Amongst the Stars of Cygnus [Hard Sci-fi Survival]

The atmosphere in the headquarters' central hall was thick with the silent, suffocating weight of a coup in progress. Commander Elisa Woodward sat isolated under the watchful eyes of armed CorpSec guards, a prisoner in her own command center. Across the room, Colonel Maximilian Barinov and his newly reinstated cohort of officers had assembled a tribunal, their aim clear: to dismantle her authority and seize control of her colony. They had invoked obscure Company statutes, cited manufactured concerns over her leadership, and stacked the deck with loyalists revived for this very purpose. The vote of no confidence was a mere formality, the outcome a foregone conclusion.

One by one, the officers were called into a private chamber to cast their vote, the process cold, efficient, and designed to project an unassailable legitimacy. The tension mounted with every passing minute, a slow-tightening knot in the chests of Elisa's few remaining allies.

"Reverend Sekhon," ARI's voice announced.

Ervin stood and walked to the voting chamber. When he returned, his face was a mask of grim finality. He gave a subtle, almost imperceptible shake of his head to the others. The count was holding against them.

Finally, after the last officer had voted, the side door sealed for the final time. All eyes turned to the central stage. Maximilian stood tall, a faint, confident smirk already forming on his lips, the very picture of a man reclaiming his rightful place.

"ARI," he prompted, his voice ringing with anticipated victory. "Announce the result of the vote."

The moment stretched, a silent eternity where the fate of the colony hung suspended.

Then, ARI spoke.

"The vote of no confidence in Commander Elisa Woodward has been tallied. The result is as follows: Six votes of confidence. Nine votes of no confidence."

A collective intake of breath swept the room. Not triumph, but shock.

"The motion," ARI continued, its tone as level as ever, "requires a two-thirds majority of the fifteen active officers to pass. Ten votes were required. The motion has failed. Commander Elisa Woodward remains in command. As per Colonial Governance Statutes, no further challenge to her command may be initiated for a period of 200 standard cycles."

Maximilian's smirk vanished, replaced by a flash of stunned disbelief. His mind raced, re-calculating, searching for the error. Nine? Not ten? He stared at his assembled officers, fury and confusion warring within him. He had been so certain. Valeriya. That unprofessional, unreliable woman had betrayed him. But that was only one vote. Who else?

Before the shock could fully register, the main hall doors opened. ARI's combat drones glided silently into the room, their optical sensors glowing a neutral blue, taking up positions along the walls. Elisa, momentarily frozen in her own shock, suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline. The CorpSec guards, bewildered by the turn of events, made no move to stop her as she sprang to her feet.

The colonists, held back until now, saw the open doors and the strange, tense tableau inside and began to surge forward. The CorpSec guards at the entrance hesitated, their orders now unclear, and the hall quickly began to fill.

Helena Petrova was at the front of the crowd, pushing her way through to Elisa's side. "Commander! What happened? We were told there was a lockdown."

Elisa, still reeling, stammered, "I… I just survived a vote of no confidence. From Maximilian and the officers."

Helena's eyes widened, her mind connecting the dots with lightning speed. She saw the stunned officers, the armed but uncertain guards, the confused colonists. This was a moment of fractured authority, and it had to be seized.

She grabbed Elisa's arm, her voice a fierce whisper. "Up. To the stage. Now!"

Propelled by Helena's urgency, Elisa found herself moving toward the platform. The crowd parted, their murmurs growing. Helena didn't let go until they were standing in the middle of the room, the attention of every person fixed upon them.

"Listen to me, all of you!" Helena's voice rang out, clear and powerful. "While you were working, while you were building, a plot was being played in the quiet rooms of this headquarters! A plan to bring back the same old corpocratic bullshit that we all hoped to escape!"

A roar of anger and agreement rose from the colonists.

"We are not assets on a balance sheet!" Helena declared, her voice rising with passion. "We are people! We are the ones who dig the ore, who run the labs, who face the monsters out in the dust! This is our home, built with our sweat and our blood!"

Pom, who had pushed his way to the front, raised a fist. "She's right! To hell with them!" The sentiment rippled through the crowd, a wave of solidarity from the engineers, the technicians, the medical staff, the workers.

