Nicholas was drowned in a sea of silence. Solitude enveloped him like a cold and heavy cloak, imprisoning him in that metallic cubicle. The counting of time had lost meaning. Hours? Days? It seemed like an eternity since he had been dragged to that dark cell. Suddenly, the door opened with a pneumatic sound, and Sanches emerged as a ray of light in the darkness.

"Dude, it seems like I slept for years! I woke up with two guards dragging me here. What is this place?"

"Spy through the hatch," Nicholas said, his voice hoarse for lack of use.

Sanches approached the circular window and widened his eyes. "We're under the sea! Is this real, Nick? How crazy is this?"

"Looks like they are preparing the ship to go to Planet Life," Nicholas said, observing the frantic movement outside.

Bioluminescent creatures danced in the midst of alien corals, creating a show of lights that hypnotized and scared at the same time.

"We got into a hot water of the galaxies, bro!" Sanches exclaimed, running a nervous hand through his hair. "What now? What do we do?"

Determination shone bright in the eyes of Nicholas. "I'm coming up with a plan for us to escape. We'll not become the laboratory rats of these guys!"

Sanches stared at him, surprised.

"Hey! Where's that shy Nick I knew? Sounds good, man!"

"I hope it works," he murmured, his voice laden. "I'm missing my mother and Sophia..."

"And what about Zara? Don't you care about her?"

A twinge of pain crossed the chest of Nicholas.

"I don't know, Sanches... She betrayed me. I'm still trying to understand what I feel."

The image of Zara, with her eyes the color of topaz and enigmatic smile, invaded his mind, bringing an avalanche of emotions: anger, confusion, longing... But above all, a deep sadness.

Suddenly, the ship shuddered, gaining life. The engines roared like indomitable beasts, and the hatch became a blur of colors as the ship rose toward the surface. The ocean turned into a whirlwind of foam and light, and for a short moment the blue sky opened before being swallowed by the black immensity of space.

"My God! We left Earth behind!" Sanches shouted. "We are lost!"

Fear froze the blood of Sanches, but Nicholas, despite the apprehension, felt a strange excitement. The adventure he had always dreamed of was coming true, unexpectedly and frighteningly.

They crossed the cosmos like surfers in a sea of stars. Gigantic planets paraded before their eyes, each with its colors, shapes and mysteries.

Jupiter, a gas and stormy titan, filled the vision of Nicholas, its colossal power threatening to crush the ship like an insect. They saw Callisto, the icy moon, with its surface studded with craters and scars from ancestral impacts. And then, the portal showed up before them, a blue-lavished vortex that pulsed like a cosmic heart, inviting them to a journey beyond imagination.

Star Hunter dived into the wormhole, and the warp speed distorted the reality around it. Nicholas and Sanches were trapped in a tunnel of light and colors, a cosmic kaleidoscope that dragged them into the unknown. They felt the pressure in the ears, the stomach rolling, the mind on the edge of an explosion.

And then they emerged in Andromeda, the colossal galaxy, a kingdom of stellar dust and incandescent nebulae, twice as bigger as the Milky Way. There, in the midst of that sea of stars, was the planet Life, the place that humanity had chosen as its new home.

Nicholas contemplated everything with a mixture of fascination and fear. The blue and green planet looked like a mirror of Earth, with vast oceans, cut continents and flowing clouds. The ship penetrated the atmosphere, and in seconds a fantastic world unveiled before his eyes. Exuberant forests, thunderous waterfalls, majestic mountains... A paradise waiting to be explored.

"They have always said that there were planets similar to Earth, but this one is exactly like it!" He thought, amazed. "Even the water is abundant... Look at those forests, waterfalls, birds... And the flowers! What amazing colors!"

But the beauty of Life could not completely erase the anxiety that gnawed at his heart. He was there for a dangerous mission, and the fate of Princess Isadora — and perhaps humanity itself — was in his hands.

Star Hunter flew over the planet, preparing to land in the capital, Perfectio. The city rose on the horizon like a monument to technology and progress.

Glass and steel skyscrapers cut the sky, reflecting the sunlight like thousands of mirrors. Suspended cities, true floating fortresses, dotted the firmament. Suspended roads cut the air, where slid magnetic trains and flying cars. Nicholas had never seen anything like that.

"What a fantastic city!" He thought.

Suddenly, two silver drones emerged in front of the window, their electronic eyes fixed on Nick. He was startled. They were identical to those that had spied on him on Earth. What would they be doing there?

The door opened and Merko entered, bringing an air of authority and mystery. The energy bars that blocked the exit disappeared as if by magic.

"Welcome to Planet Life!" Merko said, with a smile that didn't reach the eyes. "I will take care of your safety myself. Don't be afraid."

Nicholas and Sanches exchanged a look of distrust. Merko's words sounded false, as if hiding something.

"Let's turn you into one of us," Merko continued, "so you can move freely without arousing suspicions."

Merko handed over the bracelet back to Nicholas and placed another on Sanches' wrist.

"Did your mother tell you about the bracelet?" Merko asked, with a tip of curiosity in his voice. "I would like you to allow me to collect a sample of your DNA when the time of the surgery comes. Perhaps this can reveal the mystery about the origin of this bracelet."

"I don't understand why everyone gives so much importance to this bracelet," he grunted. "But at the same time, I always wanted to know who my father is. And I will be anesthetized indeed..."

"I want to know too!" Sanches interrupted, eager to participate in the conversation.

Merko gave a reproachful look at Sanches, who retracted in the chair.

Nicholas decided to take the reins of the situation. "I'll help the princess, but I want to go back to Earth. Do we have an agreement?"

"I promise you will go home," Merko reaffirmed with a forced smile.

"Sivoc told me that Mirov is planning a coup d'état," Nicholas fired, his eyes fixed on Merko. "Is it truth?"

