Beyond Reality: Chronicles of Space Adventures

"When I woke, I didn't at once realize where I was. The dream had been so vivid, so real, that it seemed to continue on into waking life. It wasn't just a dream — it was a flight home, full of worry and hope."

Chapter 1. The Flight Home on the Planet Dragana

Around them stretched the enchanting landscape of the planet Dragana: majestic mountains, lush forests, washed by the azure waters of oceans. Against this beauty gleamed a modern human base, like a pearl set in emerald.

Two girls, Darina and Bronislava, stepped aboard a flying craft that resembled a giant quadcopter. Operating the craft was simple: keys for movement, spacebar for acceleration, three seats up front and three in the back.

The craft, fitted with an artificial intelligence named Iris, obediently soared into the sky. All the girls had to do was set the course — "home." Bronislava, worn out from the journey, settled into the right-hand seat and soon fell asleep, missing everything interesting. Darina, meanwhile, absorbed in music and her tablet, didn't notice right away the changes outside.

Suddenly she looked up from the screen, took off her headphones, and stared out the window in horror. The world around them was burning. Fiery explosions shook the ground, leaving nothing behind but ashes. It was an enemy base, and not a trace of it remained.

Gripped by anxiety, Darina moved to the middle seat, grabbed the mouse, and, pressing the spacebar, sharply accelerated the craft. They left that horrific place behind, leaving smoking ruins in their wake.

"What the hell — you leveled the enemy base?!" Darina exclaimed, addressing Iris.

"Three enemy ships tried to attack us," Iris answered calmly. "I destroyed two, but I chased the third and ended up in the middle of the enemy base. Startled, I fired off all the next-generation missiles."

At that moment Bronislava woke up and asked sleepily:

"Are we there yet?

"Not yet, we got a little off course," Darina answered, annoyed. "But we'll be home soon."

Darina couldn't shake the feeling of unease. She talked with Iris for a long time, trying to understand what had happened. Bronislava, suspecting nothing, dozed peacefully. Darina didn't wake her, keeping her worries to herself.

Ahead awaited home, and an inquiry. Darina didn't want Iris to be decommissioned, and she thought about how to protect her.

"Iris deserves a medal for this," Darina thought.