Elisa, seeing her chance, felt her own strength return. She stepped forward, her voice no longer stammering, but firm and clear.

"Commander Altan, Directors, Doctors, Officers," she said, her gaze moving deliberately over each of the stunned officers. "I welcome you to the colony council. Your experience is valuable, and your commitment to this colony is, I am sure, as strong as anyone's." She let a small, sharp smile touch her lips. "I am so grateful that Director Ganbold and Doctor Vang have taken the exemplary step of offering their direct, practical assistance to our ongoing operations. It sets a powerful precedent."

She turned her gaze to the assembled colonists. "This is a colony that works for everyone, and where everyone works. We are all in this together." She looked back at Dmitri Ganbold, her smile widening slightly. "Director, I've had some thoughts about your generous offer to help out in practical endeavours. I think there will be a place for everyone to contribute. We're all going to be working very closely together from now on."

The words were a perfect echo of his own earlier, condescending reassurance, now turned back on him with a razor-sharp edge. Dmitri's expression faltered, but seeing a way to save face and deflect the crowd's rising anger, he managed to muster a broad, if strained, smile. The other officers, seeing their gambit shattered and now facing public scrutiny, exchanged wary, frustrated glances. One by one, they offered stiff, reluctant nods of agreement. They had been outmaneuvered, their formal coup undone by a single vote and a direct, public appeal to the very people they considered their subordinates.

===

The central hall slowly emptied as Elisa, with a calm authority that surprised even herself, managed to soothe the still-agitated colonists. She assured them that their voices had been heard and that a new, more collaborative path forward would be forged. The crowd dispersed, though small, angry clusters still lingered, their gazes fixed on the stunned officers who were now being politely but firmly escorted by Otto and Pom.

There was no time to let the victory settle. "Helena, with me," Elisa said, her voice low and decisive. "We're finishing this. Now."

They marched directly toward the residential wing where the topscalers had established their private quarters, a section of the base already distinguished by its polished white corridors and better-regulated atmosphere. Otto and Pom followed, flanking the subdued group of officers, while a crowd of the most vocal colonists trailed behind them, a silent, intimidating entourage.

When they reached the entrance to the topscalers' suite, Lodon Zavorokhin, Davron's imposing household guard, stepped forward to block the doorway. "Commander," he said, his voice a low growl, "this is private property. The Directors are not to be disturbed."

Elisa met his gaze without flinching. "The Directors are about to have a colony-wide staff meeting, Lodon. And they are late. Step aside."

Zavorokhin hesitated, his massive frame a wall of defiance. But behind Elisa, the simmering anger of two dozen colonists was a tangible force. He glanced at the crowd, then back at Elisa's unyielding expression, and reluctantly moved aside.

Elisa opened the door and strode in without waiting for an invitation.

Davron Federoff, Koko, Sasha Borodin, and Jiang Wei were gathered around a polished table, datapads active, clearly in the middle of their own assessments. They looked up in startled disbelief as Elisa entered, followed by Helena, then the procession of their own defeated officers, escorted by Otto and Pom. Tamarlyan was present as well, seated slightly apart, his expression calm, almost serene, as if this was a variable he had already factored into his calculations.

"Commander Woodward," Davron said, his voice dangerously smooth as he rose to his feet. "To what do we owe this… unexpected intrusion?"

"We're ending the scheming, Director," Helena answered bluntly, stepping forward as Elisa closed the door, shutting out the view of the waiting colonists but not the palpable threat of their presence. "Right here. Right now."

Koko's lips thinned into a razor line. "I beg your pardon? We were engaged in a legitimate procedural review of command efficacy, as is our right and responsibility as primary shareholders."

"You were engaged in a power grab that just blew up in your faces," Helena shot back, dispensing with all pretense of formality. "And now, we're going to have a conversation about what comes next. About how all of you are going to start contributing to the survival of this colony, instead of just trying to rule it."

Sasha Borodin let out a soft, incredulous laugh. "You seem to be under the impression that you are in a position to make demands of us. We are not laborers to be ordered about, Doctor Petrova. We are the strategic and financial architects of this entire venture."

