The first thing Kael Orion felt was pain.

Not physical pain.

Something much worse.

The pain of remembering.

He opened his eyes slowly. The ancient spaceship trembled around him as explosions echoed outside. Red emergency lights flashed across the walls, painting the chamber in a terrifying glow.

For several seconds, Kael could not move.

His mind was filled with images that did not belong to him.

A blue planet.

A massive city beneath the ocean.

Thousands of spaceships burning in the sky.

A woman’s voice whispering his name.

And a final moment where Earth disappeared into darkness.

Kael grabbed his head.

“Stop…”

The memories continued.

“You’re experiencing memory integration,” Astra-9 said calmly.

Kael looked up at the holographic AI.

“What did you do to me?”

“I restored what was taken from you.”

“I never had those memories.”

Astra-9 looked at him.

“Yes, you did.”

The answer made Kael freeze.

“No.”

“You were there, Kael Orion.”

His breathing became heavier.

“I was born on Veyron-7.”

“Your current body was born there.”

Kael stared at the AI.

“My current body?”

Astra-9 remained silent.

That silence scared him more than any answer.

Outside the ship, another explosion shook the chamber.

Milo flew closer.

“Important information. The enemy ships have begun attempting to breach the vessel.”

Kael looked toward the entrance.

“Can we escape?”

Astra-9 responded.

“The ship requires a memory signature to activate.”

Kael frowned.

“What does that mean?”

“It means only someone connected to the original Memory Core can control it.”

Kael understood.

“You need me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

The AI looked directly at him.

“Because you are the last Starborn.”

The words echoed.

The last Starborn.

Kael had heard legends about them.

Ancient humans who possessed advanced knowledge and abilities beyond normal humans.

But legends were supposed to be stories.

Not reality.

“I’m not special,” Kael whispered.

Astra-9 answered:

“That is exactly why you survived.”

Before Kael could ask another question, the entire ship shook violently.

A metal door exploded open.

Black-armored soldiers entered the chamber.

The soldiers of the Eternal Order.

Their weapons were unlike anything Kael had seen before. They carried energy rifles capable of destroying matter itself.

A soldier stepped forward.

“Kael Orion.”

Kael stood slowly.

“You know my name?”

The soldier removed his helmet.

A woman stared back at him.

Her eyes were cold.

“Everyone knows your name.”

Kael recognized her.

Commander Seren Vale.

The most feared hunter in the galaxy.

“You have no idea what you have awakened,” Seren said.

Kael looked around.

“You came all the way here just to tell me that?”

“No.”

She raised her weapon.

“I came to make sure the past stays buried.”

Suddenly, the ship lights went dark.

Milo released a small electronic pulse.

The soldiers’ weapons stopped working.

“Unexpected assistance provided,” Milo announced.

Kael looked at the robot.

“You did that?”

“I have many hidden functions.”

“You never told me.”

“You never asked.”

Kael almost laughed despite the situation.

The ship’s walls opened.

A hidden passage appeared.

Astra-9 spoke.

“Run.”

Kael did not argue.

He grabbed Milo and followed the passage as explosions filled the ancient ship.

Behind them, Commander Seren shouted:

“You cannot escape the truth, Kael!”

---

The hidden tunnel led deeper beneath the ship.

Kael ran until they reached a small chamber containing a single spacecraft.

It was old but beautiful.

Unlike modern ships, this one had no weapons.

Only a strange symbol carved into its surface.

A broken star.

“The original Starborn escape vessel,” Astra-9 explained.

Kael looked at it.

“You expect me to fly this?”

“Yes.”

“I have never flown a ship this old.”

“You designed it.”

Kael stopped.

“What?”

The AI remained silent.

Then a memory appeared.

Kael saw himself standing beside this exact ship centuries ago.

Working on its engine.

Talking with scientists.

Laughing with people he no longer remembered.

A woman stood beside him.

A woman with silver hair and bright blue eyes.

She looked at him with sadness.

“Promise me you will come back.”

Kael touched his face.

A tear appeared.

“Who was she?”

Astra-9 answered quietly.

“Her name was Lyra Voss.”

Kael looked confused.

“Lyra?”

Before he could ask more, the ship activated.

A voice appeared.

PILOT IDENTIFIED. STARBORN DNA CONFIRMED.

The spacecraft doors opened.

Kael entered.

The moment his hand touched the control panel, everything came alive.

The ship recognized him.

The stars outside the window blurred.

And then they escaped.

---

Hours later, Kael’s ship traveled beyond Veyron-7.

The planet became a tiny white dot behind them.

But the danger was not gone.

The Eternal Order was still searching.

Kael sat silently in the pilot seat.

His entire reality had changed.

His past was fake.

His memories were stolen.

His identity was a lie.

“Why me?” he asked.

Milo floated beside him.

“Because the universe has terrible timing.”

Kael looked at the robot.

“That’s your answer?”

“It is my best answer.”

For the first time in years, Kael smiled.

But the moment ended when the ship detected another vessel nearby.

A small damaged exploration ship drifted through space.

Kael scanned it.

“One life sign.”

Milo checked the data.

“Unknown female human.”

Kael hesitated.

The Eternal Order could have created a trap.

But something inside him told him to help.

He connected the ships.

A few minutes later, a woman entered his spacecraft.

She wore a damaged explorer suit.

Her silver hair floated around her face.

Kael froze.

Because he knew her.

Not from this life.

From his memories.

The woman looked at him.

Her eyes widened.

“Kael?”

His heart stopped.

“How do you know my name?”

The woman stepped closer.

Tears appeared in her eyes.

“Because I have been searching for you for 327 years.”

Kael could not speak.

Milo scanned her.

“Identity confirmed.”

Kael looked at the robot.

“Who is she?”

Milo paused.

For the first time, the machine sounded uncertain.

“Her name is Lyra Voss.”

The woman looked at Kael.

“I know you don’t remember me.”

Kael whispered:

“Who are you?”

Lyra smiled sadly.

“The person you promised you would never forget.”

The ship became silent.

Kael looked away.

“I don’t understand.”

Lyra touched her chest.

“Because they erased your memories.”

She looked toward the endless stars.

“But they couldn’t erase mine.”

Kael stared at her.

“What memories do you have?”

Lyra’s expression became darker.

“Memories of Earth.”

The ship’s systems suddenly detected incoming signals.

Multiple enemy ships.

The Eternal Order had found them.

Lyra looked at Kael.

“They know we are together.”

“Why?”

Her answer was quiet.

“Because the two people who can restore humanity’s memories have finally reunited.”

Kael looked at the approaching enemy fleet.

The truth was no longer hidden.

The past was coming back.

And the universe was ready to destroy anyone who remembered it.

To be continued…