The argument

Kryzius walked down the huge hallway, Aeti leading the way. Both headed toward the meeting room where everyone awaited.

The silence between them was heavy, each lost in their thoughts.

"Master… I sincerely apologize for that rough welcoming…" Aeti finally said, breaking the silence.

Kryzius looked up at his assistant. "It's alright… It was quite a lot to take in…" he chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood.

Aeti broke the silence again, her tone sincere. "I know they were quite cold, but I promise you… they have high respect for you."

Kryzius nodded in understanding. He wasn't really surprised; news like this was quite a lot to take in.

They stopped in front of a long door. Aeti turned around and looked at Kryzius. "Are you ready, Master?"

Kryzius thought for a moment before nodding slowly.

The door slid open, revealing the meeting room and the waiting team inside.

The meeting room was vast and impressive, with a high ceiling and walls lined with advanced technology and display screens. A large oval table dominated the center of the room, surrounded by comfortable, high-backed chairs. The lighting was subdued, creating an atmosphere of seriousness and focus.

Kryzius's gaze swept over the familiar faces of Alex, Yamaha, Rina, and Sara. In addition to them, there were three other unfamiliar figures present.

The first was a tall, buff man with a rugged appearance. He had black hair cut short on one side, and his intense red eyes were accentuated by a scar running over his left eye. He wore a dark red shirt, dark green camouflage pants, and black boots, exuding a formidable presence.

The second was a girl with pale orange hair and two medium-sized light brown antlers. Her light yellow eyes were warm and curious, contrasting with her more cheerful attire. She wore a bright blue chemise and a white skirt, bringing a splash of color to the room.

The last was a tall robot with light grey metal skin. His face featured only two golden eyes resembling large sunglasses, with no mouth. He wore a simple red jacket, giving him a sleek and minimalist appearance.

As Kryzius and Aeti walked into the room, everyone suddenly stood up and saluted him. Aeti pointed to his seat in the center, a large, imposing chair. He nodded and walked over, sitting down. The others followed suit, taking their seats and looking at him expectantly.

Kryzius felt a wave of nervousness wash over him. "Oh, er..." He hadn't expected such attention, and having all those eyes on him was uncomfortable. "Can you please tell me all your names?" he asked with a mix of curiosity and shyness.

Sara stood up first. "I'm Sara, a second star worker," she said, her stern expression softening slightly as she introduced herself.

Next was Alex. "I'm Alex Ty, also a second star worker," he said with a nod, his tone respectful yet firm.

Yamaha followed. "Yamaha Mizuoka, first star," he introduced himself, his deep monotone voice steady.

Rina stood up next. "I'm Rina, a second star worker," she said with a friendly smile, her bright eyes twinkling.

The tall, buff man rose from his seat. "Darius Blackwood, second star," he said, his deep voice matching his imposing appearance.

The girl with antlers stood up. "I'm Liora Meadow, a first star worker," she said cheerfully, her bright blue chemise and white skirt adding a touch of vibrancy to the room.

Lastly, the tall robot introduced himself. "Designation: Z-43, first star," he said, his golden eyes gleaming like huge sunglasses.

Kryzius listened to their names, registering them. 'Mh… so those stars are like some type of ranking…'

"Thank you, everyone… I know I am not really your captain but—"

Alex interrupted. "We get it… you will try to remember them… but tell me, 'captain'... How long will it be?"

Everyone looked at Alex in shock. Sara grunted at him, "Alex, shut the fuck up."

Alex glared at her angrily. "Why should I?! He's clearly not our captain and you're all just going to accept this?"

Yamaha sighed, visibly irritated for the first time. "Alex... stop this."

"No!" Alex slammed his hand on the table. "Our captain literally died! And you're all just going to accept this… this guy?!"

Rina sighed. "As much as I hate Alex's outburst, he's not wrong. Reincarnation is a myth..."

Darius nodded. "What if it was just a clone?"

"If he was a clone, he would be dead by now," Aeti said. She turned to Alex, her eyes glowing. "And Alex... talk to Master like this again, and I will destroy you."

Alex growled at her. "What?! You wanna fight?!"

Kryzius stood silent as everyone argued. He didn't know why, but he felt a deep sadness. He hadn't felt in place on Earth, and it seemed the same was true in this world.

...

...

Suddenly, Kryzius slammed his fist on the table, making a huge sound that trembled the room. Everyone's eyes widened, and they turned to face him.

"Listen. I may not be the captain you usually stand around with… but I'm part of him now. I may have lost his memories, but I know for a fact that I will try to be just like him. All I ask is for you to trust me."

Karl had enough of being nothing. He had enough of being dismissed as weak and insignificant.

The room fell into deep silence.

Kryzius removed his hand from the table and saw the huge impact he had made. 'Wait, I did that?!' he thought, astonished that he had almost broken the table.

The crew looked at him with a mixture of surprise and newfound respect. The raw display of strength and emotion had made an impression.

"I understand your doubts," Kryzius said, his voice steady. "I know it's hard to trust someone who doesn't remember your captain, but I'm not here to replace him. I'm here to honor his legacy and fight for this world. We all want the same thing—to protect Xytonia and defeat the Oxtywraiths. Let's work together to make that happen."

Aeti nodded, her eyes softening. "He's right. We need to unite, now more than ever."

The other smile and nodded to each other.

Sara looked at Alex, her expression challenging. Alex sighed, his anger dissipating slightly. "Fine," he muttered. "But you've got a lot to prove."

Kryzius: I won't let you do–

Suddenly a huge explosion was heard making tremble the room.

Liora eyes widen "What's going on?!" She ask concerned

Aeti open her hologram tablet And analysis the ship, her eyes widen when she look at the results.

"... Oxtywraiths."