Sanches almost choked on his own saliva. "Dude, are you crazy? What boldness is this?"

"I would never betray the king," Merko answered, his voice cold as ice. "I received a message from a data package from Sivoc. I'll analyze it."

"You should," Nick insisted. "Sometimes the truth is right under our noses, and we don't even realize it."

Merko exited the room, leaving a trail of tension in the air. Hours later, he returned with a dark face.

"We need to talk," Merko said, his voice severe. "I saw Sivoc's message. I will keep an eye on the Counselor Mirov."

"I have a plan," Nicholas revealed, a shine of cunning in his eyes.

After hearing the plan, Merko said:

"You're surprising me, boy," he admitted, impressed by the intelligence and courage of Nicholas.

"I'm surprised too," Sanches confessed, his mouth still gaping with his friend's transformation.

Suddenly, Merko was called to the command bridge and left.

"Dude, look at where we are. On another planet... We need to fulfill this mission and go home. There is no other alternative. My family needs me and yours also needs you."

"You are right, friend..." Sanches said.

And so, Nicholas, the shy boy from the Earth, found himself at the center of an intergalactic conspiracy, struggling to save a princess, unravel betrayals and find his way back home.

***

Meanwhile, at Science, Wolfie, the robot dog, awakened from its cryogenic sleep. Its bright eyes swept the frozen lab, looking for Drako. Not finding him, it activated its holographic radar, which projected from its muzzle like a ray of light.

The signal took it to the cryogenic chambers, where the ship's crew was immersed in a deep sleep. Wolfie approached Drako's chamber, let out a howl and pressed the opening button with its metal paw.

Drako began to defrost, his body slowly returning to life. Coughing and trembling with cold, he stood up in a jump.

"Wolfie! You saved me! The plan worked", Drako exclaimed, hugging the robot dog. "Let's wake up the others!"

Zara emerged from cryogeny with a relieved smile. She checked her vital signs and those of the baby she carried in his womb. They were fine!

Criogenia had not affected her body or the development of her daughter. Drako and Wolfie released the rest of the crew, and soon the spaceship was full of life again. Zara and the ship's doctors examined each crew member, making sure everyone was in perfect condition. It was time to draw a plan to rescue Nicholas.

"Drako, go to engineering room and activate the ship's systems," Sivoc ordered in a tense voice. "The portal is open, and we need to leave immediately."

"Thanks to you and Wolfie, we'll arrive in time to help Nicholas and the princess," Zara said, her eyes shining with hope. "Tibor, come with me to the ward," Zara said, touching the lifean cyborg's arm.

"Doctor, don't be alarmed what you'll see," Tibor said, hesitantly. "I... I have some bionic parts."

"Relax, Tibor," Zara reassured, with a kind smile. "I already took care of all types of patients. Your appearance does not change who you are."

Tibor smiled, grateful for the understanding of Zara.

The ship Science left toward the Planet Life, cutting the space at warp speed. As they approached the planet, Sivoc contacted counselor Kenan.

"Sir, we arrived at our planet." Sivoc announced.

"Excellent!" Kenan answered, relieved. "I need your help. Mirov is plotting something."

In the royal palace, the king Zador roamed the corridors with a heavy heart.

The health of his daughter, Princess Isadora, deteriorated every day, and the hope of saving her was gone like sand between the king's fingers. Suddenly, a messenger burst through the door, cutting the silence with the urgency of a comet.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" The messenger announced, his voice panting, his face bathed in sweat.

The king turned, his heart hammering in his chest. "What happened, man? Speak at once!"

"The ship... With the Earth boy... Arrived!" The messenger said, bowing in reverence.

The news spread across the palace like gunpowder, lighting a flame of hope in the tired hearts. In the corridors, servants whispered enthusiastically, and the guards resumed their positions with renewed vigor. The atmosphere itself seemed to vibrate with the expectation of a new dawn.

Isadora, oblivious to the excitement, slept peacefully in her room. The king approached his daughter's bed, contemplating her with a mixture of pain and tenderness. Her pink lips curved in a slight smile, and her breath was soft like the murmur of a fountain. "My little Isadora," the king thought, "you will be saved."

With firm steps, he went to his room and called Kenan, his trustworthy counselor.

"Kenan, I need a complete report on the situation," the king ordered, the voice full of an expectation he hadn't felt for a long time. "I want to know everything about the boy. Is he okay? When can we start preparations for surgery?"

"Your majesty, I will bring all the answers soon," Kenan promised, bowing in respect.

Kenan left the king immersed in his thoughts and went to Mirov, the counselor whose loyalty caused him growing distrust.

"Mirov, I heard Merko and his team returned with Nicholas," Kenan said, carefully watching the other man's reaction.

"Yes, Kenan," Mirov confirmed, with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Everything went as planned. The boy is in perfect condition for surgery."

"I don't agree with the way they took the boy from Sivoc," Kenan scolded, his voice firm. "They could have joined forces with the scientific team. This demonstration of strength was unnecessary and risked the success of the mission."

"Merko has his methods, Kenan," Mirov justified, shrugging. "But he always fulfills his orders."

"What matters now is saving the princess," Kenan agreed. "We have no time for discussions. We should start the preparations immediately."

Kenan said goodbye to Mirov, but his heart was heavy. He knew that Zara, the lifean scientist, carried in her womb the genetic information of the boy, and feared that Mirov was plotting something against Nicholas.

Meanwhile, the king remained in his quarters, anxiety stealing his sleep. The possibility of saving his beloved Isadora kept him awake, his agitated thoughts like a swarm of bees. Kenan entered the room, bringing with him the good news and a glimpse of hope to the tormented monarch.

The night was long, but for the first time in a long time, the king felt the weight of the crown becoming a little lighter.

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