The message still pyed in Elias Vance’s mind long after the holo-screen dimmed.

  "Follow the echoes."

  It wasn’t a distress signal, nor was it some random space anomaly. It was a message meant for someone to find—and he intended to be the one who answered.

  But he couldn’t do it alone.

  THE CREW SELECTION

  Inside the command centre of Nebu-9, the ship’s AI, Nova, projected a list of candidate crew members onto the holo-table. Elias leaned back in his chair, scanning the names.

  "We need a team that can handle the unknown," he said, rubbing his temple. "Not just scientists and engineers—people who can think fast under pressure."

  Lieutenant Aria Soce stood beside him, arms crossed. "We also need people who won’t lose their minds halfway through the journey. If this signal came from deep space, we could be gone for years."

  Elias smirked. "Then let’s make sure we bring the best."

  The roster was extensive, but a few names stood out.

  Dr. Kieran Locke – An astrophysicist with deep-space anomaly expertise.Sienna Rell – A top-tier pilot, known for surviving near-impossible manoeuvres.Dr. Amara Vesquez – A xenolinguist specializing in unknown nguages.Lucas Holt – A mechanic and systems engineer with a knack for fixing things before they break.Elias tapped each name, sending out a priority summons. "Let's see who’s crazy enough to sign up."

  GATHERING THE TEAM

  Sienna Rell – The Pilot

  The hangar bay of Europa Station was loud with the hum of engines. Sienna Rell, dressed in a worn flight jacket, stood next to her personal fighter, cleaning the edge of her helmet when Elias approached.

  "You always did have a habit of showing up when things got interesting," she said without turning.

  Elias smirked. "That’s because I know you can’t resist a challenge."

  Sienna finally faced him, her piercing blue eyes narrowing. "Where are we going?"

  "Past the Kuiper Belt."

  She raised an eyebrow. "That’s a death sentence, Vance."

  Elias shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe it’s the greatest adventure of our lives."

  Sienna studied him for a moment before shaking her head with a grin. "Damn you. I’m in."

  Dr. Kieran Locke – The Scientist

  On Mars, in the Olympus Mons Research Facility, Dr. Kieran Locke sat surrounded by data streams when Elias' call came through.

  "You want me to leave my work to chase a signal from nowhere?" Kieran asked.

  "It’s not from nowhere," Elias corrected. "It’s from out there. Beyond anything we’ve ever seen."

  Kieran hesitated, his fingers twitching over his research. He had spent his life studying the unknown, waiting for something exactly like this.

  "Fine," he finally said. "But if we find something impossible, you owe me a front-row seat."

  Elias grinned. "Deal."

  THE FINAL PIECES

  One by one, the team was assembled. Dr. Vesquez would be vital in deciphering the message, and Lucas Holt was their lifeline if anything broke down in deep space.

  Standing on the bridge of Nebu-9, Elias looked over his new crew. Some were veterans, some were explorers, but all were ready to face the unknown.

  "We leave in 48 hours," he announced. "Prepare for the mission of a lifetime."

  CHAPTER’s NOTE:This chapter adds great depth to the characters and sets the stage for the adventure to come!