2- Civilization Zero

Trina's phrase may have casted a curse throughout our search. I know that I was gone for a while and that I may have locked myself if not in my room then probably my lab. I mean how could there be no place left for a new person in this huge station. The last time I checked this place was designed to accommodate not just thousands of people but billions.

Though we have managed to create a sustainable place where the remainder of people not serving the military or any of the government related sections, could at least live and have a normal life.

Throughout the time we stayed here, we were able to build stations where crops could grow and places where people could relax, eat and have fun. We tried our best to bring the best of what's left on Earth, back in this place so no one would feel so hopeless. And even with everything we created there are still places where we could build more house-like rooms for humankind.

So it is completely bullshit when they told me there is no more room to spare. Even with my rank and my standing in this station, they still couldn't give me anything.

"How could there be no more place to stay when there just so little of us in this big station. Maybe I should use my element and melt one of those storages Broody value so much." I said out of anger.

We are now at the military cafeteria where most of the time military personnel would just hang and go, however for me and the rest of my team, this is our own tavern. There is of course a separate cafeteria for the rest of the human population, where they actually serve top of the line dishes so to keep morale for everyone. We just want to keep going here since there are less people which leads to lesser people looking our way. Plus, in this place I could easily dismiss anyone who gives us the look. Talk about abusing power, right?

"It's unfortunate that we could no longer ask for those storage rooms for free. If you hadn't raised your voice at him, I'm pretty sure he'd grant your request right away." Trina sighed while I gave her a disgusted look. "What? We both know I have a point. You should have endured more" Trina dared to point at me. She knows that my anger from earlier have subsided and that I won't really dare hurt her even when she's always out of the line.

"We both know she has the softest spot when it comes to us. Everything that is concerned about our safety, she'll never endure. She's like the mother of the team and you are the evil aunt." Dave grins like a devil while he teases Trina, they then banter like children in front of me.

Dave is a little younger than all of us, that is why he is always the childish one when it comes to serious conversations such as the one, we are having right now.

"You little…" Trina kept hitting Dave on his shoulders but with Dave's element, I don't think he even felt any of Trina's attack.

"Stop it you two. This is serious. I can't fail on my first day back." I sighed even louder it almost sounded like I'm whining.

Trina and Dave looked at me with obvious worry in their eyes. Looking at their reaction, I already gathered that they could longer help me with my problem. This is a hopeless matter now.

There's really nothing I could do now. I guess this is bound to happen sooner than I anticipated. I took a deep breathe before standing up, surprising both Dave and Trina.

"I made my decision. Let's go!" I said with confidence and walk ahead of them before they could violently react to my sudden action. I already have a place in mind and it's not the most convenient one but it's a place to stay anyway. It's just until we find a place for our new guy. If his not the type that values his privacy most of the time, I believe the place I have in mind would be suitable for him.

Dave and Trina bickered behind me as they both kept on following me. They would always bicker on smallest things and there are days when I must use my rank to make them both aware of what they are doing.

Travelling between stations would require us to use a designated lift looking like floating trains. Our engineers were able to build a mechanism that allows trains to move from one station to another. Since the space station is a bit bigger than the one we read in stories, walking through stations is little bit of a work out and time consuming. So, to save time and easily transport things, we have this space trains to help us.

We traveled from Station 1 to Station 6, where most of the quarters dedicated for us and the other high-ranking officials are situated and taken care of. Station 6 is also like our playground, well for us that's been infected I mean. This is the place where we can securely use and train with our powers. This is also the only station, safe enough to contain my failed experimental attempts to humanities survival.

Usually, we'll be given rooms we can share to our other team, that way we can provide rooms to those who need one. Since I become the captain of EL30, I was given the chance of choosing whether to use my room on my own or to share it with someone from the team. I of course choose to be alone since I have so many things to do and my lab is directly connected to my room. I get loud from time to time and also there are days where I just prefer to be alone.

The reason I'm talking about my room is because, there is actually a little area in my room that could be occupied by another person. Since I am in need of a place for the new guy and I did sort of promise Broody earlier that I'll kill him if he gets involve to this matter again, that is why, I choose to sacrifice my little paradise and share it to our newest guy

.

