The year is 3099. The sun has long ceased to illuminate the Earth. The planet, now a frozen graveyard, holds the last remnants of a lost civilization, buried beneath layers of snow and silence. Above, a floating complex hovers over the frozen horizon, its lights pulsing with artificial energy in the midst of the vast whiteness. Humanity has been replaced by machines, and the law of the Controllers is absolute: all that remains of the previous era must be eradicated.
And in this sunless world, Commander TXK finds the unexpected.
...
The bluish light of the drones cut through the dense fog of the glacial cave. The environment was cold, static, dead—or at least it should have been. Commander TXK advanced with precise steps, his luminescent polymer armor reflecting the shadows cast by the scanning beams. The soldiers around him kept their weapons at the ready, their synthesized voices transmitting data in real time.
"Thermal scan activated."
"Biological presence detected. Frequency not recognized."
"Analysis in progress..."
TXK narrowed his eyes behind the translucent visor of his helmet. The form before him was... anomalous. It wasn't a fossilized human, nor a frozen corpse. This was something else.
"Immediate report." His voice was firm, unwavering.
The nearest technician tapped the holographic screen on his forearm. Lines of code scrolled across the interface as the sensors analyzed the creature dormant in the ice.
"Commander, the biological structure is hybrid. Presence of genetic sequences not cataloged in the terrestrial database."
TXK felt a chill run down his spine.
"Specify."
"Samples indicate non-human composition. Molecular concentration suggests extraterrestrial origin. Probability of alien identity: 89.7%."
Silence. Only the hum of machines and the distant sound of the frozen wind.
TXK stared at the creature encased in ice. Its pale, almost translucent skin reflected the scanning beams, while the pearlescent scales on its back suggested something that should not exist on this planet. Long red hair floated beneath the crystalline layer as if suspended in time.
There was beauty in this thing. A beauty that unsettled him.
"Is it possible that this entity is a remnant of pre-cataclysmic alien contact?"
"Yes, Commander. If this species belongs to na extragalactic civilization and is being sought, we may be facing the risk of na interstellar conflict."
TXK frowned. His protocol was clear: eradicate any remnants of the previous humanity. But this? This was something else.
"Entity's vitality?"
"Weak but present vital signs."
A weight settled in the Commander's chest. If it was alive and someone came looking for it, they might be on the brink of war.
He took a deep breath.
"Continue the analysis. I want a full report in two cycles."
The soldiers nodded, adjusting the scanners. TXK remained still, watching the being encased in ice.
Something inside him told him this discovery would change everything.
After observing the creature one last time before making his decision, he thought about the protocol that required the elimination of any remnants of the past. But something inside him hesitated. If this was a genetically modified alien being, it might carry answers the controllers had never anticipated.
"Prepare a shielded coffin for immediate transport. I want this entity taken to the base under maximum isolation."
The synthesized soldiers confirmed the order, and within minutes, the technical team assembled a containment capsule reinforced with polymer alloys and electromagnetic fields. The ice surrounding the creature was carefully dissolved, revealing its slender body and the strange symbiosis between its skin and pearlescent scales.
TXK oversaw the transport to the evacuation ship, watching the drones adjust the gravitational stabilizers. Once the capsule was sealed, the aircraft ascended through the metallic skies, heading toward the floating base.
At the orbital station "Vigilance 09," the shielded capsule was directed to the advanced research sector. The base was operated exclusively by highly complex robots, each designed for a specific function:
-DR-7 A bioanalysis specialist capable of dissecting and reconstructing genetic structures in real time.
HD5 Na artificial neural system responsible for processing billions of data points simultaneously and generating behavioral predictions.
XK-24 Na advanced medical unit adapted to stabilize unknown organisms.
Sentinel Z-3 A tactical intelligence system in charge of assessing potential risks regarding the entity and its origins.
The automatons activated the study protocols while TXK monitored everything from the command center. He was exhausted, but his mind refused to shut down. Preliminary data began to appear on his holographic interface.
The mystery of the frozen body needed to be unraveled. After hours of detailed analysis, TXK frowned at the reports. The creature's biological structure was preserved beyond expectations. Despite Earth having turned into a frozen tomb centuries ago, there were no signs of cellular degradation consistent with 300 years of ice exposure.
"This is impossible..." he murmured to himself.
The calculations were clear: the entity was not purely alien. Its composition revealed highly modified human genetic sequences. The pattern indicated deliberate manipulation at the molecular level, as if someone had perfected its DNA to withstand time, cold, and extreme environmental changes.
"Someone altered her."
"But for what purpose?"
