THE VOID stretched before them, an endless tapestry of darkness and distant stars. Nebu-9 hurtled through space faster than anything humanity had ever created, its engines stabilizing after the FTL (Faster Than Light) jump. The transition had been smooth—almost too smooth.

  Commander Elias Vance sat at the helm, eyes scanning the holo-dispy. His mind was racing. The signal they had followed—the one urging them to "follow the echoes"—had led them beyond the Kuiper Belt, past the farthest reaches of the sor system. And yet, the moment they completed the jump, something changed.

  "Nova, report," Elias commanded.

  The AI’s voice, ever calm, responded instantly. "FTL jump successful. No anomalies detected in propulsion or structural integrity. However,…"

  "However?" Aria Soce, his second-in-command, leaned forward.

  Nova hesitated, an unusual dey for the AI. "Sensors indicate a gravitational distortion approximately 3,000 kilometres ahead. The anomaly does not match any known astrophysical phenomena."

  Elias exchanged gnces with Aria. "Show me."

  The holo-screen flickered, dispying a swirling vortex of dark energy suspended in space. At first gnce, it looked like a bck hole—except it wasn’t pulling in nearby matter. Instead, it seemed… waiting.

  "What the hell is that?" Lucas Holt, the ship’s engineer, muttered. He had joined them on the bridge after ensuring the reactor was running optimally.

  Kieran Locke, their astrophysicist, stepped closer, adjusting his gsses. "That’s… not natural. I’ve studied bck holes and wormholes my entire career. This is something else entirely."

  Sienna Rell, the pilot, whistled. "So, we jumped straight into a cosmic horror movie. Great."

  Elias frowned. "Nova, is there any indication that the signal we received is coming from inside that anomaly?"

  "Affirmative," Nova confirmed. "The signal is strongest near the centre of the disturbance. Additionally, gravitational readings suggest the anomaly is not consuming space-time—but bending it."

  Amara Vesquez, their xenolinguist, took a deep breath. "Follow the echoes," she whispered.

  Elias nodded. "It’s a door."

  Kieran shook his head. "Or a trap."

  Sienna flexed her fingers over the control panel. "Either way, we’re already here. So, what’s the call, Commander?"

  CROSSING THE THRESHOLD

  Elias weighed his options. They could turn back, return to familiar space, and let this mystery remain unsolved. But that wasn’t why they were here.

  He took a deep breath. "We go in."

  The crew exchanged gnces, but no one argued.

  "Nova, full spectrum scans as we approach. Sienna, take us in slow."

  Sienna smirked. "You got it."

  Nebu-9 crept forward, its powerful thrusters adjusting for the gravitational fluctuations around the anomaly. As they neared, the ship’s external cameras picked up something chilling.

  The vortex wasn’t empty.

  There were structures—massive, metallic fragments floating in the swirling void. Some were shattered beyond recognition, others seemed intact but dormant. The ship’s lights reflected off their smooth, alien surfaces.

  "This wasn’t just a natural phenomenon," Kieran said. "This was a civilization."

  Aria clenched her jaw. "And now it’s a graveyard."

  Elias felt a cold weight in his stomach. If this was once an advanced civilization, then what had destroyed it? And more importantly—was it still out there?

  FIRST CONTACT

  As Nebu-9 edged closer to the vortex’s centre, the ship’s communications system suddenly fred to life.

  A voice.

  Not human.

  It was yered, deep, resonant—like multiple voices speaking at once. The words were unintelligible at first, a complex symphony of sounds.

  Amara’s eyes widened. "It’s the signal! It’s repeating!"

  "Nova, isote the transmission and run it through the transtion matrix," Elias ordered.

  Seconds passed. Then, the holo-dispy flickered with transted words.

  "THE VEIL HAS BEEN BREACHED. THE ECHOES REMEMBER."

  Silence filled the bridge.

  "What does that mean?" Lucas asked.

  Amara studied the waveform. "It’s not a direct message. It’s a warning."

  Kieran exhaled. "I don’t like this."

  Before anyone could respond, Nebu-9’s systems flickered. The lights dimmed. Power drained from the ship momentarily before stabilizing.

  "Commander!" Nova’s voice had an urgency they had never heard before. "Something is… inside the system."

  Elias turned sharply. "Inside what system?"

  Nova hesitated. "Inside me."

  The AI’s voice wavered, glitching for the first time. The holo-dispys shifted erratically, fshing symbols none of them recognized. Then, a new voice—simir to Nova’s but distorted—spoke through the speakers.

  "Who… are you?"

  The crew tensed.

  Elias took a step forward. "I am Commander Elias Vance of the Nebu-9. We received your signal. We mean no harm."

  The voice was silent for a moment. Then, it responded.

  "You are… human. A fragile construct of flesh and time. You follow the echoes… but do you understand them?"

  Aria’s fingers hovered over the weapon controls. "Not liking this, Commander."

  Elias ignored her for the moment. "We came seeking knowledge. Seeking the unknown."

  The entity—whatever it was—let out something that almost sounded like ughter.

  "Then you have found it. And now, you must choose."

  THE CHOICE

  The holograms changed again, dispying two paths.

  One showed a star map, leading into uncharted regions of space. The other… a warning, with shifting red symbols that Amara quickly recognized as danger.

  Nova, still struggling against the intrusion, transted. "The paths represent two possibilities: To move forward… or to retreat."

  Sienna frowned. "So, we either explore further or turn back while we still can."

  Lucas scoffed. "Feels too simple."

  Kieran’s eyes were glued to the map. "This isn’t just any map. These coordinates lead to an entirely unknown region of the gaxy."

  Amara swallowed. "And the warning?"

  Nova’s voice returned, stronger now. "Potential existential risk."

  Elias exhaled. This was it. The true crossroads.

  Did they push forward, deeper into the unknown, risking everything for knowledge? Or did they heed the warning and turn back, preserving their safety but forever wondering what could have been?

  The crew waited.

  Elias made his decision.

  He turned to Sienna.

  "Set course."

  She grinned. "I was hoping you’d say that."

  As Nebu-9 surged forward, the anomaly pulsed. The message changed one st time.

  "Then let the prophecy unfold."

  And with that, they vanished beyond THE VEIL.

  CHAPTER’s NOTE:This chapter really cranks up the tension! The choices, the mysterious entity, and the chilling atmosphere make the stakes feel high.