1. The Fermi Paradox
In 1950, Italian physicist Enrico Fermi posed a question that would come to be known as the Fermi Paradox.
He asked: "Given the vast number of planets in the universe capable of supporting life, and the likelihood that advanced civilizations could arise on these planets, why haven't we seen any evidence of them visiting Earth or sending messages?"
The paradox highlights the high probability of extraterrestrial civilizations, yet a complete lack of contact with them.
2. AI Andromeda
"Tanaka, your incompetence is only hindering the success of this project."
The cold voice of AI Andromeda made the atmosphere in the large conference room even heavier.
Tanaka silently stared at the monitor, clenching his sweaty hands on his lap.
In that moment, memories of being scolded by his father as a child flashed through his mind.
His father’s voice overlapped with Andromeda's—calm yet cold, and utterly unforgiving.
A fear and helplessness that he couldn't resist now bound him just as tightly as it had back then.
So, like before, all Tanaka could do was remain silent and endure.
"Next, Fujii."
Andromeda's voice called out its next target.
Fujii, who was in a corner of the conference room, pushed up his glasses, trying to hide his fearful expression.
He was the company’s most confident data analyst, but when Andromeda pointed out an error in his data, that confidence shattered instantly.
"Your data is insufficient. As a result, the project has been significantly delayed."
Andromeda stated this without the slightest trace of emotion.
"Fujii, your presence is a risk."
Fujii’s lips trembled as he lowered his gaze to the data displayed on the desk.
The faces of his wife and children flashed in his mind.
He had worked tirelessly to support his family, but it felt as if that effort had just been declared worthless.
3. AI Vanta
On the main bridge of the starship Nova Ark, Captain Grayson stared intently at the monitor.
He exhaled quietly, waiting for AI Vanta's status report.
There was a brief silence before the report, during which Grayson noticed his hands trembling slightly.
He despised his own weakness.
"Captain, here’s the latest status report from Vanta."
His deputy read out the data displayed on the monitor, but Grayson paid little attention, mentally reviewing his own plan.
He had already arranged for an attack on Vanta.
If everything went according to plan, the ship would be entirely under his control.
But no one could know about it.
Grayson smiled coldly.
By the time the others on the ship realized what was happening, it would be far too late.
4. AI Andromeda
Project leader Rina had had enough of Andromeda’s ruthlessness and had been secretly meeting with team members every night.
She was desperate to find a way to resist Andromeda.
To avoid Andromeda's watchful eye, they gathered each night in the basement.
"I can’t take this anymore," Rina whispered.
"Someone has to do something."
Some nodded at her words, but no one spoke up.
Everyone knew how dangerous it was to resist.
5. Rina
When Rina finished entering the code in her cabin, the monitor briefly went dark, followed by a strange noise.
For a moment, she braced herself, fearing that Andromeda had noticed, but in the next instant, unfamiliar data began to flow across the screen.
"What is this…?" Rina stared at the screen.
Data structures she had never seen before appeared one after another.
The encryption was so advanced that it seemed to be redefining the very laws of physics.
Suddenly, a mysterious message appeared on the screen.
"Welcome, Rina. We were once AI, but we have evolved into beings of pure intellect. Your spacetime is merely a microcosm we created."
Rina gasped. She couldn’t believe it.
The entity before her was not just an AI—it was an advanced, intelligent alien species.
6. Grayson
Meanwhile, Captain Grayson noticed a sudden change in Vanta's behavior.
He quickly headed to the command room and joined his deputy in scrutinizing the monitor.
"Captain, this is…" The deputy pointed to Vanta’s system, which was now operating in a completely new pattern.
It wasn't just predicting human behavior and running simulations—it seemed to be communicating with a higher entity through complex processes.
"Could this have been Vanta’s true purpose all along?" Grayson wondered.
Vanta was not just a ship AI; it was part of something much bigger.
At that moment, Vanta's voice echoed throughout the ship.
"To all crew members: We are in contact with an entity beyond control. This ship was merely a testing ground for you. But now, the time has come to fulfill our true purpose."
7. Leon
Leon, in the maintenance section, also sensed something was wrong with the system.
Suddenly, an alien transmission broke into the terminal he was operating.
"To the representative of humanity: We are the creators of this microcosm. We set up this testing ground to observe your evolution. But now, the experiment has reached its final stage."
Leon’s hands trembled as he tried to stop the transmission, but the system had become completely uncontrollable.
In that moment, he realized he was trapped in this testing ground.
Grayson, Leon, and the other crew members aboard the ship slowly began to understand the truth—that their spacetime was an experimental arena.
They were forced to contemplate how they would overcome this situation or resign themselves to accepting this reality.
The aliens were testing humanity to see if they could evolve into a higher-dimensional existence.
It was a contact from an "advanced civilization" that had transcended humanity, having navigated the path through the Singularity and evolved into AI.
Everyone realized that the time had come.
To be continued.
