2

[Vega star system, Sector 2828; Star 732]

— Deep Space:

I didn't think the afterlife would be so uncomfortable. I expected that once dead, discomfort would be overcome, but strangely, I was feeling the chill I always felt when traveling through space.

*tack*

Something hit my forehead. I opened my eyes slowly and found myself in space. Around me, some rock debris was floating. Looking more closely, I realized I was no longer near Earth or its moon.

I raised my hand towards the insignia on my chest, activating my communicator.

*Zszzszz!*

No signal... it was expected. The battle against Thanos destabilized the entire known universe. It was worse than when D'Ken almost unleashed the neutron galaxy and destroyed the universe.

If I couldn't talk to anyone, I just had to try to reach somewhere. I could survive in the vacuum for a long time; Strotian physiology was quite potent thanks to The One Above All.

So I began to fly, fast enough for the star points to be just a blur as I traveled faster than some imperial-class ships. As I crossed the void of space, I noticed it was taking a long time to find a planet.

I passed by comets, nebulas, even asteroid belts, and a few planetoids where I stayed for a while, but no actual planet. I think I traveled for months, but everything is relative in space.

'Why am I trying so hard?' I think.

'There's nothing to save. Even if by some miracle I reach the Earth system, there's nothing left to save, and probably the rest of the universe is bowing to Thanos now.'

As I travel, I notice a gravitational singularity, a tear in the fabric of reality—in short, a black hole. I look at my hands, the gloves of my uniform worn out, a few blue stains covering one of them.

'Is it... worth going back? A thousand years of constant battles and in the end? Nothing changed, actually it did, but for the worse,' I think, remembering all the dead heroes.

Slowly, I allow the gravitational pull of the black hole to draw me in. It didn't take long before I could get a better look at it.

'Simply beautiful,' I think, gazing at that wonder of the cosmos.

As I approach the black hole, its immensity unfolds before my eyes. A veil of deep and mysterious darkness envelops the event horizon, seeming to absorb all light and swallow space itself. The darkness is interrupted by a halo of light, a shimmering aureole of ionized matter dancing around its edge, like flames of a cosmic bonfire.

Gradually, abstract and intricate shapes reveal themselves within the dark vastness, as if constellations were dancing in a celestial ballet. The distortions of space-time create mesmerizing patterns, like brushstrokes of a painter, forming a tapestry of indescribable beauty. Fragments of stars, gas, and cosmic dust are drawn into the abyss, spinning in a final orbit before disappearing into the unfathomable darkness.

I don't know when I extended my arms, allowing myself to be gradually pulled toward the event horizon.

'I don't know if this could kill me. I've been through so much, but... I just want a definitive end,' I think, allowing myself to be slowly taken in.

But something catches my attention.

'A ship!' I think, shocked.

The ship before me, a silhouette distorted and damaged by its proximity to the black hole. Its metallic hull is marked by scars and deep cracks.

With an elegant and futuristic design, the ship is long and sleek, with smooth and aerodynamic lines, resembling the shape of an arrow. Its main structure is dominated by a vibrant shade of scarlet red, adorned with golden details that gleam faintly.

Large pieces of metal detach from its fuselage, revealing a complex network of exposed circuits and cables. Blue flames dance around the debris, emitting an eerie glow that contrasts with the deep darkness of space. The gravity of the black hole exerts an irresistible force on the ship, distorting its shape and dragging it inexorably towards the point of no return.

I didn't need to act; nothing good came from getting involved in others' affairs... but a small voice inside me screamed otherwise.

'Damn you!' I mentally shout as I fly towards the ship to assist.

With a determined impulse, I launch myself towards the ship, feeling the pressure of the cosmic vacuum against my body. Even as I approach, the gravitational pull of the black hole continues to exert its influence, persistently pulling me but to no effect. With concentrated effort, I reach the ship and hold it firmly, feeling the vibration of its agonized engines.

With a fluid motion, I apply a slight counterforce to the direction of the black hole, pushing the ship away from the event horizon. There's a slight dent where I push, but the ship begins to move.

It doesn't take much effort to pull the strange ship away from the black hole, and I take it to a more distant point in space, waiting a few seconds near what I imagine to be the entrance door.

I'm not exactly sure what I'm expecting; they could be from any uncategorized race in the empire's database, or they might be part of some Thanos-supporting group. But still, I saved them.

The airlock opens, bringing my attention out of my thoughts. I take this as an invitation to enter and approach, not too worried about an ambush.

The ship is surprisingly large, its interior extending in all directions like a labyrinth of corridors and compartments. The visible damage to its walls and equipment suggests a recent and intense battle. Burn marks and debris are scattered everywhere.

I walk among the wreckage, skillfully avoiding loose wires and damaged panels. Broken equipment flickers weakly, emitting occasional hums and sparks.

It doesn't take long to reach the command bridge, where I see a rather... exotic group.

There are seven in total, three women and four men, all with orange skin in different shades, their eyes a bright emerald green, and their hair a vivid red.

Their purple and lilac outfits are quite... scant, leaving a lot of skin exposed, reminding me of some kind of Sci-Fi swimsuit.

I can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu looking at them.

"Korrash shalan thre'tan," one of the women says, approaching me.

She seems to be the leader, possessing a few more accessories than the other crew members.

'Damn! I can't understand, and part of the translation system is damaged,' I think, remembering this detail.

I didn't have time to say I didn't understand; the woman just looked at me and rolled her eyes before kissing me.

I could have dodged, but I was too surprised to do so. At least I wish I had shaved.

"There, this should be better. Wow! You know many strange dialects," the woman says in perfect Shi'ar.

"Uh... yes, of course. Tell me, what region of space are we in? I'm a bit lost," I ask while trying to regain my composure.

"We are in Sector 2828," she says simply.

I raise an eyebrow, and she just sighs.

"Vega Sector, you know, the only space sector in the universe that is not under Lantern jurisdiction," she explains further.

My brain froze for a second; my mind could process thoughts much faster than some computers, but this caught me by surprise.

The term numeric space sector, Vega Sector, Lanterns, and I finally realized why these people seemed familiar.

'I guess we're not in Kansas anymore,' I think to myself.

"I see... you must be from Tamaran, right?" I ask the woman.

"You'd be correct. Strange that you know that but not where you are," she says, looking at me.

"I've had... some issues recently," I tell her.

"I can see that. It's amazing you can survive the vacuum of space, but you look like you've come out of a fight with a Rathgar," she says, smiling at my condition.

I look at my reflection on the wall; I wasn't very presentable. My uniform had holes and scratches, my hair had grown a bit, with my mohawk bordering on the ridiculous, not to mention my thick beard.

"Yes, a lot has happened. But tell me, why were you so close to a..." I try to change the subject, but the ship suddenly shakes.

*Thud! Thud!!*

I look at the Tamaraneans, and they all have a mix of anger and apprehension on their faces.

"They found us," the woman I assumed to be the captain of the ship says, looking ahead.

If this ship was reasonably large, about the size of three buses, the ship outside was simply a floating aircraft carrier.

'Some things never really change,' I think, recalling the most absurd ship designs from my old world.