Now We're Truly Family

The portable multipurpose scanner's red laser swept over the section of ship armor that Eve had patched up with a whoosh.

I held my breath, watching the numbers pop up on the holographic panel.

"......Huh."

I let out a hollow laugh. This couldn't be right. Even the neo-ceramic composite armor on the Federation's latest battleships couldn't have conductivity that low—and tensile strength thirty times that of titanium? This defied common sense entirely.

Just to be sure, I ran a simulation.

A massive green PERFECT filled the screen. In a Class-5 scenario, even after hours of my grunting welds and patches, I'd be lucky to hit 60% stability. But this violet crystal Eve had conjured with a wave of her hand? It was flawless.

"No issues for use at all. Hell, it's tougher than the engines."

I powered down the scanner and looked down at the little savior who'd solved my headache in seconds.

"Our Eve, finally earning your keep. Good girl."

I ruffled her hair with my gloved hand, pat-pat-patting away.

"Eung?"

Eve made a weird noise but leaned into it happily, clinging to my waist. Queen awakening, energy absorption—whatever. To me, she was still just a kid. That unchanging innocence eased my heart, so I stroked a bit harder and turned my gaze outward.

The frozen white landscape of planet Garcia filled my view. So much had happened in just one day.

'......Wait.'

My hand froze. A chill raced up my spine.

We were outside the ship right now. Sub-200°C extreme cold. Oxygenless vacuum. I was in my spacesuit.

But.

'Eve?'

The kid nestled in my arms was in thin shipboard clothes. No helmet, even. Bare skin and face exposed straight to space.

"Whoa! Hey! Eve! Why—! Wait, your suit from earlier—"

I panicked, prying her off me.

"Spacesuit! Where's the spare helmet! Hold your breath! No, we gotta get inside!"

I scooped her up, scrambling for the airlock. By all logic, her skin should've necrotized from frostbite, lungs ruptured from pressure differential.

But Eve just blinked up at me blankly.

"Kal? What's wrong?"

She even opened her mouth to speak. No way sound carried in vacuum, but her voice rang directly in ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠my head—not through the helmet comms.

A pathetic ripple came from the floor. Nahibi.

"What? Hey! It's still space out here!"

Nahibi waggled a tentacle smugly.

"......"

I stared dumbly at Eve again. Her cheeks were rosy, skin smooth. In this killer cold, she showed no sign of discomfort.

'Monster... for real.'

It hit me anew: she was far beyond human limits.

Relief mixed with a strange distance, bittersweet.

"Yeah... whatever. Tough is good."

Feeling awkward, I nudged Nahibi's sprawled body with my boot.

"Why didn't you say something instead of just watching?"

"So what're you gonna do?"

"Try it."

We started bickering again.

Then.

"Ah!"

Eve clapped her hands.

"?"

"I forgot! Elisia-unnie gave me a present!"

"Elisia? A present?"

Eve peeled open her palm, and something small appeared.

"Here! This!"

On her tiny palm sat a pill-sized stone. No ordinary rock—this one had a jet-black surface that seemed to swallow light, with a pinprick white dot at its core. Eerie thing.

"She said you're precious to me, Kal, so eat it!"

"......No. What's this all of a sudden? And who's Elisia?"

My question drew a shocked wave from Nahibi.

"Yeah! Pretty unnie!"

Nahibi rolled ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠across the floor in rapture.

The goo rambled excitedly, but it went in one ear and out the other.

'A gift from the xenoform progenitor?'

Whatever it was, no way it was safe for a human like me.

"I'm not eating something this sketchy. Pass."

I refused flat-out. Eve's face fell.

Ziiiing—.

Her red eyes stared up at me, corners drooping, tears welling like they'd spill any second.

"Eve, sweetie. Come on. Staring like that won't change—"

"Hiiing...."

Her lip quivered.

"No, don't make that face, what am I supposed to—"

"Kal's... my family... We gotta get strong together... Eating makes you tough."

"No...."

I rubbed my dry face. That was cheating. Tears brimmed, spilling down her cheeks...

No resisting that ultimate weapon. Plus, no way Eve would give me something harmful. Those pure eyes held no malice.

"Agh... Fine! Fine! I'll eat it! Stop crying!"

"Really? For real?"

Her face lit up instantly.

"It's cold and dangerous here—inside the ship first. I'll eat it on the way off-planet. Deal?"

"Yeah! Promise!"

We hurried through maintenance and returned to the Night Raven.

The ship rumbled powerfully, lifting off. Through the massive tunnel Nahibi had bored, the Night Raven escaped Garcia's depths, soaring into the sky.

