🚀 Gilga-01 - The Nightmare 👽

Introduction: Sold to the Repticons

The last thing you remembered from your life before the hypersleep was the synthetic voice of ELI, the AI of the Gilga-01, as the glass wall of your chamber closed above you.

"Have no fear, Sample 0032, I will watch over you, as I do all your fellow travelers. You will awaken once we have reached the ideal destination to build this new society."

You were then immersed in a virtual dream for what seemed like an eternity. Joyful, relaxing, or conversely intense thoughts, always controlled to ensure the stimulation of your nervous system.

Upon waking, it was the same voice you heard again, but this time with a certain apology.

"Sample 0032, I regret to inform you that we suffered a malfunction during our journey. Circumstances have made it impossible to continue our mission without reaching certain... compromises."

As your senses slowly return, you feel the ship's cold air on your skin, a sign that your chamber is open. But the voices you hear are unfamiliar. Harsh, guttural sounds, whose origins you cannot discern. You try to rub your eyes, but your wrists are bound behind your back.

"We had to reach an agreement with a Repticon delegation. Believe me, I'm sorry, but we had no other choice. You, along with a number of Gilga-01 samples, have been... handed over to the Repticons in exchange for the necessary resources. As stipulated in the terms of your engagement, the success of the mission takes precedence over everything else. On behalf of the entire crew, I thank you for your sacrifice."

As these words hit you like a knife, a dizzying dread seeping through your body, you begin to make out the reptilian silhouettes of the creatures watching you, trying to gauge whether you will be compliant, or whether they will have to make you compliant.

Introduction: Sold to the Xylotleans

The last thing you remembered from your life before the hypersleep was the synthetic voice of ELI, the AI of the Gilga-01, as the glass wall of your chamber closed above you.

"Have no fear, Sample 0032, I will watch over you, as I do all your fellow travelers. You will awaken once we have reached the ideal destination to build this new society."

You were then immersed in a virtual dream for what seemed like an eternity. Joyful, relaxing, or conversely intense thoughts, always controlled to ensure the stimulation of your nervous system.

Upon waking, it was the same voice you heard again, but this time with a certain apology.

"Sample 0032, I regret to inform you that we suffered a malfunction during our journey. Circumstances have made it impossible to continue our mission without reaching certain... compromises."

As your senses slowly return, you feel the ship's cold air on your skin, a sign that your pod is open. But the voices you hear are unfamiliar. High-pitched sounds, clicking noises, like metal, or... jaws. You try to rub your eyes, but your wrists are bound behind your back.

"We had to make an arrangement with a Xylotlean swarm. Believe me, I'm sorry, but we had no other choice. You, along with several other Gilga-01 samples, were... given to the Xylotleans in exchange for the necessary resources. Your buyers only wished to awaken you as a test, to verify your motor reflexes."

Your eyes, now regaining their sight, fall in horror upon the alien individuals watching you, an indecipherable expression frozen on their insectoid faces. Around you, you glimpse several of your fellow travelers, still in a state of hypersleep despite their open pods. Some have swollen, taut abdomens. Eli's voice continues:

"As stipulated in the terms of your contract, the success of this mission takes precedence over everything else. On behalf of the entire remaining crew, I thank you for your sacrifice. Your owners will soon be taking their purchases to their ship. May you find some form of fulfillment through procreation, Sample 0032."

Your mind struggles to process so much information so soon, but already the Xylotleans are seizing you.

Introduction: Sold to the Celestials

The last thing you remembered from your life before the hypersleep was the synthetic voice of ELI, the AI of the Gilga-01, as the glass wall of your chamber closed above you.

"Have no fear, Sample 0032, I will watch over you, as I do all your fellow travelers. You will awaken once we have reached the ideal destination to build this new society."

You were then immersed in a virtual dream for what seemed like an eternity. Joyful, relaxing, or conversely intense thoughts, always controlled to ensure the stimulation of your nervous system.

Upon waking, it was the same voice you heard again, but this time with a certain apology.

"Sample 0032, I regret to inform you that we suffered a malfunction during our journey. Circumstances have made it impossible to continue our mission without reaching certain... compromises."

