Chapter 1

Time of Arrival: Year 2138

Current year: 2048. The starship, Miraculous, was on its 120 year journey. Destination: The Colony world of Noir. Crew members: 300. Passengers: 5,000

The large ship glided gently through the inky, dark galaxy. The reactor hummed softly, the steering set to autopilot ignition. The stars glinted off the shiny metal exterior of the spaceship, washing the surface in a silver hue. The reactor core burned brightly amidst the dark space, sparking into the black void.

A hurtling meteor came flinging out of the vast emptiness, slamming itself against the transparent force field surrounding the ship. The ship didn't falter as it continued on, before three more smaller asteroids crash against the force field with similar effects.

A map inside the command ring lit up to reveal their path ahead, only to show a multitude of small dots clouding the screen. The ship continued it's voyage, diverting the power to the main shield.

Meteorites began to strike the force field, each impact sending ripples of energy throughout the shield. The asteroid field engulfed the ship with heavier meteors, each one larger than the last.

A quiet beeping sound began to fill the interior of the command ring, the map signaled the event of a collision alert. There sensors went unheeded by the crew, as they were asleep in the hibernation pods.

As the giant meteorite sailed towards the space ship, it began to flake away against the unstable force field. An orange and red wave of fire exploded across the surface of the force field. The glass windows of the ship began to shiver unexpectedly as the lights flickered off momentarily before slowly turning back on. Chunks of asteroid cascaded across the force field as the ship continued onwards.

Back in the bridge of the ship, the monitor of the ship triggered several bright red alerts, each one displaying various parts of the vessel. Utilizing the energy of the fusion core, the ship began to repair itself, solving each issue effortlessly expect for one. The last alert blinked continuously, unrepaired.

The chamber emitted a soft glow from the hanging lights, covering the large bay in a hazy glow. Rows upon rows of hibernation pods were circled around each other in clumps of six. Each pod was designed with advanced technological features, each machine housing a living passenger.

A single light in the chamber began to blink out, a whirring sound emitting from a singular pod. The pod's glass began to glow with a faint yellow light, fog filtering through the capsule until a figure was revealed.

The pod system began to activate, numbers dancing across the screen on the glass as the machine began to churn. On the side of the pod, a blue monitor revealed his status: Adrien Agreste. Paris, France. Engineer.

A heart monitor below his name showed his vital signs- negative. A mechanical arm opened up from inside the capsule and began to inject several shots into the man's bicep. Blue lasers appeared on his chest and delivered two shocks to his heart. His chest lifted off the padding before slamming back down as his heart was brought back into play with it's normal rhythm. The monitor raced as his heart rate returned.

The man released a gasp of air, his heart beat steadying as the pod began to open. As the capsule unlatched, the man was lifted into an inclined position. A large screen rose before the man, flickering to life as a woman appeared on the display monitor.

"Good morning, Mr. Agreste. How are you feeling?" the woman said.

"Wait. What?" Adrien said confused.

"It's perfectly normal to feel confused. You just spent 120 years in suspended animation." She continued on, while Adrien's breath began to quicken rapidly. His fingers reached out, finding the sides of his capsule and grabbing on tightly until his knuckles whitened.

"What…?" Adrien blinked.

"It's okay, Mr. Agreste-"

"It's Adrien."

"Adrien, just breathe. Everything is okay." She assured.

"Where am I…?" Adrien whispered, his brain still attempting to process where he was.

"You're a passenger on the starship Miraculous. The Hawkmoth Company's premier interstellar starliner", She paused then continued, "We've nearly completed the voyage from Earth to your new home. The colony world of Noir. A new world. A fresh start. Room to grow." She finished.

Adrien smiled delightfully, "Yeah."

A red scanner began to run down his body, checking for any damage.

"The Miraculous is on final approach. For the next four months, you'll enjoy space travel at its most luxurious. Food. Fun. Friends."

"My friends," Adrien said, still sleepy but with a hint of excitement.

"That's right, sir. The ID band on your wrist is your key to the wonders of the Miraculous", The machine ringed, alerting that the preparations were complete. "You're in perfect health, Adrien. Let's get you to your cabin, where you can get some rest."

