Roman’s arms were shaking when he heard it.
“It’s me,” Anna’s voice came through the door. “Roman. Let go. So I can enter.”
Roman released his grip and stumbled back as the pressure vanished. The door opened just enough for Anna to slip inside, and she slammed it shut behind her.
The pod rotated smoothly, easing back into a horizontal position, and then surged forward into the tunnel network.
Light streaked past the narrow viewport as the pod accelerated.
Roman leaned back, breathing hard, sweat cooling on his skin.
He didn’t ask a single question.
Anna kept stealing glances at him as her dark eyes reflected the rushing lights outside.
According to her knowledge, humans demanded answers immediately. They shouted. They panicked. They interrogated. Roman did none of that.
“Why isn’t he asking?” she wondered.
About fifteen minutes later, the pod slowed and rotated upright. The door opened, and Roman stepped out into open air for the first time since his abduction.
The sky stretched wide and pale above him. The sun was smaller than Earth’s, casting softer light that seemed to linger rather than glare.
Gravity felt lighter here; his steps were buoyant, and the air was cool, clean, and breathable.
Low, elegant structures rose around them, shaped in smooth curves instead of sharp angles, as if the buildings had grown rather than been constructed.
Paths wove between them, and Trabs moved calmly through the space, walking, talking quietly, some alone, some in pairs, all seemingly unhurried.
It felt less like a city and more like a carefully maintained commune.
“I thought they said they had a problem with community,” he thought.
Anna led him toward one of the structures. The door opened automatically as she approached.
Inside, Roman immediately noticed what wasn’t there.
The space was open and minimalist, with smooth surfaces, soft lighting, and recessed channels along the walls and floor.
“These houses must be served by the hubs as they said, that’s why they are so minimalist,” he thought.
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Another Trab stood inside.
She stared at Roman for a long moment. She then spoke to Anna in their language and Anna replied briefly.
Then she turned to Roman.
“This is my mother,” Anna said. “I gave her the human name Bella. She will explain everything. You are safe with her.”
Roman opened his mouth, but Anna was already stepping back. “For now, I have to go.”
Then she was gone.
Bella gestured toward a seating area. “Please. Sit.”
Roman lowered himself onto the smooth surface opposite her.
“Do you need anything?” Bella asked.
“Yes,” Roman said evenly. “An explanation.”
Bella studied him, then gave a small, almost amused sound.
“Very well. Ever since we became a post-scarcity society, when every Trab could obtain food, shelter, and comfort without effort, our people began to divide. Not by wealth. Not by power. But by belief.”
She raised one finger.
“The first group is what we call the V'keth. They believe the purpose of life is direct progress. Knowledge. Advancement. They invent. Research. Develop. Not because survival demands it, but because they want to push the limits of what is possible.”
A second finger.
“The second group, Cy'rael, believe the same goal is important, but pursue it indirectly. Before we created Traboids, robots indistinguishable from Trabs, they role-played as characters in Community Hubs, helping Radicals express their harmful emotions.”
“After Traboids, they became unnecessary. The Cy'rael now gain knowledge only to earn credits,” Bella continued, “and spend those credits enjoying life until their mandated end at one hundred and fifty years.”
She raised her third finger.
“And then there are the Un'Shala.”
Bella stopped for a moment.
“We do not believe the meaning of life is only progress. We explore religion, ethics, philosophy. We still contribute, but we live in less structured environments. Like this one.”
She paused. “I am an Un'Shala. My daughter is a V'keth. These labels are… flexible. But Un'Shala are the smallest group. Cy'rael the largest.”
Roman nodded slowly, still silent.
“The government,” Bella said, “is controlled by the V'keth. They believe we are the most advanced society in the galaxy. They only explore other worlds to confirm this belief.”
Her voice hardened.
“There is a law. No lesser species may be brought to Trab. For any reason. Violating it is treason.”
Roman exhaled.
“If they discover you,” Bella said quietly, “You, Anna and her entire team will be executed.”
She studied him. “Human… don’t you have questions? Why are you so quiet?”
“I’m listening,” Roman said. “There’s no need to interrupt you before you’re done.”
Bella laughed softly. “I wish more Trabs thought that way.”
Her expression turned serious again.
“A while back, Anna and her team noticed something the V'keth ignored. Most Cy'rael and V'keth, do not interact with another Trab for months. Sometimes years.”
Roman’s eyes narrowed.
“When this concern was raised,” Bella continued, “the government dismissed it. They said isolation prevents conflict and Offense.”
“So Anna’s team quietly built an AI to help them find a solution to the problem. Just in case the government ever admitted there was a problem.”
“The AI concluded,” Bella said, “that the solution could not come from within our system.”
Roman leaned forward slightly.
“We fed it data on every known species,” she said. “It returned one answer.”
She stared at him.
“Humanity.”
“And then,” Bella continued, “it identified you as the most suitable human.”
Roman closed his eyes.
“That is why you were taken,” Bella said. “Anna hoped to guide you gently into helping us. But the government has begun tracing the ship we used.”
He opened his eyes.
“We no longer have time.”
Bella held his gaze. “I believe you should lead our small team. Help us change Trab. Before it is too late.”
She waited but Roman didn’t say anything.
“Are you willing to do so?” she asked.
Roman cleared his throat.
