He was naked, and his eyes were closed. Without the liquid holding him in place, the young man’s body lurched forward, slowly falling outward.

“Nathan!” Lana ran and grabbed his head before it hit the floor. “I got you.”

Nori bent behind her and gently put two fingers to his neck. “He’s alive,” she said in relief. “He’s just unconscious.”

“Well then, move over, girls,” Bulco said, hovering over them. “I’ll take care of him. Let’s spare the poor kid the awkwardness of waking up to the sight of you two staring at his naked ass.”

“I wasn’t even looking,” Lana protested, though she turned her head, blushing slightly as the large Engineer bent and easily picked up her friend.

“I’ll find something to put on him,” he said. “Brought a bunch of spare clothes with me. I might have to hold it around him with a rope or something, though.”

The two women stood up.

“We’ve nearly arrived,” Nori said. “I’ll go prepare to dock at the station.” She started reaching for the pilot seat when the main monitor flickered again and new lines of text appeared on it.

Unity, Evolving ship

Class: Mining-Freighter

Bonded Level: 5

Upgrades available:

●       Defense

●       Mobility

●       Mining

●       Structure

“What is this?” Lana frowned. “It almost looks like … like ...”

“Like our status screens,” Nori finished.

The two women looked at each other.

“Did Nathan just …”

“Turn Unity into a ship that can level up?”

“It can’t be, can it?”

“What else can it be?”

“But it makes no sense. How can a ship level up?”

Nori reached for her light console and punched some keys. “I can’t interact with this screen. All the other navigational interfaces still work, though.”

Lana raised her arms, forming a chair around her, and poured over her own console. “I can’t either. I just get the same readings I normally do.”

The two women stared at the viewscreen for a while longer with their brows creased.

“Maybe this guy can help you girls out,” the Engineer’s deep voice came behind them. “After the long nap he took, he should be up for a little work.”

They turned to see Bulco helping Nathan who was walking unsteadily, onto the bridge.

“Nathan,” Lana exclaimed and ran to wrap the young man in a tight embrace.

Bulco chuckled. “Careful there, girl, he’s still a little shaky.”

“Nathan.” Nori approached the young man and, to his surprise, hugged him as well. “I’m glad you’re alright.”

“You are, aren’t you?” Lana asked nervously. “Alright, I mean.”

Nathan smiled faintly at her and nodded, his eyes sparkling.

Lana gaped at him. “You did what?”

He stepped unevenly into the bridge and held up his hands. The ship obeyed and the floor shifted, growing and wrapping his lower body completely. A half-helmet closed around his head with an opaque visor covering his eyes.

“What did he say?” Nori asked.