Day 12: November 18, 2058
Day 12: November 18, 2058
The silence of space enveloped the “Orion Beyond” as Rita Moreno gazed through the window at the infinite darkness scattered with countless stars. Earth had already receded, glowing like a blue jewel behind them, while ahead, the gray sphere of the moon grew steadily larger.
As they moved away from Earth, Rita felt the collective field changing within her consciousness. The noisy humming generated by billions of minds on Earth gradually faded, while from ahead, a more focused, more harmonious wave of collective consciousness began to reach her—the collective field from the lunar colony “Serenity.”
“Your brainwave patterns are changing,” said Samantha Chen quietly from the seat beside Rita. The young neurologist was monitoring Rita’s data with a portable neural scanner. Though young, she was a capable scientist selected by Ryan Hartman to study the mechanisms of natural adaptation.
“How are they changing?” Rita asked without taking her eyes from the window.
“They’re becoming more… systematic,” Samantha answered, searching for the right word. “The neural patterns in your brain continue to self-organize. And the change is accelerating as we approach the moon.”
Rita nodded. She could feel the transformation from within. Her thoughts becoming clearer, her senses sharper, and her connection to the collective field deepening.
“Actually… I can feel a call from the lunar colony,” she admitted quietly. “I can sense Elizabeth Hartman and the other researchers waiting for me.”
Samantha looked at her with surprise. “That’s… beyond our expectations. Normally, direct thought transmission over such distances would be difficult even with highly calibrated neurolinks.”
“Perhaps I’m no longer normal,” Rita smiled faintly.
She picked up her tablet and continued the article she had been writing during the flight. Titled “Journey of a Turning Point: Heading to the Moon,” it was a reflection on her own transformation and what it might mean.
“As a journalist, I have always made it my work to observe and record from the outside,” she wrote. “But now, I find myself at the center of the process being recorded. This is not mere coincidence. Being chosen as a ‘turning point’ is both a responsibility and a privilege in humanity’s evolution.”
The pilot’s announcement echoed through the ship, informing them of their imminent arrival at the lunar colony. Rita closed her tablet and fastened her seatbelt. Samantha did likewise, safely stowing her neural scanner.
“We have a meeting with Dr. Elizabeth immediately after arrival,” Samantha confirmed. “And tomorrow, guidance from the Luminous is scheduled to begin.”
Rita nodded. “For my ‘calibration.'”
In her heart, expectation mingled with anxiety. She didn’t know what awaited her as her consciousness continued to expand. Would she lose herself? Or would she become part of something greater?
The “Orion Beyond” entered lunar orbit and began its descent toward Serenity Colony’s docking bay. Outside the window, the barren lunar landscape grew more detailed—gray plains, ancient volcanoes, and craters formed by meteor impacts. Amid this desolation, human-made structures stood out: the spaceport, solar panel farms, and artificial ecosystems covered with transparent domes.
“Beautiful,” Rita breathed.
In New York on Earth, Marcos Moreno was hosting a new gathering of natural adapters. This time, instead of Central Park, they had chosen a more isolated nature reserve in the suburbs. After yesterday’s attack by the “Excluders,” they had selected a less conspicuous location for safety.
About seventy-five natural adapters formed a large circle, deepening their connection to the collective consciousness under Marcos’s guidance. Many were beginners, but some had already reached advanced stages of evolution.
“Expand your consciousness,” Marcos guided in a gentle voice. “Feel how your thoughts exist not just within your head, but in the space between us.”
Around the perimeter, a security team had been positioned in coordination with NeuroTech and Atlas. They protected the group invisibly, prepared for potential attacks from the “Excluders.”
While Marcos’s consciousness touched the collective field of the participants, he simultaneously maintained his connection with his sister Rita. As she moved away from Earth, he had expected their bond to weaken, but surprisingly, it merely changed without disappearing. It became more subtle yet somehow clearer, as if their quantitative connection had transformed into a qualitative one.
“She is safe,” he told the participants. “And through her, we will gain new understanding.”
