Deep space has always seemed beautiful to me. The endless void that stretches beyond the horizon into unfathomable depths, the existence of stars, planets, and cosmic phenomena offer a gateway to the unknown. It’s a place where the boundaries of science blur, paving the way for discoveries in regions untouched by human knowledge.
When you’re floating aimlessly through the cosmos, the silence can often weigh heavily upon you and the solitude and boredom of space can be…. haunting, and I would agree. In the vastness of the Interstellar void, you are but a whisper, merely insignificant against the backdrop of infinite obscurity. Earth could never match the exhilarating isolation of space.
My mission was anything but simple, and what it was no longer matters. To be honest, I’d rather spare you the details—for your own safety. Just know this: I wasn’t a man of faith, not before. But now… I’m not so sure.
Three weeks ago, HQ had intercepted a transmission from an unknown signal. We’ve encountered similar transmissions before which are often misidentified as echoes from nearby satellites—this one was……quite different.
* * *
When I emerged from my standard cryo-pod, there was an incessant beeping echoing through the command deck. A message from HQ… I tapped the console, bringing the message into clearer focus. The voice crackled through the comms, tense but steady.
“Captain Cross… We’ve received a transmission from the Rosette Nebula… but something’s off. The signal is weak, distorted—barely holding. It’s not on any known frequency. We can’t trace the source.”
I blinked at the flickering display, trying to wrap my head around it. The Rosette Nebula? That’s over 5,000 light-years away… How is it reaching us now?
“Are we certain that the signal is not from a stray satellite?” I asked, initializing the caffeine synth dispenser. It hummed to life, producing the liquid in seconds.
“Confirmed, Captain,” the comms officer responded, his voice steady. “The signal’s unique—it’s being transmitted by a device specifically calibrated to penetrate the dense dust clouds of the Rosette Nebula. No other tech in this sector uses this frequency.”
I stared at the monitor, unsettled. The nebula’s gas clouds might be interfering… but a signal from that distance? It shouldn’t even be possible.
“Patch it through,” I ordered, my voice calm, though the air felt heavier around me. There was a long pause, a static hiss, then the screen illuminated, revealing some sort of weird ancient notations.
“Have we deciphered them yet?”
“Only the first 3 notations”
…. A-N-N….
“We’re currently working to decode the remaining characters…”
“I’ll maintain standby for any incoming transmission. Have we received any data bursts or signals from the Nebula Explorer V1?”
“Negative, Captain. We’ve isolated Connors in quarantine protocols. It appears he’s gone into self-confinement for now, but we’re working on extracting him.”
“It’s been four weeks since our last deployment and four days without contact. Are we certain he’s stable?”
“Affirmative, Captain. His biometrics are active and nominal.”
“Something’s off. I’ve got a bad feeling about this… Maybe I should initiate a manual inspection.”
“Negative, Captain. Protocol is clear—your directive is to remain on standby. We can’t authorize an EVA transfer to the other vessel. Resume your current assignments and await further instructions.”
“Understood, I’ll proceed with my scheduled tasks for the day”
A brief silence followed, then came the crisp response: ‘Affirmative, Captain.’”
I’ve been running diagnostics on the ship’s propulsion systems for the past few days, ensuring all modules are functioning within optimal parameters. My next task was to recalibrate the oxygen filtration system, but honestly, that’s routine at this point. HQ had also assigned me to monitor deep space comms, the Nebula Explorer V1 was the vessel sent before me. Between that and the scheduled exterior hull inspection later this week, I’ve had my hands full.
Still, none of these tasks were enough to distract me from the uneasy silence coming from Connors. Four days without contact—it’s gnawing at me….
“Connors, have you ever thought about what’s out there?” I asked him one evening, the low hum of the ship’s systems providing a backdrop to our conversation. We were in the common area, sipping recycled coffee as we stared out at the stars.
He leaned back in his chair, a distant look in his eyes. “You mean besides the endless void? Yeah, I’ve thought about it. But what’s really out there? It’s just… vast emptiness. It can get overwhelming.”
“I guess it’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s beautiful. On the other, it’s suffocating. It’s hard to shake the feeling of isolation.”
Connors sighed, scratching his chin. “You know, when I signed up for this mission, I thought I’d be doing something monumental. Discovering new worlds, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. But sometimes, I wonder if it’s worth it. The solitude can feel like a weight pressing down on you.”
I chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. “You signed up for the trip, Connors. You knew what you were getting into”
“Right,” he replied, but I noticed a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. “Just promise me you won’t get lost out there, okay? I’d hate to have to send a search party after you.”
