Drake Stallone slipped through the maintenance hatch on Level Seven, his boots scraping metal as he descended the ladder. His heart hammered against his ribs. Down here, hidden beneath the security station where he worked, something waited in the dark—something forbidden, something alive. The egg pulsed with faint light when he visited it, warm to the touch. He didn't know what would emerge when it finally hatched, but he knew one thing: he would protect it, no matter what. The tunnel stretched ahead, darker than usual. Drake's flashlight beam bounced off the walls as he moved forward. His shoulder caught the edge of a pipe, and he stumbled but kept going. The entrance appeared where the corridor bent—sleek metal that blended with the station's framework, almost invisible unless you knew where to look. Soft lighting glowed from beneath the panel, just enough to see by. He pressed his palm against the smooth surface and it slid open without a sound. Inside, the chamber was small and warm. The egg sat in the center, larger than yesterday, its shell showing cracks along the surface. Drake knelt beside it and placed both hands on the warm shell. This was his dream—to see what Earth had lost, to bring something beautiful back into existence. The egg trembled under his touch, and he smiled. He checked the temperature controls along the wall. The numbers looked good. The horizontal conveyor system he'd rigged from salvaged parts hummed quietly in the corner, ready to move supplies deeper into the station's underground areas if he needed to relocate. Drake traced his finger along one of the shell's cracks. Soon. Very soon now. His comm device buzzed in his pocket, probably Commander Hayes wondering where he'd wandered off to again. He didn't answer. This moment mattered more than any shift assignment. The creature inside needed him, and he would be here when it broke free. Whatever happened next, Drake had given something lost a chance to live again. Drake reached into his bag and pulled out the smooth stones he'd been heating on the radiator in his quarters. They were still warm, perfectly heated for keeping the egg at the right temperature. He arranged them carefully around the base, replacing the cooler ones from his last visit. The egg shifted slightly, responding to the fresh warmth. Drake sat back on his heels and watched the cracks spread across the surface, thin lines spreading like veins. His hands shook as he touched the shell one more time. This creature would hatch soon, and when it did, everything would change. He'd found the egg three months ago in a storage container marked with Earth codes he couldn't read. Whatever lived inside had survived in stasis for who knew how long. Now it had Drake, and Drake had his purpose. He stood, checked the chamber one last time, and sealed the entrance behind him. Tomorrow he would come back, and maybe tomorrow would be the day his dream became real.