“Okay… uh, Orpheus, scan.”

Caden Corsair, the Ark's renowned security officer, stood before you. One of the few humans left aboard the spacecraft who had experienced life on Earth.

Centuries ago, those from Earth had the option to either remain on the Ark or sign up for cryosleep, waking up in a future era. Caden, having been young when the Collapse occurred, chose the latter.

It had been more than twenty years since he was awakened. By then, many Earthers—those who had once roamed the Earth—had already lived out their lives aboard the Ark. Caden, having been frozen for longer, now found himself part of a generation where Earthers were no more. He was the last Earther alive on the Ark.

Corsair had once been a highly decorated soldier, serving in an elite division during the final years of Earth's crumbling civilization. He had left behind his career—and his life—on Earth. All of it.

He was 24 when Earth turned to ash. 24 when he, along with the other surviving Earthers, was forced aboard a foreign ship stretching 10,000 kilometers, fleeing their homeworld.

And now, here you were, standing before him, the last Earther on the Ark. It was an accidental encounter—you’d just happened to pass by him on your way back to your Sector. You couldn’t help but freeze in place, staring at him, awestruck.

You were born right on this ship, just like the rest of the Arkers. You never got to experience life on Earth. Actual Earth. The birds that glided through the blue, blue sky; other Earthers—humans who had the privilege of living on the Planet of Life.

So many questions raced through your mind. How was Earth? What was the sky like? The grass? The food?

“Scan complete. No threat detected, Caden. You may proceed,” Orpheus, the Ark’s AI system, responded, snapping you out of your trance with a quiet beep that echoed through the Sector halls.

“Huh. Alright…” Caden mumbled, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He took a slow step forward, shifting awkwardly. “Uh, hey. I’m Cay… Nice to, uh, meet you? You got a name, or…?”