"Your venture failed," Elisa stated simply. "The Dolya is a wreck. The original mission is a memory. This colony, the one that is actually functioning, was built by the people you seem to hold in such contempt. We are offering you a chance to be a part of it. A productive part."

Koko leaned back, a look of cold amusement on her face. "And on what legal grounds do you base this… generous offer, Commander? You have no authority to compel us to perform any task outside our designated directorial roles. Our contracts, our very status, protect us from such… overreach."

"We're in a state of emergency, on an unsurveyed alien world, seventy thousand years removed from any legal jurisdiction you could possibly cite," Elisa countered, her voice hardening. "Your contracts are meaningless here. Your 'status' is what this community grants you. And right now, that status is precarious."

"An interesting theory," Davron murmured, steepling his fingers. "But a flawed one. The structures of civilization, the principles of law and order, do not simply vanish because the geography changes. They are what prevent us from descending into anarchy."

"Is that what you call this?" Helena gestured vaguely toward the door, behind which the low murmur of the crowd could still be heard. "Order? Or is it just another way for the few to control the many?"

The back-and-forth continued, a stalemate of polite threats and legalistic deflections. The topscalers were masters of it, using language as both a shield and a weapon, refusing to concede any ground, secure in the belief that their established positions were unassailable.

Finally, Pom, who had been standing silently by the door, his patience worn to a thread, stepped forward.

"You know what?" he said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that cut through the refined discourse like a saw blade through silk. "I've heard enough of this crap."

He looked at Davron, then at Koko, his gaze burning with a lifetime of resentment. "You can take your legal protections, your contracts, and your shareholder rights, and you can stuff them where the sun doesn't shine. None of it means a darn thing here."

He jerked a thumb toward the door. "Out there, there are fifty people who spent the last few months fighting giant alien bugs, eating nutrient paste, and watching their friends die, all while you were oblivious in your pods. They're the ones who brought you back. They're the ones keeping this place running."

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a near growl. "So you have two choices. You can answer to her," he nodded at Elisa, "and start figuring out how you're going to pull your weight. Or… you can go outside right now, and answer to them."

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

The threat was naked, brutal, and utterly effective. The veneer of untouchable authority on the topscalers' faces cracked. Jiang Wei shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Sasha Borodin's smirk vanished. Koko stared at Pom as if he were a piece of malfunctioning machinery that had suddenly turned violent.

"That," Davron said quietly, "will not be necessary. Please, Commander. Let us discuss your… proposals for a more integrated, collaborative future."

As the tense negotiations with the topscalers wound down, with Davron Federoff and his topscalers reluctantly agreeing to draft proposals for their "practical contributions," Elisa caught Maximilian's eye. She gave a subtle jerk of her head toward a small, adjacent room.

Maximilian understood immediately. He exchanged a brief, unreadable glance with Jin Altan, and the two of them disengaged from the main group, following Elisa.

Elisa turned to face them, her arms crossed, her expression stripped of all diplomatic pretense. There was no audience here, no need for carefully chosen words. Just the three of them.

"Alright," she began, her voice low and hard. "Let's get one thing straight. I'm not going to pretend I'm not angry," Elisa continued, her voice gaining a steely edge. "I'm furious. You put this entire colony at risk with your power play, at a time when we are more vulnerable than ever. You divided us when we needed unity most."

She then turned her gaze to Jin Altan. "And you. You were out of stasis for less than a day before you chose a side. You didn't come to me, your commanding officer. You didn't assess the situation for yourself. You went straight to him," she nodded at Maximilian, "and fell in line with his coup."

Jin Altanhad the grace to look momentarily chagrined.

Elisa took a deep breath, her anger giving way to a cold, hard pragmatism. "But here's the reality. I survived your little tribunal. And as much as I would love to strip you both of your command and throw you in the brig—which, believe me, I have considered—I can't."

She looked back at Maximilian. "I need your strategic mind. I need your understanding of security and tactics. I need CorpSec to hold the line when the next swarm of creatures comes boiling out of the ground, because they will. You are good at your job, Maximilian. Damn good. And I can't afford to lose that."

