Our first sci-fi story to be published here! Part 1.
The star system of Enhara-4 was a jewel of cosmic evolution, with twin suns casting their golden and cerulean hues over a thriving planetary arrangement. On the third planet, Talanis, an advanced humanoid species known to themselves as the Avaru had long since conquered the mysteries of their own world. The Avaru prided themselves on their mastery of the Universe, sending expeditions to neighboring stars and decoding the silent whispers of the space.
It was during one such routine surveillance that an anomaly was detected.
The telescope array on Serath’s Peak, the largest observatory on Talanis, registered a faint, irregular signal near the outer edge of the star system. Initially dismissed as noise, the data began to reveal a fascinating truth: the object emitting the signal was moving at an extraordinary velocity and bore no characteristics of natural celestial phenomena.
Chief Astronomer Lareth Tavira scrutinized the incoming data with growing curiosity. “It follows a hyperbolic trajectory,” she murmured, her silver irises shimmering in the blue light of the control room.
“What do you mean by hyperbolic trajectory?” asked her assistant, Kelan Vork, a wiry young researcher with a perpetual look of wonder.
“Natural objects from our star system don’t fly like this,” Tavira replied. “This… this is no asteroid or comet.”
The Avaru High Council was informed within hours. The object, now dubbed “Yarok-17” after the ancient word for “wanderer,” was projected to pass close to the outermost planet, Kaloris. The decision was unanimous: a mission would be launched to intercept and study the enigmatic visitor.
The spacecraft Zorath’s Reach was dispatched with a crew of five Avaru scientists and engineers, equipped with state-of-the-art research instruments. As the vessel approached Yarok-17, the crew was awestruck by the object’s design.
The probe’s form was clearly alien, sleek, and symmetrical, with a large circular dish and an array of antennas extending from its core. Its metallic surface bore the scars of countless millennia of cosmic travel, pitted and scorched from encounters with interstellar debris.
“It’s ancient,” said Commander Vaelin, his voice betraying a rare note of reverence. “This thing has been traveling for longer than our civilization has existed.”
Using precision grapplers, the crew brought the probe aboard their spacecraft. Initial scans revealed that Yarok-17 was made of materials foreign to Talanis, yet intriguingly similar in concept to their own technology. What stunned the Avaru most, however, was the discovery of etched symbols and patterns along the probe’s surface.
“These markings,” observed Lareth Tavira via a live feed to the scientific council, “are clearly intentional. They might be language, art, or even instructions. Whatever they are, they imply intelligence.”
As the team delved deeper, they uncovered a startling revelation: the probe’s trajectory indicated it had traveled for over 200,000 Avaru years. Translating that into the Avaru’s history, it meant Yarok-17 had begun its journey long before the first sparks of their written records.
“We’re looking at something from another star system,” said Kelan, his voice hushed. “This changes everything.”
The Avaru scientists worked tirelessly to decode the probe’s secrets. A small metallic plaque, bolted to the side of the probe, became the focus of their attention. It displayed a series of geometric shapes, concentric circles, and abstract figures. Among the symbols was a diagram of the probe itself, along with what appeared to be a map of its origin point relative to the stars.
“This map,” Lareth said, gesturing to the projection in the command center, “it’s pointing to a location. A star system.”
“But why send something so far?” Vaelin wondered aloud. “What’s the purpose of this device?”
As they began to extract and analyze the probe’s internal components, a sense of unease settled over the crew. While the Avaru were no strangers to exploration and discovery, this probe felt different. It was as though they had stumbled upon a message adrift in the endless ocean of space—a message meant for someone else, yet now in their hands.
The deeper they dug, the more they realized how little they understood. The materials, the design, even the choice of symbols—all of it bespoke an intelligence as curious and ambitious as their own. But who had created it? And why?
Little did they know, the answers they sought would challenge the very fabric of their understanding of the universe and their place within it.
To Be Continued…