“Likewise, my friend,” I said, raising my coffee cup in a mock toast. “Let’s make a pact. If either of us goes quiet for too long, the other comes looking.”
“Deal.”
I immersed myself in my daily tasks, gathering atmospheric readings, carbon pressure levels, and scanning for any new star formations in the vicinity. That’s when I heard it….
A slow, deliberate tapping through the metal hull. It was faint at first, almost like a whisper and I mostly ignored it. Until it cut through the tranquility of the ship. I paused….straining my ears against the silence that followed, only to be met with an unsettling stillness that felt almost oppressive. Then it came again, a gentle tapping, like fingers drumming on the surface of the universe itself. My pulse quickened as I stepped cautiously towards the command room.
Until the alarms deafened me….
“Status report!” I barked, my voice barely rising above the cacophony of sirens.
The ship’s AI flickered to life, its voice steady but laced with urgency. “Warning: Unidentified object detected in proximity. Trajectory indicates potential collision course. Estimated time to impact: three minutes.”
My heart raced as I glanced at the sensor readouts, a cluster of data scrolling rapidly across the screen. An unidentified object? My mind raced through possibilities, each more chilling than the last. What have I stumbled upon? an asteroid? No, the Ships AI must have identified it…
I gripped the console as I focused on the blaring alerts. “Divert all power to shields! Prepare for evasive maneuvers!” I commanded.
I couldn’t see outside; for some reason, it was dark and blurry. The vessel slammed into something. I hadn’t engaged my safety harness, and I was violently ejected from my command seat, my body tumbling against the bulkhead.
The AI hummed, its voice urgent, piercing through the chaos.
WARNING… WARNING… WARNING…
I couldn’t see outside. I didn’t know what I had hit—some unseen object in the void—until it became silent. The alarm ceased, leaving an eerie quiet in its wake. My heart raced as I pushed myself upright, the cold metal of the console digging into my back.
“Status report!” I shouted, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the dread that clawed at my insides.
“Systems compromised,” the AI replied, its tone dispassionate as ever. “Shields at fifty percent. Hull integrity fluctuating. Unknown entity detected—location: 030 mark 18.”
I blinked, struggling to comprehend. Unknown entity? “What do you mean, ‘unknown entity’? Can we identify it?”
“Insufficient data. Visual feeds are compromised. Recommend initiating external scan.”
I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling the tension knotting deeper. “Do it. Get me eyes on whatever we collided with.”
As the AI began its scanning process, I took a moment to gather my thoughts. The darkness outside my viewport felt oppressive, swallowing the starlight, as if the universe itself was watching me. I fought against the rising tide of panic.
“Come on, come on…” I muttered under my breath, staring at the flickering display as it struggled to process the input.
Suddenly, the screen cleared, revealing a shadowy silhouette drifting just beyond the hull. A massive structure, alien and unsettling, loomed ominously against the void. Its surface was textured, like a complex web of dark materials, pulsating with an eerie glow.
“What the hell is that?” I breathed, fear coursing through my veins. “AI, enhance the scan! Identify that structure!”
“Enhancing now,” it responded. The screen pulsed as the AI processed data, but the results were slow. A dread began to settle in my gut—a feeling that whatever lay before me was more than just an object in space.
“Captain,” the AI finally said, “I cannot identify the structure. Preliminary scans indicate it emits an unusual energy signature. Suggest caution in approaching.”
Caution? I was already too close. My heart raced as I tried to think clearly, weighing my options. Should I attempt to maneuver away? Or would it be better to try and communicate?
I hesitated, uncertainty gnawing at me. Just then, a series of faint vibrations reverberated through the ship. It felt like a heartbeat, rhythmic and steady, sending shivers down my spine.
“AI, did you detect that?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
“Affirmative. The structure appears to be reacting to our presence. Energy levels are rising.”
With a sinking feeling, I realized the entity had noticed me. Whatever it was, it was alive—and it was watching.
“Prepare for any incoming transmissions,” I ordered, adrenaline pumping through me. “We need to know what we’re dealing with.”
But as I waited, the silence returned, heavier this time, as if the very fabric of space held its breath. I felt utterly exposed, trapped in a cocoon of darkness, with only the unknown entity before me.
“AI, keep the shields at maximum,” I commanded, feeling a knot of fear tighten in my stomach. “If it decides to attack, I want to be ready.”
Then, as abruptly as it had started, everything fell silent. The oppressive stillness enveloped me, leaving only the sound of my own heartbeat echoing in my ears. I was alone with my thoughts, the tension thick enough to slice.