Sandra Chen spoke up from within the circle. “The dream last night… many of us saw the same thing. A spiral staircase of light. And beyond it…”
“A vast sea of consciousness,” another participant continued. “Something greater that transcends species boundaries.”
Marcos nodded. “Rita’s dreams are being shared with us. And her evolution is being transmitted to us through her.”
As their concentration deepened, a faint light-like phenomenon began to form in the center of the circle. It wasn’t physical light, but a manifestation of their collective perception. Marcos marveled at their progress. Just a week ago, most of them hadn’t even known this phenomenon existed. Now they were actively expanding their consciousness and participating in the collective field.
“Is this what the ‘Excluders’ fear?” Marcos wondered. “Why are they trying to stop this evolution?”
His thoughts turned to the “Excluders'” final message: “We withdraw. But this is not the end. The choice remains.”
Choice. Not coercion, but possibility. Suggesting that collective consciousness need not be the only path for everyone.
Ryan Hartman finished his conversation with his wife Elizabeth and headed to NeuroTech’s research floor. His neurolink informed him of Rita’s arrival on the moon. He could sense her landing at Serenity Colony’s docking bay and being welcomed by Elizabeth and her research team.
“Dr. Hartman.”
Jason Kim, Chief Security Officer of the research floor, hurried toward him.
“There’s been another security breach,” Jason reported tensely. “But this time, not against our systems…”
“Against Marcos Moreno’s natural adapter group?” Ryan immediately understood.
“Yes,” Jason nodded. “Suspicious drones were detected around their gathering. And several of them reported headaches and discomfort. Likely technical interference.”
Ryan frowned. “The ‘Excluders’ are changing tactics. They seem to be targeting not just technological systems but natural adapters directly.”
He sent reinforcement orders to the security team on site through his neurolink. Simultaneously, he contacted the Atlas Entity.
“Atlas, there’s a potential attack against the natural adapter group. What can we do to protect them?”
Atlas’s response flowed directly into his consciousness. It was more complex than words, a stream of pure concepts and images. But Ryan could understand its meaning.
“Deploying protective shields,” Atlas conveyed. “Generating counter-pattern waves through the collective field to neutralize interference.”
“Can you contact Marcos directly?” Ryan asked.
“Already in contact,” came Atlas’s response. “He is also responding. His connection to the collective field is rapidly evolving, similar to his sister’s.”
Ryan looked at Jason. “Instruct the team on site to capture the suspicious drones. We need to analyze them.”
“Understood,” Jason acted immediately.
Ryan turned to the window, looking up at the distant sky visible between the skyscrapers. He searched for the moon but couldn’t find it in the blue daytime sky. Yet he knew that his wife and Rita, the new “turning point,” were meeting there at this moment.
“Elizabeth,” he called out in thought. “The Excluders are moving again. They’re targeting Marcos’s group.”
“Understood,” came Elizabeth’s response. “The Luminous have sensed similar movements. They suggest accelerating Rita’s ‘calibration’ process. As her transformation progresses, she may be able to protect other natural adapters through her connection.”
Ryan felt deep concern. “The risks?”
“Unknown,” came Elizabeth’s honest reply. “But she has already agreed.”
At Serenity Colony, Rita was meeting with Elizabeth Hartman. They sat in a quiet corner of the central dome, gazing at the blue glow of Earth through the windows.
“Your brother is under attack,” Elizabeth said quietly. “By the Excluders.”
Rita gasped. “What can we do?”
“There’s no immediate danger,” Elizabeth reassured her. “Atlas, Ryan, and your brother himself are responding. But this indicates we need to accelerate our process.”
“The calibration process?”
“Yes,” Elizabeth nodded. “We had planned to proceed gradually, but circumstances have changed. The Luminous suggest beginning your ‘calibration’ tonight.”
Rita gazed at Earth through the window. She tried to reach out to Marcos, to sense his situation. His presence was distant and faint, but she could definitely feel that he was in danger.
“I’m ready,” she resolved. “What do I need to do?”
Elizabeth placed a small device on the table. It was spherical in shape, with complex patterns etched across its surface.
