PS: Please support me on patreon there 100+ chapters there)
https://patreon.com/BX_XDS
The night sky over Sector Four Base shimmered faintly from the landing lights. The rhythmic thrum of helicopter rotors filled the air, echoing across the valley. Four Federation transport choppers descended in formation, each hauling massive containers of alien salvage strapped beneath them.
A cloud of dust swept across the tarmac as they touched down — but then, a different sound rolled through the air, deeper. Alien.
A low, vibrating hum that made the soldiers on the runway stop what they were doing. Heads turned skyward.
Out of the darkness, an alien spacecraft glided into view — sleek and silver, its hull alive with faint blue pulses that ran like veins beneath the surface. It hovered gracefully over the runway, humming softly before descending with almost supernatural smoothness.
"Holy hell…" a young soldier whispered, taking an instinctive step back.
"What in the stars is that?" another murmured.
"Looks like something outta a sci-fi flick," someone else muttered, gripping his rifle tighter.
Before panic could spread, a steady, commanding voice cut through the comms.
"Stand down, boys. It's friendly. Repeat — friendly. Our boys brought it in."
The murmuring stopped immediately. The soldiers hesitated, exchanging glances — half in disbelief, half in awe.
From the observation deck, Commander Owen Strake watched the scene unfold, his arms folded behind his back. A man in his late forties with sharp gray eyes and a streak of silver in his close-cropped hair, Strake was a soldier's soldier — calm under pressure, and sharp enough to know when something was above his pay grade.
He exhaled through his nose, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Well, I'll be damned… they actually brought it back and rode it."
He turned, barking to his aide. "Alert the ground crew — prepare the landing pad and tell everyone to keep their hands off that thing."
"Yes, sir!"
As the helicopters settled, their engines whined down. The cargo doors opened, and the cleanup teams poured out, guiding floating containers full of alien armor, plasma rifles, and shimmering fragments of xeno-tech.
Then, with a deep mechanical hiss, the alien ship's side ramp extended. A pale blue mist spilled out, illuminated by the landing lights.
One by one, the members of Atlas Squad descended the ramp — Amelie, Judson, Xavier, and Flynn — their helmets tucked under their arms, armor scorched from battle but spirits high. Base soldiers stepped aside, whispering in awe.
"Those are them," one whispered. "Atlas Squad — the ones who took down the plasma outpost."
"They flew that ship here?"
"Guess they did more than just survive out there…"
At last, Captain Bear appeared — broad-shouldered, calm as ever — followed by Atlas, who was guiding the alien computer on a floating grav-trolley. The device glowed faintly, its surface shifting like liquid metal, runes pulsing in rhythm.
Commander Strake approached, boots crunching on the tarmac. "Welcome home, heroes," he said with a grin. "Hell of a show you pulled off out there. The whole base watched the feed."
Captain Bear gave a tired smirk. "Just another day saving humanity, sir."
Strake chuckled. "If that's a normal day for you, I'm retiring early."
His eyes fell on the strange machine Atlas was guiding. "And this piece of beauty… what is it?"
Atlas carefully powered down the trolley and straightened up. "Alien supercomputer, sir. Extremely advanced. Whatever's inside it — could change everything. It's fragile and not something we should move carelessly."
Strake arched his brow. "More important than the shiny UFO you parked on my runway?"
Atlas smiled faintly. "Much, much more important."
The commander studied him, curiosity flickering behind his eyes. Then he gave a low whistle. "You don't kid around, do you, Doctor?" He keyed his comm. "Commander Voss, get over here. Bring your team."
Within moments, Commander Rylan Voss — a weathered man with a short beard and the look of someone who'd seen too many battlefields — jogged over, flanked by two engineers. He saluted sharply. "Sir!"
Strake gestured toward the alien computer. "Commander, I want your men to move this to Dr. Li's research facility — immediately and Carefully — and I mean carefully. That thing's worth more than your career."
"Yes, sir," Voss replied without hesitation. "We'll pack it in shock foam and escort it with two security drones."
Atlas gave a brief nod. "Thank you, Commander. If this thing cracks, we lose more than a trophy."
Voss smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Doc. My boys don't drop history."
Strake turned back to the squad. "As for the rest of you — mission accomplished. Eat, drink, sleep, whatever you need. Reports due first thing tomorrow."
