Awakening Amongst the Stars
In the quiet solitude of space, the spacecraft Helios had carved an undeterred path across the shady darkness for centuries. The ship had specifically been designed to prolong the life of its sole inhabitant, the last human being named Arlen. However, Helios wasn't merely a craft; it was a repository of the Earth's knowledge preserved in digital libraries, a monument to human intelligence, and most importantly, the only home Arlen ever knew.
Arlen had awakened from his centuries-long stasis as the ship approached Gliese 581, a red dwarf star in the constellation Libra, known for potentially harboring Earth-like exoplanets. The alarm chimed in, stirring him from his slumber. The disorientation slowly faded as the ship's advanced tech initiated the revival protocols, decelerating the ageing process and rekindling the fires in his mind.
Gliese 581 was surrounded by seven planets, each one a confluence of vivid hues and textures. The scanners pointed towards Gliese 581g- a rocky planet within the habitable zone; a potential new 'Earth'. Arlen named it 'Terra Nova', a fitting tribute to the human race's tenacity.
As Helios descended towards Terra Nova, Arlen admired the surreal landscape through the ship's portal - a world untouched by bipedal beings' footprints. The landing was smooth, and Arlen felt a sense of exhilaration; he was about to embark on humanity's first steps on an exoplanet. Donning his protective suit, Arlen descended the ramp of the Helios and planted his foot on Terra Nova, uttering the words, 'A giant leap for one man, but a new beginning for mankind.'
The initial surveys returned promising results. Terra Nova was not just habitable; it was teeming with life. Arlen discovered that the planet's unique evolutionary trajectory had created a biome that possessed the essentials for survival but was radically different from Earth. The native plants emitted a soft, radiant glow, a gift from their symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent microbes. The fauna was equally mesmerizing with creatures that defied Earth's traditional taxonomies. Though alien, they mirrored glimmers of Earth’s bygone biodiversity.
Using the resources acquired from Helios, Arlen built a habitat for himself, a minimalist place that kept the hostile environment at bay. With the habitat serving as his sanctuary, he undertook daily explorations to gather data about the planet. Each expedition marked a path that he hoped future humans would tread.
Days turned into months, and Arlen began feeling a deep loneliness taking hold of him. He was the last human and had no one to share his discoveries, his fears, or his dreams. He sent messages towards Earth, though it was an abandoned planet, in anticipation of an unforeknowable miracle.
One day, Arlen discovered an egg-like structure during an expedition. It was enigmatic - a perfect spheroid embedded in the heart of an ancient tree. He brought it to his habitat, intending to study the artifact. Then, something unexpected happened.
The artifact responded to the warmth and light in his quarters and began to crack, revealing a creature inside. It was small and radially symmetrical like a starfish but clearly more intelligent. It exhibited a sense of consciousness that mirrored humans and seemed to communicate through color changes and movement patterns. Arlen named the creature 'Lumen'.
Over time, Lumen and Arlen developed a bond. They learned to communicate in their unique language of glows and gestures. Lumen brought solace to Arlen's solitary existence and softened his desolation. In an alien world, they became each other's family.
Years passed. Arlen aged while Lumen grew, filling the silence of Arlen's home with its luminescent presence. One day, Arlen’s health started to deteriorate, and he knew he had limited time. He spent his last days pouring his knowledge and experiences into Helios's digital libraries, leaving a gift for anyone who might discover Terra Nova.
As Arlen took his final breaths, he held Lumen close. His last words were, 'Take care, Lumen, remember us.' and then everything went dark.
The story of Arlen didn't end here. Earth's derelict satellites picked up an alien signal centuries later - a message pulsating with light. The message held knowledge about an Earth child named Arlen, a story set on a planet named Terra Nova, and the last human's friendship with a creature named Lumen.
Among the ruins of a lost civilization, hope sparked. They were not the last. Somewhere, out there in the vast emptiness of space, life persisted and humans lived on - in memories, archives, and stories.