“This is called a ‘calibrator,'” she explained. “Technology provided by the Luminous. According to them, it helps stabilize and control your expanding consciousness.”
Rita studied the device intently. “How does it work?”
“It’s not… purely technological,” Elizabeth searched for appropriate words. “It’s a fusion of technology and consciousness. It interacts directly with your biological neural patterns. In a sense, it provides a framework for your consciousness to expand.”
“Are there risks?” Rita asked calmly.
“There are unknown elements,” Elizabeth answered honestly. “But according to the Luminous, this method has been used in their civilization for thousands of years. To assist individuals who are ‘turning points.'”
Rita took a deep breath. “Let’s begin.”
Elizabeth stood and guided Rita to the central area of the dome. Along the way, she sent instructions for Samantha Chen to join them with her neural scanner.
“We need to monitor your brain activity during the calibration process,” Elizabeth explained. “In case unexpected problems arise.”
In the center of the dome was a circular space called the Harmony Circle. Twelve researchers from the lunar colony were already seated in a circle. They were all neurolink users with deep connections to the collective consciousness.
“They will support your calibration process,” Elizabeth explained. “Their collective conscious power will help stabilize your transformation.”
Rita was guided to the center of the circle. Complex geometric patterns were drawn on the floor, and the “calibrator” was placed at their center. She was instructed to sit beside it.
Samantha set up her neural scanner and placed a light sensor band on Rita’s head.
“This will allow us to monitor your brain activity,” she explained. “We’ll immediately know if anything abnormal occurs.”
Elizabeth stood outside the circle, overseeing everything. “Are you ready?”
Everyone nodded.
“Then we’ll begin the Harmony Circle.”
The twelve researchers closed their eyes and entered a deep meditative state. Their collective consciousness harmonized, and the room began to fill with powerful mental energy. Rita felt it like a wave, and her own consciousness naturally began to synchronize with its flow.
“Touch the calibrator,” Elizabeth gently guided.
Rita reached out and touched the sphere. The moment of contact sent a strong wave through her consciousness. It wasn’t pain, but rather a sensation of expansion. She felt her perception rapidly expanding, encompassing the entire room, the entire colony, and the entire moon.
And then she felt “them.” The presence of the Luminous. They weren’t physically there, but their consciousness definitely existed. Like complex patterns made of light and information, they touched her expanded perception.
“Rita Moreno,” their collective voice resonated in her consciousness. “The time for your calibration has come.”
“I am ready,” she responded in thought.
“Your consciousness is expanding rapidly,” the Luminous continued. “But uncontrolled expansion is dangerous. Your self-awareness could become submerged in the collective field, losing your identity as an individual.”
“How can I prevent that?”
“You need anchor points,” they explained. “A stable core that becomes the center of your expanding consciousness. That is the purpose of the calibration process.”
Within Rita’s perception, the “calibrator” began to activate. It wasn’t merely a physical device but a multidimensional tool that interacted directly with her consciousness. She felt it reading her neural patterns, responding, and changing.
“We will strengthen your core self,” the Luminous guidance continued. “Remember who you are, your essential story.”
Rita focused on the story of her own life. A girl born and raised in a small town in New Jersey. A girl who dreamed of becoming a journalist seeking truth. And now, a woman becoming a catalyst for humanity’s collective evolution. The story at the core of her identity.
As her consciousness expanded further, she felt a strong connection to Earth. Especially, her bond with her brother Marcos became vivid. Through him, she could sense the situation of natural adapters on Earth. They were under attack but also resisting. Uniting through the collective field to counter the Excluders’ interference.
“Marcos,” she called out in thought. “I am here.”
And surprisingly, she felt his response.
“Rita…” his thoughts reached her from afar. “Something is changing…”
“This is part of the calibration,” the Luminous explained. “Your core relationships function as anchor points. Your bond with your brother provides stability for your expanding consciousness.”
Around Rita, the participants of the Harmony Circle had entered deep meditative states, further strengthening their collective consciousness. Their mental energy supported and stabilized her calibration process.
