It's cold here.

The thought was simple, as a young woman curled up in her cockpit. How long had it been since she could use what was left of her fuel to keep warm. Shivering in her seat, her eyes scanned the vastness stretching out in front of her ship.

No enemies, not even friendlies, how far from New Eden am I? Will I even survive to warn about the collapse?

Nobody had known what the woman had talked about when she first made contact, they said they knew nothing of a gate or New Eden. Her right arm's cold metal plating pressed against her jet black suit.

I hope somebody finds me. It could be too late already for me.

-

Flashing lights awoke the young drifter, her eyes popping open as she sat up and struggled with the volume knobs on her comms. There were bright lights coming off the station she was lurching towards. Quickly, and clumsily, she brought her ship to a halt. She breathed heavily, knowing the trouble she could have just found herself in. "Wow, how close."

A frantic woman's voice was screaming over the comms, "What the hell are you doing? Do you know how close you are to hitting this station and killing innocents in the impact area?"

Scrambling to respond, she could only make out a few word, "Oh thank the stars.. The EVE gate... I.." Her body collapsed to the ground as her vision began to black out. Before her eyes closed she saw a ship approaching, the same woman yelling to bring the collapsed pilot in to the sick bay.

-

It's.. warm.

The young woman slowly opened her eyes, squinting due to bright white light. Attempting to sit up, she was mumbling, "Where am I?" A kind looking woman gently pushed her back down.

"You're safe now, just extremely malnourished. Do you know how long you've been in that ship, you had nearly no fuel left!" She smiled, placing a hand on the other pilot's hand. "I'm Karuiko, and welcome to Suzuki Terminal, home of the Tengu Expeditionary Force."

The young woman looked around. There were tubes hooked up to her and monitors everywhere. She had to let them know. "The gate, it collapsed and New Eden is ruined. Please tell me you know of the gate. Everyone says I'm crazy, as if the collapse erased the very memory.." A cough, rough and painful, drew her sentence to a halt.

"Please relax, you're in no condition to get excited like that. Once you're healed up we can talk about this gate then," Karuiko rubbed the unknown pilot's hand. "Do you remember your name at all?"

The girl's face scrunched up as she tried hard to remember. "I don't remember my birth name, I'm sorry. But, my ship referred to me as FloofFlan."

This warmth is so nice.

A different woman stood at the doorway, a commanding aura around her. "I am Commander Krittercon, you gave us quite the scare back there. I have a few questions for you, once you're in good health of course."


Is this where it all starts anew? Does it start with warmth? I hope so.