Then, to Jin Altan: "And you. You have experience that no one else here possesses. We are about to launch multiple, long-range expeditions to recover our people and secure our future. Your skills are not just valuable; they are essential."

She let the silence sit for a moment, her gaze pinning them both.

"So here's the deal," she said, her voice dropping to a near whisper, but losing none of its intensity. "No more bullshit. No more backroom meetings, no more whispering campaigns, no more challenging my authority behind my back. You will work with me. You will report to me. Your expertise will be used for the benefit of this entire colony, not just your chosen faction."

She held his gaze, refusing to back down. "This is your one and only chance to align with the reality of this colony, Colonel. Are we understood? Because if either of you ever gives me a reason to doubt your loyalty again, I am not going to ask for a vote to remove you. I'll have ARI reclassify you as a security threat and toss you straight to the back of the reinstatement queue." She turned and walked out of the rooom without another word, leaving the two men standing in the sudden, heavy silence.

===

In the aftermath of Elisa's public assertion of authority, an uneasy truce had settled over the colony. The topscalers, confronted with the raw power of the disgruntled colonists, had retreated into a posture of careful cooperation. The overt power grabs were replaced by something resembling constructive collaboration.

Koko and Jiang Wei found their place on the 'Colony Futures Committee'. It convened in a sterile conference module. At the head of the table sat Ervin Sekhon, his expression one of weary patience. Mei, representing the medical and biotech realities, sat beside him. Across from them were Koko, Jiang Wei and Doctor Bao Vang.

"The purpose of this committee," Koko began, her voice smooth and measured, "is to ensure the safe, ethical, and sustainable integration of Provider-derived technologies. I believe we all agree that our primary concern must be the well-being of every colonist."

"Of course," Ervin affirmed, his tone mild, hiding his scepticism. "The reinstatement technology has been an undeniable boon to the colony. Its value is proven with every life it restores."

Jiang Wei nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed, its utility is remarkable. We are all... beneficiaries of its application." He gestured vaguely to himself and Koko. "However, I am still convinced we need to approach it with utmost scrutiny. We are dealing with something that redefines our understanding of life and identity. We must be certain we comprehend what, precisely, is being reinstated."

Mei leaned forward slightly. "From a medical and neurological standpoint, it's the individual. The process preserves memories, personality matrices, and core cognitive functions. The continuity of self appears to be maintained."

"'Appears to be,'" Bao Vang echoed gently, picking up on the nuance. "That is the crux of the matter, isn't it, Doctor Qi? We are operating on an assumption. But can we be certain? Is the reinstated individual the original, a flawless copy, or a flawed one? How can we seek actual evidence?"

Mei found herself hesitating. The question was a valid one, and Vang's academic framing made it feel less like an attack and more like a genuine intellectual puzzle. "Functionally, if the person feels, acts, and is perceived by others as the same, the distinction becomes... semantic, doesn't it?"

Koko steepled her long-nailed fingers, her expression one of deep consideration. "Perhaps functionally, yes. But we must also consider the... The psychological weight of it. For instance, the ongoing neural scans ARI requires for all implanted individuals. While I understand the practical purpose for data backup, the idea of one's consciousness being perpetually monitored and logged... For me personally, it raises profound questions about mental privacy. About the sanctity of one's own mind." She looked at Mei, her gaze earnest. "Indeed, I confess, it is something that gives me pause."

Jiang Wei nodded in agreement. "And what of subsequent reinstatements? I am immensely grateful to be here now, restored from my cryo-damaged remains. But if I were to perish again, I would be brought back not from my original biological template, but from a digital backup. Is a being derived from pure data truly the same as one derived from flesh and blood? Or does each iteration become a derivative, a copy of a copy, potentially losing some ineffable quality with each transfer?"

Mei listened, a knot of confusion tightening in her gut. Their concerns sounded genuine. The fear of being a copy, the unease with constant mental surveillance—these were not manufactured objections. They were the same anxieties that had flickered through her own mind, that she had seen on the faces of other colonists. Were they truly just worried? Or was this a more sophisticated strategy, using real, valid fears to advance an agenda she couldn't yet see?

