“It is not my place to forgive you,” Ibn said. “While I do not share your pessimism about our homeworld, I agree with your assessment. If humans made this object… they are so different from the humans we knew that I fear we would not recognize them as our kin.”

“Right,” Elena said. “So when do we go over there and take a look?”

“We’re still considering our options,” Robin said.

“What, are we just going to fly away? Call this an unscheduled pit stop and get back on the space-road? Is that even an option?”

Uzoma said, “We are approximately a hundred years short of our expected arrival at Gliese 3293 C. Most of our fuel is gone, and it would take weeks of constant acceleration to return to our maximum survivable velocity. The ship was not designed to stop and start again, so the possibility of catastrophic system failure is increased.” They paused. “The issue is moot, however. We are locked out of most of the ship’s systems.”

“Our shit got hacked,” Hans said bluntly.

“We have to check this thing out.” Sebastien had drifted away from the cluster to float somehow elegantly against a bank of biological samples, and Elena felt her usual flutter of lust at the sight of him. Long and lean and sweet-tempered, he was an expert in social psychology and urban planning, and was also a competent software engineer. Everyone on this ship had multiple specialties. Elena did biology, chemistry, and agriculture: the wet stuff. Sebastien had been her best friend during their training, showing genuine interest in her work, sitting up late at night with her talking about what they were giving up to go on this journey, and he’d inspired her with his grand visions: they were going to save humanity, create a new and more equal society, take advantage of this grand chance of a do-over to do things right.

They’d stayed up late the night before their departure, talking about the wonder and possibility of life under another star, and only a sense of professionalism had kept Elena from doing more than gazing at him hungrily. They hadn’t made any explicit plans or promises, both too aware they might not even survive the journey, but they’d agreed to continue their conversations and friendship when they reached their destination. Elena had certainly fantasized that when they woke up, they would explore their relationship further, in the light of a new sun, and maybe even consummate that relationship on a new world. Their first time could be the first time for the whole planet. That appealed to her secret romantic side more than she liked to admit.

She hadn’t expected to wake up here, now, in such strange circumstances – but it was still a thrill to see him.

Sebastien gestured toward the great void outside. “Either our very advanced descendants built that structure, or we’re about to make first contact with aliens.”