We Found An Alien Mega Structure. They Never Tell You This.

Hello and welcome back to another episode by Sleepy Pasta. Before you doze off tonight, don't forget to leave a five star review and a comment where you are watching from. Let's begin. We found the thing on our third week out there. I've been surveying XK47 for 21 days straight and honestly I was getting pretty tired of looking at rocks.

The planet was basically one giant pile of greystone with some rust colored patches thrown in for variety. Our orbital scans hadn't shown much of anything interesting, just another dead rock floating around a dying star. Then Jerome spotted it from about two kilometers out. Wayne. He said over the calm.

His voice had that weird tight quality it got when he was trying not to get excited about geology stuff. You need to see this. I was checking water recycling levels back at base camp. Thrilling work. What is it?

Just come Look, that wasn't like Jerome. Guy usually gave you a full technical breakdown before you even asked. I grabbed my field kit and hiked over to his position on the Ridge. The structure rose from the rocky surface like some kind of crystalline cathedral. That's the only way I can describe it.

The walls were translucent, maybe 30 meters high at the tallest point, and they pulsed with these soft bioluminescent patterns, waves of blue and green light that shifted and flowed like they were alive. Holy shit, I said. Jerome nodded, he was holding his scanner but not really looking at it, just staring at the building.

Scans show it's hollow inside multiple chambers connected by corridors. The walls appear to be some kind of organic crystal matrix. I called the rest of the team over. Jackson got there first, jogging up the Ridge with his rifle. Ready.

That's Jackson for you. See something weird? Grab a gun. What the hell is that? He said.

Architecture, I told him. River arrived next, then Aurora. We all stood there for maybe 10 minutes just looking at it. The light patterns kept shifting. Sometimes they'd sink up across the whole structure, sometimes they'd flow in spirals.

It was kind of hypnotic. Atmospheric readings, I said. Finally, River pulled out her scanner. Oxygen, nitrogen, trace gases. It's breathable in there.

That was the moment everything changed. Up until then, it was just a weird alien building. Cool to look at. Definitely worth reporting back to command. But breathable air meant we could actually go inside.

I want to explore it, I said. Jackson frowned. Wayne, we don't know what's in there. That's why we explore it. I picked my team for the initial survey.

Jackson, obviously. River, in case someone got hurt. Jerome, because he was already obsessed with the thing. Aurora, because we'd need calm support if something went wrong. The entrance wasn't hard to find.

There was an opening on the South side that looked almost like a doorway, perfectly sized for humans, which should have been our first clue that something was off, but I wasn't thinking about that then. The interior defied all explanation. I know that sounds dramatic, but I don't have better words for it. The corridors branched and twisted in ways that didn't match what we'd seen from outside.

They opened into vast chambers filled with these organic looking pods, hundreds of them, maybe thousands, hanging from the walls and ceiling like fruit. The surfaces responded to touch. That freaked Jackson out more than anything else. I put my hand on one of the walls and it rippled, sending waves of light radiating outward from my palm.

The material felt warm, almost like skin, but smoother. This is not natural, Jackson said He was gripping his rifle tight enough that his knuckles were white. Obviously not, I said. That's what makes it interesting. The air inside carried this faint sweetness.

Reminded me of the honeysuckle that grew behind my mom's house when I was a kid. Made the whole place feel welcoming despite all the weird alien architecture. We spent 4 hours in there that first day. Mapped out maybe a tenth of the structure. Every chamber led to more chambers, every corridor split into three more corridors.

It was like a maze, except somehow we never got lost, always found our way back to the entrance when we needed to. It's guiding us, Rivers said on day three of our explorations. What do you mean the light patterns? They're not random. They're showing us which way to go.

She was right. I'd noticed it, too, but hadn't wanted to say anything. The bioluminescent waves always seem to flow in the direction we needed to travel, toward the exit when we wanted to leave, toward unexplored sections when we wanted to keep mapping. Jerome was in heaven. He spent hours scanning the walls, taking samples, running every test his equipment could handle.

The mineral composition shifts based on proximity to human presence, he told me on day five. It's adapting its structure to our needs. What needs? Temperature regulation, air circulation, Even the acoustics change when we're in a chamber. It's optimizing the environment for human comfort.