Adrien was on his feet and clothed in a robe as he began to leave the chamber. He turned down a dark hallway that illuminated as he entered. Small robots darted away into a hatch on the side of the wall. Adrien winced and began to massage his temples, the light burning his eyes.

"You may be experiencing post-hibernation sickness," the woman's voice rang through the halls. "Your door will illuminate for you."

Adrien looked down a white hallway lined with doors. A single one lit up with a blue color, the number reading 268. He walked up to the door, reaching out his arm as his ID band was scanned. The door slid open easily, and he slowly walked inside.

"Welcome to your cabin, your home until we make landfall. Over the next four months, you'll prepare for your new life on NoirI, meet your fellow passengers, take skill-building classes, and learn about colonial living."

As the hologram spoke, Adrien looked around his room. It was small, with a bland bed on one side several cabinets adorned the wall, and a bench was seated against the far wall.

"You've been assigned to learning group 38 for passengers with engineering and technical trade skills. Please scan your ID to confirm luggage delivery."

Adrien stared at the hologram blankly. In the side of the room, a luggage department clicked open.

"Adrien. Please scan your ID to confirm luggage delivery."

He blinked a few more times before finally reaching out his arm and allowing the hologram to scan his ID. A faucet inside the wall began to pour a bright pink liquid into a plastic cup.

"To help you recover from hibernation, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Enjoy the rest of your voyage on the Miraculous, a Hawkmoth Company Starship."

Adrien stumbled over to the faucet and fumbled to grab the drink, bringing it to his dry lips and gulping down the liquid. He leaned against the wall for support, his legs still trembling from the misuse.

The shower water was warm and poured down his back. He placed one hand on the wall of the shower, his head hanging limply as he finally allowed his stiff muscles to relax.

"Good morning, dudes. It's a beautiful morning here on the Starship Miraculous. Let me play you one of my favorites jams back on Earth."

Adrien rushed into the bathroom, glancing at himself in the mirror. His lucious, blonde locks were combed back neatly and his green eyes firey with anticipation to meet the others. He was wearing a stark white jacket over a black t-shirt with green stripes running across it horizontally. He gave himself a nod before running out. Not even a second passed before he ducked back into the room.

"No," He began to take it off, slinging it over his shoulder and striking a pose. "That's stupid," he begins to take it off before changing his mind and quickly shrugging it back on. "Just own it. Own it, Adrien. You got a cool jacket."

Adrien exits his room and heads down a hallway, a door opening at the end. He slips inside, looking around the dimly lit room. Benches were lined up facing a hologram standing at the front of the room. Cheesy music began to play through the speakers as he looked around the empty room awkwardly before taking a seat in one of the empty seats.

"Hello, passengers. Will you all please take a seat. Welcome, learning group 38. Your introduction to an akumatized life. Earth is a prosperous planet, the cradle of civilization. But for many, it's also overpopulated, overpriced, overrated."

Adrien frowns as he hesitantly begins to raise his hand, before lifting his right arm like he was in school.

"I'm sorry, I think I may be in the wrong…" He started.

"Hold all questions till the end, please."

"Sorry."

"The akaumas offer an alternative, a better way of life."

"Where are all the other…" Adrien mumbled.

"And there's no colony more beautiful than Noir, the jewel of the occupied world."

"I'm sorry. Where is everybody?" He asked.

"We are all on the Starship Miraculous. There are 5,000 passengers and 300 crew members."

"So why am I alone?"

"We are all in this together," Her voice echoed throughout the vacant room. Adrien felt something drop in his stomach. His blood went cold as he looked back and forth at the empty seats. This wasn't right. Adrien stood in a rush, suddenly running out of the room. No, no, no…

Adrien was sprinting down the halls, his shoes slapping against the floors as he began to cry out.

"Hello?! Anybody here?" His heart began to beat wildly in his chest. "Hello?"

He found a window along the wall and grabbed the sil, looking out. Outer space loomed back. Nothing but darkness. He pushed himself away from the window and continued to run down the hall. He spotted an elevator at the end of the hallway, his forehead gleaming with sweat as he began to push the button rapidly.

The doors slowly opened as Adrien paced in front of it before entering. A robotic voice filled the speakers as the door shut, "Please buckle up and secure any loose items."

