Sivoc knew that their permanence there was ephemeral. Danger looked at them like a shadow, whispering threats in every corner of the ship. It was imperative to find a refuge, a sanctuary far from the reach of the hungry eyes of terrestrial governments, blinded by the ambition to unravel the technological secrets that the crew had. While Sivoc, Drako, and Tibor were making strategies to protect themselves, Nicholas, and Zara met in an accomplice silence, away from the whirlwind of information that they did not need to decipher.

"Nick, how about seeing the ward?" Zara broke the silence with a soft smile. "I would like to examine you since you mentioned feeling a little dizzy. As the mission's doctor, it is my duty to take care of your well-being."

"Of course, guide me through this maze." Nicholas answered, still amazed at the vastness of the ship.

They entered a door that opened like a portal to another world. A corridor stretched before them, bathed in a white light emanating from the ground and ceiling, as a heavenly path. The walls, made of a vitreous material, sparkled in shades of blue, revealing the vastness of the cosmos. With each step, Nicholas felt more immersed in that unknown universe, while Zara guided him through the labyrinthine galleries. Finally, they arrived at the medical center. The immaculately white room was home to ten beds arranged in row. Two human-looking nurses withdrew discreetly with a look from Zara. The doctor led him to a reserved place, seeking a moment of intimacy.

"So, Doctor Zara, ready for the exam?" He joked, trying to disguise the tension. "It's strange to think that you, who was before a student at my college, is now the doctor responsible for a spacecraft. Things are not always what they seem, are they?"

"Nick, I know you're fine." Zara answered, looking away for a moment. "But I understand your vertigo. I would also feel that way in your situation. It's a lot of information to process at once. After all, you on Earth are still crawling toward the truth about life on other planets. But what I really mean to talk about is us..."

Nicholas stared at her anxiously, seeking to decipher her words.

"What I felt for you was real, Nick. Every moment, every touch... I would do it all over again to relive every second by your side. I never lived something so intense before." Zara confessed; her voice loaded with emotion. "Because of my dedication to career and missions I never allowed myself to have a real relationship with anyone. Thank you for allowing me to know love, a feeling that many spend their lives seeking without ever finding."

"I don't know what to believe..." Nicholas murmured, still lost in doubt.

He wondered if Zara's words were sincere, whether her human form was real or just an illusion. Was that all a Matrix like many humans believe they live within? Was Zara herself a sophisticated three-dimensional program? However, amid confusion, his eyes were lost in the beauty of the doctor.

Her lips moved in slow motion, her red hair danced over her forehead, and her posture emanated a confidence that fascinated him.

Zara was the personification of the woman he always dreamed of finding: intelligent, independent, determined and owner of an irresistible sensuality.

With each word, Nicholas was more involved in Zara's charm. Her jasmine perfume made him drunk, arousing memories of the meetings in the hut. Unable to resist, he approached and kissed her, killing the longing that consumed him. He drank more from the passion that was capable of intoxicating him with a single swallow.

"Nick, my love, trust me." Zara whispered between the kisses. "I will take care of you. There is a lot to explain, but everything will be revealed at the right time."

"Zara, you are the best gift life gave me." Nicholas answered, surrendering to the moment. "I still don't know who you really are, but my instincts guide me and I trust them."

Reconciled, they returned to the command bridge, where the others were waiting. The couple's complicit smiles revealed the intimacy they now shared.

The crew had reached consensus on how to protect Nicholas. Now, all they had to do was satiate the young man's thirst for knowledge. Zara knew Sivoc's desire to reveal to him the transformations that humanity had undergone over time, the evolution of the species and the mysteries behind the name of the planet and the change to Andromeda.

"Nick, I'm glad you agreed to help us." Sivoc started the conversation. "I would like to share with you the history of human evolution. Are you interested?"

Leaving the shyness aside, the eyes of the young man shone with the promise of unraveling new knowledge.

"Absolutely!" He replied, enthusiastic. "But I imagine that the human being hasn't changed much, since you look so much like us."

Sivoc smiled at his ingenuity. It was understandable that he thought like this; after all, Nicholas had not seen the true form of the crew.

"You are wrong, my young man. But let's start from the beginning." Sivoc began to narrate the history of humanity. "Before I start, I need to explain that the name of the planet we colonize in the future represents what is most precious: life. The Earth, as you know it, was devastated by environmental destruction, pandemics and wars for scarce resources. We did not want to carry the weight of this painful memory, which destroyed billions of lives. That planet you saw in the hologram is the planet Life, in Andromeda, our new home."