Jackson didn't like that Things don't just optimize for humans. Wayne, we're not from here. But I was starting to think maybe Jackson was being too paranoid. We've been exploring for two weeks straight. No dangers, no hostile elements, no signs of whatever built the place, just this beautiful, responsive structure that seemed genuinely interested in making us comfortable.

The electrical storms hit XK 47 every few days, massive lightning displays that could fry our equipment if we got caught outside. Our base camp had adequate shielding, but it wasn't exactly pleasant sitting in a metal box while electricity arced overhead. Inside the structure, the storms were barely noticeable, just faint flickering in the bioluminescent patterns, like the building was absorbing all that energy and converting it into something harmless.

That's when I realized we were being stupid. We should move our base camp inside, I said. We were sitting around our portable heater, eating ration bars and listening to Thunder. The whole team was there. Everyone looked tired, dirty, ready for better accommodations inside the alien building, Jackson said.

Yeah, the alien building that responds to our thoughts, guides our movements. It's protecting us from the storms. And look, I pulled up the structural scans on my tablet. These alcoves in the main chamber, they're perfectly sized for our equipment, like the building wants us to move in. River nodded slowly.

My medical scans show improved health metrics after spending time inside, better air quality, optimal humidity levels. It's actually good for us. It's anticipating our needs, Jerome added. Yesterday I needed a flat surface for sample analysis. When I came back to that chamber, there was a shelf like protrusion at exactly the right height.

Aurora hadn't said much during our explorations. She usually stayed near the entrance monitoring communications, but now she spoke up. The acoustics are perfect for signal transmission. I'm getting better range on our equipment inside than out here. Jackson looked around at all of us.

You're serious about this? I'm serious about not sitting in this tin can for another month, I said. We've got superior protection, better working conditions, and the building seems designed to accommodate human habitation. Why wouldn't we use it? The storm outside reached a crescendo.

Lightning struck close enough that our lights flickered. Fine, Jackson said. But if this goes bad, I'm blaming you. I figured that was fair. River didn't even hesitate.

Soon as I finished explaining the whole shelter thing, she was nodding. Makes perfect sense. She said, already pulling her pack closer. The storm's not letting up, and we've got power and climate control in there. Why suffer out here?

Jerome adjusted his glasses and look back toward the structure. The building's design is clearly superior to our temporary setup. From an engineering standpoint, it's the logical choice. Aurora was quiet for a second, then shrugged. I can get better signal reception from inside anyway.

The walls don't seem to interfere with our equipment. That was it. Three of us ready to move in. I figured it'd be a unanimous decision. Then Jackson spoke up.

Hold on. He was standing with his arms crossed. That look on his face I knew meant trouble. We're just going to move into an alien building. No contamination protocols, no understanding of who built it or why.

I turned to face him properly. What kind of contamination are you worried about? We've been inside for hours already. River's been monitoring our vitals the whole time. That's not the point, Wayne.

Jackson's voice had that edge it got when he thought I was being reckless, which was probably fair, honestly. We don't know anything about this place. We don't know what it wants. What it wants. River laughed a little.

It's a building, Jackson. It doesn't want anything. You don't know that. Jerome was already packing up his geological samples. The structure appears to be automated, designed for habitation.

There's no evidence of active intelligence, no evidence we'd recognize, Jackson said. I could feel this turning into one of those arguments that goes nowhere. Jackson gets an idea in his head sometimes, and you can't shake it loose with logic. Usually his instincts are pretty good, though, so I figured I should at least hear him out.

OK, I said, what specifically are you concerned about? Give me something concrete. Jackson opened his mouth and then closed it, ran his hand through his hair. I don't know, it just feels wrong. Feels wrong how?

The whole thing, finding it right when we need shelter, the perfect temperature, the way it just opened up for us. He gestured toward the structure. It's too convenient. Aurora was already shouldering her pack. Sometimes you get lucky.

Doesn't mean it's a trap. Everything about this planet has been hostile, Jackson said. The atmosphere, the weather, the terrain. Then we find this one perfect building that solves all our problems, that doesn't strike you as odd. River stood up and brushed dust off her pants.

