Setting foot on a new planet was not as easy as opening the ramp and walking out of the ship. The reason was simple: not all planets were designed for humans.

  Kai remembered reading an article in Ship Head magazine a while back when he was still a teen on Velmorra.

  The article was a recount from a crew member onboard a Federation expedition ship. The story took place a few years before the article was published, during a time when the Federation was still trying to expand into unknown space in search of planets suitable for living and building— all in the hope of one day standing on equal footing with the Empire.

  He couldn't remember all the details, but it was a recollection from an ensign aboard the ship:

  After many months of jumping through systems and searching for suitable planets, the crew of the expedition ship finally stumbled upon an ideal planet for terraforming.

  The planet was perfect. It had blue oceans, green grass, and vegetation. After a short scan, it was determined that the planet was in the A category for terraforming, making it ideal for human life.

  The ship descended onto a patch of grass that seemed perfect for landing. The crew gathered at the rear ramp of the ship. The ensign noticed a small commotion among a few crew members and some of the onboard scientists.

  Apparently, a few scientists were arguing with the crew over who gets to set foot on the planet first.

  From the crew's point of view, it was important for them to go down the ramp first for security reasons. So they didn’t understand why the scientists would refuse protection.

  On the other hand, the scientists thought the gesture was disrespectful. In their minds, being the first to set foot on an uncharted planet was an opportunity of a lifetime, and they weren’t going to let some stupid soldiers get in the way of that.

  In the end, the crew couldn’t argue with the highly honoured scientists and agreed they could take the first step onto the planet—but only the first step in the literal sense. The crew would still form a protective formation.

  The scientists agreed and walked down the ramp without so much as checking their surroundings, walking all the way down and stepping onto the grassland. They cheered at their self-proclaimed amazing achievement while the soldiers sighed in relief that the scientists were safe.

  That was when one scientist got brave and took a couple more steps. The soldiers and a few other scientists called out to him, asking for the man to come back. But he dismissed the pleas and kept going until he was standing in the middle of the field.

  It was then the scientist let out a scream in horror as he found himself unable to move anymore.

  Kai could still recall the ensign’s vivid description of the scene in his mind:

  “It was then we first noticed the slight difference in the colour of the grass. Turned out it wasn’t grass at all, but some kind of carnivorous plant. It wrapped its vines around the scientist’s legs. He screamed as it pulled him downward, seemingly toward the ground.

  The other scientists were scared shitless, and the crew tried to reach out to him without becoming food themselves.”

  In the end, no one was able to save the scientist. He was dragged to the ground, and soon the vines covered him from head to toe.

  For a few hours, the body lay there, and the scientist’s agonizing howl pierced the otherwise peaceful planet. No one, not even the smartest people in the Federation, had a way to retrieve the scientist without bringing danger to themselves.

  In the end, a tough decision was made, and the ensign was tasked with ending the scientist’s suffering. He did so, but the image stuck with him long after his time in the Navy.

  The story, alongside the gruesome image of the scientist slowly being digested alive, stuck with Kai. For a while after reading the article, he was scared of going to the park or other places with large, open, grassy fields.

  It taught him that the world outside the one he was familiar with was full of dangers—and that one should always take the time to inspect, research, and prepare when facing an unfamiliar environment.

  So despite the raging ion storm in the distance, the crew of the Black Swan took their time preparing themselves.

  It was an all-hands-on-deck mission, with every crew member busy with something:

  Eliana and Teresa were working together on the environmental analysis, figuring out what the air and ground outside the ship were made of.

  The data was then sent to Isaac and Scotty, who were both fine-tuning the Evo suits—making new parts on the fly to ensure that when the crew stepped outside, it would be safe for them to perform their tasks.

  Ivan had handed the pilot controls over to Ray. He was well past the 12-hour shift schedule they had set for each other, but he didn’t rest. Instead, he went to work checking the ship’s components, performing minor repairs on the jump drive, and staying ready for the eventual escape from the planet—likely through the storm again.

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  At the gunner stations were Robert and Kai. They scanned the environment. Kai had voiced his concern about the unusual lack of danger since they entered the system, so they stayed alert, keeping their eyes on the skies for enemy contacts.

  Kai knew the Black Swan was at its most vulnerable. If they were forced to take off now, the fuel would be insufficient for another jump. The ship would have no choice but to make a last stand right here on this hellish planet.

  The crew stayed in this rhythm for the entire morning since landing on the planet.

  Kai’s stomach growled by midday. Luckily, Lily and Derniere came through with food not long after. It was a light meal—high in protein and nutrients—paired with an energy gummy and a cup of herbal tea to help with stress relief. He ate quickly, taking turns with Robert at the station, and returned to work without wasting a second.

  The repetitive process of scanning the skies didn’t bore Kai. In fact, it was the opposite—he expected the scouts to appear at any moment.

  They had shown up in every system they’d travelled through so far. Sure, sometimes it was just one or two of the machine creatures trailing them, but never zero. And the more encounters they had, the more Kai thought about their true purpose. He was painting a picture in his mind, connecting pieces into a theory he hadn’t shared with anyone, not even Eliana.