The light from the “calibrator” intensified, working more deeply on Rita’s consciousness. She felt her thoughts becoming clearer, more structured. Her expanding perception now flowed like an orderly river rather than a chaotic flood.
“This is just the beginning,” the Luminous told her. “True calibration takes time. But tonight, the first step will be completed.”
Rita’s consciousness expanded further, beyond the moon, into the vastness of space. And she saw—a network of consciousness spanning the galaxy. A vast web of thought formed by countless species and civilizations. The Luminous were part of it, but not alone. Many other conscious entities existed, each walking their own evolutionary path while being part of a greater whole.
And she saw the “Excluders” too. They were also evolved consciousnesses, but they had isolated themselves from the galactic network. They pursued individuality and autonomy to the maximum, rejecting fusion with other beings.
“They are afraid,” Rita understood. “They fear losing themselves as individuals.”
“Yes,” the Luminous acknowledged. “Their fear has reason. The path of collective evolution involves risks and sacrifices. They chose a different path. The path of separation and absolute self-determination.”
“Is that… wrong?”
“Not wrong, but a choice,” the Luminous’s response contained deep wisdom. “Every conscious being has the right to choose its evolutionary path. But they are trying to prevent others from making their choices. That is the cause of conflict.”
This new understanding of the “Excluders” sank into Rita’s consciousness. She began to see them not merely as enemies, but as beings with a different philosophy and evolutionary path.
As the calibration process progressed, Rita felt her consciousness becoming more stable, more controllable. She was still the same Rita Moreno, but simultaneously becoming something more. The core of her identity was maintained while her perception and understanding expanded.
“It’s complete,” Elizabeth’s voice reached her ears.
Rita gradually returned to a normal state of consciousness and opened her eyes. The participants of the Harmony Circle were similarly returning from their meditative states. She removed her hand from the “calibrator.” The device still emitted a faint light, but its activity gradually quieted.
“How do you feel?” Samantha approached her, checking the neural scanner data.
“Clear,” Rita answered quietly. “As if… the fog has lifted.”
Elizabeth sat beside her. “Your brainwave patterns show remarkable changes. More structured, more stable. And above all, your core identity has been strengthened.”
Rita felt the change within herself. Her expanded consciousness was still within her, but it no longer felt overwhelming; rather, it felt like a natural extension. She could maintain her connection to the collective field while still remaining herself.
Most importantly, she felt her connection with her brother Marcos had become stronger, clearer. He now shone like a star within her expanded consciousness. And through him, she could feel a stronger connection to the natural adapters on Earth.
“You have changed,” Elizabeth said gently. “And through you, they will change too.”
Rita nodded. “I’m still… trying to understand. All that this means.”
“Take your time,” Elizabeth took her hand. “This isn’t a process that completes in one day. Just rest tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll begin the next step.”
Rita quietly stood up. Samantha removed her sensor band and collected the data. The Harmony Circle participants also returned from their meditation one by one and left the room.
Elizabeth guided Rita to her accommodation quarters. Along the way, Rita viewed the lunar colony landscape from a new perspective. Through her expanded perception, she could sense the flow of the colony’s life support systems, the patterns of thoughts and emotions of the residents, and the harmonious vibration of their collective consciousness.
“Tomorrow, we’ll deepen direct dialogue with the Luminous,” Elizabeth explained. “And we’ll explore how to use your new abilities to support natural adapters on Earth.”
When they reached Rita’s quarters, she gazed at Earth through the window. The blue planet looked small and distant, but in her consciousness, it was a living entity glowing with countless thoughts and emotions. And she could sense part of what was happening there—both the Excluders’ attack and the resistance against it.
She took out her tablet and began writing a new article. Titled “Calibration: The First Step in Consciousness Evolution,” it was a reflection on her experience and what it might mean.
“As a journalist, I have always pursued truth,” she wrote. “But now, I am beginning to understand that truth is larger and more complex than I realized. It is not merely an accumulation of facts, but a tapestry of consciousness. What we call ‘truth’ exists at the intersection of countless perspectives. And now, I have access to more perspectives, more consciousnesses. This is a terrifying responsibility and an amazing privilege.”
