was produced on Earth. It was far more complex than the process they knew today. The machinery was primitive, requiring multiple workers, and the industry itself had been shrouded in controversy. Many laborers had been forced to work for wages so low they barely survived.

  "Woah," Eliana murmured. "I had no idea there was so much history behind making something so simple."

  "It’s all because of technological advancements," Kai explained. "What used to take an entire workforce can now be done by one person with the right equipment."

  Eliana nodded but frowned slightly. "Alright, that makes sense. What doesn’t make sense is why these books had to be hidden. Why don’t they want us to remember Earth’s original history?"

  Kai closed the encyclopedia halfway, tapping his fingers against the cover. "That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out. I’ve been gathering evidence from these old records, trying to piece things together."

  Eliana sighed and placed her hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them. "Relax, Kai. You’ll figure it out. But right now, what I want you to do is put the book down. The crew is throwing a expedition ceremony for the jump we’re about to make. Don’t you want to join us?"

  Kai hesitated. He did want to stay and keep reading, to keep digging for answers. But the truth was, he was stuck. He didn’t have enough evidence yet—just suspicions and fragments of information. Nothing solid.

  "Alright," he said finally. He grabbed a small silver bookmark from his desk and placed it between the pages before closing the encyclopedia. "I could use a break from all this thinking."

  Stolen story; please report.

  Eliana smiled, taking his hand. "Then let’s go."

  The gathering was held in the galley, and by the time Kai and Eliana arrived, everyone else was already there. The lights had been dimmed to a warm, comfortable glow, making the space feel even more welcoming to their new friends.

  Kai's gaze immediately found Derniere. She was seated between Teresa and Lily, who were both deep in conversation with her, deliberately forming a protective barrier between her and the ever persistent Robert and Ivan.

  She looked far different from the girl Kai had first met on Aurelia Prime’s lower levels. She was cleaner now, her hair brushed, her uniform neatly fitted. Teresa had clearly taken good care of her, making sure she looked her best. She still appeared a little malnourished, her skin pale from a lack of proper vitamins and nutrients, but Kai wasn’t worried. With the care she was receiving on the Black Swan, it wouldn’t take long for her to regain her full health.

  In front of Derniere, Bell sat atop the table like a tiny guardian. The rat had saved Kai’s life once, and now, with no immediate dangers around, he was finally able to enjoy himself. His current focus? A massive piece of cheese, which he gnawed at with lazy satisfaction.

  Kai smiled at the sight.

  "Kai!" A voice called from behind.

  He turned to see Dr. Isaac approaching, holding something in his palm. As he stepped closer, he revealed what it was—another Black Swan pin.

  Isaac handed it to him with a grin. "For the one you lost."

  Kai smiled, taking the pin with a nod. "Thanks, Isaac. I’m sorry about losing the first one, but honestly? It saved my life."

  "Don’t worry about it," Isaac said, waving a hand dismissively. But Kai could tell he had hit a soft spot and Isaac was grinning ear to ear.

  "Oh, and one more thing," Isaac added before walking away. "Your language model is coming along nicely. Pretty soon, you’ll have a translated version of that encyclopedia you’re obsessed with."

  Kai’s face lit up. "Thanks, Isaac. You’re the best."

  With the pin secured on his uniform, he made his way over to Baiyan and Ivan, who were casually leaning against the table where Derniere sat. They were drinking and chatting as if nothing unusual was happening, keeping their expressions relaxed and effortless.

  Kai shook his head, laughing internally. He knew what they were doing by playing it cool in front of the only new female crewmember.

  Despite their antics, he was genuinely glad Baiyan was fitting into the crew. As a True Kin, Baiyan came from a faction of human who had been isolated for centuries. But unlike the more radical zealots among his kind, Baiyan was part of a group actively seeking reintegration with humanity. They believed the True Kin had remained separate for too long—and that they wouldn’t survive the thing if they didn’t reconnect with the rest of civilization.

  The thing.

  Kai still had no clear idea what it was. He had seen fragmented visions, glimpses of something vast and unknowable. Whatever it was, it had driven humanity from Earth long ago. And now, it had found them again.

  Kai needed to send a warning—a wake-up call to the rest of humanity, too distracted by their own conflicts to see the real danger ahead. It angered him that the Empire, the very force that had destroyed his homeworld, was now preparing to invade Drakmoor, his second home.

  A soft, familiar hand slipped into his own. Eliana. She looked up at him, shaking her head gently.

  Kai took a deep breath and nodded. She always had a way of grounding him, pulling him back from the edge of his anger.

  This wasn’t about revenge. It was about truth. He would let the facts speak for themselves. He would go to Earth, uncover the evidence of the Empire’s deception, and show humanity that survival wasn’t about a civil war of territory or power—it was about all of them making it through the coming storm.

  And he wasn’t alone. He had a crew. Ten others, and a rat with their unique skill sets and willing to take on this seemingly impossible task.

  Ray entered the galley, scanning the room before his eyes landed on Kai. He gave a wave before addressing the gathered crew. As their navigator and lead pilot, Ray was responsible for plotting their first-ever jump into No Man’s Land.

  Despite the weight of that responsibility, he looked calm.

  The room fell silent as he cleared his throat.

  "The plan for our first jump into No Man’s Land has been finalized," Ray announced. "Commander Grayson wants to invite all of you to witness and celebrate this historic moment for the Black Swan."

  Eliana glanced at Kai and gave his hand a light tug. "Let’s go, then."

  They joined the rest of the crew on the bridge, which suddenly felt much smaller than usual with everyone gathered inside.

  The crew took their seats, while those who weren’t on duty stood to the sides, watching in anticipation.

  Commander Grayson stood in the center, his large frame and commanding presence amplified by the dim bridge lighting. His thick beard and sharp eyes made him look every bit the leader they needed right now. When Kai entered and strapped in, Grayson met his gaze and gave him a small but reassuring smile.

  Then, he spoke.

  "Everyone." His deep voice carried effortlessly through the bridge, silencing any lingering murmurs. "This jump is unlike any other we’ve ever made. We are leaving behind the safety of human space, stepping into the unknown, where no laws, no colonies, and no reinforcements exist. Out there, life and death will be entirely in our own hands. No sane person would do what we’re about to do."

  A heavy silence followed his words. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating.

  "But none of that will stop us," Grayson continued, his tone unwavering. "Because what we seek is bigger than ourselves. We are facing a mystery that could decide the future of humanity. It might sound cliche, but the truth is this—the fate of our species is in our hands. We are going to Earth, the birthplace of humanity, and we will uncover its fate."

  A few breaths later, Ivan’s voice cut through the quiet. "Commander, alignment is complete. We are ready for faster-than-light travel."

  Grayson stood tall, scanning the room. His eyes moved over each crew member, looking for any sign of hesitation. "If anyone wants to quit, this is your last chance."

  He looked around, no one moved, no one spoke.

  Grayson nodded. "Good." He turned toward Ivan. "Take us to Earth."

  "Roger that, sir." Ivan said and pressed the button.

  Kai felt the familiar pull of the ship as the jump drive activated. A wave of dizziness washed over him, but he barely acknowledged it. He remembered his first jump—how he had nearly passed out, spending an hour emptying his stomach afterward. Now, the sensation was barely more than a firm pressure against his shoulders.

  Outside the ship, the quantum returned. Swirling lights, shifting colors, phenomena beyond comprehension came out to dance. A reminder that they were bending the very fabric of space and time.

  Behind him, a gagging noise caught his attention. He turned to see Derniere bolted out of the bridge, covering her mouth.

  Kai smiled.