The darkness outside the viewport pressed against the hull like a weight, a reminder of the vast, uncaring universe surrounding me. I could almost feel the cold expanse of space wrapping around my ship, isolating me further from any sense of normalcy. My mind raced, piecing together the fragments of what had just occurred. What had I hit?
I forced myself to take a deep breath, steadying my pulse. I had to assess the situation. I fumbled for the control panel, my fingers brushing against the cold metal as I reestablished my grip. The interface flickered to life, the dim glow illuminating the command deck like a distant star in the void.
“AI, status check!” I commanded, my voice steadier than I felt.
“Systems are nominal,” the AI replied, its synthesized voice echoing through the stillness. “However, navigational sensors are offline, and visual feeds remain compromised. Energy levels are fluctuating within normal parameters.”
Normal? The word felt almost absurd in this context. “What about external scans? Can you provide any data on what we collided with?”
“Analyzing… no significant anomalies detected in the immediate vicinity. The object is classified as an unknown entity. Energy readings indicate a strong electromagnetic field surrounding it.”
I squinted at the monitor, frustration gnawing at me. “Give me a visual feed if you can.”
The screen pulsed, and for a brief moment, static danced across the display before settling on an image—a vast, shadowy mass drifted silently beyond my hull, its contours indistinct in the darkness, yet undeniably present.
“Can you enhance that?” I asked, my breath catching in my throat.
“Enhancing image… completed,” the AI responded. The silhouette sharpened, revealing a complex structure, interwoven with what appeared to be organic-like tendrils that pulsated faintly, as if alive.
My heart raced; “What the fuck is that?”
“Unknown,” the AI repeated. “Further scans are required to ascertain its properties and intentions. Recommend maintaining a safe distance while attempting to establish communication protocols.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. Communication? I didn’t want to communicate with whatever the hell this thing was
“Can we initiate contact?”
“Attempting to establish contact,” the AI replied, the console lighting up with a series of beeps and whirs.
I gripped the edge of the control panel, anticipation thrumming in my veins. A moment passed, the silence wrapping around me like a shroud. Then came the response—a low-frequency hum, resonating through the ship, sending vibrations rattling through the hull.
“What is that?” I whispered, staring at the screen as it displayed a notation.
“Unidentified transmission detected,” the AI stated. “Frequency modulation is inconsistent with known communication methods.”
It sounded almost… organic, like the pulse of a heartbeat echoing in the stillness.
“Can you decode it?” I pressed, every instinct telling me to be cautious.
“Only three Initials; A-N-N….Insufficient data to decipher further intent or meaning. Recommend further analysis and monitoring.”
I swallowed hard, my mind racing. Here I was, a speck in the void, facing a phenomenon that defied everything I knew about the universe. I was on the edge of discovery—or destruction.
“Prepare to initiate a deep-space scan of that entity,” I ordered, forcing myself to maintain focus despite the rising tide of uncertainty. “And keep the shields at full power. I don’t want to find out what it can do.”
A small static came when the AI replied, “Affirmative, Captain.”
As I settled into my seat, the weight of isolation pressed down on me again. I was alone, drifting through the depths of space, waiting to uncover the secrets of an entity that seemed all too aware of my presence. Suddenly, HQ crackled to life over the comms, the voice of my superior cutting through the silence. “Captain Cross… Report your findings…”
I straightened in my seat, adrenaline coursing through me. “Commander Hayes, I—” My voice faltered for a moment as I glanced at the ominous mass on the screen. “I’ve encountered an unknown entity in the vicinity. The collision has compromised navigational sensors, but I’m attempting to assess its properties.”
“Unknown entity?” Hayes’s tone was sharp, laced with urgency. “Are you in danger?”
“I’m not sure,” I replied, trying to maintain my composure. “The entity appears to be… alive, or at least it has organic characteristics. It’s emitting a low-frequency signal that I’m currently analyzing. I recommend sending a probe to gather more data before we make any decisions.”
“Negative, Captain. We cannot risk losing another asset. Maintain distance and gather intel from your current position. Can you confirm the object’s stability?”
“Stability is unclear. It’s pulsating and—” My words caught in my throat as the entity shifted slightly on the screen. It……What the fuck…. It seems to be reacting to my presence.”
“Is it attempting communication?”
“I don’t know yet,” I admitted, my eyes narrowing at the screen. The pulsing intensified, the low hum deepening in tone, resonating in a way that felt almost—intentional. “It’s almost like it’s… trying to talk.”
