"I think we're stuck" the girl in the dark suit with blue squared said. "It appears the rift has collapsed. It might take a while before the Chrono's Temporal Displacement unit gets enough charge to create its own rift."
"I am aware of that Scarlet. I mean, the part about the Temporal Displacement unit." Genus said. "We're in the correct spacial cartograph, correct?"
"I can't confirm. However, it seems we might be slightly off in time. It appears we're displaced by about 600 to 700 years from the intended target temporal coordinates." Scarlet said as she walk closer to the control panels on the bridge of the ship.
To what I understand, Genus is the captain of this ship. They have saved us and appears to be lost. I would have wanted to help, but I don't completely understand the context of their conversation.
"But we are, in theory, in the correct spacial coordinates we intended to?" Genus asked as he scratched his head.
"Yes dad. In theory." Scarlet turned around with a frustrated look on her face. "I am still trying to figure when we are exactly so that I can get a context of what's going on. That database from Grand Library doesn't seem to have matches for the context of what our friends are telling us."
"Uhm, I didn't want to butt in, but I am trying to understand what's going on. I would like to help." I said qualmishly.
"You see... ah, L-Leonard." Genus started.
"Brendan. I am Brendan 6E-6F-31. My friend is Leonard. Leonard 62-75-64." I punctuated.
"Oh right. Right. You see Brendan. We're from Earth. Travelling across time and space. We've been to the future and to the past. We've seen things you probably haven't imagined, yet. Aaaand, we're lost because we can't determine where we popped out of." Genus began his attempt of an explanation.
I could fairly grasp what he was trying to explain, but I do not see why I should attempt to further understand their situation. What sparked my interest is that he said he has seen the future.
"What do you think is the future for someone like me? A person grown to work as an underclass for an upperclass that can chose their own path in life." I asked out of curiousity.
"I can't say for sure. I'm not sure if you are in a past of a future we've seen or a future for a past we still have to see. It is a complex thing. Our database hasn't shown any matches of your civilization, yet." Genus answered.
"I see. Will you help me?" I began in my attempt to plead for help about my personal concerns. "You see, like I have already previously explained, I was raised as a Carved Mind. I can think on my own, however, I was grown into a specific career path. What could someone like me do?"
"If you've been grown into a specific carrer path, maybe you should pursue it? Afterall, our lives have a pre destined path even before we are born. It's only a matter of breaking free and making your own path or following a path provided to you and make the best out of it." Genus answered as he looked into a distance.
"Genus dear, don't stress him too much. He will probably need his mental strength in pursuing the path he choses to take. And on what's going on in their timeline, I bet he'll make a good Jhuku." The lady in red said as she walked closer to me and pat my back.
The room became silent. I didn't quite understand the context of what she said but it sounded important.
"Let me tell you a story. A story of the Jhuku." The lady in red began.
"The Jhuku was regarded as a hero. The savior pre destined to single purpose and path in life. He was designed to save us all. Even you. He was lost, and then found. He forgot, and remembered. He lost, and he succeeded.
"His path was clear. In the end, the path he chose to take was his. Predetermined or not. A hero whom have shown the universe that you can break the rules and make your own. A hero that was once a nobody. A hero which you can become if you learn to overcome yourself."
I felt quite overwhelmed by the short powerful story. Is she trying to say that I should break free of the system and create the world I want myself?
"Don't feel too overwhelemed," Scarlet firmly said as she stood a few steps away. "Believe it or not, I once had the power to destroy a world. But I had friends who kicked me from behind to make me realize that I shouldn't let my emotions overpower me. Instead, let your emotions guide you. And let your mind chose the path you want to take.
At that very moment, I realized Leonard is still under the medical machine. It got me worried. He is the only friend I know of. I almost lost him, and myself. Maybe these people I just met are correct. I shouldn't let my emotions overpower me. I should make my own path if I need to.
The alarms started ringing inside the bridge.
"Dad, there's a ship that has jumped into our scan range. We couldn't recognize it. Details aren't on our database." Scarlet said as she looked over a console screen.