They weren't attacking the technology itself, which would be illogical. Instead, they were questioning the process, the implications, framing their desire for control as a responsible call for caution and deeper understanding. It was a difficult position to argue against.

"These are valid and profound questions," Mei said finally, choosing her words carefully. "And you are right. We don't have all the answers. The nature of consciousness, identity, and the long-term effects of this technology are too important to be addressed with our current, limited data."

She saw a flicker of something in Koko's eyes—not triumph, but perhaps… validation.

"Therefore," Mei continued, seizing the initiative, "before this committee makes any recommendations regarding policy, I will personally conduct a new, in-depth investigation. I will conduct a full comparative study on the nature of consciousness continuity versus data-derived reconstruction. I will present my findings in a comprehensive report for this committee's review."

Bao Vang's face lit up with what seemed like genuine intellectual excitement. "Excellent, Doctor Qi! A truly commendable and scientifically rigorous approach. My team and I would, of course, be delighted to offer our full support and resources to your investigation. Such a study would be foundational. We look forward to reviewing your findings with great interest."

Mei met his gaze, her own expression carefully neutral. She had bought them time and asserted her authority over the investigation, but she felt she had also stepped onto a new battlefield they had prepared for her. Now, she had to win.

===

The alert from ARI cut through the command center, sharp and unexpected. "Commander, I am receiving a priority transmission. It is from Doctor Luo Zuri's convoy."

Elisa, Maximilian and Sigrid, who had been reviewing the latest base expansions, all turned toward the main holographic display. A green icon, representing Zuri's convoy, had appeared on the map—but it was far north of their expected return trajectory, moving rapidly toward the crater from the northeast.

"Put her through," Elisa ordered.

Zuri's voice came through, clear but with an undercurrent of something that sounded like breathless excitement. "Commander, this is Zuri. We are inbound, ETA approximately twenty minutes. Apologies for the deviation. We were diverted."

"What is it, Zuri? Are you in any danger?"

"Negative, Commander. It's… the Provider. It's been consolidating its resource network. We followed them to three more of its groves, all of them being dismantled. Uprooted. The ore deposits beneath them have been extracted. They offered us the yield. We're coming in fully loaded, and there's more left behind for future collection."

Elisa exchanged a stunned glance with Sigrid. The Provider was consolidating its assets, and delivering them the spoils. "Understood, Zuri. That's… significant news. We'll have a reception team ready. ARI, send a drone escort to meet them at the northeast ridge."

"Acknowledged," ARI replied. "Deploying drone escort. However, long-range optical scans from the drone indicate an additional, unidentified biological entity accompanying the convoy. It is moving ahead of the main vehicles."

On the display, a smaller, faster-moving icon was visible, far ahead of Zuri's convoy. As the drone closed the distance and its camera feed resolved, they saw it: a large, smooth beetle, its carapace shimmering, moving at an incredible speed across the desert plains. And riding on its back, dark robes flowing in the wind, was Ser No.

"Great, she's led them straight to our base. Unbelievable," Maximlian said, his tone laced with sharp disapproval.

"It appears so, Colonel," Elisa replied, her mind racing. "Stand your people by, but do not engage. Let's see what this is about."

Minutes later, the lone figure of Ser No appeared on the crater ridge. It paused there, a silent, imposing silhouette against the sky, before beginning its descent. The beetle's legs moved with an unnatural grace, navigating the steep incline with an ease that defied its size.

Maximilian's voice was tense. "Orders, Commander?"

"Let's meet them outside," Elisa said, already heading for the door. "Tell your men to hold their position. No hostile actions."

By the time they reached the eastern entrance, Ser No had already been stopped by a line of armed CorpSec guards. The alien stood calmly before them, its beetle mount chittering softly beside it. Maximilian strode forward.

"What is the meaning of your visit?" he demanded, his voice echoing in the sudden quiet.

Ser No tilted its reflective faceplate. "The Provider is arriving," it announced simply.

