
Space Exploration
Episode 2: Echoes of the Past
The cold embrace of cryosleep was like falling into a dreamless void. For the crew of the Astra Velorum, the passage of years was instantaneous—one moment they were floating in chambers of suspended animation, and the next, they were greeted by the soft, melodic chime of Lyra’s voice.
“Good morning, crew,” Lyra intoned. “We have entered the deceleration phase. Estimated time to Kepler-438b: four months.”
Elara’s eyes fluttered open, her body sluggish from the long stasis. The cryopod’s lid lifted with a quiet hiss, and she took a deep breath, savoring the taste of air that felt startlingly new. One by one, the rest of the crew emerged, stretching and shaking off the disorientation.
“Ten years,” Samir muttered, rubbing his temples. “Feels like I just closed my eyes yesterday.”
“Cryosleep does that,” Dr. Liao replied, scanning the crew with a handheld medical device. “Physically, you’re fine. Mentally, it might take a few days to adjust.”
Elara climbed out of her pod and steadied herself. “Alright, everyone. Let’s get to work. Lyra, status report.”
“All systems are functioning within normal parameters,” Lyra said. “However, there is an anomaly in the ship’s long-range sensors. It appears to be a faint signal originating from interstellar space.”
“A signal?” Torres asked, already moving toward the nearest console. “What kind of signal?”
“It is non-random and repeating,” Lyra explained. “Source unknown. Frequency and structure suggest artificial origin.”
The crew exchanged uneasy glances. A signal from interstellar space could mean anything—or anyone.
“Patch it through,” Elara said, her voice steady despite the knot forming in her stomach.
The room filled with a rhythmic pattern of tones, haunting and deliberate. It was a sound that didn’t belong to the vast emptiness of space. It was a message.
“What do you think it is?” Samir asked, his voice hushed.
“I don’t know,” Elara admitted. “But we’re going to find out. Naia, prioritize decoding this signal. Everyone else, focus on preparing for planetary descent. Whatever’s out there, we’re not turning back now.”
As the crew dispersed to their tasks, Elara lingered by the console, listening to the strange, alien tones. The stars outside seemed to watch in silence, their light indifferent to the mysteries unfolding aboard the Astra Velorum.
To be continued in the next episode