500 years earlier, a man boards an ill-fated colony ship

Erisia Pyatova-Hsien blinked awake, then stared up at the dark ceiling of her tent. Blinked with two eyes, mind you: the woman who would become Eris Morn wouldn't have need of Hive eyes for another few centuries.

She was alone: most of the dwellings in the massive parking lot lot were stuffed wall-to-wall with bunks and cots, but Erisia's tent was private--If a little cramped.

That was part of what got her in this mess: the temptation to enjoy Earthly comforts, one last time. She wasn't the type for one-night stands, but when a young man approached her with a charming smile and an offer to bunk with him as they waited for the next day--For their turn to board the massive colony ship--She couldn't resist.

He even had a bottle of wine... The last either of them would see for quite some time, if the mission went as planned.

She followed the man back to his tent, and leaned into his touch as he wrapped his arm around her. She didn't even cringe when he lifted her chin for a kiss--An unnecessary act, given their equal height, but she knew what kind of man he was.

I really shouldn't, she thought, as he kissed her again before laying her down on the small-yet-comfortable bed. I don't know his name, let alone his medical history, and I'm about to board--

"AH!" She yelped as he flicked up her skirt, yanked her panties aside, and penetrated her in a single smooth stroke. No foreplay, no finesse... So why am I wet? He's not even my type--

"Relax," the man purred. There was something in his eyes, as he loomed over her... Pushing, thrusting, his firm hands around her waist... A glimmer of purple, beneath his blue irises. She blinked, and it was gone. The faint impression of a power which did not yet exist, but which was so far outside casuality that it could still have some influence.

Erisia wrapped her legs around the strange young man, holding on for dear life as he picked up speed. There was no pain or discomfort--Not physical, anyway. She was fairly annoyed at the way he was claiming her body, without patience or communication... But she was more annoyed at how much pleasure she was getting from his crude, selfish fucking.

After a few minutes of thrusting, the man pulled back a little and looked her in the eye. With some difficulty, Erisia held his gaze: she was ashamed, but she wouldn't let him see that.

For the first time since telling her to relax, the man spoke: "What's your name?" He sounded almost casual, even through the heavy breathing--And even as he kept thrusting, his pace never changing throughout his attempt at small talk.

"...Eh--Ah..." She swallowed hard, trying to stay as nonchalant as he was. "...Erisia."

"Erisia... You're on the crew?"

"Y-yeah." Dumb question, she thought, trying not to gasp with pleasure. The colonists went into suspension weeks ago.

"What kind?"

"Scientist. Exo... Mm... Exobiology." Should I be asking questions? Is it weird not to reciprocate, just because he's fucking INSIDE ME? Erisia's hand grasped tightly at the bedsheet as she tried to ground herself. "...You?"

"Uh... Maintenance."

Figures. Lowest rung. Still an astronaut, though. She looked up into his face, trying to judge if he was handsome. Well-defined features... Short brown hair... Some stubble... Sorta well-built... North American accent... Just an average guy, really. Doesn't matter... Probably won't see him. Maybe an awkward nod in the corridor, a few times a year. A ticket with his name on it if my gear breaks down.

"Wh-what... Ah..." Erisia gasped, heat rising through her body. He was still keeping up that pace, his hips never faltering. "...What's your name?"

The stranger was silent for a moment, considering how to reply. Judging whether it was worth lying to her.

"...Daniel."

"Okay. I'm Erisia."

"You said that already."

Fuck... Dammit... Why does he make me feel so... So self-conscious? She looked into his eyes again. Saw that flicker of purple light again. The hell is with this guy? Why is he... Why am I...

"Fuck," Erisia gasped, her grip on the sheets growing even tighter. "I... I'm gonna..."

"Cum for me," Daniel growled, putting a hand on her wrist. "Now."

"F-fuck--Let go--"

"You want me to stop?"

"No! Don't f-fucking--Aaaah!"

In that moment, she didn't know what exactly she was saying "no" to: the sudden restraint, the idea of stopping, her own semi-shameful orgasm... Or the fact that he was cumming too, filling her pussy without a word of warning.

She gasped one more time, chest heaving as he climbed off of her. As suddenly as it began, it was over: there was no cuddling, nor did she feel any pressure to leave.

They fell asleep, side by side, without a word or a touch between them.

Erisia slept deeply... Deeply enough that she didn't hear Daniel climb out of bed only two hours later. Nor did she feel him kiss her--Possessively, without tenderness--Or notice as he rooted through her luggage.

Smirking in the darkness, he took her wallet... Her health records... Her Amrita ID chip... And her ticket. The small piece of plastic and silicon which would allow her to board the Yang Liwei.

It was keyed to Erisia's identification, and shouldn't have allowed anyone else to board in her place: this was the primary Exodus craft, after all. Every soul making their way up those massive boarding ramps earned their place there, and everyone had a specific role. Amrita leadership did not play games.

But Daniel was no ordinary stowaway. He had Erisia's ticket, the supporting documents... And something in his eyes. Something which would allow him to avoid human scrutiny for just long enough to get past those gates.

He was already long gone by the time Erisia woke to find him gone.

Wait... Where is he? She sat up in bed, squinting into the darkness. What time is it?

She tore the tent's fabric window-cover aside. Light streamed in, and Erisia peered out... And saw row upon row of open, empty tents.

This section--The last section--Had already boarded. There was no more room on the Yang Liwei... Not unless she could find Daniel, reclaim her ticket, and see him face justice.

Erisia pulled on her panties and a T-shirt, then sprinted out of the tent--Just in time to be hit with a wall of noise, followed shortly by a wave of dust.

...No. NO!

The passenger dwellings were a safe distance from the base of the gargantuan rocket... And so the horrified, half-naked woman merely had her hair blown backwards, as her future sped away at 20,000 miles an hour. Alive, unharmed, but without a future.

**** would come for Erisia Pyatova-Hsien soon after, when the horrors of the Collapse reached Earth--Mere days after her passionate, shameful, and ultimately fatal encounter with Daniel. A cloud of Darkness consumed her first body, leaving nothing but bones.

But that was not the end of her story. In the Late Dark Age, a Ghost would find and resurrect Erisia--A name which was later partially-recovered, then reshaped into Eris Morn.

When she opened her eyes in the City Age, she was reborn into a world long since infected by Daniel's influence.