Clock: 5:59am

Clock: 6:00 am *beep, beep, beep, beep*

*click*

"Todays the day folks, new frontiers await, discoveries await, same old battlefields with new cosmetic features like some stupid DLC" Fred was speaking to no one in particular as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling of his room.

He swung his legs around and sat up, half wiping his face/ half resting his head on his hands, elbows on knees.

Today was the big test, he was aboard HMSS Maryland, the first of its kind, cradling humanities hopes for adventure, new homes, and new possibilities. it would be the first chapter of humanity’s story across the stars. he was in a studio room that came with an en-suite, he got up to wash his face and change.

Leaving his room Fred met 2nd Lt Jennie walking down the corridor towards the mess hall,

"Good morning captain, having those dreams again"

Due to genetic engineering and the Esper program Fred had lived for over 3 centuries by now, he was a part of "lost" biotechnology, which sparked the 3rd, 4th, and 5th world wars.

Although, it would be more correct to say it was 1 semi-cold war spanning 200 years. Saying that the super-soldier programme was the spark doesn’t emphasise the impact of said technological advancement, because by that time a random fart smelled by the wrong people could have triggered it.

But, for the last 30 years, Fred had been hunting down all traces of the technology for both genetic engineered super soldier and Esper programs and destroying it.

As far as he was aware he is the only surviving 'human' with the knowledge downloaded into his memory disk, a device most humans had to allow data storage and access to the networks, surgically connected to the mind.

"Good morning 2nd lt, the dreams are getting lighter, but they are still about the war," Fred answered

"My dad has the same problem, at least it looks like you’re starting to heal," Jennie responded.

Fred and Jennie continued chatting as they ate breakfast.

Afterwards, they went back to their rooms to pack, this was their last day aboard, while testing the warp drive, the spaceship will be on autopilot for its first test, as per health and safety.

***

The test was set for 3 pm, the time now was 2:40 pm, Frederick was abroad doing last minute checks and doing the rounds on the ship with his 1st Lt to make sure he was the last one on the ship before leaving, as per tradition the captain had to be last off.

He stepped into the engine room Lt Harris 2 steps behind him, when suddenly his mind almost shut down dropping to one knee, then he heard the door close and lock behind him.

he just realised what happened, he has hit with a data catcher, a small gun/phaser like device that is designed for data copying invented during the war for espionage, it was capable of copying memory disks that were biologically installed.

The comms opened and Fred could hear Harris' voice "sorry captain nothing personal, the top brass wants to thank you for destroying all competition when it comes to super-soldiers, now with this data, we will be ahead of the game.”

Harris continued, “A war is coming, and your sacrifice will save millions of our countrymen. bye, captain."

Fred got to a seated position and leaned against the sidewall and just started laughing "another war I suppose I could 'smell' it really, but I must say Harris, you’re a fool Harris and so are the 'top' brass."

"Perhaps, but your time is over old man it’s time for a new generation to take over" Harris laughed.

Fred sighed "New generation, same old shit."

Then Harris left the ship.

Fred got up; he knew he would be stopped from getting off this ship so didn't even bother trying.

He got up after 5 minutes, it took him 2 seconds to hack the door open and then he was off towards the command bridge.

He was an Esper rank 4 in electron generation, rank 2 in metallic bending, and rank 2 in thermal generation.

The electron affinity allowed him to attract high amounts of electrical energy and was able to weaponize it for long-range attacks, while the metallic bending and thermal generation could help in hand-to-hand combat but was more useful in breaching bunkers or crafting and forging.

As he opened the door to the command bridge, the ship rumbled and started quaking for about 20 seconds, Fred braced himself under the doorway as it's advised to do during earthquakes.

Fred readjusted himself once the shaking stopped, was that it, was he finally travelling faster than light. He mused himself the first man to travel faster than light. he got to the command chair and sat down opening up the travel log.

The travel log had been changed to a distant star, probably Harris or his cronies, but the ship was travelling in such a way it couldn’t track its movement properly and took some time to adjust.