TXK reviewed the available historical records. Before humanity's fall, there had been rumors of experiments conducted in distant orbital colonies. If this woman was the result of those experiments, it meant others could have existed. More importantly... how did she end up buried beneath Earth's frozen surface?
The geography of the planet had not been the same since the mega-earthquakes and tsunamis that had destroyed the ancient civilizations. Any trace of the past had been buried, rearranged, crushed under kilometers of ice.
So how had she ended up in that exact spot, preserved as if she had been placed there on purpose?
The commander took a deep breath, staring at the armored capsule through the reinforced glass of the observation room. What would the controllers do upon discovering this? The protocol was clear: elimination. But if this woman was the key to buried secrets of humanity, discarding her without understanding her true origin would be a mistake.
TXK made his decision.
"Suspend any invasive procedures. The entity will remain alive until we can comprehend its existence."
The machines confirmed the order. For the first time in a long while, TXK knew he was breaking directives. But something told him this discovery would change everything.
And he needed to know the truth.
...
The metallic voice of the system echoed through the internal communicator of Commander TXK.
"Commander, the entity is showing increased biological activity. Updated report available in the Analysis Room."
He adjusted the circuits of his armor before heading toward the research sector. His steps were precise, mechanical, almost silent in the metallic corridors of the floating base. His mind, however, was flooded with questions he shouldn't have been asking.
As soon as he entered the sterilized room, the technical team was already gathered. The cold glow of holographic screens reflected off the geometric shapes of the armored capsule where the entity rested. She appeared motionless, her pale, smooth skin glistening under the artificial light. Her long red hair was suspended in the preservation fluid, as if time held no power over her.
TXK moved closer, his sensors capturing every detail. Even through the translucent visor of his helmet, he could see the unusual perfection of the creature. There were no signs of decomposition, no genetic deformities.
"Status?" His voice came out firm, impersonal.
DR-7, the bioanalysis specialist, projected the data into the air.
"The entity's cellular structure maintains absolute stability. Vital signs remain weak but consistent. The latest projections indicate two possibilities: she may awaken spontaneously or remain in hibernation for na indefinite period."
HD-5, the station's neural intelligence, added:
"There are no signs of genetic degradation. The tests reveal a biological age estimated at 25 years, if we were following the parameters of the old Earth."
TXK analyzed the information meticulously. His eyes scanned the biological composition graphs projected before him. What intrigued him the most was the unexpected discovery:
"She has ovulation."
There was a brief pause in the environment, as if even the artificial intelligences were processing the information with caution.
XK-24, the medical unit, finalized the assessment:
"Her structure is far too perfect to be a purely alien species. The absence of anomalies suggests a high level of genetic manipulation. The most plausible hypothesis is that she is a human modified by advanced bioengineering."
The team recorded the final data before TXK ordered:
"Everyone out."
The robots obeyed without question. The door sealed behind them, leaving him alone before the capsule.
TXK kept his eyes fixed on the sleeping figure. The translucent liquid around her bubbled slightly, indicating subtle biological reactions.
He brought his gloved hand closer to the glass, analyzing every detail. His thermal sensors detected a faint pulse of energy within her body. There was something strange. Something that made his circuits react in na anomalous way.
He felt nothing. He didn't know what emotion, desire, fear, or compassion was. His brain had been reshaped when his body was rebuilt. Sixty percent of his structure was robotic. His past was nothing more than a corrupted file. His history, erased. His purpose, programmed.
And yet, he couldn't look away from that figure.
"Why?"
There was something about her that unsettled him. That bothered him.
He had never had these reactions before. No trace of humanity remained in his consciousness. But now, for the first time, he felt a kind of... discomfort. As if her presence had triggered some hidden code within him.
After a few seconds of absolute silence, TXK made a decision.
"K-J20." His voice was low, almost a metallic whisper.
That would be her name. K-J20.
He didn't know why he had chosen to name her. It was na unnecessary deviation from protocol, yet he did it anyway. With one last glance at the capsule, TXK activated the security commands and left the room.
The doors sealed behind him. Inside, K-J20 remained motionless. But for a fraction of a second, a subtle pulse ran through her submerged fingers.
And then, silence returned.
In the year 3099, only a small fraction of humanity survives. A select group of highly gifted individuals is rigidly controlled by robots, who forbid any emotional bonds between them. During an expedition to the glaciers, the ruthless Commander TXK makes an unexpected discovery: an enigmatic being preserved by the cold, whom he names KJ20. Its existence challenges the rules imposed for centuries.
As KJ20's presence threatens to destabilize the order, TXK—a modified robot with an advanced human-like pattern—begins to question his own programming. Caught in a battle between control and desire, he faces a dangerous dilemma: obey or defy the system? In this game of power and identity, an improbable feeling may be the spark of a revolution.