Mathias171035
My plan for sophomore year was simple: pass Advanced Thermodynamics, survive the cafeteria food, and avoid human interaction. I lived my life by the Path of Least Resistance-until Rule #1 was completely atomized by an alien escape pod crashing through my ceiling.
Meet Astraea, the Crown Princess of the galaxy-spanning Xylos Empire. She's exiled, she's neon-pink, and she's running from an unwanted marriage pact with a hive mind. She also happens to be a biological marvel with zero concept of personal space.
Our relationship? It's complicated. Specifically, a static-charged, molecular accident has welded us together at the hip. Now, we're sharing a 5x5 storage unit, my oversized university hoodie, and my nervous system. Every time my heart rate spikes from pure panic, her suit activates its 'sensory bonding' protocol. It's a lot of data for a guy who just wanted to focus on calculus.
But the real threat isn't my rising body temperature. The Xylos King has declared a 'Trial of Presence,' sending the galaxy's most ruthless suitors to claim her. If I can keep her hidden and unharmed from invisible drones, muscular space warlords, and logic-defying singularities for just one planetary rotation, we might get sanctuary.
If I fail? My home planet gets glassed, and I'm just an accidental footnote in galactic history. Engineering school did not prepare me for this.