“Captain, you’re to prioritize your safety above all else. Do not engage unless absolutely necessary,” Hayes warned, his voice steely.
I clenched my fists, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. “Commander, if this entity poses a threat, we might not have the luxury of waiting. If we don’t act now, we could lose the opportunity to understand it.”
“Your priority is to ensure the safety of the mission,” he repeated firmly. “Maintain monitoring and keep me updated. HQ out.”
The comms went silent again, leaving me in the oppressive quiet of the command deck. I glanced at the console, the waveform still pulsing in front of me. The low-frequency hum began to shift again, its rhythm changing, more urgent now.
“AI, can you analyze that change in the signal?” I asked, my heart racing.
“Analyzing… The signal exhibits patterns reminiscent of communication methods unrecognizable,” the AI reported. “Possible attempts to convey a message. However, the modulation remains unique and indecipherable.”
“Can you approximate its intent?”
“Insufficient data. However, it may imply curiosity or caution.”
Curiosity or caution? In the cold embrace of space, either could spell destruction.
“Activate the external camera feed,” I ordered. The display flickered, and the viewport illuminated, revealing the entity in full view. It’s dark mass loomed large against the backdrop of stars, its tendrils undulating slowly, almost as if they were breathing.
“AI, initiate a slow rotation of the ship. I want to get a full visual of this thing without moving too close,” I instructed, hoping to buy time while my mind raced through the possibilities.
“Affirmative,” the AI responded, and the vessel began to turn.
As I watched the entity shift and ripple in the starlight, an unshakable feeling of dread settled over me. I had ventured into the unknown, and now I was staring into the abyss, waiting for it to gaze back.
After what felt like an eternity, a rhythmic sound echoed through the metallic hull of the vessel.
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
I tried to ignore it, but the noise was relentless, like a heartbeat in the silence of space. There was something far more terrifying awaiting me beyond that sound—something that could lead the mission into…..Annihilation.
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
The sound grew louder, filling the empty corridors of the vessel
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
I tightened my grip on the control panel, feeling a chill creep up my spine despite the warmth of my suit.
I scanned the monitors, hoping to find something—anything—that might explain the noise. Yet, the screens showed nothing but the static hum of deep space. The vast darkness loomed beyond the hull, pressing against the ship as if something massive and unseen watched from the void.
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
I tried to focus on the entity…. But this noise… this endless, insistent drumming… was like a warning, echoing from some primal depth I couldn’t understand.
Suddenly, the lights flickered, casting strange shadows across the bridge. I forced myself to breathe, slow and steady, but my heart raced in time with that infernal beat.
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
A faint voice crackled through the comm system. “Ethan…”
I froze. That voice—it sounded distorted, stretched by static, but familiar. Impossible.
Conners? My voice ached…..
“Ethan….”
The lights dimmed entirely, and the darkness became suffocating. The sound now pounded in my ears.
I turned, but I was alone. Or so I thought. In the shadows at the edge of the bridge, a figure began to form, outlined by the faint emergency lights. The face came last—his face. Conners. He stared at me, hollow-eyed, as if peering from some eternal abyss. “Conners….How are you…?”
“Did you think it would end with me?” he whispered, his voice barely more than a rasp against the drumming beat.
Tudd… Tudd… Tudd…
Panic clawed at my mind as I took a step back, my boots heavy, rooted to the floor. I tried to speak, to explain, but words failed.
And then, as I watched, he stepped forward, his gaze burning with a fury that transcended death, his figure shifting and flickering like static on a broken screen.
“Ethan…..” he murmured, each syllable dripping with bitterness. “You will face it too as I have faced…..Complete and utter….Annihilation“
* * *
I jolted awake, breath caught in my chest. The incessant beeping filled the silence, and the AI flickered beside me—it was HQ. I had collapsed in exhaustion, drifting into a nightmare I wished I could forget.
“Captain Cross?” The voice crackled over the comms, my superior’s tone sharp and authoritative. “Captain Cross… a vessel has been detected in your vicinity…”
A sigh slipped out, heavy and resigned. “I don’t suppose I’ll be assigned to find out what it is?”
“It is heavily damaged. We need you to investigate,” they replied, with no hesitation, like my past didn’t weigh a thing on their conscience. Of course, they would send me….
“But what about the entity?”
HQ’s voice crackled through the comms, sharp and insistent. “Has it attempted to initiate communication yet?”
“I… I don’t know.” My voice sounded thin, unsure.
“Could you repeat that, Captain?”
