
Space Exploration
Episode 5: Whispers of the Forgotten
The docking process was smoother than anticipated, but the tension among the crew was palpable. Once the away team—Elara, Samir, Naia, and Dr. Liao—reboarded the Astra Velorum, the data they had gathered from the alien vessel became the mission’s immediate focus.
In the ship’s main lab, Naia displayed the scans of the derelict’s core structure. The glowing glyphs, now painstakingly recorded and mapped, pulsed faintly on the holographic projection.
“What we brought back is far more than we expected,” Naia began, her voice laced with awe. “This construct—it’s some sort of archive, or maybe even an organic intelligence. The data embedded within it is… well, overwhelming.”
“Define ‘overwhelming,’” Elara said, leaning against the table, her eyes locked on the shifting patterns.
Dr. Liao answered, gesturing to the deciphering algorithms still running. “It’s like trying to read an encyclopedia in a language we barely understand. But one thing’s clear—the core contains historical records, possibly spanning eons. It references star charts, cosmic events, even catastrophic phenomena we’ve never encountered in Earth’s history.”
Samir frowned. “Catastrophic, as in…?”
“The destruction of entire civilizations,” Liao said grimly. “We’ve identified repeating patterns of collapse. It’s as if they’re warning us about cycles of destruction tied to something… larger.”
Naia tapped a sequence on her console, zooming in on a segment of the glyphs. “There’s more. This ship wasn’t just sending a message—it’s searching for something. These glyphs point to coordinates in an entirely different sector of the galaxy.”
“Another destination?” Elara asked.
“Yes. It’s as though this vessel was part of a larger network, one designed to preserve knowledge or reconnect lost fragments of their civilization,” Naia explained.
Silence fell over the room as the implications sank in. The derelict ship wasn’t just a relic—it was a thread in an ancient, incomprehensible web.
“What about the message I saw?” Elara asked, breaking the quiet. “The vision—what did we learn about that?”
Dr. Liao hesitated before answering. “Your encounter with the construct was likely a direct data transfer. It embedded an encoded memory or projection. Whatever it showed you wasn’t random—it was tailored for you, perhaps to emphasize the stakes of our journey. If we can unlock the full context, we might understand why.”
“Captain,” Lyra’s voice interrupted over the intercom, calm but insistent, “we are approaching orbital insertion for Kepler-438b. Planetary scans will commence shortly.”
Elara straightened. “Alright. Let’s focus. We’ve got a colony to establish. For now, secure everything we’ve learned from the derelict. Naia, prioritize decrypting those coordinates. We’ll revisit them once we’ve handled our primary mission.”
“Understood,” Naia said, though the gleam in her eyes showed she wouldn’t be letting the mystery rest anytime soon.
The Astra Velorum eased into orbit around Kepler-438b, its sapphire and emerald surface shimmering against the backdrop of space. For all its beauty, the planet was uncharted territory. The crew gathered in the observation deck, their excitement tempered by caution.
“Lyra, give us the breakdown,” Elara said.
“Atmosphere composition is suitable for human habitation: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, with trace amounts of argon and carbon dioxide. Surface scans indicate extensive plant life and liquid water. Temperature averages within tolerable ranges,” Lyra reported.
“That’s the good news,” Samir said, sensing a “but” in the AI’s tone.
Lyra continued, “However, there are anomalous energy readings in several regions. These signatures do not match natural phenomena and may indicate either geophysical irregularities or artificial constructs.”
“Artificial constructs,” Naia repeated. “We could already have neighbors.”
Elara nodded. “We’ll approach carefully. Our first priority is establishing the base camp, but we can’t ignore potential threats—or opportunities. Prepare for descent. Let’s make this count.”
The landing was uneventful, the Astra Velorum’s smaller shuttle touching down in a lush valley ringed by towering mountains. As the crew disembarked, the sights and sounds of the alien world enveloped them. Vibrant vegetation swayed in the wind, and streams of crystal-clear water snaked through the landscape.
“Feels almost like Earth,” Samir said, kneeling to examine the soil.
“Only better,” Naia replied, scanning a nearby tree whose leaves shimmered faintly. “These plants are photosynthesizing at a rate that puts Earth’s forests to shame. This ecosystem is thriving.”
Dr. Liao crouched by a patch of strange flowers, their petals opening and closing rhythmically. “Fascinating. It’s as if the entire biosphere is in perfect equilibrium. We’ll need to study this carefully—introducing human activity could have unforeseen consequences.”
Elara agreed but kept her eyes on the horizon, where faint blue lights flickered in the distance. “We’ll tread lightly. For now, let’s focus on securing the landing site and setting up initial operations.”
As night fell, the crew gathered around a makeshift table under the shuttle’s external lights. The first day on Kepler-438b had gone smoothly, but the anomalies in Lyra’s scans lingered in everyone’s minds.
Elara broke the silence. “We’ve done well today. But we all know this is just the beginning. Those energy readings—whatever they are—will need investigating. If this planet holds more than meets the eye, it’s our responsibility to uncover the truth.”
Samir raised a ration pack like a toast. “To new beginnings, then. Let’s hope this world treats us better than the last one did.”
The crew chuckled, though their laughter carried an undertone of uncertainty. Above them, the stars gleamed brightly, as if watching over humanity’s first steps on a new frontier.
Unbeknownst to the team, faint vibrations pulsed through the ground beneath them, echoing from the distant blue lights. Something on Kepler-438b was stirring, and their arrival had not gone unnoticed.
To be continued in the next episode