The white snowfield faded below. Death world Garcia—beautiful, lethal white hell. No longer our problem. What to do with the revived xenoform? Federation wouldn't care about this rock anyway.

Black space unfolded. Familiar sight of stars like embedded gems.

"We're good."

I leaned back in the pilot seat, tension draining.

"Alright, safe zone now, time to pre—"

"Kal! Promise!"

Eve shoved the black stone in my face.

"I said give me a sec to breathe!"

"But I wanted you to eat it quick! It's really good, promise."

"Haa... What even is this thing."

I examined the black pebble in my palm. No smell, feather-light.

"Mmm... Super strong! Muscles get big! Space-walking like Eve! Super duper tough!"

"What kinda superman is that... Captain Kal?"

I eyed Nahibi suspiciously.

"Hey, Nahibi. Safe for humans? I won't drop dead?"

"Reassembly?"

New humanity, basically. Humanity's centuries of gene mods and cyborgs sounded like child's play.

'Whatever...'

I looked at Eve. I knew now. She wasn't just an experiment. A xenoform queen. Our road ahead would dwarf anything before. Apex Industries wouldn't let her go. Maybe even the Federation military. To protect her against giants, I needed strength. A retired soldier's body had clear limits.

"Alright."

I poured water into a cup and tossed in the black stone.

Not as hard as expected. It melted like snow on my tongue.

"Gulp."

Swallow was anticlimactic.

"No feeling......"

Before I finished.

Thud.

Like yanking a power cord. My consciousness snapped off.

I opened my eyes. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Not quite— I was watching. My limp body, from above. Out-of-body, viewpoint floating at the ceiling, gazing down.

'What the...?'

No time to panic. Horrific sounds from my body.

Crack. Snap.

"......!"

My body convulsed. Something writhed under the skin. Muscles ballooned like inflating, then contracted. Repeated.

Crunch! Crack!

Bones breaking. Spine twisting grotesquely, then straightening. Limbs dislocating, relocating. Old scars burst, fresh white flesh sprouting. Veins wormed up, darkening to black-red, then settling blue.

Literal reassembly. Dismantling human form, rebuilding efficient, powerful from scratch.

If conscious, shock death. The agony transmitted visually, but no pain—oddly. I was a detached observer, watching my body shatter and rebirth blankly.

It felt eternal.

Then.

Shwooo—.

Vision expanded. Piercing the ceiling, higher, farther. Night Raven shrank to toy size. Glowing white Garcia a marble.

Vision raced on. Past planet, star system, sector—galactic chunk in view. Stars flowed like rivers. Nebula clouds breathed. Black matter veins pulsed, upholding cosmos.

Majestic. Beyond human cognition, universe's overwhelming essence. Its vastness nearly erased my self.

Then.

From cosmic depths, a voice.

Soft, playful woman's laugh. It tugged my soul.

Violent suction hurled me back to reality.

"......Gasp! Haa... haa...."

I gasped raggedly, eyes snapping open.

"Kal! Kal! You okay?"

Eve peered at my face, voice wobbly with tears. Nahibi circled curiously.

"How... long was I out?"

"Five minutes! Exactly five!"

"Five...?"

That eternity was mere minutes?

I sat up slowly. Body light as a feather. Chronic back pain, knee aches—gone. More than painless: each heartbeat pumped power through me. Muscles taut like wires, vision microscope-sharp. Dust motes in air visible. Engine room fan's faint hum reached my ears. Even Eve's aura waves faintly visible.

"......Ha."

I clenched and unclenched my fist. Power surged in every knuckle. Joystick might crumple in my grip.

"How's it feel? Okay?"

Eve asked timidly.

I met her eyes and grinned.

"Yeah. Okay. Better—refreshed, even."

True. Senses elevated a level—no, a dimension. Understood why Nahibi called humans lowly. Old body was a prison; now I was free.

Evolution, beyond words.

"Yay!"

Eve beamed in relief.

"Now Kal's tough too! Just like me!"

She hugged me tight in joy.

"......"

Normally, I'd pat her head. But I raised my hand—hesitated. Strength uncontrolled. Hugging now might hurt her unintentionally.

Her warmth against me was still soft.

"Now we're real family."

Eve mumbled, nuzzling my chest.

True family. The words hit heavy.

"......Yeah."

Cautiously—so cautiously—I patted her back. Control possible, thankfully.

Seeing her smile, I swallowed complex feelings.

No going back now. No human life, no normal days.

But more important: the warmth in my arms.