Weeks after the destruction of the space factory and the elimination of the Illixi army, the warmth of Summer reaches Xindyria. Juno rests in her pitch-dark cold room with several blankets over her body— her favorite way to sleep. White noise plays in the background, when suddenly...
A knock interrupts her dreamless state.
"Mm... Coming..." Juno rises from the comfort of her bed and unlocks her door. Much to her surprise, Violet Hallows stands in the entryway.
"Hi, Juno."
"Ms. Hallows. How may I be of service?"
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you?"
"It's no problem. What do you need?"
"Well, Adam and I found a report on something this morning that I thought you'd be interested in checking out."
"Go on..." Juno says, her curiosity piqued.
"Maybe it's better if I show you. I'll give you a minute to get ready first." Violet closes the door. Immediately after she leaves, Juno shoots Castor a quick text.
Are you awake?
Moments later, her phone beeps.
Good morning, Mirror! Yes, I'm awake. What's up?
I think Ms. Hallows is sending me on another mission today. Would you like to come with me?
I'd love to! I'll get ready.
Juno changes into a simple black tank top with jean shorts and a dark bluish-green flannel with the sleeves rolled up, then freshens up in her bathroom. After braiding her hair, she puts on a pair of Converse and then opens the door.
"I'm ready now."
"Excellent. Come with me," Violet says.
Juno follows her down the hallways and up into the astral observation tower. Sunlight pours through its glass ceiling and onto the countless star maps splayed across the walls. She looks around, her eyes sparkling in the warm Summer sun.
"What do you want to show me?"
"Check this out." Violet presses some buttons on the main panel in the room and reveals an SOS message.
"I see. A distress signal, huh?"
"Yes, that's right."
"I've seen plenty of those. What makes this one so different?"
"Well, the signal itself is standard, that is true. What's odd about it, though, is where it's coming from."
"Where it's coming from...?"
"Yes. Here, take a look." Violet moves aside so Juno can see what she's looking at. Before her lies the bright orange and red Phoenix Nebula, twinkling with hundreds of stars. Juno's eyes narrow. Nothing is off so far. She zooms in on the image only to find...
"Wait... Ms. Hallows, I don't understand. Nothing's there."
"Exactly. We have no idea who or what is sending out this message."
"I assume you want me to investigate, yes?"
"If you want. Chances are high that it's nothing, but it could still be worth looking into if you so choose."
"Very well. I'll check it out and report back."
"All right. Need anything from me before you take off?"
YOU ARE READING
The Red Machine
Science FictionWhen an alien shapeshifter crashes on Xindyria, she has little idea what to expect. Although she and her people revere humans, she has never met any face-to-face until now. After she wakes up in a laboratory with memory loss, she meets Adam Graves a...