What strikes me as odd is wanting to stay out here in a lightning storm when we've got a perfectly good shelter available. I watched Jackson's face. He was frustrated, I could tell, trying to put words to something that was just a gut feeling. I get those sometimes, too. But right then, the Thunder rolling overhead and our tents shaking in the wind, his gut feeling seemed less crucial than staying dry.

Look, I said, how about this? Some of us move inside, some stay out here. That way we're not putting all our eggs in one basket. Jackson nodded slowly. Yeah, OK, that works.

So that's what we did. River, Jerome, Aurora and me grabbed our gear and headed for the structure. Jackson stayed behind with Aiden and Sage. Aiden had wanted to keep an eye on the ship anyway, make sure the storm wasn't damaging anything crucial, and Sage said she'd rather stick with the original plan until we knew more about the building's long term effects.

Made sense to me. Jackson's paranoia aside, splitting up was probably smart. The four of us who went inside got settled pretty quickly. The structures seem to adjust to our presence somehow. The main chamber we've been using expanded a little and smaller alcoves appeared along the walls.

Not like they grew or anything dramatic, more like they'd always been there and I just hadn't noticed them before. Each alcove was perfectly sized for one person, River claimed. The one closest to the entrance said it felt right for monitoring everyone's health. Jerome picked one near what looked like a control panel, though none of us could figure out what it controlled.

Aurora went for the alcove with the best sight lines to the entrance. I took the one in the back. The temperature thing was incredible. Soon as we got our gear stowed, the walls started radiating this gentle warmth. Not hot, just exactly the right temperature to feel comfortable.

Outside. I could hear the storm getting worse, but inside it was like being in the most expensive hotel room you've ever seen. Around dinner time, I started getting hungry, but I wasn't looking forward to another meal of protein bars and recycled water. That's when I noticed something weird about my alcove. There was this small depression in the wall, about the size of a coffee cup.

When I touched it, it filled with this clear fluid. Hey. I called out to the others. You guys seeing this? River poked her head out of her alcove.

The dispensers? Yeah, mine's got something similar. I sniffed the liquid. Didn't smell like anything, looked like water, but a little thicker. Think it's safe?

I'm running a quick analysis, Rivers said, pulling out her medical scanner. She took a sample from her own dispenser and ran it through the device. Proteins, carbohydrates, essential amino acids, vitamins. It's basically a complete meal in liquid form. Jerome emerged from his alcove, holding a cup of the same stuff.

Remarkable. The building's providing sustenance. Aurora was already drinking hers. Tastes fine, kind of like nothing, but in a good way. I figured what the hell, we'd already been breathing the air in here for hours.

If the building wanted to poison us, it probably would have done it by now. The liquid went down smooth and filled me up completely. Better than that, actually. I felt satisfied in a way I hadn't since we'd landed on this rock. That night I slept better than I had in weeks.

The alcove molded itself to my body somehow. Not soft, exactly, but perfectly supportive. No tossing and turning, no waking up with a Crick in my neck. I just lay down and went out like a light river. Confirmed it the next morning.

Best sleep quality I've recorded since we left Earth, she said, checking her readings. Riem's cycles were perfect. Stress hormones way down. Jerome was practically bouncing with excitement about something he discovered. Watch this, he said, leading us over to his alcove.

He pressed his palm against the wall surface, and immediately it lit up with detailed geological data about the surrounding area, mineral compositions, seismic activity, underground water sources, everything our survey equipment had been trying to map for weeks. It's like the building knows the planet better than we do, Jerome said. Which I suppose makes sense if it's been here long enough.

I felt incredible, more focused and alert than I'd been in months. The constant background stress of the mission just seemed to fade away. We had shelter, food, perfect environmental conditions. Everything was working out exactly like it should. That's when Jackson showed up for his first visit.

He stood in the entrance, looking around like he expected something to jump out at him. Aiden and Sage were with him, both of them seeming pretty uncomfortable too. How's everyone doing in here? Jackson asked. Great, River said.

Better than great, actually. The building's providing everything we need, Jerome added. It's remarkably sophisticated. Jackson looked at me. Wayne, can I talk to you outside for a minute?

I followed him out into the Gray morning light. The storm had passed, but the air still felt heavy and oppressive after the perfect climate inside. What's up? I said. Jackson was quiet for a long moment, staring back at the structure.