"Does it match any of the specification given to us by Posee?" Genus asked Scarlet as he walked into the what seems to be the captains chair in the middle of the bridge.
"I have a positive match on one of them. The other two doesn't match anything." Scarlet responded. "The match is on the UNK-001 specification provided by Posse from the VG00366 scan information. Material Density is 9.722g/cm3 and Estimated Dimensions is 300m x 80m x 100m."
"Bring me any visual if we have any." Genus comanded.
"I have one," said this one guy stiting beside the console Scarlet was using. "Bringing up to the main screen."
A slightly distorted image appeared on the big screen that filled the front walls of the bridge. It looked familiar to me.
"You seem to know what that is. Anything you could share to us?" Genus asked as he looked into me.
"I think that's an Anfang cruiser. It seems to have the same color as the Government uses, but I can't say for sure. The terrorists have been using similar ships as decoys." I answered back.
"I see. I think I understand what happened to us, to them in the past, but I still have to completely understand what's going on here." Genus whipered before asking, "Is it armed?"
"It should be." I asnwered.
"We're screwed." Scarlet said as she looked into the main screen. "What should we do if they decide to fire on us?"
"We run, obviously. Not literally run, but you know what I mean." Genus said.
"Dear, it's not the best time to make jokes." The lady in red said. "If it's a match from our agents, it means we're about to meet what could possibly the cause of this annomaly."
"We're definitely doomed." Scarlet exclaimed as she continued to fiddle with the controls on her console. "It seems we're vector locked. We our attempts to maneuver doesn't seem to be working. We're heading on a single direction."
"Since when did humans have this kind of technology? I don't remember anything from the Oriru archives describing this technology this early on!" Genus said while still seemingly comfortably sitting on his chair.
I wanted to help them, but can't think of anything that could possibly help them in the situation.
"Looks like we're heading in for a collision course dad. Estimating 23 minutes before collision." Scarlet said as she looked furiously fiddled with the controls.
"Can't we do a displacement jump?" Genus said as he kept his eyes on the main screen displaying a map of the ship's heading and a visual of the other ship.
"Not possible, there isn't enough charge to initiate a jump. I don't know the effects of this vector lock to our G-Drive which means I can't possibly recommend activiting an external Newkard field."
"So what do you suggest?"
"Wait and see if they are actually going to ram us?
"Bad idea, give something better."
"That is the best idea I have."
"Can't we activate the displacement unit to jump a week later in time?"
"Not enough initialization energy dad."
"A few seconds ahead, perhaps?"
"Not enough initialization energy."
"How about activate the newkard field to phase us out so that we don't collide with it?"
"Effects unknown dad."
"Worth the shot?"
"No." Scarlet was getting furious. Her face is painted full of annoyance and fear. She was about to say something when something flashed into her console. She looked into it and looked to Genus. "It seems they are hailing us on a standard FAILTECH channel. Shall I answer?"
"Of course! Put them up on screen." Genus said as he pointed forward into the main display.
"It's a voice only channel." Scarlet said as she pressed a few buttons until a voice started speaking on the bridge's loudspeaker.
"Ship CC00111 nicknamed Chrono. I am Reigel Vhoor, the captain of the Jaaxna. I am from the Chanzoan System Space Navy of the Anfang Government. I request to speak with the captain of this ship." The voice said as our ship continued its collision course.
"I am Genus Orein. I do not represent any organization. I am an independent space traveller." Genus responded.
"Acknowledged. State your destination and origin." Reigel asked.
"Information is classified." Genus replied.
"You do understand you will collide with our ship, correct?" Reigel stated.
"I am very well aware of that. Where di you get this technology?"
"That is also classified. With all due respect Captain Orein, the recent incidents of terrorism and damages to government property elevated security status to question any unauthorized AND unregistered ships flying in Anfang operated space. If you do not answer, I will be forced to ram you into our ship specifically designed for this purpose. If you activate any weapons, long range defensive systems will fire onto you. If those don't work, this ship is more than enough to destroy you. Additionally, there are two other ships with me." Reigel threatened as our ship draw closer and closer into the Jaaxna. "Will you cooperate or will you declare yourselves as terrorists?"