The pieces of the puzzle began to fit into Nicholas' mind. Would he also discover about his past and the mystery of his father's disappearance?

"Returning to human evolution..." Sivoc continued:

"We know the biological mechanism of the species on your planet, so we don't have to do experiments. It is a total naivety what is told in the stories about aliens. They say they are beings who do experiences with humans. In real life, extraterrestrials are more teachers than students. Our missions aim to collect genes to recover extinct species through cloning."

Everyone smiled.

"The spaceship Science has a vast database with most terrestrial genomes as well as the records of our planet. Now, about how we evolved from modern homo sapiens... the human brain has a surprising storage capacity. With the advancement of technology and the accumulation of knowledge, brain development accelerated."

Nicholas felt transported to a fantastic world, every word of Sivoc further aroused his curiosity.

"Inventions and technologies have grown exponentially over the centuries, boosting the development of the human mind. The human brain grew, as well as the skull, in greater proportion to the face. Changes in eating patterns, with increasingly processed foods, caused mutations in jaws."

Nicholas tried to imagine what the human being of the future would be like, Sivoc's words echoing in his mind. "Big heads with small chins?", he thought. Sivoc, with his telepathic abilities, realized the young man's restlessness. Zara then decided to intervene telepathically:

"Your conclusion is correct, Nick. We are the future of the human race."

Nicholas looked away at Zara, surprised.

"Zara, are you reading my mind?", he asked marvelously. "This is amazing!"

"Telepathy is common on my planet, Nick." Zara answered, with a smile. "But we use it with caution and respect. We all know how to block the reading of thoughts when necessary."

"God, it's extraordinary!" The boy exclaimed, barely containing his emotions.

Zara then continued telepathically revealing to Nicholas the story of the destruction of the earthly ecosystem:

"The sun, around which the Earth rotates, will still shine for billions of years. But the survival of the planet depends on the awareness of humanity about the importance of renewing ecosystems. Soon, solar and nuclear energies will satisfy human needs. However, the ineffective domain of technologies with misuse by the heterogeneous peoples of the Earth, geopolitical, cultural and religious conflicts will intensify the destruction of the environment, dramatically changing the climate. The overpopulation will cause wars for basic resources, making the planet inhospitable."

"Continue, please." The boy was perplexed.

"The search for new homes in moons and exoplanets, the need to filtrate oxygen and radiation protection will lead to mutations. The nose, the ears, the fingers will adapt to space life, the eyes will become larger and more spaced to see further."

Nicholas tried to visualize the future of humanity, feeling a mixture of fascination and apprehension. Zara continued:

"With telepathic communication, spoken language will become obsolete, leading to changes in the structure of the mouth and throat. The need for rapid and efficient communication in different environments, along with the use of applications, will shape the evolution of language. Our vocal strings will adapt to emit more sharp and penetrating sounds, capable of propagating in different atmospheres. The tongue will become more agile and accurate, allowing the articulation of complex sounds."

With each revelation, Nicholas felt more immersed in that unknown future. Zara concluded:

"This is the true face of humanity, Nick. We are the result of thousands of years of adaptation and evolution. Our body has molded itself to the needs of a new world, of new homes. This is the story we need to share with you humans so that the Earth can learn from past mistakes and walk a more sustainable path."

The young man, in shock, finally understood the magnitude of the transformations that humanity had undergone. Zara, with a subtle gesture, activated a hologram that revealed the true form of human beings of the future. He found himself in front of the image that he feared: the figure of the "aliens," beings who once inhabited his nightmares, now revealed themselves as the fate of his own species. His eyes widened in disbelief, fear and curiosity fighting for space in his heart. Nicholas, captivated by Zara's radiant beauty, questioned:

"How can you be so beautiful for human standards if you aliens are so different from us due to evolution?"

With an enigmatic smile, Zara replied:

"One of the technologies integrated with our bracelets allows us to transmute our appearance into human form."

The astonishment paralyzed Nicholas. His eyes, like magnets, settled in the bracelets that adorned the wrists of the crew.

He raised his own arm, investigating it carefully, his mind flooded with a whirlwind of questions. "What other mysteries hide behind these bracelets? Where did my father get one of these?" He whispered to himself, the voice loaded with admiration and apprehension.

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