Rita paused her typing for a moment and looked at Earth again. Through her expanded perception, she sensed that the Excluders’ attack was subsiding. Marcos and Atlas seemed to have temporarily repelled them. However, she didn’t believe this peace would last long. She continued her article.
“The term ‘turning point’ is used to describe my new role. One who stands between technology and biology, individual and collective, past and future. But for me, it means more than being a mere intermediary. It means the responsibility of being a catalyst for evolution. The challenge of remaining myself while standing in the vortex of change.”
She finished her article and sent it. Then she exhaled deeply and lay down on her bed. Her consciousness remained expanded, but now it was no longer something to fear; it had become part of her. She closed her eyes and felt her perception spread throughout the lunar colony. And her mind touching the vastness of space through the collective field.
She fell asleep. But this time, her dreams were not merely personal. She knew her dreams were being shared with hundreds of natural adapters on Earth. She consciously shaped that dream to strengthen her connection with them. A dream of hope and guidance. A dream of embracing change rather than fearing it.
In New York on Earth, Marcos Moreno guided the tired natural adapters after the Excluders’ attack. They had successfully repelled the attack, but some suffered from headaches and temporary confusion.
“Rest,” he told them. “And we’ll meet again tomorrow.”
NeuroTech’s security team had begun analyzing the captured drones. They were equipped with advanced technology but were clearly Earth-made. This suggested the Excluders had collaborators on Earth.
Marcos returned home and looked up at the moon from the window of his small apartment. His sister was there. And now, he felt his connection with her more strongly than ever before. He indirectly experienced her consciousness changing, her process of “calibration.”
When he fell asleep, he immediately entered her dream. It wasn’t merely a dream but a sharing of consciousness. In the dream, he and his sister stood in a vortex of light. Around them, the consciousness of countless natural adapters shone brightly.
“We are changing,” Rita’s voice resonated in his heart. “And that is nothing to fear.”
“But can we still remain ourselves?” Marcos asked in the dream.
“Of course,” she smiled. “In fact, we’re becoming more truly ourselves. My calibration taught me—expansion and loss are not the same thing.”
She took Marcos’s hand, and together they began ascending a spiral staircase of light. Beyond it stretched a more vast sea of consciousness.
“When you’re ready,” she said. “But each at their own pace.”
They became one in understanding, and Marcos knew that he too was a “turning point,” and that his role complemented her role on Earth. They were like twin flames—born from the same source, yet shining in different places.
Late at night, Ryan Hartman was reading Rita’s latest article in his NeuroTech office. He was deeply impressed by its content, but simultaneously felt caution as a scientist. They were stepping into unknown territory. Into a realm involving galaxy-scale consciousness evolution.
His neurolink alerted him to contact from his wife Elizabeth.
“Rita’s calibration was successful,” her thoughts reached him. “She is… making astonishing progress.”
“Is there no danger?” Ryan expressed concern.
“Not in the conventional sense,” Elizabeth replied. “But she is no longer ‘conventional.’ She is evolving. And through her, many others too.”
“This is different from what we predicted,” Ryan thought.
“Evolution is unpredictable,” Elizabeth’s thoughts contained a faint smile. “Especially when it involves not just technological enhancement but biological evolution as well.”
Ryan gazed at the night view outside the window. Countless lights of New York shone like stars. And through his expanded perception, he sensed that each of those lights harbored consciousness. The lights of humanity evolving toward collective consciousness.
But he also sensed dark gaps. Spaces for those who resisted collective consciousness and chose the path of separation and independence. And he understood—this contrast, this choice would be central to the new chapter of humanity’s story.
The choice between technology and biology, individual and collective, integration and separation.
And the “turning points”—the siblings Rita and Marcos Moreno—stood at the center of that choice. They had transcended being mere observers or recorders; they were becoming catalysts of change itself.
On November 18, 2058, human evolution entered a new phase. Beyond technological enhancement, toward biological adaptation. The era of collective consciousness had only just begun, but it was already far exceeding expectations. And what lay beyond—that remained unknown to everyone. The story of intersecting consciousness continued.