  It wasn’t because he feared being wrong or laughed at for wild speculation about why or how these machine creatures came to be. No, what scared him was the possibility of being right. If his theory turned out to be true, then the entire foundation of their civilization—of humanity itself—might mean something else entirely.

  The sun had passed overhead, and Kai noticed something fascinating about the planet. Due to the unique chemical makeup of the atmosphere and the ever-shifting weather patterns driven by constant storms, the sunlight never stayed the same. It had been a deep red in the morning, shifted to blue by midday, and now it glowed in a soft pink hue. Kai watched it drift across the clouds as he continued scanning the sky, inch by inch.

  Two hours after finishing his meal, Scotty’s young, excited voice came through the ship’s PA system.

  “Good news, everyone! The suit’s ready and cleared for testing! We just need a volunteer to do a short exposure trial. If everything checks out, which it will, we’ll be all set for fuel harvesting outside the ship! So, if you’re feeling brave or bored, head to the cargo bay and suit up!”

  Kai saw everyone on the bridge looking at each other. Scotty had announced it so casually as if stepping outside into an alien storm world was no more than a stroll through a city park.

  But Kai knew better.

  He recalled the story of the ensign and the scientists—the image of that poor man screaming as the ground devoured him. He knew what was going through everyone’s mind.

  Fear.

  Fear was staring up at bombs falling onto your homeworld, screams tearing through your ears like sirens. Fear was turning a dark corner in the mines, expecting someone to greet you with a blade to the throat. Fear was waiting for the airlock to cycle, unsure if your next breath would be your last.

  But Kai?

  Kai knew no fear.

  "I'll go," he said before anyone else could speak. He stood tall, his voice slicing through the tension. The whole bridge turned to look at him.

  "Kai…" Eliana said softly, concern clear in her voice.

  "Don’t worry, Eliana." He gave her a reassuring smile. "Remember? I could breathe in the toxic air down in the mines with no issues. So if anyone has a shot at surviving out there, it’s me. I’m biologically modified, remember?"

  She gave him a reluctant nod.

  Kai nodded back, then turned and exited the bridge without another word.

  ---

  The Evo suit wasn’t as bulky as Kai would’ve liked. It felt barely any different from his standard uniform. He glanced toward Isaac and Scotty, his expression saying clearly: Is this it?

  Isaac caught the look, smirked, then reached behind him to pick up the helmet and slid it down over Kai’s head.

  “Now it’s complete. What do you think?” he asked.

  “Better,” Kai said with a short chuckle, giving them both a thumbs-up to show he was ready.

  “Alright then,” Scotty said, surprisingly gentle in tone. “Just be cautious out there. Remember. Your task is to test the suit, not go exploring. Don’t wander too far from the ship, okay? And if communications go down for any reason, just remember—” he tapped the side of his own head twice with a small metallic clink.

  Kai nodded, acknowledging the signal.

  “Kai. Please be safe,” Eliana’s voice came through the PA system, soft and earnest.

  Kai looked up, gave her a thumbs-up, too, and then pressed two fingers to the front of his helmet visor, giving her an air kiss through the glass.

  The floor beneath him jerked slightly, then began to lower. He took a deep breath, pulling in the treated air from the suit’s internal supply.

  The filtered oxygen filled his lungs, sharp and clean. The world around him seemed just a little brighter. He checked the HUD—he had one hour of breathable air before needing to return for a resupply.

  The lift descended smoothly and stopped in the cross-space between the main deck and the outer hull of the Black Swan.

  Faint blue lights embedded in the walls flickered on, casting a cool glow across the interior of the airlock.

  Kai took another deep breath and held it, not because he needed to, but because it helped. A small moment of control. Something grounding before stepping into the unknown.

  The lights dimmed, then brightened again in a rhythmic pulse, signalling the airlock was cycling. Kai felt a subtle shift in air pressure—maybe it increased slightly, or maybe it was all in his head.

  The hatch beneath him opened with a hiss, revealing the alien world outside. He took another deep breath and held it, bracing himself for whatever waited beyond the ship.

  This time, he was the scientist. Only, unlike the reckless ones from that old story, he wasn't about to charge down the ramp. He would take it slow.

  The lift continued its descent, and the wind hit him immediately—strong and relentless, tearing across the lower hull. He didn’t flinch; he had expected that. They were surrounded by storms after all.

  He waited, still and focused. It didn’t hurt, and the HUD gave him no warnings, no red flags.

  He inhaled again, bracing for the worst, but the suit held. It filtered the atmosphere just as designed. That second breath made everything easier. His tension began to fade.

  The platform lowered further, and now he could see it, see the planet for real. The pinkish light filtered through thick clouds, tinting the world around him. It made everything look surreal.

  He took another breath. Then another. Soon, he was breathing normally, the suit’s chemical filtration calming his nerves and sharpening his thoughts.

  Well, he thought to himself, he was still alive, and for now, that was good enough.

  Sorry for the delay! I was busy dealing with a possible promotion at work, and sometimes a promotion is not a good thing.

  Anyway, beta reading is coming on Saturday night when I get home. You can find it on my Patreon available to everyone or in the Immersive Ink discord-Beat Read.