“I’m not certain. It hasn’t made any contact,” I replied, glancing nervously at the sensor readouts.
There was a pause on the other end before HQ’s voice came back, aggressive this time. “Captain, can you confirm your whereabouts over the past six hours?”
Six hours? I was disoriented, my last conscious memory warped by strange, disjointed visuals. “I was… monitoring the entity, sir. Attempting to decipher its… signals.”
A sigh crackled across the line. “Captain Cross, we need you to maneuver your craft closer to the vessel and conduct a full reconnaissance. The entity’s readings indicate it’s non-hostile at this moment, and other sectors require our attention.”
“But, sir… what about the potential threat?”
“You are to proceed as ordered, Captain.”
“Copy HQ Over”
I steered myself, hands steady on the navigation controls as I maneuvered closer to the drifting vessel. Shards of metal debris spun lazily around it, fragments of what looked like hull plating and broken antenna arrays, caught in the microgravity currents. It had the eerie stillness of a ship left to the void, every piece of metal gleaming faintly in the distant starlight.
The entity loomed in the distance, as it always did, anchored in its silent orbit. For now, my orders had me focused here, on this abandoned relic.
I adjusted the thrusters, aligning my craft with the docking port, and began to suit up. My helmet’s HUD flickered to life, systems running diagnostics as the oxygen tanks pressurized and my comm line established a faint link back to HQ. A final systems check confirmed readiness, and I unlatched the airlock, feeling the familiar hum as the cabin depressurized around me.
The hatch creaked open, revealing the shadowed entrance to the vessel. There were no lights inside, only the faint glint of metal and the soft hiss of atmosphere venting from damaged conduits. My boots connected with a magnetic pull to the deck, and I stepped inside, the echo of my own movements resonating through the silent corridors.
“HQ, I’m onboard,” I muttered, voice clipped over the comm.
“Good copy, Captain Cross. Maintain comm link and proceed with caution. We’re receiving faint signals from deep within the vessel. Investigate and report findings.”
I started down the main corridor, beams from my helmet casting long shadows across the walls, illuminating splashes of dark matter smeared along the panels—a blend of hydraulic fluids, possibly, or something organic. It was hard to tell in the dim light, and I found myself tensing as I moved deeper into the ship.
“Captain,” HQ’s voice crackled through, low and metallic. “We’re picking up… something else. A faint transmission, possibly automated. Can you confirm?”
I stopped in my tracks, adjusting the frequency on my comm to pick up the signal. Faint, distorted, but there—an automated loop, playing over and over. Words almost lost in static: …don’t… come… entity is…
“HQ, do you copy?” I tapped the comms, the static crackling louder. “Come in, HQ—are you receiving this?”
“Goddamn piece of shit” I murmured…. Inside of the vessel was dark…I flicked on the helmet’s night vision, illuminating the darkened interior with a spectral green glow. The sheer size of the ship was overwhelming; massive corridors stretched into the shadows, but a sinister stillness pervaded the air. Not a soul in sight. The silence was deafening.
I cautiously ventured deeper into the belly of the beast; my footsteps muffled by the thick silence. The walls, scarred and dented from external damage, seemed to whisper secrets of the lives that once thrived here. As I explored, remnants of humanity emerged from the darkness—personal effects scattered about, a half-finished meal.
Then, I found the captain’s quarters.
The door hissed open, revealing a space cluttered with the echoes of its occupant. A cabinet caught my eye, its surface adorned with scratches and wear. I approached, my fingers trembling as I opened it, revealing a journal.
The initials “BA” were etched into the cover, along with the name of the vessel:
Rosette Nebula….
“What?” I murmured, disbelief washing over me. Wasn’t this declared Annihilation by HQ? It was lost a long time ago….”
But then, the helmet’s night vision flickered and cut out, plunging me into an impenetrable darkness. I stood still, the absence of light amplifying my senses. Deep into the blackness, I peered, but all I found was a suffocating void filled with my own thoughts. The sound of my heartbeat echoed like a distant drum, reverberating through the forewalls of my mind. Here, in this forsaken vessel, the weight of isolation pressed down on me, mingling with the chilling realization that I may not be alone.
As I stood in the shadows of the captain’s quarters, the eerie stillness was shattered by the familiar crackle of the comms. HQ came online, their static-filled voices cutting through the suffocating silence.
“Captain Cross, report your findings,” the voice of Commander Hayes came through
“This….I have found the lost vessel,” I reported, forcing the words through the tight knot in my throat.
“Can you repeat that?”