"You're absolutely sure you want to share a room with this new guy?" Trina asks me with disbelief in her tone and look on me. She knows me too well and she's obviously in shock that I'm even allowing a stranger to stay with me. What she doesn't know is that I'm doing all of this because I don't have any other choice and my pride is not letting me bow down and ask for help to someone who could probably give me what I need in a snap. It is that dumbed and stupid pride that's making me act like this.

You know it is sometimes frustrating to think that even with my own strength, it is still not enough for me to actually get whatever I want. There is always that one thing that will stop me or hinder me from having whatever I want.

I could nod at Trina's question as I kept on clearing the area where I will put the futon I requested for my new roommate.

"This is stupid cap't. You know he can stay with me and Jack. You don't need to do this." Dave said as he only watches me and Trina clean the area. He was sitting and playing with my white swivel chair.

"I do need to do this. He is new and we still do not know what kind of element he possesses. If I want to learn more, I should be able to see him 24/7. I'd rather contain him here than put him in any of your rooms." I in fact reason out. I sometime thank the genes lingering inside my body, it didn't just give me great physical attributes but also a mind that's able to come up with these lame excuses to get away from embarrassment.

"Whatever floats your boat. You're the boss what you say, we shall follow!" Dave said as he raises his fist like he is cheering for someone. I shake my head knowing that following is the last thing this guy would do. He has his own beliefs and though there days where he would keep following my orders, when he thinks he is right, he speaks out.

"Lazy ass" Trina murmured while eyeing Dave with a dirty look. Dave fortunately didn't hear her or else they might start another series of bickering.

As soon as I was done cleaning the mess, I was buzzed by Doc to come at the medical wing and yes I used the word buzz instead of beeped. Back when we were still living on Earth's surface, we have mobile devices that helped us connect to most people but since we are in an era that makes a lot of advancement and with the tiny reality that we are situated in space, phones don't work, so thanks to the remaining geniuses that live and now doing their best to put more technological machines, we now have advance watches to use as we please.

You know those futuristic movies where they use these cool gadgets but we all know they are not real. Well, some creepy geek fanatics were able to come up with one and they are now being used by every human being living in the space station. We now have this watches to which we can easily order to connect or to access anything we think we want, the key is think and the product is reality. These watches are directly connected to our brain, if you ask me how the hell did that happen, I still do not understand myself and yet I am called a genius engineer by some.

So we just think and the watches do the rest, of course it is only limited to connecting messages or to calling whoever we wished to talk to, it also acts like a SIRI when we ask. The AI is also equipped to remind us special announcements or event we need to attend to. That option is of course on an off sign with my watch because the superiors would always wish to have a sit down with me and I don't like that. I may have tampered with my own watch so the no one can also eavesdrop on me. I might just be guessing but I'm just being careful.

We again travelled from station 6 back to station 3 to where the medical bay designed for the military and for us. We obviously can't be mixed with the normal people roaming and enjoying their lives here in the station. Our leader made sure that everyone has a place for themselves and that at all times, they be blinded with illusions from reality.

The nurses greeted me as soon as I enter the place, its been awhile since the last time I visited this place so to some, this is an opportunity for them to see me. I am not being cocky, I am just exceptionally troublesome that I become this famous.

"X, right on time. Look at this figures, he is beyond expectation. His immunity is nothing like the rest of us and look…look" Doc pushes his tablet to my face excitedly as he talks about our new guy. Carlos is the calmest one amongst us but when it comes to his medical side, his enthusiasm is outstanding. He would literally dissect anything that him confuse or excited. I guess one could say he is a bit scary when he gets in the zone but he is great at this kind of things and he always delivers.

"Easy Doc, boundaries please." I raised both of my hand to block his advances and when I did that, Doc calmed down and breathes.

"Sorry." He then fixes his glasses and his hair before calmly handing me his tablet. Carlos may always look like a rugged man but for someone who is in his early thirties, he could pass as a hunk. It's no wonder that Trina's drooling over him right now.

I grabbed the tablet to see what he was talking about and I even nudge Trina to give her a chance to speak with Carlos. She tends to shy away whenever he is around. Dave made a teasing tone that made Trina snap out of her daze and glare at our young friend, nevertheless, she ignored him after and started fixing herself.

