At the center of the hibernation chamber hung a bright light.
Beneath the light was a rectangular conference table.
At this moment, including Cao Ge, seven people were silently gathered around the central metallic platform.
They did not know each other, and the only image they had of one another was from the information on the small computers in front of them.
The personnel data on the computers showed that they all belonged to the same team and were under Walker's command.
They held their small projection screens in hand, sizing up each other's faces with a mutual understanding to remain quiet.
In the dark hibernation room, the atmosphere was somewhat awkward. Watching his subordinates guard against each other, Cao Ge was at a loss for words for a moment.
Finally, one of the more wise-looking middle-aged men glanced over his six counterparts and addressed Cao Ge across the table, "Commander, if I'm not mistaken, we were awakened from the hibernation chambers by you, right?"
Meeting the middle-aged man's gaze, Cao Ge nodded affirmatively, "Yes, you were awakened by me."
"Given that, could you tell me where are we? I can't remember." The middle-aged man furrowed his brow, trying to remember, but to no avail.
As this question was raised, the other five also immediately looked towards Cao Ge, hoping for an answer as they were equally puzzled by the middle-aged man's question.
And Cao Ge was the only one who was awake before the rest of them.
Cao Ge looked at the six subordinates clad in Black Serpent Combat Suits, fell silent for a moment, then said, "Do you still remember the Elysium Space?"
"I remember."
"I don't remember."
Out of the six, two said they didn't remember and three said they did. Cao Ge did not address those who didn't remember, but instead continued.
"We are on the Elysium Space."
"But, this place…"
The middle-aged man turned his gaze to the space covered in dust, then looked back at Cao Ge with a puzzled expression.
"A rebellion occurred on the Elysium Space, causing our hibernation time to far exceed our planned duration," Cao Ge replied.
"I remember according to the flight regulations, we should be awakened for one year of duty every twenty years, but you just said we were forgotten here, how long has that time been?"
"Over two thousand four hundred years," Cao Ge said seriously, looking at the six people before slowly continuing.
"Oh, impossible."
"If I'm not mistaken, it only takes one thousand five hundred years to reach Tanis, but you said we've been in hibernation for two thousand four hundred years. So where are we now?"
As soon as Cao Ge stated they had been hibernating for over two thousand four hundred years, two of the younger men among the six vehemently rebutted, incited by emotion.
Cao Ge looked at them, and after a long pause finally said, "I don't know either."
"But what I've said is a fact. There are hibernation records in the computer; you can check them yourself."
The chamber fell into silence, with only the dim light hanging overhead.
The six knew that Cao Ge's words could be easily verified, so there was no need for Cao Ge to lie to them. They just didn't want to believe it, as they had only awakened less than two hours ago.
Watching the six with downcast spirits, he encouraged them in the tone of Minister Walker.
"Guys, now is not the time for sorrow and confusion. You are soldiers; show the bearing of soldiers. This ship now needs us to rescue it."
"Although I don't know where we are, nor do I know what the rebellion has done to the ship, I imagine there are probably many others still in hibernation like us. As the armed personnel of the ship, it's our duty to regain control of the vessel," Cao Ge declared loudly.
............
After Cao Ge's relentless encouragement, the six slowly emerged from their confusion. Although they did not remember exactly who they were, their soldier's instinct made it clear to them what their duty was.
Moreover, no matter how much time had passed, as long as they were in hibernation, there would be no change for them.
When they boarded the Elysium Space, they were ready to accept the possibility that the world could change drastically upon waking up.
They had become separate from Earth, and their focus should now return to this ship.
As long as the ship had not crashed and there were still people on board, then they still had a chance. No matter how much the ship had deviated from its course, as long as they could regain control, they would still be able to direct it towards the destination they had set beforehand.
In the current situation, they could only choose to believe Cao Ge's words because he was the first to awaken and had the highest rank.
They were soldiers, and in an emergency, they had to accept the command of the highest-ranking official.
"Minister Walker, is what you've said the truth? Did a rebellion really occur on the ship?"
Cao Ge looked at the young man with a naive face in front of him, then said, "Yes, John, there was a rebellion on the ship, but that was one thousand five hundred years ago. It has nothing to do with us now; our hibernation time has far exceeded our duty period. The chamber's computer has lost connection with the ship's main computer. According to the planned schedule, we should have arrived at the Tannis Planet nine hundred years ago, but look around you."
"Soldiers, we have completely lost contact with the outside world, and the computer only operates within our chamber," Cao Ge said to his subordinates with a serious demeanor.