“I’ve located the lost vessel—the Rosette Nebula, the one commanded by Ben” before I could finish, my transmission was abruptly cut off by HQ.
“Affirmative, Captain. Have you detected any life signs on board?”
“No… None at all. Is it possible the transmission originated from this vessel?” I inquired, my voice steady despite the unease brewing in my chest.
“It’s possible but we need definitive confirmation. Have you discovered anything else?”
I hesitated, weighing whether to mention the journal, its secrets clinging to my mind.
“Negative, HQ.”
The comms crackled with static before plunging into silence, leaving an oppressive void that felt all too heavy.
Deep into the darkness, I stood there, the silence was deafening…..the thoughts in my mind lingered heavily upon me…I felt as if I was going insane….Then, as if the air itself thickened, a voice emerged from the darkness, thin and raspy.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
I whirled around, my heart racing. A figure loomed in the corner, skeletal and ghostly, as if he had been plucked from the very fabric of time. The man looked as if he had died years ago, his skin stretched tight over bone, eyes sunken and hollow but his face, oh god his face was hollow…crisp and dark.
“I discovered a habitable planet,” he rasped, “one where we could all thrive. But I encountered something else—a deity. It revealed to me… that we….we were destined for annihilation forever and always.”
I gasped in horror……what the fuck?
The figure lunged at me, its hands wrapping around my throat, constricting like a vice. Its eyes were dark and hollow, voids that seemed to consume all light. A loud screech emitted from its mouth, a cacophony of rage and despair that echoed in the confined space. I struggled against its grip, clawing at its hands, but it was too strong, a force of pure malice.
Panic surged through me as I kicked and twisted, my vision blurring at the edges. In the dim light of the vessel, I could see its face contorting in grotesque delight, reveling in my fear. Desperation clawed at my insides; I couldn’t let this be the end…...
With a surge of adrenaline, I summoned every ounce of strength I had left and managed to twist my body, breaking free from its grasp, gasping for air. I stumbled backward, my heart racing, adrenaline pumping through my veins. The entity snarled, a low growl rumbling deep within its throat, and I could feel the air grow colder as it advanced again.
“Get the hell away from me!” I shouted, my voice trembling yet defiant. The entity recoiled, contorting its grotesque body into an unnatural stance, its hollow eyes boring into mine with a furious intensity. It opened its cavernous mouth, stretching impossibly wide, and unleashed a bone-rattling scream.
“ETHAN…”
The sound pierced through the silence of space, deafening in its ferocity. Instinctively, I reached for a nearby metallic pipe, gripping it tightly as the entity lunged toward me. I swung it with all my might, connecting with its grotesque face. It howled in agony, recoiling and giving me precious seconds to escape.
My mind raced as I navigated the wreckage, heart pounding in my chest. I could feel his presence hot on my heels, a specter of madness from the depths of the void. Just as I thought I was free, I felt its icy claws graze my back. Panic surged, and I screamed, swinging the pipe again, striking its face once more. It released me, and I seized the moment, bolting for the chamber. Reaching my vessel, I slammed the hatch behind me, heart pounding as I engaged the airlock mechanisms.
“Lock it down, lock it down!”
I urged myself, fingers flying over the controls as I sealed myself inside my vessel. The hiss of the airlock filled the cabin, a sound of safety—at least for now.
Just as I secured the hatch, HQ crackled back online. “Captain Cross, we’ve been monitoring your live feed. We need to discuss your situation.”
“What was that thing?” I demanded, my pulse racing.
“We don’t know,” HQ replied, taking a deep breath as the air felt heavy with dread.
“I need to get out of here now.” Urgency laced my voice, and I could feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on me.
“Hold your position,” Hayes commanded, his tone firm. “We need to analyze the full situation. The transmission data suggests the I-H-I sequence is connected to protocols. It could be crucial.”
“I don’t care about protocols!” I shot back, frustration boiling over. “There’s something out here that wants me!”
“Maintain control, Captain,” Hayes replied, though I could hear the tension in his voice. “We’ll assess your situation from here.”
“Assess? While I’m trapped in this nightmare?” My voice cracked, fear creeping in. “You don’t understand what I’ve seen.”
“Your safety is our priority,” Hayes said, though his assurance felt hollow. “If you move now without—”
“Without what? More analysis? More data?” I interrupted, my hands shaking on the controls.
“This isn’t a simulation, Hayes! It’s real, and it’s haunting me!”