Once set Fred noticed something peculiar, in fact, 2 things, 1st the ship was speeding up and it was already well past estimated possible speeds, and second, it was spiralling towards something with what seems to have a massive gravitational pull, in the direction of the centre of the galaxy.

"O, O no," Fred thought out loud he remembered reading somewhere that it was determined that the centre of the galaxy was a massive black hole. "Computer, calculate estimated arrival at the centre of the galaxy"

"Estimation 1 week until reach centre of the galaxy"

"You know, Computer, it somehow makes me happy, most of my life I had spent on the battlefield fearing day by day if it’s going to be my last, and as more time passed during the war my fear of death was slowly being replaced with the hope of death, the hope of rest, the hope of finally just stopping. But now I can die in style, set the trend of people dying via a black hole."

"I recommend the best course of action is to seek therapy sir"

"hahaha"

***

After Harris disembarked the HMSS Maryland and watched it warp into space, Harris was stunned by the spectacle, Hollywood had never done it justice.

After a few minutes of spacing out with the rest of the crew he met up with 2nd Lt Jennie, "did you get the file Lt"

"Of course, you know me, for a war veteran that old geezer was too trusting of his staff" the two walked into a dark conference room with a computer,

there was just enough light in the room to get a body count, but no features could be seen. "Did you get the files Lt Harris, 2nd Lt Jennie"

"Of course, a director that old fool never suspected a thing" Harris Laughed.

Harris plugged the device into the computer and opened the file explorer, but something felt off, there was only one file, and the data size didn’t seem long enough for what should be there.

He clicked the file and a video opened and started playing

"Good afternoon, Lt Harris, 2nd Lt Jennie, and director Sampson, if you turn the data catcher over you, will see the brand Ansul industries, Ansul industries is currently run by my Timothy Ansul, my grandson, and I am a current member of the board of directors allowing me to gather information on any purchase of such equipment, like the one in Harris's hand.” Fred paused.

“Which was brought by a company that is a subsidiary of director Sampson's family business, none of the data catchers that we produce work on me, but I thought I would add this little fun video for you guys." Fred laughed

*bang* director Sampson’s hand dented the table, Harris and Jennie was quite shocked at the outcome of their endeavour, they had worked on this mission for 8 years, but due to Fred being a national hero, it was the only opportunity to get rid of him and carry out their plan. they had finally lost all records on superhuman technology and Esper research.

"Where is the ship going to, can we bring it back" the director demanded through gritted teeth. his secretary opened her computer to track the ship.

"The ship has slowed communication due to distance; our reports are at -20 minutes delays. It has veered off course and travelling faster than theoretically possible with its engines... it seems there is an outside force applying gravitational pressure."

"What. Then where is it heading and where is the object that is interfering with it." The director snapped.

"It's the centre of the galaxy sir, the ship seems to be spiralling towards it, sir." The assistant exclaimed.

"O no," Jennie exclaimed

"What?" director Sampson questioned Jennie then looked at his secretary "what’s at the centre?"

"A black hole sir"

“A black hole?”

“Yes sir, it was established 300 years ago that there was a black hole at the centre of the galaxy,” Jennie explained.

“Shit.” The director exclaimed.

***

"My lady, you shouldn't be out in the rain, you are pregnant" Sir George Warned.

"It’s ok Sir George, it’s only a drizzle" the lady explained.

"You'll catch a cold ma'am, please come inside" Sir George warned again.

Countess Isabella was on the castle balcony accessed through the great chamber looking over her new County in the colonial isles of Greater Albion north of the continent where the motherland Franconia and the reigning king is seated.

"This is it then" Isabella Signed

"This is only temporary my lady, once the capital has quieted down, your farther will send for you." Sir George tried to comfort her.

Isabella rubbed her belly, "and what of earl Edward, have you heard anything from him"

"His father has said that Edward had gone to the military and is unable to be contacted" Sir George answered.

