Alex pressed their face against the observation deck window as the Herta Space Station grew larger in their field of view, transforming from a distant glimmer to a sprawling structure that defied every assumption they'd held about space architecture. The station didn't just orbit in space—it seemed to dance with it, its crystalline segments rotating in patterns that created hypnotic light displays against the star field beyond.
"Impressive, isn't it?" Himeko joined them at the window, coffee mug in hand as always. "Herta Space Station is one of the most advanced research facilities in the galaxy. The Genius Society doesn't build anything halfway."
"The Genius Society?" Alex asked, though they already knew the answer from the game. Hearing about it from Himeko felt different—more real, more immediate.
"A collection of the universe's most brilliant minds, handpicked by Nous, the Aeon of Erudition. They're... eccentric, to put it mildly, but their research has advanced galactic civilization by centuries." Himeko sipped her coffee thoughtfully. "Herta herself is considered one of the most gifted researchers alive, though she rarely bothers with visitors anymore. We'll likely be dealing with her assistants."
The Express shuddered gently as it docked, the familiar swaying motion giving way to the subtle vibration of connection clamps engaging. Through the speakers, Pom-Pom's voice announced their arrival with characteristic formality, though Alex could detect a note of excitement underneath the conductor's professional demeanor.
"First space station," March said, appearing beside them with her camera already in hand. "This is definitely worth documenting. The lighting in here is going to be amazing—all those crystal formations create the most interesting refractions."
Dan Heng emerged from the passenger compartment carrying a data pad and wearing his usual expression of quiet alertness. "The station's automated systems are requesting our passenger manifest. They want to know about our new crew member."
Alex felt a flutter of anxiety. "What do I tell them? That I'm from another dimension where they're all video game characters?"
"We'll keep it simple," Himeko said. "Rescued spacer with memory gaps. It's not entirely untrue, and it's a situation the station personnel will understand." She turned toward the airlock, which was cycling through its connection sequence. "Ready for your first official stop on the Trailblaze?"
The airlock opened with a soft hiss, revealing a corridor that looked like it had been carved from living crystal. Soft light pulsed through the walls in gentle waves, and the air carried a faint ozone scent that spoke of advanced life support systems. Alex's first steps onto the station felt momentous—their first time setting foot anywhere other than the Express since their arrival in this universe.
"Welcome to Herta Space Station," a cheerful voice called out. A young woman with distinctive purple hair approached them, flanked by a more serious-looking man whose bearing suggested security training. "I'm Asta, acting director while Madam Herta is... indisposed. This is Arlan, head of security."
Alex recognized them immediately, though seeing them in person created the same strange disconnect they'd experienced with the Express crew. Asta's enthusiasm was even more infectious face-to-face, while Arlan's quiet competence seemed to radiate from him like a protective field.
"Himeko!" Asta practically bounced on her toes. "It's so good to see you again. And March, I love what you've done with your hair—is that a new camera? Dan Heng, you look well." Her gaze fell on Alex, and her smile widened. "And you must be our mysterious new passenger. I've heard such interesting things about your arrival."
"All good things, I hope," Alex said, managing a smile despite their nervousness.
"Oh, the best kind of mysterious," Asta assured them. "We love mysteries here. It's what keeps research interesting." She gestured toward the corridor ahead. "Would you like a tour? The station has some truly fascinating exhibits, and we've made some breakthrough discoveries since your last visit."
As they walked through the station's corridors, Alex found themselves genuinely amazed by the scale and sophistication of the place. The research labs they glimpsed through transparent walls contained equipment that looked like magic disguised as technology, and the researchers moving between them carried themselves with the focused intensity of people pursuing the fundamental secrets of the universe.
"The quantum resonance lab is particularly exciting right now," Asta was saying, leading them past a chamber where energy danced in patterns that hurt to look at directly. "We're investigating unusual space-time fluctuations that have been appearing throughout this sector."
Alex paused, studying the readouts visible through the lab's observation window. The data streams looked chaotic at first glance, but there was something familiar about the underlying patterns—mathematical relationships that reminded them of the aurora they'd witnessed on Earth.
"The fluctuation frequency," Alex said without thinking. "It's following a fractal progression. The peaks correspond to dimensional membrane instabilities."
The group stopped walking. Asta turned to stare at Alex with undisguised excitement, while Arlan's hand moved subtly toward his weapon. Even March lowered her camera, sensing the sudden tension.
"That's... remarkably astute," Asta said slowly. "We've been analyzing those patterns for weeks without reaching that conclusion. How did you see it so quickly?"
Alex realized they'd made a mistake. Their intuitive understanding of the station's technology was apparently more advanced than they'd thought, and now they were drawing unwanted attention. "I... studied astrophysics before I lost my memories. Maybe some of the training stuck?"
Asta's eyes lit up with the fervor of a researcher scenting a breakthrough. "Would you mind taking a look at our data? We could use a fresh perspective, especially one that seems to have such an intuitive grasp of dimensional mechanics."
"I don't think—" Alex began.
"It's quite safe," Asta interrupted. "Just an observational consultation. Though I should warn you, our equipment can be a bit overwhelming for first-time users."
Against their better judgment, Alex found themselves being led into the quantum resonance lab, where banks of monitoring equipment hummed with barely contained energy. The mathematical relationships they'd glimpsed from the corridor were even clearer here, patterns of cause and effect that seemed to describe the fundamental structure of space-time itself.
"These readings," Alex said, moving closer to the main display. "They're not random. They're... connected. Like ripples spreading out from a central disturbance." They pointed to a cluster of data points. "If you adjust for temporal displacement and account for dimensional interference, you can see the progression."
Asta and her assistants crowded around the display as Alex's suggestions proved correct, the chaotic data resolving into clear patterns that painted a picture of systematic space-time disruption. The implications were troubling—something was causing deliberate damage to the fabric of reality itself.
"This is incredible," Asta breathed. "You've just solved a puzzle that's been confounding our best researchers. Where did you study? What was your specialty?"
Alex backed away from the console, suddenly aware that they'd revealed far too much about their unusual abilities. "I should go. The Express probably needs to continue its journey."
"Wait," Asta called after them, but Alex was already heading for the door, desperate to escape the weight of expectation and curiosity in the researcher's eyes.
In the corridor outside, they found Dan Heng waiting with his characteristic patience.
"Overwhelming?" he asked quietly.
"Something like that," Alex said. "I think I just made a very complicated situation more complicated."
"The universe has a way of doing that," Dan Heng observed. "The important thing is recognizing when to step back and breathe."
As they rejoined the others, Alex caught Himeko watching them with a thoughtful expression. They'd impressed the researchers, but they'd also revealed capabilities that would inevitably raise questions they weren't prepared to answer.
The Trailblaze, it seemed, was more complex than they'd anticipated.