"Hey Doc, I wasn't able to greet you earlier, how was your yesterdays experiment?" Trina talks to Carlos like she's an angel. I saw at my side how Dave shakes his head and steps back to talk with the other people inside the room. I on the other hand, couldn't help the smirk forming on my lips so to avoid disrupting their conversation, I also took a step to the side before walking slowly towards one of the metal desks place on the side of the room.

As the two of my friend have their flirtatious discussion, I looked into the lab result of our new guy friend and just like what Doc said, he is wonderfully built. All important factors checks out right, his nervous system is also kicking exponentially and its like all his bodily cells are doing their very best to survive. My question is, he is in great health condition, why is he not waking up?

I studied his brain activity and it looks like his in a state of REM sleep. No indication of trouble in his brain, he is perfectly normal. No sign of problem in his health, I can only guess it has something to do with his element.

"Have you checked his elemental gift?" I asked Doc even when he was busy entertaining Trina's questions. He pauses for a second, sensing my presence, then he lowers his head to excuse himself from Trina.

He gave me a look that could only be describe as complete obsession. He rushes towards me and in a flash he enters my mind so we could both have a private conversation. This is just one of the few tricks he has with his own element. Its like telepathy but not entirely because he can only do this trick with me and no one else in the group.

"Dude we have got to stop doing this…" I told him in my mind. I don't hate this trick of his but I'm not a fan of it as well. Every time he does this to me, my whole body is like floating liquid with no flow. Its weird but it is what I feel every time.

"Sorry but I have my theories but I don't think Dave is ready to hear them. I have a feeling that this new guys element is way different and powerful than the rest of us. Except for you. I actually asked you here so we can do another test." Doc said in a rush and excitement. He is like a kid with anticipation for toys.

"What test?"

"I need you to use your element and attack him!" Doc smiles like a maniac in my head and even when he went out and were both back to reality, my shock to his suggestion lingered longer than expected.

Trina and Dave are both looking between me and Doc, they both know we just had a private conversation, however that doesn't erase their curiosity.

I close my eyes to calm my mind and to also process what Carlos wanted me to do. I should have know he will offer crazy ideas.

"Yah! I know I've been out for awhile but you can't tease me like that Doc." I spoke a little louder than normal and that caught more eyes inside the room.

"I am not and I'm being serious. I think he has what we always wanted all these years." Doc explains but he still doesn't make sense. "You know what, lets just go and see him right now. Its easier to understand once you get to see him." Doc takes my wrist and pulls me out of the room, Trina and Dave followed, still curious.

The medical bay is big enough to look exactly like a hospital except for the white walls and hanging curtains. The place has more open spaces to fill and a lot of glass windows, I sometime wonder if the architects of this place took some time off and decided to make a last minute edit, making a healing place into a vacation paradise. Trust me, even in space, the vast galaxies ahead looks exactly like paradise.

Doc led me to a secure room, my guess is this is where they observe our dear new friend. There's about two nurses inside the room and also there's Char.

"Capt.?" She walks to my side to welcome me. I smiled to her but my attention was already on this weird feeling inside me.

I look at him lying peacefully on the bed but my heart is telling me something else.

"Something is not right." I spoke out of nowhere. I could barely hear Carlos' explanation or Char trying to ask if I was okay. My mind was occupied by fear and anger and guilt. These emotions are not mine and I'm sure of it. These emotions are his.

Someone tried to stop me from moving going near our sleeping guy, but my mind is fixed to being near him. Something tells me that I have to go near him. All these emotions coming from him are making me anxious and scared, I almost believed they were my own emotions. I have questions floating inside my head but as much as I needed answers, I also need this person lying on the bed to calm down.

Like sensing my presence near him, he suddenly moves his fingers like he was trying to reach for something. I could feel him yearning for someone, like a friend perhaps. Doc watched me from a distance so did the rest, they know and they feel that I sense something different.

Linking with the other members was never like this. Unlike the turmoil I am experiencing right now, linking with others was like neutral waves, calming and serene.

I have a thought and before I could even think about what I'm supposed to do, I felt my own element pushing me to hold onto the person lying on the bed. I reach for his hand and like an electricity travelling from one current to another, he bolts up from the bed like he was introduce to a series of shockwaves. I remove my hand from the hold and took a step back from our now awake and scared guy.