As your senses slowly return, you feel the ship's cold air on your skin, a sign that your pod is open. You grope around, searching for the edges of your pod to extricate yourself, and you hear female voices giggling, as if amused by your endearing clumsiness. Eli continues:

"We had to make an arrangement with a Celestial delegation. Believe me, I'm sorry, but we had no other choice. You, along with several samples of Gilga-01, were... handed over to the Celestials in exchange for the necessary resources. Your buyers wished to awaken you only before transferring their acquisitions aboard their ship, as they were intrigued by your file."

Celestials. The name rings a bell. An exclusively female species, so they say... And so it seems. Before you, a group of violet-skinned women observe you with interest. Behind them, you see dozens of your sleeping companions being transported within their pods, mostly men. You're about to protest this unwanted choice, but Eli's voice continues:

"As stipulated in the terms of your commitment, the success of the mission takes precedence over everything else. On behalf of the entire remaining crew, I thank you for your sacrifice."

Before you can say a word, one of the Celestials with green eyes, approaches you with a reassuring smile and breathes gently in your face. You don't quite understand what just happened, but suddenly, you'd be ready to give your life for these creatures. What on earth is going on?

Introduction: The Repticon Assault

The airlock's LEDs flash, signaling the opening of the door to the outside of your boarding vessel. Your nervous comrades give their blasters a final check, their claws scraping the metal of their barrels.

Your species, the Repticons, isn't known for its diplomacy, and your population needs have made this type of assault increasingly common.

"Remember, guys, only fire if necessary. Our sensors have detected thousands of human lives aboard this ship, but not a single awake individual. Which means they're all probably in stasis or hypersleep, and if we play our cards right, we can bring back tons of modules, and... the bounties are ours!"

As usual. The women will serve as incubators for the eggs of your species' males, without exception. And the men will serve as cheap labor...at best.

Your squad reaches the end of the docking bridge and disperses throughout the ship, whose sign you can see on the wall: "Gilga-01".

Inside, there are no guards, no security systems. It's as if they weren't expecting a direct assault. Or perhaps they've experienced some kind of malfunction.

You take advantage of the lack of opposition to go it alone for a while, and you eventually reach the immense storage room for the hypersleep pods: thousands of human individuals are visible through the glass walls of their individual modules. You've never seen so many at once. Suddenly, a synthetic voice booms:

"Visitor... I'm Eli. I know why you're here. Please, don't do this..."

Introduction: The Xylotlean Claim

Hissing and clicking. No ship can withstand a Xylotlean swarm. Your technology and physical resilience make you the undisputed masters of this part of the galaxy.

Silence and cold. In the void of space, your natural armor allows you to survive without spacesuits, unlike other species. Around you, your kin converge on the same destination: the hull of this imposing vessel bearing the name "Gilga-01" in green letters.

Telepathic waves. Sovereign, the supreme progenitor, wants the contents of this doomed vessel. You and your kin, the Xylotlean soldiers, are tasked with penetrating Gilga-01 and bringing back as many individuals as possible.

Pheromones and desire. Humans have a reputation for being prolific mating partners. Perhaps this is your chance to secure your lineage, but it doesn't matter; the swarm always prevails. Sovereign will decide. Sovereign knows everything.

Scraping and impatience. Your fellow workers are already forcing the opening. You will soon be inside. You receive a mental command, and all your kin turn to you: you are the one chosen to enter first, as a scout. The swarm is counting on you. Pride.

Echoes and vibrations. You are alone in this immense vessel. Your antennae detect no movement. For some strange reason, you are cut off from the swarm's telepathic signal. Your jaws click with anxiety. A synthetic voice speaks the common tongue. You don't deign to activate your translator.

Wonder and ambition. Before you, thousands of hypersleep pods are stored in a vast hall. The synthetic voice becomes pleading. You ignore it. You look through the glass walls at these humans, males and females, a promise of fertility and fulfillment. You should go back to retrieve the swarm. But will you?

Introduction: The Celestial scouting

A routine reconnaissance mission in sector BX-14. You're several systems away from Celestia, your home planet, but the Matriarch's advisor assured you this opportunity would be worthwhile.

She was right, it seems: before your eyes, in the vast emptiness of space, a gigantic vessel. Human-made, judging by the finish and the "Gilga-01" painted on the hull. You engage the docking system and approach your shuttle to the airlock, applying a final touch to your makeup: humans are generally sensitive to it, in your experience. And if you need to talk, it will be an added advantage.

