Beyond The stars
What they found wasn’t just life — it was watching them first
Space was never silent. Though the void between worlds seemed still, there was always the soft hum of energy, the background radiation of existence, and the heartbeat of a ship pressing onward into the unknown.
Commander Aisha Khan stood before the viewing bay of the Aetheris, Earth’s most advanced exploration vessel. After years of preparation and five months of travel through deep space, they had arrived at Gliese-92b—a planet orbiting a red dwarf 20 light-years from Earth. Initial scans suggested atmospheric compatibility, surface water, and, most importantly, signs of technology.
Not nature. Technology.
“Orbit stable,” said Dr. Theo Marsh, the mission’s lead astrophysicist. “Reading faint energy signatures. Something’s active down there.”
Aisha exhaled slowly. “Patch in the drones. Let’s take a look.”
The orb-like reconnaissance drones detached from the ship’s underbelly and descended into the planet’s thick clouds. Visuals came through seconds later—vast plains of crimson grass, jagged rock formations glowing with bioluminescence, and structures. Not natural ones. Towers, geometric and smooth, partially buried in dust, half collapsed, but undeniably crafted.
“Those aren’t ruins,” Theo murmured. “They’re… recent. Maybe even occupied.”
Aisha felt a chill. They had come seeking proof of alien life. They didn’t expect the welcome to be this quiet—or this eerie.
The team decided on a surface expedition. Protocol required extreme caution, but Earth Command authorized the landing. Curiosity had always outweighed fear when it came to humanity.
The shuttle broke atmosphere and touched down near one of the tall structures. The silence on the surface was oppressive. No wind. No movement. Just the red sun casting long shadows across the strange terrain.
Aisha, Theo, and three others disembarked, weapons and scanners ready. The air was breathable, but thick with static. Every few minutes, their radios hissed with unexplained distortion.
“This place feels… watched,” said Lieutenant Harper, his eyes darting toward the tower ahead.
They advanced carefully into the structure, its walls etched with swirling symbols that pulsed faintly with light. The architecture was unlike anything human—sharp angles merging into smooth curves, impossible geometry that hurt to look at for too long.
“Radiation is low,” Theo whispered, scanning the glyphs. “But there’s a frequency. Almost like… a transmission.”
Aisha’s headset crackled. Then a voice. Not a human one.
“You are not the first.”
She froze. “Say that again.”
The voice repeated. “You are not the first. You are not alone.”
“Where is it coming from?” she asked.
Theo’s hands trembled over the controls. “It’s not broadcasting. It’s… inside the tower. Inside our suits. Direct neural contact.”
That’s when the walls shifted. Not moved—shifted. As if space itself folded inward. And from the corner of the hall, a form emerged.
It was tall, humanoid, but shrouded in darkness. Its body flickered, as though it were made of projected thought rather than matter. It had no mouth, yet the voice echoed again:
“We watched your planet before your kind stood upright. You searched the stars. You found us. We waited.”
Weapons were raised. Aisha held her hand up. “We are explorers. We come in peace.”
“So did the last ones.”
The temperature dropped. Images filled their minds—visions of other worlds, other civilizations, falling into chaos. Explosions. Disease. Collapse. The being showed them a gallery of extinction.
“Curiosity brought them. Greed destroyed them. Will you be different?”
Aisha’s heart pounded. “We only want to learn. We want to share knowledge.”
The being paused. A long silence filled the chamber. Then—
“Then one must stay. One must know. One must carry our memory. Choose.”
The team erupted in confusion. “What does it mean ‘one must stay’?” Harper asked.
“I think…” Theo swallowed. “It wants someone to remain here. To learn from them. To become a vessel for their knowledge.”
Aisha’s mind raced. It could be a trap. But it could also be the greatest exchange in history.
She stepped forward. “I will stay.”
“No,” Theo objected. “You’re the commander—”
“That’s exactly why.” Aisha turned. “Get back to the ship. Record everything. Bring it home.”
The being extended a hand—not physical, but a shimmer of light. As Aisha touched it, her body went rigid. Her eyes glowed, filled with visions no human had ever seen. Her voice echoed, layered with something alien:
“Go. Before the dawn ends.”
The team ran, not daring to look back. The shuttle launched, the towers shrinking behind them. Onboard, Theo clutched the drive with their recordings. His eyes were wet.
Back on Earth, decades later, the message still played in the halls of the Space Exploration Archives:
About the Creator
Mati Henry
Storyteller. Dream weaver. Truth seeker. I write to explore worlds both real and imagined—capturing emotion, sparking thought, and inspiring change. Follow me for stories that stay with you long after the last word.
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