"WHERE AM I?" He panicked when he saw the new environment, he was in. He looks at me for a second and to the rest of the group inside the room.

Doc took a step forward with a composed attitude. He raised both of his hand to show our new guy that he was harmless.

"You are safe now. You are in space and high above the earth gravity. No one can you hurt you here." Doc goes to the other side to turn off the monitor that's been showing erratic waves. It was distracting so I guess that's the reason why Doc turned it off. "See we are all harmless here".

"Who...who are you? And where am I?" Our new guy spoke in a stern but very smooth and mellow timbre. Though I still sense fear, he seems to be calming down.

"We'll introduce ourselves to you later when you are up and in good condition..." Doc answered instead but I cut him off when I made a gesture for him to retreat.

"We know how curious you are right now, given the situation you are in. However, you are under my protection no and I may not look like it, but I am quite feared by many in this place. You don't have to worry about anything, all your questions will be answered but you have to do your part first." I didn't want to sound cocky but I think I made a mess on that part. "Why don't you tell us your name first and what happened to you? The last time we check, Earth was inhabitable for the last nine years."

Our new guys look at me as his eyes travelled from Doc to the rest of the people inside the room. I'm pretty sure he gets that I'm not here for the welcoming committee or for congratulatory, he knows I'm here for answers and that I won't go without one.

"Thats what you think." He murmured; he lowers his head before raising his hand looking like he remembered something. "When IT hit Earth, it has in the meteorite" he cleared his voice "The whole world was in chaos, but some was composed enough to gather and lead people to safety. That safety was supposed to be the ship that leads us here." He smiled like he remembers something amusing. "But it was all a sham. We went to the designated location but there was no ship. The assigned leaders that time told us that the ships has reached their limits. There was no longer space for any of us to ride on."

I held on to my arm tight, just so I could stop myself from lashing out or spill my emotions to everyone that's connected to me. Which is EVERYONE in the team. I know the stories, I heard them before and I thought I already accepted what happened before as a form of a collateral damage. An unintended sacrifice. However, that is not the case here.

"About a thousand of us felt betrayed, we waited for the catastrophe to end our lives. I vividly remember how some women with children in their backs would kneel and pray hoping for some miracle to save us all. But we all saw you fly." He sighed and looked at me with something else in his eyes. "But we all survived. After seeing how the leaders of that time abandoned and left us as a sacrifice, we had to survived. And I guess we did." He smiled.

"My name is Levi and I am one of the few who survived and lived on." He finally said his name.

I know I should ask him more questions about how he survived but something else ticked me off. He said WE and not I since he started talking. There is more human beings down there and my inside are dying to find out where are they.

"You said you are one of few, but we only found you, where are the others?" I concealed my excitement and hoped that what I hear next would lead us to what we always wanted.

"You have to return me back to Earth. I have to go back." Levi then take out the needled attached to his body, causing tons of beeping sounds coming from the sensors monitoring his vitals. Doc tried stopping him but Levi was strong enough to avoid Doc's effort. "Don't stop me. I have to go back to my civilization. They need me there..." Levi tried to stand up but I was already blocking his way.

He is bigger than me and muscular than me but I wasn't scared of his physical attributes. He may look strong and I may have been on a break for the past couple of months, but I would never doubt my own strength. I know I can fight him head on if he continues to cause this ruckus.

"Sit!" I used the tone I always use whenever I'm ordering the team or when I need any person in front of me to listen.

"I don't listen to you. I don't belong here and I certainly do not wish to stay here and have a long chat when I know that my civilization, my own people, are down there, waiting for me and hoping that not one of us has died. I already answered your questions and I am truly grateful for saving my life, but now you can return me to my rightful place and just leave. Like you guys did nine years ago."

Levi was stern with his words. He looks down on me like he didn't care at all to whatever I said and do if he keeps going. He was dead serious to going back down there and he wasn't going to listen to anyone else. I know the look and I know this defiance. It irks me but at the same time, I understand him.

Just like me, he just wants to go back to the people he swore to protect. He didn't say these things, but he has the look. We both are.