The Last Signal

Rushing to the control panel, Daniel tried to reestablish contact with the base on Earth, but all he heard was static. The last recorded transmission indicated an interruption caused by an unknown signal. His heart raced. There was no one else on the station—he was the only crew member left after the last rescue ship departed.

Taking a deep breath, Daniel activated the emergency sequence and checked the computer logs. The anomaly had begun exactly 13 hours earlier when a signal of unidentified origin was detected. The strangest part was that this signal did not come from deep space but from Earth itself. How was that possible?

With trembling hands, he accessed the satellite images stored before the system failure. The last captured image showed the planet covered by a gigantic shadow, as if something had blocked the sunlight. But it wasn't an ordinary cloud or storm. The structure had symmetry, organized patterns. It was artificial.

A chill ran down Daniel’s spine. Something or someone was interfering with Earth's communication and energy. His only option was to attempt one last manual transmission. With difficulty, he adjusted the external antenna and typed a simple message, transmitting it repeatedly across all available frequencies:

"If anyone is still out there... please respond."

Silence persisted. For long minutes, only static. Until, finally, a response appeared on the screen.

"Daniel Carter. You are not supposed to be here."

The screen went black. And in the reflection of the window, Daniel saw something moving behind him.

Turning quickly, his heart pounded as he saw a tall, slender silhouette in the dim station lighting. The figure wore an unknown suit, its surface shimmering as it reflected the flickering lights from the panels. It was not human. But it did not seem hostile either.

Daniel stepped back, trying to reach for an object to defend himself, but the creature raised one of its hands, emitting a subtle sound, almost like an electronic hum.

— Who... who are you? — Daniel's voice came out shakier than he would have liked.

The response did not come in words but through a direct transmission into his helmet. A deep, distant voice echoed in his mind:

"We are the Guardians. Your planet has been compromised."

A shiver ran through Daniel’s spine. The creature stepped forward, pointing at the darkened screen. Suddenly, the display flickered, and a new image appeared: Earth was now completely engulfed by the artificial shadow.

"They have arrived."

The astronaut held his breath. Who were "they"? And, more importantly... was there still time to save Earth?

The creature raised a small device, projecting a hologram that showed an army of unknown ships hovering over the planet. "The final resistance has already begun. If you wish to save your world, come with us."

Daniel took one last look at Earth. Humanity was on the brink of extinction, and he might be its last hope.

With a final breath, he followed the Guardians into the transport chamber. As the blue light enveloped them, Daniel closed his eyes and prepared himself. His destiny was now to fight for the future of the planet.

Then, in a blinding flash, he vanished