Chapter 22: The Edge of the Rift
Alpha-9 shuddered as it crossed an invisible boundary where space seemed to fold in on itself. The screens in the command module flashed, displaying nonsensical data: gravity readings fluctuated from zero to infinity, and distance sensors indicated the ship was simultaneously moving forward and standing still. Lia gripped the controls, her knuckles white with tension. She tried not to look at Theo, who paced nervously behind her, muttering about the madness of this venture.
"We're almost there," she said, though her voice trembled. "The coordinates match. Whatever it is, it's right in front of us."
Ren, seated at the scanning console, looked up. His usually impassive face now showed a mix of curiosity and concern.
"The scanners are picking up... something. It's not an object, not a planet. It's like... a fold. The space around us is warping, and I can't tell where we are relative to the entry point."
"A fold?" Theo stopped, his voice rising to a shout. "You're saying we've flown into some damn anomaly without a plan? Lia, turn the ship around before we're smeared across this 'fold'!"
"Enough, Theo!" Lia snapped, not taking her eyes off the screen. "We knew what we were getting into. If you want to survive, help Ren with the data instead of panicking."
Theo clenched his fists but said nothing, approaching Ren, who was already inputting new commands into the system. At that moment, the ship jolted violently, and the lights in the module flickered. Somewhere deep within Alpha-9, a low metallic groan echoed, as if the hull were protesting against an unseen force.
"This isn't just an anomaly," Ren said quietly, his fingers freezing over the keyboard. "I'm seeing the signal again. The same one we picked up earlier. But now it's... structured. Like someone's trying to talk to us."
Lia felt a chill run down her spine. She activated the audio system, and through the speakers came the familiar voice, distorted by static but now clearer:
"You have come. You are ready. Look beyond the edge."
Theo cursed, stepping back, but Lia leaned closer to the console.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling but resolute. "What do you want from us?"
There was no response, but the screens suddenly came alive. Instead of chaotic data, they displayed an image-dark and blurry at first, but gradually taking shape. It wasn't a ship or a planet but something resembling a vast network of light and shadow, pulsing like a living entity. It hung in the void, surrounded by swirls of distorted space.
"What... what the hell is that?" Theo whispered, his anger replaced by fear.
Ren stood slowly, his prosthetic arm emitting a soft click.
"This isn't a natural phenomenon," he said. "It was made. Someone or something created this thing. And it knows we're here."
Lia felt her heart pound in her throat. She wanted to respond, but the ship jolted again, and the voice from the speakers spoke once more, now without static, cold and clear:
"You stand at the threshold. Enter, or vanish."
The screens went dark. The silence in the module was deafening.
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