A moment of silence hung between us, thick with the weight of my desperation. “Ethan,” Hayes finally said, his voice softer but still resolute, “we need you to trust us. If there’s a chance that entity is tied to the A-N-N sequence, we can’t leave without knowing. We are currently in the process of getting in touch with the Nebula Explorer V1….we want the two of you to be together for the moment.
“Connors?”
“That’s right”
“He’s alive?”
“Why wouldn’t he be?”
The comms cut off again, leaving me in oppressive silence. Frustration boiled over as I slammed my fists against the metallic hull of the vessel.
“Goddamn, fucking piece of shit!
The echoes of my rage reverberated through the cramped space, a futile attempt to drown out the terror creeping back in but HQ had decided something else…Connors was coming to me…. Maybe things would be better if he was next to me….Only if he wasn’t….
As I sat in my ship, the weight of the encounter settled over me like a suffocating shroud. I locked my gaze on the dark viewport, heart racing, fully aware that I was no longer just a captain exploring the cosmos. I was now a witness to something far more terrifying—something that had stirred from the depths of the Rosette Nebula, and it hungered for attention.
Benjamin Armitage commanded a vessel named the Rosette Nebula, on a mission to find a planet capable of sustaining human life for centuries. He had made numerous scientific discoveries that reshaped our understanding of the cosmos, particularly his research on exoplanetary atmospheres and their potential for habitability. I had diligently followed his work, drawn to his innovative theories and relentless pursuit of knowledge; he had truly inspired me.
Six Months ago, Benjamin and his crew of about fifteen souls were sent out on their mission. But it had simply vanished. HQ was quick to label the situation as “Annihilation,” a term reserved for vessels slipping beyond the boundaries of known space.
Desperate for answers; I read through his journal entries. BA, Benjamin Armitage; inside, the ink was smudged, some pages worn and torn, but the words were still legible.
Day 1
Today marks the beginning of our mission, and I couldn’t be more exhilarated. Our crew stands at the forefront of discovery, pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. We’ve been assigned to explore the Rosette Nebula and survey potential planets for habitability. Each star is a beacon of hope, a possibility for humanity’s future. I can almost feel the thrill of making history in my veins.
Day 30
We’ve reached the rogue planet designated as “Theta-7.” Initial scans reveal an unusual energy signature emanating from beneath its surface. It’s unlike anything we’ve encountered before. There’s an electric excitement among the crew. Could this be alien technology? We’re setting up camp to conduct further analysis. I can’t shake the feeling that we’re on the verge of something monumental.
Day 100
What began as excitement has now turned into something unsettling. The deeper we dig, the more erratic our readings become. The energy source pulses like a heartbeat, almost as if it’s alive. The crew is starting to show signs of fatigue; tension is mounting. I fear that our ambition has blinded us. We’ve stumbled into a mystery that defies our understanding. I can’t help but wonder if we’re meant to uncover this secret.
Day 43008
The entity is awakening. I can feel it in my bones. What we thought was a technological marvel is something far more sinister. Whispers in the dark, shadows creeping at the edges of my vision—my crew is starting to lose their grip on reality. They speak of visions, nightmares that cling to them like a second skin. I’m starting to question whether we should have ever come here. What have we unleashed?
Day ????????
Time has lost all meaning. I’ve tried to record my thoughts, but they slip away like sand through my fingers. The entity is not just alive; it is ancient and malevolent. It knows us, our fears, our ambitions. Each day feels like a descent into madness. I fear I’ve become a vessel for its whispers. I must warn anyone who finds this journal: do not seek the unknown if it can find you…
But it was the last few entries that chilled me to my core. They weren’t written in ink anymore. They were scratched within the confines of the pages.
“We are not meant for this. We are not meant to inherit the stars. We are not meant to understand them”
“He watches. He waits. Do not follow.”
The more I read, the more I felt the same pull that Benjamin must have felt. That awful, magnetic tug that kept me turning the pages even though every fiber of my being screamed to stop. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know the truth anymore. But I kept reading. I had to.
The final entry contained the same symbols that HQ had initially found, the same ones that are now burned in my memory, the same ones that are making me gauge my eyes out;
“I.H.I.”
The creature I had found aboard the vessel. It was Benjamin Armitage….
The silence in the vessel was deafening, broken only by the soft hum of the ship’s systems. Just as I began to steady my breath, the coms crackled to life. An ancient voice filtered through, its words jumbled and incoherent.
“L.A.T”
The AI interface flickered to life, struggling to decipher the distorted sounds. As the words emerged clearer, a chill ran down my spine.
“I.O.N”
“What are you?” I called out into the void, my voice trembling against the oppressive darkness.