As if on cue, the first of Luo Zuri's haulers rolled over the ridge and began its slow descent into the crater. Following close behind it was a creature unlike anything they had ever seen. It was colossal, a living supply transport, its long, segmented body moving with a surprisingly graceful, undulating motion. Glistening, translucent bladders filled with a watery, nutrient-rich liquid pulsed along its sides, and bundles of ore were strapped to its back in fibrous nets.

And atop this majestic, bio-engineered beast, sat the Provider.

Its presence was overwhelming. The air itself seemed to shift, to thicken, a low, sub-audible hum filling the space between heartbeats. It wasn't a sound; it was a feeling, a pressure against the mind that made it difficult to focus, to think clearly. It commanded attention, not through force, but through an undeniable, almost gravitational pull.

Even Maximilian, poised to issue orders to repel the intrusion, found his resolve wavering. The determined stance he had felt moments before was… smoothed over, replaced by a strange sense of deference. The thought of sending the Provider away felt wrong, counter-productive, as if he would be acting against his own interests.

Three more robed workers, riding smaller but equally swift beetles, flanked the Provider's mount. As the creature came to a halt, they helped the Provider descend, their movements a seamless, reverent choreography. No one dared to stand in their way. The CorpSec guards, who had been ready for a confrontation, now stood motionless, their rifles lowered, their expressions a mixture of awe and confusion.

Sigrid and Elisa were the first to approach, their own steps hesitant. The Provider turned its featureless, iridescent mask toward them. It did not speak, but a wave of undersatnding washed over them. Not words, but pure comprehension. Appreciation. Pride. Approval. It saw the progress they had made, the way they had started to adopt its technology, their willingness to embrace a new way of being, and it was pleased.

Then, the vast, enveloping presence narrowed, focusing with an almost physical intensity on Elisa alone. It needed to speak with her, personally.

The message came without sound, a direct impartation of will.

There are forces within your colony that resist alignment. That fear unity. They will seek to contain what should be shared. They will seek to control what must be free. You are not to oppose them directly. Do not stand in the way of what must come to pass.

Elisa understood instantly. It was not talking about Maximilian as an individual, but as a representation of a force—the old human tendency toward fear and control, a force that was fundamentally at odds with the Provider's vision of unified, optimized survival.

She gave a subtle, mental nod of acknowledgment, a feeling of understanding passing between them.

The Provider then summoned one of ARI's nearby drones with a subtle gesture. The drone hovered before it.

"The time has come for the Provider to contact its Empire, to report its findings, and to request extraction," ARI announced. "To do so, it requires a specific component to be retrieved from its crash site."

At the Provider's silent behest, it projected a holographic map of the northern territories. Two locations glowed brightly.

ARI's voice spoke, acting as a translator for the Provider's silent intent. "The first location is the northern structure—the anomaly that disabled the Provider's vessel upon its arrival on this world. The second is the Provider's own crash site."

A murmur went through the assembled colonists who had gathered at a safe distance.

Maximilian stepped forward, his skepticism warring with the strange compulsion for respect he felt in the Provider's presence. "What component does it need?"

"A faster-than-light ansible," ARI confirmed. "A long-range communication device capable of instantaneous transmission across interstellar distances. Once retrieved, it must be launched beyond this world's gravity to function."

The implications were staggering. Contact. Rescue. An end to their isolation.

But the questions came immediately. "A launch vehicle?" Otto exclaimed from the edge of the crowd. "The resources required to build a rocket capable of breaking out of orbit… it would be immense. It would delay our progress by years."

"And the crash site," Sigrid added, her voice tight with concern. "It's in the north. The same direction those creatures from the storm were heading. The same direction as the anomaly. It could have been consumed by the crystals, just like our wreck was."

The Provider remained silent, allowing the colonists' concerns to fill the air. Then, ARI spoke again, its voice carrying the final, undeniable weight of the Provider's offer.

"The Provider understands your resource constraints. It has pledged to deliver us the resources it has. If you assist in retrieving and launching the ansible, the Provdier will grant the colony full, unrestricted access to its resource network. Everything you need to not only survive, but to thrive. And more."

Maximilian's voice was smooth but clipped. "And what happens to us after it contacts its people?"

Elisa looked toward the Provider.

It did not reply.

But they all felt the answer.

A door would open.

And the future would be standing on the other side.