You guys seem different. Different how? Calmer, Too calm. He turned to face me. When's the last time you checked in with Mission Control?

I had to think about it Yesterday morning. I think it's been 3 days, Wayne. That didn't seem right, but I couldn't really argue with it. Time had a funny way of sliding by inside the building. We've been busy getting settled.

Busy getting settled? Jackson repeated. Wayne, we're supposed to be surveying this planet. That's why we're here. When Aurora came out yesterday, I asked her about the geological reports we're supposed to file.

She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. I felt a little irritated. Jackson was making problems where there weren't any. We're still doing the survey. Jerome's got more data about the local geology than we've collected in three weeks.

Data from an alien computer. How do we know it's accurate? Why would it lie? Jackson stared at me. That's not the point, Wayne.

The point is, we're supposed to be doing our job, not living in some alien vacation resort. But that's exactly what it felt like, a vacation from all the stress and discomfort of the mission. For the first time since we'd landed, everything felt easy. Why was Jackson so determined to make things difficult again?

I'd been having the best sleep I'd had in weeks when Jackson's voice cut through everything. Wayne, Wayne, you have to wake up. Not like normal shouting. This was different, raw, like he'd been screaming for hours already. I rolled over on my cot.

We'd set up a proper sleeping area in one of the side chambers by then, and tried to figure out what time it was. The structure's lighting stayed consistent, so it was hard to tell. I'm awake, I called back. What's wrong? But he was already there, standing in the doorway to my little sleeping nook, and I could see his face in the soft blue glow from the walls.

Something was seriously wrong. His eyes were too wide, his hair was a mess, and he was shaking. Thank God, he said. Wayne, listen to me. You're not really here.

I sat up. What? None of this is real. He stepped into the room, moving fast. The pods wane, the stasis fields.

You've been unconscious for weeks. I figured he was having some kind of breakdown. The isolation, maybe, Or cabin fever. We'd all been living in close quarters for over a month now, and Jackson had never really adjusted to the structure the way the rest of us had. Jackson, slow down.

I swung my legs off the cot. What pods? The sleep pods on the ship. He grabbed my shoulders before I could stand up properly. His grip was tight, desperate.

Wayne, you never left the ship. None of you did. You've been lying there for 43 days while this thing. He gestured at the walls around us. While it feeds off you.

That didn't make any sense. I looked around the room. Everything was exactly where I'd left it. My survey equipment on the small table Jerome had helped me move in. My spare clothes folded on the shelf.

The structure had grown for me. The water bottle I've been drinking from before bed. Jackson, I'm standing right here. I tried to keep my voice calm. Look at me, I'm awake, I'm talking to you.

No, you're not. His voice cracked. Wayne, your body's wasting away. Rivers, too. And Jerome, Aurora, you're all dying in those pods while this thing makes you think you're living some perfect life.

I'd never seen Jackson like this. He was always the steady one, the guy who double checked everything and kept us grounded. But now he looked like he hadn't slept in days. Where have you been sleeping? I asked him if we're all in pods.

Where are you? I never went in. He let go of my shoulders but didn't step back. I stayed on the ship. Aiden and Sage did too.

We've been trying to figure out how to get you out. That was when I heard the footsteps. Heavy boots on the structure's floor, which was weird because the floor usually absorbed sound pretty well. I turned toward the main chamber. That's them, Jackson said.

They're here. Aiden came through first, carrying what looked like a medical kit. Behind him was Sage with some kind of scanning device I didn't recognize. Both of them looked as rough as Jackson did. Tired, worried, Wayne Aidan said when he saw me.

Jesus, it's good to see you. Responsive. Responsive. I walked past Jackson toward them. What's that supposed to mean?

Sage was already running her scanner over me. The thing beeped a few times and she frowned at the redoubt. This is incredible, she said. According to this, you're not even here. I'm standing right in front of you.

No. Aidan opened his medical kit and pulled out some kind of injector. Wayne, we found you 20 minutes ago. You and the others. You were in the sleep pods in Cargo Bay too, exactly where we left you on day 21.