“Annihilation,” the voice returned, eerily echoing my own question. It felt as if the sound had seeped into my mind, wrapping around my thoughts like a vice.
“I wanted connors….I need him now more than ever….I wish I shouldn’t have…..I wish he was still with me……Panic surged through me. I stumbled backward, my legs giving way as I collapsed onto the cold metal floor.
My world twisted around me. I was no longer in my vessel—not even in the same universe. I floated between the cosmos, untethered and free. Stars shimmered like diamonds against a velvet backdrop, constellations swirling in an intricate dance. It was beautiful, dark, and inviting, pulling me deeper into its embrace.
As I drifted, the silence enveloped me, a soothing balm for my frayed nerves. I reached out to touch the cosmos, fingers brushing against the ethereal fabric of reality. Every pulse of light felt like a heartbeat, resonating with something deep within me. Here, I was weightless, liberated from the shackles of fear and despair. I could forget the entity, the chaos that lurked in the depths of my mind.
But then, like a storm gathering on the horizon, the beauty turned sinister. A shadow coalesced in the void, looming larger with each passing moment. It was familiar yet foreign, a presence that sent chills racing down my spine. Whispers curled around me, slithering into my thoughts.
“Ethan…” The voice was a cacophony of echoes, reverberating through the very essence of my being. “You sought the stars. You wished to transcend. But you have entered my domain.”
The cosmos shifted, revealing glimpses of horrors I was not prepared to witness. Spectral images of despair flashed before my eyes: civilizations collapsing, worlds consumed by darkness, and souls trapped in eternal suffering. I clutched my head, fighting against the flood of visions, but they poured in relentlessly. Each scene tore at the fabric of my sanity, unraveling the delicate threads that held my consciousness together.
“No!” I screamed, though I knew my voice was swallowed by the void. “I didn’t want this!”
“What the fuck are you?” I stammered, the enormity of the being overwhelming me. Its form shimmered and shifted, defying comprehension, an essence that should not exist.
“I am the keeper of shadows, the eternal sentinel between the stars,” the entity proclaimed. “I embody the truth that lies beyond your mortal understanding. Benjamin Armitage dared to seek the heavens, and in his hubris, he grasped for what was never meant for your kind. He lives, yet his existence is an eternal servitude, shackled by the weight of his ambition.”
“So… he’s not dead?” I gasped, the fragments of my reality beginning to coalesce into a haunting truth.
“Dead? No,” the voice intoned, its resonance both sorrowful and accusatory. “He is condemned—a mere whisper of his former self, wandering through the labyrinth of his own despair, forever tormented by his transgressions. You tread perilously close to the same abyss, Captain.”
“No… Connors will come for me. He must,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice.
“Connors is dead, Ethan. You killed him. He uncovered truths you were not prepared to face, and in your lust for glory, you silenced him. Now, you stand at the precipice, destined to follow the same path as Benjamin Armitage. You wanted to know,” the voice taunted, resonating with a cruel humor. “Knowledge has its price, Ethan Cross. You have crossed the threshold, and now you must pay.”
With that, the darkness converged, wrapping around me like chains, pulling me deeper into the abyss. I gasped for air, but there was none. My heart raced as I struggled against the invisible binds, panic surging anew. The beauty of the cosmos faded, replaced by an overwhelming dread.
As the cosmic deity’s words washed over me, a whisper broke through the ethereal conversation, indistinct yet insistent.
“No… no… no…”
“What is that?” I asked. The whisper grew louder, more frantic, reverberating in my mind.
“Turn back… find rest…”
Suddenly, the celestial landscape began to dissolve, and darkness enveloped me.
I jolted awake, gasping for breath, finding myself confined within the cryptic pod of my ship. It had all been a dream?
“I awake to find no peace of mind……I will live forever as a fugitive. I wish I hadn’t killed connors…. but he wasn’t supposed to find it before me. I wanted it for myself… Being alone in the void for so long…has taken its effect on me. But nevertheless, space is beautiful to me…I am sending this final log before my next mission which is to find the remnants of a planet that contains elements of habitual substances. Wish me luck……”
As I recorded my final log….an incessant beeping echoed through the command deck. A transmission from HQ… I tapped the console, bringing the message into clearer focus. The voice crackled through the comms, tense but steady. The cycle begins again…
‘Captain Cross… We’ve received a transmission from the lost Rosette Nebula….
“What does it say?”
“It appears to be some sort of notations sir, some ancient language”
“Have we deciphered it yet?”
A.N.N.I.H.I.L.A.T.I.O.N