"Understood, sir," Captain Bear said, saluting.
Flynn stretched, cracking his neck. "You heard the man. I'm finding the nearest beer."
Judson clapped him on the shoulder. "Make that two."
Amelie rolled her eyes. "You two ever think of sleeping first?"
"Beer is sleep," Flynn said with mock seriousness.
"More like dehydration," Amelie shot back with a smirk.
Xavier yawned, dragging his feet toward the barracks. "You can all drink. I'm gonna find a bed before I fall over."
Strake watched them leave with a grin. "Good team you've got there, Captain."
Bear nodded. "The best."
Atlas lingered by the grav-trolley, overseeing the technicians who began locking the alien computer into a reinforced crate. Its surface pulsed faintly, the runes shifting colors like it was alive.
One of the engineers hesitated, "Sir… it's humming."
Atlas replied calmly, "It's processing ambient energy. Just don't touch it directly."
The man nodded nervously. "Right… not touching the scary glowing alien brain."
As the computer was lifted onto a cargo hauler, Atlas finally let out a long breath. He removed his helmet, setting it on the crate, and rubbed his tired eyes. The adrenaline was gone now, replaced by exhaustion and quiet satisfaction.
Captain Bear approached, crossing his arms. "You gonna rest, Doc? You look like a man who's been awake for a week."
Atlas gave a tired grin. "Probably have been. But I'll make sure this thing's safe before I crash."
Bear chuckled. "You've earned the rest. Just… try not to rebuild the universe before breakfast."
Atlas smiled faintly. "No promises, Captain."
As the cargo hauler rolled toward the research wing, the alien ship's hull glowed faintly under the moonlight, its engines still humming softly — like something alive waiting to wake again.
The base returned to motion — soldiers unloading crates, engineers gawking at the alien vessel, and Atlas standing quietly on the tarmac, staring at the strange ship he had brought home.
Later That Night — Atlas's Quarters
The clock on the wall blinked past midnight.
Inside his small, dimly lit quarters, Atlas Li sat hunched at his desk, typing out his mission report. The soft glow of the holographic display washed over his tired face.
Lines of text scrolled upward — summaries, tactical notes, classified observations.
His fingers moved automatically, muscle memory carrying the work even as his eyes drooped from exhaustion. The faint hum of the Federation computer was the only sound.
Then — ping!
A soft chime broke the silence.
[Incoming Call: Family – Li Household]
Atlas blinked, rubbing his eyes. A smile tugged faintly at his lips.
He reached forward and accepted the call.
The screen lit up with familiar faces — his mother Selene, his father Adrian, his grandfather General Li, and his Aunt Rebecca.
Selene immediately leaned close to her camera, her tone half-scolding, half-relieved.
"Atlas Li! Do you have any idea how worried I've been? You vanish into alien territory for days, and the next thing I see is a broadcast of you flying an alien spaceship! What were you thinking, young man?"
Atlas chuckled softly, scratching his neck. "Relax, Mom. I'm fine — no injuries, no missing limbs. I even remembered to eat."
Selene frowned, though a hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "You always say that. But when's the last time you had a proper meal? Not one of those protein packs?"
He sighed. "Does a combat ration bar count?"
Her eyes narrowed. "Atlas…"
Before she could continue, General Li leaned into view, laughing heartily.
"Fine? The boy calls commandeering an alien ship fine? Hah! The whole damn Federation's talking about it! My grandson just flew a UFO straight onto a military base!"
Atlas raised an eyebrow. "For the record, Grandpa, it was borrowed, not stolen."
"Borrowed?" The General's grin widened. "Son, when you bring home alien spaceships, no one cares what you call it!"
Rebecca "Blaze" Li, Atlas's aunt, slid into the frame next, her hair tied back and eyes gleaming with mischief, "Borrowed or not, you're officially a legend now. You made the front page of three news channels, two science reports, and one gossip feed that called you 'the Earth's most eligible genius.'"
She laughed. "So, when are you building me that custom armor you promised, huh? I want flight systems, missile pods, red trim — and it better look menacing."
Atlas groaned, running a hand down his face. "Aunt Rebecca… I'm trying to keep humanity alive, not design your fashion statement."
She smirked. "Then call it field testing."
