Captain's voice log, 2354, mission day 75: We finally pushed into the zone where the Astragalus recorded the anomaly. So far, we only found empty space. I was always skeptic about the Astragalus reports and everything seems to support the theory this was all a big hoax and our mission a wild goose chase..."
"Cap? Need you on the bridge now. Eve registers an extensive asteroid field. And... oh my god!"
My heart skipped a beat as I entered the bridge. The viewer display panned forward in the direction the Ascension crawled under the power of its solar sail. The slow tumbling asteroid field rolled as shadowy silhouettes behind a scattered graveyard of space vessels.
Klaxons blared. I settled into my chair and punched a series of buttons, eyes locking on the readout for information. Numerous objects appeared, surrounding us on the sensor array despite no visual on the viewer.
"Ma'am, receiving transmission... it's from Astragalus."
"On speaker."
"Aye-aye, Cap."
A twisted audio of static and pitching tones played then stopped, then played and stopped. Played. Stopped.
"A looping message," I deduced.
"Run analysis," said Commander Montez from behind me, hands clenched on my headrest since the alarms began.
After thousands of algorithm-powered filters ran, the message emerged.
... Astragalus. Calibrating sensors... modified 8k, scanning...
"Where's the rest?"
"On it, Cap," reported our communications officer.
Commander Montez moved to the sensor array panel.
"Calibrate sensors to modified 8k—and kill those alarms," he said, glancing over to me.
I nodded.
Our 8k scan revealed them.
(11 more quick chapters in this short story. Continue on, but get your spacesuit on!)
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Space Cemetery
Science FictionIn the cold vacuum of space, a great discovery has been made by Astragalus and her crew. But some things are better left unfound. And when things go horribly wrong, a distress call is sent the nearest ship, Ascension. Now, the crew of Ascension must...