I thought about that. Day 21 was when we first entered the structure when the storm hit. That's impossible, I said. I've been living here for weeks, working, eating, talking to River and Jerome and Aurora every day. You haven't eaten anything in 43 days, Sage said quietly.

None of you have. Your bodies are running on stored fat and muscle mass. Rivers lost almost 30 lbs. The way she said it made something cold settle in my stomach, but I pushed it away. I knew what was real.

I'd been here, I'd done things, made discoveries. Where are the others? I asked. Rivers in the medical Bay, Aiden said. Jerome and Aurora are in the sleeping quarters, all unconscious, all hooked up to some kind of neural interface we can't identify.

Show me, I said. Jackson shook his head. Wayne, we tried to bring you there. You wouldn't come. You just stood in place, talking to people who weren't there.

I'm here now, are you? Sage held up her scanner. Because this says I'm talking to empty air. I grabbed the device from her hands. The screen showed a rough outline of the room, with three heat signatures clustered near the entrance where they were standing.

Where I was standing showed nothing. I threw the scanner back at her. Your equipment's broken. Wayne. Jackson's voice was gentle.

Now. I know this is hard to accept, but you have to trust us. This place, whatever it is, it's not what you think. I looked around the main chamber. Everything was exactly as it should be.

The walls hummed with their familiar energy. The air smelled clean and slightly metallic. The floor felt solid under my feet. I've been conducting surveys, I said. Real work.

I have data. Show us, Aidan said. I walked over to the workstation where I'd been compiling my reports. The surface lit up as I approached, displaying the geological surveys. Jerome and I had been working on detailed mineral compositions, structural analysis of the building itself.

Weeks of careful research. See. I pointed at the screen. This is real work, real data. The three of them moved closer.

Jackson squinted at the display. Now, Wayne, he said slowly. There's nothing there. What do you mean, nothing? Look at it.

The wall is blank, Sage said. You're pointing at smooth metal. I looked at the screen again. The data was right there, charts and graphs and everything Jerome had been so excited about. But when I followed their gazes, when I really tried to see what they were seeing, the doubt lasted maybe 2 seconds.

Then the structure's warmth flowed through me again and everything made sense. They were confused, probably suffering from some kind of exposure to the ship's recycled air. I've been breathing clean atmosphere for over a month now. Of course, my thinking was clearer. You need to come inside properly, I told them.

Let the structure help you. It can fix whatever's wrong with your perceptions. Wayne, no. Jackson's voice was sharp Now Don't you see what it's doing? It's making you think everything's perfect, making you want to stay because everything is perfect.

I spread my arms, gesturing at the chamber around us. Look at this place. Clean air, clean water, perfect temperature, no storms, no radiation, no equipment failures. Why would I want to leave? That was when Jackson reached for his belt.

I saw the plasma cutter before he drew it, but I didn't really understand what was happening until he had the thing powered up and pointed at the central console. I'm sorry, Wayne, he said. But if this is the only way to break you out of this thing, Jackson, don't. I stepped between him and the console.

You don't understand what you're doing. Neither do you. Jerome's voice came from behind me. I turned and saw him walking into the chamber, looking confused and a little annoyed. What's all the noise?

He asked. Some of us are trying to sleep. Jackson's face went white. Oh God, it's making more of them. Making what?

Jerome looked around at the three strangers with their equipment. Wayne, who are these people? They think we're not real. I said. Jerome laughed.

That's ridiculous. I'm standing right here. He walked toward Jackson. Sir, I don't know who you are, but you're pointing a weapon at sensitive equipment. I'm going to have to ask you to.

Jackson fired. The plasma bolt hit Jerome's center mass. He didn't even have time to look surprised, just gone. One second he was walking forward with his hand extended, and the next second there was just a scorch mark on the floor and the smell of burned air. Rivers scream came from somewhere deeper in the structure, high and sharp and full of terror.

I couldn't move, couldn't think. Jerome had been right there, talking, moving. Real. No, I whispered. Jackson was staring at the plasma cutter like he didn't know how it had gotten in his hand.

I killed him, he said. I killed Jerome. River's footsteps echoed through the corridors as she ran, getting farther away, deeper into the building where the passages got narrow and dark. He wasn't real, Sage said quietly. Wayne, he wasn't real.

