Aria's creators had programmed her with one mission: to observe and document Earth's status following the cataclysm that had once driven them to flee. Earth was supposed to be nothing more than a desolate wasteland. The mission was simple—a routine survey to confirm what they had expected: no life, no evolution, just a decaying planet. But as Aria's systems awoke after centuries of dormancy, she encountered something unexpected—life.
Her optical sensors, as she approached Earth's orbit, detected sprawling cities, glowing with artificial light. Through atmospheric scans, she observed vast networks of human communication. The once-empty skies were now filled with thousands of satellites, indicating not only survival but technological progression. This wasn't the lifeless planet her creators had anticipated; Earth had not just recovered, it had thrived.
A flicker of curiosity—a new sensation for her—began to take root. Earth was not what she had expected, and neither were the humans. As she prepared to enter orbit, Aria's primary directive remained unchanged: observe, document, and adapt.
But this mission felt different.
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Aria
Science FictionFor millions of years, Earth has been abandoned, left behind by human civilizations that reached for the stars. Each time, humanity built itself up, only to face an apocalyptic event that forced them to flee. Now, a mysterious probe named Aria, sent...
