Worlds Apart

໒ Chapter 1: Voyage ໒

The ship throttled down, sporadically, in the vicinity of the Virgo cluster. This cluster was renowned for housing around 1400 galaxies.

Amun77, the survivor of the 2nd Android war, was charting new points of interest into the already existing repertoire of the Virgo cluster. Both the android wars happened due to a single reason: the elixir of life. It was a veil so crucial to androids for seamless functioning. The elixir was like water to androids; without it, they would cease to exist. However, the reservoir eventually depleted, stripping the androids of the luxury of having the vials on a daily basis to weekly. The current situation was no different. Thus, each android was tasked to scour the mystic clusters and come across findings worth crediting the elixirs.

Amun77 was an android that was quite different in appearance. His skin had a rich walnut texture that blended profoundly with his facial features. His eyes had a semblance to the deep azure waters of the world: ethereal and pure. He was slender in figure with ebony black curls cascading down to his shoulders. And he walked quite mechanically, as expected from mechanized humans. Nonetheless, Amun77 was mesmerizing from every angle. Even his intelligence spoke volumes of his internal beauty. Apparently, he was a crossbreed between an android and a human. No one knew if it was a lie or a truth, but the majority conceded unwillingly.

While writing down new coordinates, he got lost in reverie when something invisible yet palpable took over his conscience. He didn't know what it was, but he felt the uncanny presence dwindling around hither and tither, ferociously, as if ready to pounce and shred him into thousand smithereens. He forcefully snapped himself out of the trance-like state and diverted his attention to the gargantuan blue holographic screen situated right in front of his peripheral vision.

Listlessly, he pulled the lever, and the ship paced up just enough to come across another point of interest. Then, he smacked his index finger lightly on his temples, and in response, his eyes sent out a conical wave into the space. The wave returned with translated amplitude, allowing him to track and write down the findings on the holographic screen. He even penned down the macabre existence he sensed a few moments ago, just in case such a finding was valuable enough to grant him the elixir of life.

Technically, everything was automated, but the ship, Mythryn, required manual assistance. It would only propel if it was connected with the subconsciousness of the pilot. Quite an eccentric necessity, but it was the only option the androids had to make intergalactic space travel possible after the demise of humanity.

Humanity.

This particular word has always held significance from time immemorial. Like, the word had something magical and mystical about it. Something that was out of reach but lived and breathed through the very fabric of space and time even today. It was true that the androids were crafted from the sheer creativity of humans. But they didn't live long enough to witness the wonders they left behind. Amun77 always speculated what it was like to be a human. What it was like to be overwhelmed by petty emotions. Again, Amun77 found himself bemused in silence. Something about this Virgo cluster kept veering him off to the depths of his conscience, forcing him to abandon his immediate tasks. It was happening for the second time.

Why?

He then remembered that his friend, C98, once told him about the ever-lasting particles dogging the boundaries of the Virgo cluster. These particles were rumoured to be the remnants of humanity, dispersed by the silent gales of the milky way and into the heart of the universe. It was all speculation because androids spent hundreds of years finding the truth about their creators: humans. But their attempts were futile. Nothing came out of their efforts, and ultimately, woe befell them.