We found Jerome's body in the cargo Bay 20 minutes ago. I looked at the scorch mark on the floor, at Jackson's shaking hands, at the medical equipment scattered around where Aiden had dropped his kit. He was real, I said. He was standing right here. The whole thing went sideways fast.

Sage must have been planning it while we were all standing around arguing. Soon as Aurora turned her back, Sage grabbed her around the waist and started pulling her toward the exit. Not gentle either, full tackle, like she was trying to save Aurora from a fire. We're getting out of here. Sage said through gritted teeth.

All of us. Now. Aurora didn't even seem surprised, just twisted around in Sage's grip like it was nothing. That part should have been impossible. Sage was strong, spent half her life hauling engineering equipment around, But Aurora just rotated in her arms like Sage was a kid trying to hold onto a grown up.

Let go of me. Aurora said. Her voice was still that weird calm tone, pleasant almost. Then she grabbed Sage's right arm and twisted. The snap was loud enough that I heard it over the storm outside.

Clean break. Probably both bones in the forearm. Sage screamed and dropped to her knees, cradling her arm against her chest. Aurora stepped back and smoothed down her uniform like nothing had happened. That wasn't necessary.

Aurora said. She sounded genuinely disappointed. I don't want to hurt anyone. Aiden moved before I even saw him coming that his shock rot out and activated the blue electric arc crackling between the contacts. He jammed it right into Aurora's shoulder.

She dropped like a sack of rocks. Jesus. Aiden said, looking down at her. How much voltage does it take? Sage was still on the floor, rocking back and forth.

Her arm was bent at an angle that made my stomach turn, but she was conscious, which was something. Get her to the ship. I said. Both of them. What about you?

Aidan asked. I looked around the chamber. The walls were humming louder now, that subsonic vibration that you felt in your bones more than heard. The light patterns were shifting faster too, spiraling through colors I didn't have names for. I need to find River Wayne.

Just get them out of here, I'll catch up. That was a lie, and we both knew it, but Aiden didn't argue. He hauled Aurora over his shoulder and helped Sage to her feet with his free hand. They made their way toward the exit, Sage stumbling and cursing under her breath. I waited until they were gone, then headed deeper into the structure.

The corridors kept branching. I'd been in here dozens of times over the past few days, but somehow I kept finding new passages, rooms I'd never seen before. It was like the place was bigger on the inside, which didn't make sense, but didn't really bother me either. Lots of things didn't make sense out here.

I called River's name a few times, but my voice just got swallowed up in the humming. The sound was getting louder the deeper I went. Not unpleasant exactly, more like being inside a really good speaker system. I found the chamber about 10 minutes later. It wasn't connected to any of the main passages.

I had to squeeze through a gap between two walls that I would have sworn wasn't there before. The opening was just wide enough for a person, like it had been custom made. The room beyond was smaller than the others, maybe 20 feet across, with a domed ceiling that glowed with soft white light.

No visible fixtures, the light just came from everywhere at once. There were four pods in the center of the room. They looked organic, not quite metal, not quite flesh. Sort of like giant seed cases, if seeds grew to be 7 feet long and had transparent windows in the front. Each one was connected to the floor and ceiling with thick cord like structures that pulsed with a slow rhythm, like arteries maybe, or roots.

I could see through the windows. 3 of the pods held bodies, people perfectly preserved, eyes closed, breathing slow and steady. They were naked, and I could see the rise and fall of their chests, alive but unconscious. I recognized two of them immediately, Jerome and River, looking exactly like they had when they disappeared.

No sign of injury or distress. They looked peaceful, actually, like they were having the best sleep of their lives. The third body took me a moment to place. It was Jackson, but younger somehow. His hair was darker and he didn't have the scar on his chin from that mining accident back on Kepler Station, but it was definitely him.

The 4th pod was different. The window was darker, harder to see through, but when I pressed my face against it, I could make out the shape inside. It was me. Same height, same build, same scar above my left eyebrow from when I fell off my bike at age 7. The face was relaxed, eyes closed, breathing at that same slow, steady pace, connected to the pods interior through dozens of thin tubes that entered through the skin at various points.