Adrien sat on the bench, staring at the floor of the elevator as his mind tried to come up with a logical explanation.

"This elevator will experience a momentary lapse in gravity."

Adrien blinked as suddenly he was lifted from the bench, the seat belts around him flailing upwards as he began to float towards the ceiling of the elevator. His hand reached out and gripped the edge of the bench to anchor himself to the wall.

The elevator shot upwards at incredible speed, his legs kicking out at the lack of gravity. It stopped nearly as suddenly as it had started, his body hitting the bottom of the elevator before he regained his composure and stood. He would have enjoyed himself had he not been so worried about the status of his fellow passengers. The elevator doors calmly opened.

"Grand concourse."

Adrien felt his jaw drop as he stepped out of the elevator. The large atrium before him began to light up as he walked in. He felt uncertainty bubble in his chest as he looked around. Several floors could be seen stretching towards the high ceiling. It was eerily still and silent. Almost as if he had been inside a mall after closing.

Water gushed out of a fountain, making him jump in surprise.

"Hello. Welcome to the grand concourse aboard the Miraculous. Can I help you?" A machine broke the silence with a soft tone. Large blue lights lit up the 3-D monitor screen. Adrien raced towards the machine, desperate for someone to contact. His eyebrows were creased in concern and eyes widened.

"I need to talk to a human being."

"What kind? Personal trainer? Travel planner? Therapist?" The machine questioned.

"I-I don't know… Somebody in charge." He said in a strained voice.

"The ship's steward handles passenger affairs. It's on level three of the grand concourse."

Adrien glances at the third floor before looking back at the robot, stressed, "Thank you."

"Happy to help."

He ran up the stairs to the third floor, adrenaline moving him quickly. His eyes continued to search the ship for any signs of life. There were none. The door opened as he burst inside, his mouth pursing as he was ready to speak. He stumbled to a stop as the lights came on, revealing the empty desk. His heart sunk in his chest.

"Not good."

Adrien bolted back downstairs, out of breath as he approached the machine.

"Hello." the robot greeted him.

"Who's flying the ship?" He panted.

"The flight crew, the captain, the pilot, the chief navigator…" The robot droned.

"Captain. I want to speak to the captain."

"The captain rarely handles passenger queries…"

"It's an emergency! Please." His voice was tight with desperation.

"The captain is usually found on the bridge, in the command ring."

Adrien makes his way to the bridge, finding a long hallway with several doors. He found one that was large and circular, jogging up to it and using his ID band on the scanner. The door rolled back to reveal a steel covering blocking his path.

"Bridge access requires special authorization."

Adrien knit his brows and scanned his ID violently.

"Bridge access requires special authorization."

Adrien peers through the rectangular window on the door. The bridge was dark inside, several monitors glowing softly in the room. Two hibernation pods were close to the door, both turned on and further in the back. There was no sign of movement or human life. Just the whirring of machines.

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Adrien stepped back, feeling himself begin to hyperventilate as his lungs worked overtime. He looked around the hall, as if there was help to be found. But there was nothing.

Adrien found himself entering a spacious corridor featuring a large window out into space.

"Welcome to the Observatory. What can I show you?"

"We are supposed to land soon," he chuckles nervously. "I'm… I'm the only one awake."

"I don't understand. What can I show you?"

"Show me Noir."

"Noir is the fourth planet in the Bhakti system."

A 3-D map of space appeared before him, showing planet Noir in front of him.

"Right…and where are we?"

The scene shifts as it shows a yellow line connecting the Earth to Noir.

"We are transit from Earth to Noir. We will arrive in approximately 90 years." The voice finished as the echo died down in the room.

"What…" Adrien's eyes followed the yellow line, seeing the ship not the far away from the Earth.

"We will land at Noir in 90 years, 3 weeks, and 1 day." It repeated once more.

"No… wait, how long ago did we leave Earth?"

"Approximately 30 years ago."

Adrien sucked in a breath of air, almost like he was choking as he came closer to the image of the map. He stared at the small ship moving slowly along the line. He felt his heart begin to stutter while his mind tried to understand what he couldn't bare to admit. Shock began to rise in his chest.

"I woke up too soon…"