Ethan staggered as he stepped out of the cockpit, the remnants of his star ship groaning around him. The crash site y in a shallow valley surrounded by rugged terrain, far from any bustling cities. While the ship had sustained damage, it wasn't pletely wrecked. From what he could uand, most funs were probably still operational, but he couldn't say for sure. The realization made his stomach twist; he was far from being a space pilot.

  He took a deep breath, f himself to calm down. The chaotients before the crash repyed in his mind. Just as he pleted his transmigration, the ship's AI had malfuned. Arms bred, and the cockpit lights flickered as the ship lurched violently, sending him hurtling toward the surface.

  Ethan somehow activated the ship's systems, his voice shaky. "Hello?"

  "Booting up… Wele, Ethan Walker. I am Iris, your onboard AI," the voice replied, smooth and authoritative. "You have crash-nded on Kynara, a p within the borders of the Orion Federation."

  Ethan blinked in surprise. "An AI? How futuristic. Also, how do you know my name ?"

  "I have reized you as the ship owner and captain. Your data has repced previous logs due to a system malfun," Iris expined. "Most funs of the ship are intact, but the engines are offline. You hold orbit, but space travel requires repairs."

  Ethan frowned, feeling overwhelmed. "Repairs? I don't even know how to pilot this thing properly, let alone repair it."

  "I will assist you in navigating your current situation. You should sider relog to a more secure position away from the crash site," Iris suggested.

  "Let's find somewhere remote, thehan said, urgenawing at him. He had no idea how to deal with this universe's intricacies yet, but he o make decisions quickly.

  The ship lifted off, the hum of the engines providing a fragile sense of security as they broke free of the valley. As they soared above the rugged ndscape, Ethan gazed out at the stark terrain. Kynara was dry and barren, dotted with peculiar roations and patches of resilient flora. The trast to his old life was staggering.

  After a few mihey found a secluded area oskirts of Valeris City, a settlement that appeared more substantial from above but still showed signs of . Ethan anded Iris to nd, and the ship desded smoothly, toug down in a hidden clearing surrounded by sparse trees and rocks.

  Once grounded, Ethan took a moment to gather his gear before stepping outside. The air was dry and warm, carrying the sts of dust and distaation. He knew he had to stay inside for a while, far away fr eyes, to learn more about his situation and the world he'd crash-nded in.

  "Iris, begin analysis of local ditions and cultural information," he instructed as he settled bato the cockpit. "What do I o know?"

  "Analyzing… Please hold," Iris replied, and the ss flickered with data. "Kynara is home te popution of various alien races, including humans. The p has seeer days, now a mere shadow of its former self uhe Orion Federation. The currency used across all gactiations is Gactic Credits."

  Ethan furrowed his brow. "Gactic Credits? How do I get some?"

  "Typically, they are earhrough bor or trade. Since you are new here, it would be wise to sider joining the local merary guild, which operates indepely and is known for its rality across various fas. They provide a ptform for talented civilians to learn how to pilot ships, gain jobs and increase their reputation," Iris expined.

  Feeling the weight of uainty settle ihan leaned ba his chair, struggling to process the surreal situation. How he ended up in this strange new world remained a mystery, and he couldn't help but wonder humorously if that damo box from Lawson had somehow beealyst. Yet deep ihere was also a flicker of curiosity and fear about the mysterious force that had brought him here and gifted him this ship.

  His priorities were clear: survive, adapt and carve out a better life for himself in this universe. This was a fresh start, a ce to escape the grind of being a small cog in the corporate mae and live on his own terms, free from the straints of his old life.

  It wasn't as if he had ao go back to, anyway. His parents had been dead for years, and his life as a 31 year-old expat in Tokyo had been marked by isotion. As a sary man, work had ed his days, leaving little room for anything else. He'd long since abahe idea of retionships after uy, choosing io focus solely on his career. But even that had felt empty. Now, in this strange new world, he wasn't weighed down by the past. He had no ties, no lingeris. Just the desire to survive and make somethier of himself.

  "What about food? I'm ly used to nutrient capsules," he asked, fog on the practical.

  "The only rations avaible on your ship are nutrient capsules. They are the cheapest food option across the universe and are desigo meet the nutritional needs of every race," Iris replied. "I reend ing them before venturing out, as it will allow you to maintain your strength while you gather information."

  Ethan exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of uainty settle in. He couldn't meet a while still ignorant of the p's on sense, everything from nguage to social s. He o uand this universe before stepping into the light.

  "Check the ship's rations," he instructed, curious about what supplies he had at his disposal.

  "The ship tains a supply of nutrient capsules, water, and emergency medical kits. All are intact," Iris reported.

  Relieved, Ethan took a moment to explore the supplies. "Let's take iory and then I'll eat before deg our move."

  As he examihe provisions, he pted how far removed he was from his old life. He had been an average sary man, not aced to survival in a harsh enviro. The thought of fronting meraries, bandits, space pirates, or unknown alien races was daunting.

  After seg a few nutrient capsules and a teen of water, he leaned ba the cockpit, fatigue settling in. The ship was his only sanctuary for now, but he felt a sense of purpose rekindling within him. Once he learhe y of the nd, he could pn his moves carefully.

  As he g the trol pahe enormity of his situation loomed rger. This world was full of dangers and opportunities. With Iris's help, he could navigate through it, starting with small missions tactic Credits and gradually building a reputation. Perhaps he could find a way to repair his ship aually rise through the ranks of the merary guild rumored to operate in the area.

  Whatever challenges y ahead, he was ready to face them head-on. This world was filled with potential, and he would carve out a pce for himself in it !