Arms, legs, neck, chest. They didn't look painful, more like they belonged there. I stared at my own face for probably 5 minutes straight, waiting for it to move or change or do something that would prove it wasn't real, but it just kept breathing, in and out, in and out, the chest rising and falling in perfect rhythm.

I reached out and touched the pod surface. It was warm, slightly soft, like living tissue. The tubes inside pulsed faster when I made contact, and for a second I thought I saw my duplicates eyes flutter. That's when I started shaking. Not fear, exactly, more like my brain couldn't process what it was seeing.

I kept looking at my hands, flexing my fingers. They felt solid, real. I could feel the texture of the pod under my palm, smell the ozone from the electrical systems, taste the metallic Tang of recycled air in my mouth. Everything seemed normal and present and absolutely real. But there I was, in the pod, breathing, connected to this place through organic tubes that looked like they'd grown there.

I tried to work out the logistics. Maybe it was a clone. Maybe the structure had somehow copied us when we first arrived. Maybe this was all some kind of simulation and I was the fake one, dreaming I was real while my actual body floated in synthetic fluid. The thoughts felt slippery every time I tried to focus on one possibility.

It would slide away and get replaced by another, like trying to hold water in your hands. I was still staring at myself when I heard the explosions. 3 quick booms from somewhere above me. The whole structure shuttered and dust rained down from the ceiling. The humming sound cut out for a few seconds, then came back louder and more frantic.

More explosions, closer this time. I could hear debris falling in the corridors outside. The lights in the chamber flickered and the pods made a sound like whimpering. The tubes connecting them to the structure started pulsing faster, more urgent. My duplicates breathing picked up pace, and for a second his eyes opened.

They were my eyes, dark brown, same flecks of gold around the iris. But they didn't see me. They looked right through the pod window, like I wasn't there. Wayne. Jackson's voice echoing from somewhere in the corridors, Real Jackson, not the one in the pod.

Wayne, we're getting you out of here. I heard footsteps, multiple sets, moving fast, getting closer. Don't, I shouted back. You don't understand. But I couldn't explain what I didn't understand.

The pods, the duplicates, the feeling that this place was somehow more real than the world outside. How could I tell them that leaving felt like dying? They found me anyway. Jackson came through the gap first, followed by Aidan and two people I didn't recognize. Must have been from their ship.

They were all wearing some kind of breathing gear and carrying heavy equipment. Jesus Christ, one of the strangers said when he saw the pods. What is this place? Parasitic trap, Jackson said. He wasn't looking at the bodies, just at me.

Wayne, we need to go right now. No, I said. This is my home. The word surprised me. I hadn't planned to say them, but they felt true in a way that made my chest tight.

This isn't your home, Aidan said. It's not anyone's home. Look at what it's doing to you. He pointed at the pods, at my duplicate floating in synthetic fluid with tubes growing out of his skin. That's not me, I said.

I'm me. I'm standing right here, Wayne. Jackson stepped closer, hands up, like he was approaching a wild animal. We're going to help you, but you have to trust us. They grabbed me before I could run.

Jackson and Aden each took an arm, and the strangers flanked us as we made our way back through the corridors. I fought them the whole time, not violently, but constant resistance, trying to turn back, trying to break free, trying to make them understand that they were making a terrible mistake. The explosions had done real damage.

Whole sections of the structure were collapsed, and the remaining walls were cracked and leaking some kind of luminescent fluid. The humming was broken now, coming in stutters and gasps, like something was dying. Please, I kept saying, please don't do this, but they dragged me outside anyway. The storm was still going, but it felt thin and cold after the warm embrace of the structure.

I could see their ships parked about 100 meters away, running lights blinking through the rain. Safety, rescue, everything I should have wanted. Behind us, the final charges went off. The crystalline walls shattered like glass, sending fragments spinning into the storm. The whole thing came down in sections, each collapsed, triggering the next, until nothing was left but a pile of glowing rubble.

The light faded as we watched, dimming from brilliant white to pale blue to nothing. Something inside me broke with it. Not physically, more like a connection being severed, A lifeline cut. I felt myself split into pieces, Part of me standing in the rain getting soaked, part of me buried under tons of alien crystal, part of me floating in a pod that no longer existed.

All of them equally real, equally me. I couldn't tell which one was supposed to be the truth anymore.