His father, Dr. Adrian Li, finally spoke up, voice calm but curious. "Alright, enough teasing, you two. Atlas — I've read the preliminary report, but I need to know the details. Tell me more about this… alien computer."
Atlas straightened slightly, his tone shifting to professional focus. "It's enormous, Dad. A database so large it feels infinite. Once I cracked the encryption and switched the interface to English, I found layer after layer of information — AI systems, energy conversion models, engine schematics, materials science beyond anything we've seen. It even had blueprints for something called a miniaturized arc reactor and propulsion models using gravity wave manipulation."
Adrian adjusted his glasses, visibly stunned. "Gravity wave engineering…? That's theoretical at best in earth. If that data's authentic, it could take us centuries ahead."
General Li let out a low whistle. "You're telling me that shiny box you dragged home could make humanity the dominant species in the galaxy?"
Atlas nodded, his expression thoughtful. "At least. But that's the problem. It's too big. Too dangerous. If the Federation higher-ups get their hands on everything, it'll start a political war before scientists can even study it."
A tense silence filled the screen.
Then, Selene — ever the voice of reason — spoke softly but firmly, "Then don't hand it all over."
The others looked at her.
She continued, "Copy the most critical data. Keep it secure with us. We've always supported the Federation, but you know how politicians are — they'll fight for control before they think about humanity's future."
Adrian slowly nodded. "She's right. Be honest in your report, but make sure we have backups. Knowledge this powerful should be protected — not owned."
Rebecca grinned. "Look at us — one family, already planning a quiet data heist."
Then she winked. "You got your brains from your father, kid… but that bold streak? That's pure Li."
General Li chuckled. "Aye. Spoken like true Lis — cautious, but not cowards. Just don't get yourself court-martialed, boy. I've only just gotten the brass to stop calling me 'that crazy old general with a genius grandson.'"
Atlas smiled faintly. "No promises, Grandpa. But I'll handle it."
As they spoke, two smaller faces suddenly appeared on the screen — his younger siblings.
His brother, Ethan Li, 13 years old, grinned wide, his messy hair falling into his eyes. "Big bro! That was awesome! You actually flew an alien spaceship?!"
Atlas laughed quietly. "Yeah, I did. Maybe one day, I'll let you copilot."
Ethan's eyes lit up. "For real?!"
"Only if you promise not to crash it." Atlas said, amused
Ethan puffed up proudly. "I'll do better than that — I'll make it faster!"
Then his 10-year-old sister, Mina Li, leaned into the camera, her bright eyes wide with excitement. "I wanna go too! I call window seat!"
Rebecca snorted. "There you go, Atlas. Family field trip across the stars."
Selene shook her head, smiling despite herself. "Over my dead body, Rebecca. They're not setting foot on alien ships until they graduate school."
Adrian chuckled softly. "At this rate, they might graduate on Mars."
General Li laughed, booming. "Then I'll need to build a family ship! The Li Dynasty, flying across the galaxy!"
Everyone laughed — even Atlas, who hadn't realized how much he missed that sound.
For a few precious minutes, they forgot the war, the politics, and the alien threats. They just talked — about family dinners, Ethan's grades, Mina's piano lessons, Rebecca's latest training drills, and how Selene kept accidentally overwatering her plants again.
It was warm. Familiar. Home.
Eventually, Adrian's tone softened. "Get some rest, son. You've done more than enough for one day."
Selene smiled gently. "Eat something, then sleep. And Atlas…"
Atlas looked up
She added quietly, "We're proud of you."
Atlas nodded slowly. "Thanks, Mom. I'll talk to you all soon."
Rebecca grinned. "And don't forget my armor design, genius."
"Goodnight, Aunt Rebecca." Altas replied helplessly
"Missiles. I want missiles," she said, waving before the feed cut.
The call ended.
The screen dimmed back to black, leaving only the quiet hum of the computer and the glow of the report still half-written on the screen.
Atlas leaned back, staring at the blinking cursor. Then, with a faint chuckle, he muttered,
"Alright… let's make history."
He resumed typing, his eyes steady despite the exhaustion.
Outside his window, through the faint haze of floodlights, the alien spaceship gleamed silently in the hangar — like a sleeping giant waiting to awaken.
And somewhere in the night, the future of humanity began to shift.
PS: Please support me on patreon there 100+ chapters there)
https://patreon.com/BX_XDS