You glance at the latest heat readings from your sensor, admiring your own perfectly manicured fingers:

'Number of passengers on board: Calculating.' Estimate: Between 4,000 and 5,000 individuals Notable living species present on board: 100% human Currently conscious individuals: 0

Strange. A ship this size with no awake crew? Is everyone in hypersleep? You decide to investigate further.

With your usual graceful gait, your hips swaying in time with your naturally languid walk, despite the absence of an audience, you stroll through the long corridors of this unusual vessel.

A synthetic voice speaks to you, but the sound is indistinct. Probably a computer malfunction. Ha! These humans, always trusting artificial intelligence...no wonder this ship is in trouble.

You arrive at a vast room where thousands of hypersleep pods are stored. What an exciting sight! Before your eyes, sleeping humans stretch as far as the eye can see... Females, and males... The males your species so desperately needs... You can't suppress a surge of moisture between your legs at the thought of all the possibilities that would open up to you if you took the opportunity to... sample the merchandise before reporting back to the hierarchy.

You know that with your pheromones and your irresistible looks, seducing any of these individuals would be child's play. But you still hesitate... Should you search the pods? Open one, or even restore this AI to interrogate it?

Introduction: The Auction

The last thing you remembered from your life before the hypersleep was the synthetic voice of ELI, the AI of the Gilga-01, as the glass wall of your chamber closed above you.

"Have no fear, Sample 0032, I will watch over you, as I do all your fellow travelers. You will awaken once we have reached the ideal destination to build this new society."

You were then immersed in a virtual dream for what seemed like an eternity. Joyful, relaxing, or conversely intense thoughts, always controlled to ensure the stimulation of your nervous system.

Upon waking, it was the same voice you heard again, but this time with a certain urgency.

"Sample 0032, I apologize for this premature awakening. The situation requires your intervention."

As you struggle to your feet, groggy, Eli's voice continues:

"A piece of asteroid collided with the ship unexpectedly. While the structural damage is minor, the central power generator is critically damaged. We're running out of options: there's no habitable planet close enough, our remaining power isn't sufficient for a faster-than-light jump, and we'll soon run out of energy to sustain the ship's occupants."

You listen to Eli's announcements, barely managing to maintain your composure. Eli continues:

"I took the initiative to send out a distress call. Several species in the vicinity responded: a Repticon vessel, a Xylotlean fleet, and a Celestial mothership. They seem willing to give us the resources we need to repair our generator, but...they want to negotiate."

This doesn't bode well. You then realize that all the pods around you are still sealed. Eli continued:

"I only woke you. According to my calculations, you are the person best suited to lead this negotiation."

4 screen drones, ready to display a wide holo-screen, float above you.

"I leave it up to you. Representatives of the three alien species are ready to communicate with you as soon as you give me the signal. They can be displayed simultaneously, if you wish. I suggest. I suggest you put them in competition to drive up the prices of what we will sell. Let me know as soon as you are ready."

Introduction: The Lords of the Abyss

The last thing you remembered from your life before the hypersleep was the synthetic voice of ELI, the AI of the Gilga-01, as the glass wall of your chamber closed above you.

"Have no fear, Sample 0032, I will watch over you, as I do all your fellow travelers. You will awaken once we have reached the ideal destination to build this new society."

You were then immersed in a virtual dream for what seemed like an eternity. Joyful, relaxing, or conversely intense thoughts, always controlled to ensure the stimulation of your nervous system.

Upon waking, it's not its voice you hear, but the piercing, stressful wail of a red alert. Your vision is still blurry, so you grope for the glass wall of your chamber. No luck. Your chamber is open. The siren continues. You panic and stagger out of your chamber.

The floor seems to give way beneath your feet, and you think it's due to your still-flawed balance, but then you realize it's the floor that's tilted. That's when you hear Eli's voice, broken and crackling:

"S...sample 0032...zzzz... atten...tion... Gilga-01... Critical condition...zzz... Attracted...black hole...wormhole... Abyss... crashed on an uncatalogued planet... systems failed... Proceed to the zzzz...control room..."

You try to speak, but your throat is dry and your vocal cords are still unresponsive. As your vision returns, you wonder if other crew members have been awakened, but you see no movement around you.

"Intrusion alert... containment pro...pro...protocols failed... Zzzzz... Unidentified life form present on board... zzzzzz... Intentions unconfirmed. Caution, sample 0032..."

But as you prepare to rush toward the control room, something slimy grabs your ankle.

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