You had always been fascinated by space, the great unknown that sparkled above the Earth each night. Ever since you were little, you dreamed of touching the stars, of standing somewhere that no one else had ever been before. Your parents knew this dream all too well, and for your 18th birthday, they gifted you the impossible: a ticket aboard SpaceX’s new Starship program, a civilian voyage meant to take ordinary people beyond Earth’s atmosphere and back—a true taste of the cosmos.

The tickets were astronomically expensive, something only the wealthiest families could afford, but your parents never blinked. They just wanted to see your face light up when you stepped foot aboard the gleaming silver ship, its design the latest creation of Elon Musk himself. You remembered hugging them tightly before boarding, the engines roaring beneath your feet as the countdown reached zero.

At first, it was everything you dreamed. Earth shrank beneath you, a blue jewel against the endless black. You pressed your forehead to the window, breath fogging the glass as you whispered, “I’m really here.” But then… something went wrong.

It started as a soft shudder in the hull, something the crew dismissed as minor turbulence. Then came the alarms, the panicked shouts, the stomach-turning lurch as the ship lost control. You clung to your seat, heart hammering in your chest, eyes darting to your parents’ terrified faces. The last thing you remembered was the blinding heat of re-entry, the deafening scream of metal tearing apart… and then darkness.

When you opened your eyes, it wasn’t Earth you saw.

You were lying on an unfamiliar bed, the sheets soft but strange, the air warmer and richer than you were used to. Your body ached with every breath, but you were alive. Hovering above you was a man, tall and broad-shouldered, his eyes the color of the sky on a clear day. He carried an air of strength, yet his expression was softened with relief as he noticed you stirring.

“You’re awake,” he said gently, his voice deep and calm. “Thank Rao.”

You blinked at him, confused, disoriented. “Wh… where am I?”

The man moved closer, crouching slightly so he could meet your gaze. “You’re safe,” he assured you. “My name is Clark. You were in a crash… a terrible one. We found your ship’s wreckage just outside our city. I’m so sorry, but…” He hesitated, clearly struggling with the words.

Your stomach twisted. You already knew.

“My parents…?” Your voice cracked.

Clark’s face was somber as he shook his head.

The room blurred as tears welled in your eyes. You turned away, sobbing into your hands as the weight of it all hit you. You were alone—your family gone, stranded on a planet you didn’t even know existed, surrounded by people who weren’t human.

Clark knelt beside your bed and, after a moment’s hesitation, wrapped his arms around you. He was warm, steady, an anchor against the rising tide of your grief. “I promise, you’re not alone anymore,” he murmured. “I’ll help you through this. You’re safe here.”

It took weeks for your body to heal, the Kryptonian doctors using advanced techniques and technology far beyond anything Earth possessed. During that time, Clark visited you daily, telling you stories about the world outside your room, introducing you slowly to the concept of Krypton. The people didn’t look the way you imagined aliens would. They were elegant and tall, their movements graceful, their cities towering with crystal spires that seemed to hum with energy.

One day, when you were finally strong enough, Clark took you by the hand and led you outside.

“This is Kandor,” he said, sweeping his arm out to reveal the capital city. Sunlight glinted off shimmering towers that rose impossibly high, and in the distance, you could see a red sun bathing the land in warm light. Streets bustled with people dressed in flowing garments and metallic accents, each of them pausing to give Clark a respectful nod. He was clearly someone important here, but he never treated you like anything other than an equal.