TBATE: Shadows Of The Past

Chapter 1 - Prologue

Darkness enveloped my surroundings, reminiscent of an abyss or the infinite expanse of space. It was as if I had been abandoned by my crewmates and left to drift aimlessly in the void.

'What happened...?'

These were the only thoughts running through my mind at the moment, as I tried to recall what had occurred. I distinctly remember being in space, aboard the spacecraft that I owned.

The memories after falling asleep within one of the many rooms in the spaceship were hazy, with most of them being nothing but blurred images.

However, despite the haziness of my memories up to the point of finding myself here, an instinctual thought managed to push its way to the forefront of my mind.

I had died.

I didn't know the cause or the time of my death, yet my instincts were unmistakable.

Though some may have panicked at such a realization, I remained composed and analyzed my situation rationally.

After all, I was one of the many soldiers trained by the United World Empire, so controlling my emotions and thinking logically was already ingrained in me from the moment I joined the military.

Analyzing my current situation, two possible scenarios came to mind:

Firstly, it's plausible that I have passed away and my consciousness is floating in the river of time and space, experiencing what is commonly known as the "afterlife".

Alternatively, I could be in a virtual reality simulation, although this seems unlikely as my spaceship lacks the necessary technology and components required for such an experience.

Rationally speaking, the most plausible explanation for my current predicament would be virtual reality. However, given the lack of necessary components within my spacecraft to construct a virtual reality capsule, coupled with the absence of any crew members who may have brought such equipment on board, I am compelled to conclude that my initial assumption regarding my current circumstances is the most likely scenario.

'Hmm?'

A sudden shift in my "body" disrupted my thoughts. I quickly discerned a distant, bright light amidst the once black abyss that surrounded me.

As if responding to some unknown force, the darkness transformed and began to propel me towards the light, revealing a narrow tunnel-like path that led to its end.

Maintaining my composure, I decided to observe the situation and see where it would lead me. I cleared my mind of all other thoughts and fixated my gaze upon the brilliant light that drew nearer with each passing moment.

~=~=~=~=~

As I passed through the light, my vision was suddenly bathed in a crimson hue. The previous silence was shattered by loud sounds that I couldn't quite comprehend at first.

But as my senses adjusted to the new environment, I could make out the back-and-forth pacing of someone, the soft moans of a woman in pain, and the muffled voice of an elderly man.

My auditory system quickly adapted to the new auditory stimuli, enabling me to discern the muffled voice with increasing clarity.

"Congratulations Sir and Madam, they are healthy twins."

Wait a minute...

Something here didn't make sense.

Gingerly, I pried my eyes open, and my retina was suddenly inundated with an array of colors and forms, all within my limited field of vision. It took a few seconds before my eyes could completely acclimate to the novel environment.