The silence of space was different from the silence of Mars. Here, it was absolute—no wind, no tremors, no whispers in the night. Only the steady hum of the engines and the faint clicks of the ship's systems filled the void.
For the first time in days, the crew breathed without fear of the ground splitting beneath them. Yet the relief was thin. The planet they left behind was not forgotten; it clung to them like dust they could not wash away.
Jonas sat at the helm, eyes fixed on the navigation display. The trajectory line glowed faint green, stretching toward the blue dot of Earth, still distant but steady. He spoke without turning his head.
"Three weeks, if nothing breaks."
"Something will," Mara replied, leaning back in her seat, arms crossed. "It always does."
Liora chuckled softly, though it lacked warmth. "Let me enjoy the illusion of safety for one hour, Mara. Just one."
Eris sat near the viewport, his gaze distant. The stars sprawled endlessly before him, sharp and cold, yet he could not shake the memory of the faint thrum that still echoed in his chest. At times, he thought he heard it in the hum of the engines—an extra beat, almost hidden, almost imagined.
Meals were quiet. Repairs continued in shifts. The routine of survival returned, but beneath it all lay a tension that none dared name.
On the fourth day, it happened.
The ship jolted suddenly, alarms flaring red across the console. Jonas slammed his palm against the controls. "Report!"
Liora's eyes darted over the diagnostics. "Not mechanical. It's… external."
The viewport darkened, shields adjusting against a sudden glare. Outside, the stars seemed to twist, warping around a ripple of light that pulsed once, twice, then vanished.
Eris felt it more than saw it—the same pulse from Mars, faint but unmistakable. His heart stumbled in rhythm.
Jonas cursed under his breath. "We left that cursed rock behind. How in hell—"
"It followed us," Eris said softly. His voice was steady, but his eyes burned with something the others did not yet understand.
The cabin fell silent again, the hum of the ship suddenly heavier, as though the void itself was listening.
Earth was closer now. But Mars was not finished with them.