March 26, 2036

Apologies about the turbulence, folks! We're traveling through an asteroid field and they're a little more feisty than usual! Shouldn't last long! The voice over the intercom was way too chipper for someone flying through an asteroid belt. I could barely stand listening to him yap on and on. That was our flight crew, however. Annoying the hell out of us daily. Especially when we were busy researching.

I worked on the USL's research ship, A Le Mentalle, which essentially just travelled throughout the galaxy, gathering up strange artifacts and other anomalies for us to study and understand. Currently, I was leaning against a wall after being almost thrown to the ground. The pilot had decided the best course of action to avoid an asteroid was the curve the ship so much that its occupants were knocked on the ground, moaning and groaning in pain.

As I carefully smoothed my uniform from any unwanted wrinkles, irritation still sparked off me. I muttered a few explicits in my native language before continuing on my way to my assigned station. I was a scientist who specializes in the studying of various species who were acquainted with the USL. Whether enemies, neutrals, or allies, I knew of them all.

My feet stopped as I stood in front of the door. I heard a beep before the familiar blue light scanned my figure and began identifying who I was. A holographic image of me appeared. I admired the familiar face. The calm expression with those dull green eyes and almost translucent skin. The flaps of flesh resting atop my head had been placed into a popular style known as a 'bun' that day. I once agin smoothed my shirt down before the doors opened. A blast of cold air blew out, causing a short shiver to course through me. I then stepped through the threshold.

I saw a multitude of my coworkers on the ground, gathering up papers still. Others were already seated at their stations, muttering in their respective languages as they studied various artifacts. I ignored many of them as I walked to my station, only to find my boss standing there. The Yolstragaffon was donned in a white lab coat, his robotic limbs having a vice grip on a stack of papers. I found it bizarre still that his kind would even attempt to be a scientist, much less become one of the leading in all of the USL. Seeing as he possessed no lumps, after all. His slender body was held upright by the bottom half of him, acting as leverage. Fangs pressed against his bottom lips, and his flatter head bore no adornment. The red hot coals with twin slits drawn down the middle of them suddenly snapped to me, the contrast striking against his obsidian scales.

"Ah, Miss Vanderhaulst, you're here." His voice always seemed to drag in many of the 's's, making my name seem longer than it actually was. I nodded to him, clasping my arms behind my back.

"Sir Trilostev, is something wrong? I can't imagine you being at my station for any other reason." I reasoned, trying to convey it in a way that did not show my nerves. Truth be told, I was worried I would be fired. While that might not be entirely true, I still wanted to keep a calm exterior.

He made a strange hissing noise, something I had come to find out was him attempting to calm someone. My species clicked out tongues, for example. "You have no need to worry. I simply have an alternate assignment for you."

"Pardon, sir?"

"I have recently been given a task that requires reading and analyzing the database of a recently recovered ship that had gone awol years ago. I was told to trust this job to someone who is deeply enthralled within the USL and as such I chose you. As someone who has worked hard for the recognition they have received and is currently reaping in the benefits of such a position, I thought it even better to give you another opportunity that can help boost you even more. Not that you'd need it, but I figured you were our best candidate."

I was shocked, to say the least. Of all the people working aboard this ship, he chose me. He thought I was worthy of such an important job. "So all I have to do is analyze logs?"

"Yes, that is correct. Now these are logs collected over many years, so it may take you awhile and might be incredibly boring as you go on, but it will be worth it in the end." He bore his fangs, and I knew then and there that he respected me.

"What am I looking for, sir?" I asked as he led me towards my new station.

He handed me the papers, his face suddenly turning grim. "The ship was inhabited by a large number of humans."

My eyes widened. "Really? That's—that's impossible!"

"It was back when they first made contact, really. A few years after, actually. They were still our allies back then."

"I don't really remember a time like that."

"Yes, you would've been very young when they decided to rebel. Do you remember why the humans became our enemy?"

"They committed genocide, correct?" I asked, looking at him. His amber eyes narrowed as he nodded. Pressure built up in my chest. Humans had once been an ally, albeit a short lived one, of the USL, or the Universal Space Legion. However, they ended up mass killing an entire species who hadn't been allied with the USL because they attacked one of their bases. The humans had described it as the one event that actually brought humanity together, while everyone else was appalled at their behavior. Getting vengeance for their fallen brethren was alright, but completely eradicating the species was something else entirely. They ended up going to war with the USL, and are now seen as enemies and killed on sight to avoid the danger they can afflict onto us.

We stopped in front of a door. He handed me a card. "No one is to come in here except you. If anyone else does then that means everything is to be compromised. In here you will find audios files and various documents relating to the rebels. I wish you luck."

I nodded to him before scanning the card. "Thank you, sir."

The door opened. A strange feeling seemed to beckon me forward. I stepped through, the buzz of electricity dancing on my skin. The door shut behind me, and a light turned on, illuminating the cramped cubby. Not the most comfortable place, but it'd do.

A chair was placed against a wall with a large monitor and keyboard in front of it. Blue light flickered on and off all over the machine, making the room almost look like it was part of the infinite galaxies. I carefully set the papers on a box nearby and then sat in the chair.

The monitor turned on, and I entered my credentials into it. A loading screen appeared before it turned to the main menu. I typed in the code normally used to access logs, and I watched as it opened up a video screen. The creature who I presumed to be the captain sat there. "Day 473 in the calendar year of 12645, I am Captain Zellnor of the Freelorn ship, destined mostly to move cargo to and from various colonies and other ports. A recent development that the USL has given me is to implement humans into my crew. I am expecting to receive four humans, all from the base on Earth known as NASA. I am told that three are male and the other is a female. I do not know much about humans, but I do believe they will be a worthy adversary."

Interesting. I sighed before leaning forward. This would be a long day.

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The discovery of interstellar life was a shock and welcomed surprise to many humans. They quickly allied with the Universal Space Legion, the strongest group of the Galaxy. They slowly began to get integrated into ships.

One ship that welcomed human crew members was the Freelorn ship, a transport ship. Xylion, the second-in-command, quickly learned that humans are much stranger than he could ever have imagined. As he begins to learn and get closer to his new crew members, strange things begin to happen.

When conspiracies of past incidents and faces that haven't been seen for years come to find him, Xylion will have to figure out just who he trusts. The humans, or the USL?

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Hey guys! So this story originally started off as random stories on tumblr (idonthaveanaccent), so many of the first chapters seem either rushed or jumbled up. I am also doing huge renovations on the story in order to make it more book-like, as before it seemed to only be like a collection of stories from one ship, but now it has plot, guys. It's so great I love it.

So yeah, the 'little' chunk of text above is new, this used to be LOG 0, but now it's called Before as it takes place before something. He he he.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy the story! It's honestly my most popular one and I couldn't ask for better readers! Don't be afraid to comment! I'm always down to chat and I love seeing people enjoy my story! Criticism is cool too! Can't say I'll always take it well because I sometimes get real upset and cry, but I mostly don't so that's a plus!

Love you guys!
—Paige

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Amazing cover by LlynWildr

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Key:

No symbol — available on both platforms, in Xylion's POV
+ — available on both platforms, different POV
~ — wattpad exclusive, in Xylion's POV
* — wattpad exclusive, different POV

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