"So, he abandons me as well" Isabella sighed.

"No one is abandoning you; Edward might be under an order of his father no response has come from himself, and your father is doing this ultimately to protect you, he doesn’t want to see you scorned, you have always been his favourite daughter"

"Yeah, I bet the elders had a few choice words"

"I will not comment on their opinions,” Sir George said “but remember, this decision, whether intended to or not, will protect you and your child"

"I know George, I Know"

~flash~ *Bang*

Suddenly Isabella was hit by lightning forcing her to fling backwards, luckily, standing a few meters behind, George managed to catch her, albeit stumbling down himself from the force. "GUARDS!"

Two guards barged through the doors. "Get the doctor, the Lady has been injured"

The two guards mobilised straight away, exemplarily of their training and professionalism

***

-HMSS Maryland-

"Captains log, this is Captain Frederick Ansul of the HMSS Maryland, it appears that my journey will come to an end in T- 5 minutes.” Fred had been reading books just to pass the time, he found out that he couldn’t change the course even if he wanted to.

“We will be the first humans to enter a black hole, and all events will be recorded and transmission, hopefully, home, for further study. “ Fred sighed.

“Although I doubt the transmission would have the capability to escape the pull."

*creak*

Fred looked around the ship "well it looks like the black hole is starting to affect the ship integrity already"

*Warning* "ship hull is suffering from multidirectional forces"

*eeerrrrrr* the ship gave a metallic moan as the outer support beams fought against the compression; the effects seem to lessen the closer to the middle of the ship.

an electromagnetic charge seemed to, on reflex, flutter around Fred.

"It seems I am being affected by the black hole now, luckily/or unlucky my Esper power is trying to protect me, although I say unlucky as it might drag out the pain

"T- 1 minute to black hol~e"

"Computer, download a local file of your AI to my Memory disk and connect remote control, it looks like your mainframe is about to go."

Thanks to data catchers, you can transfer data quite fast, it only took 30 secs

*warning* "hull breach on sections 1,2,5,20,21"

Fred could feel the strain on his body now

"5 seconds to go"

Fred felt his body being ripped apart, but it wasn't painful, his ability to see light was fading but he could just make out the ship as it fell apart, Fred’s Esper of Electrons and metallic bending was protecting his mind via an electro-magnetic bubble, after all, the mind is made up of electrodes.

All of a sudden, Fred felt flashes of still images go through his mind: a moon, and a planet, the planet looked similar to earth but there was something odd about the continents.

Then a second picture much closer to the planet and the moon took up the bottom of the picture as to suggest we are moving past it, only in this image did he see 2 more Moons a blue moon and a green moon he seemed to be falling on the dark side of the planet but where were the city lights, he couldn't figure out where he was on the continent as it was pitch black.

Then he noticed something, to the north of the planet he has seen a fluid-like gigantic purple tornado where the north pole should be reaching up to the stratosphere and curving with it around the earth only the richness of the fluid dissipating as it moves further away towards the south.

He couldn't see the south directly due to his angle, but he could see what he thought was the edges and dregs of the same phenomenon only the liquid looked like it was being dragged towards the south this time.

Fred could only think of the earth’s magnetic field acting in the same manner, but it shouldn't be that visible even compared to the northern and southern arura.

Then he suddenly lost that image for another, it was inside the atmosphere, it was a still image of the sky, he could see what looks like a bird, that seems to be slightly lit up by a light source behind Fred in the opposite direction.

but the bird seemed odd, it was flying away while turning its head to look at Fred, but Fred was sure he had seen the silhouettes of teeth on the beak, and where are the feathers.

Then he lost the image and was given another one, one of a young girl, in her late teens, who couldn't be older than 20 lit up as if a spotlight was on her, she seemed shocked at the light as if not expecting it.

There was a man behind her in shiny metal armour, ...yes armour. Medieval looking, mostly plate, with chain mail in the joints and a bit hanging down under his skirt armour.

And then darkness.