The Last Transmission

The Erebus, an exploration vessel, drifted in the orbit of a dead world. Commander Isaac Hale watched the planet below on the central monitor. It was a lifeless, gray orb, its surface cracked and barren. Yet it held a secret—a signal, faint and ancient, emanating from beneath its crust.

“Any updates?” Isaac asked, his voice steady despite the tension in the room.

Dr. Lila Marsh, the ship’s lead scientist, turned from her console. “We’ve locked onto the signal’s source. It’s originating from a massive subterranean structure. The signal is… strange.”

“How so?” Isaac leaned closer.

“It’s not random noise,” Lila said. “It’s a message, repeating on a loop. But parts of it are corrupted.”

Isaac nodded. “Can you clean it up?”

“Already working on it,” Lila replied. Her fingers danced over the keyboard as the crew watched in silence. Lines of static-filled audio transformed into a clear waveform, and then, a voice emerged—a hollow, echoing tone that made the hairs on their necks stand.

“This is… Directive 14-Delta… last of the Custodians. If you are hearing this, turn back. The Veil cannot be undone.”

“What the hell does that mean?” Lieutenant Jared Banks asked, his usual sarcasm absent.

Isaac frowned. “Play it again.”

Lila complied, and the room filled with the haunting words once more. The crew exchanged uneasy glances.

“Commander,” Lila said hesitantly, “there’s more. The signal’s been layered. I’m isolating a secondary message.”

The voice returned, clearer this time. It was faster, almost frantic. “To those who come after, you must not awaken them. The Sleepers are not bound by time as we are. If the Veil is breached—” The recording ended abruptly.

A cold silence fell over the bridge.

“Sleepers?” Jared whispered. “What kind of sci-fi horror did we just stumble into?”

Isaac’s jaw tightened. “Prepare a team. We’re going down there.”

“Commander,” Lila protested, “this isn’t just a warning. It’s a plea. Whatever’s down there—”

“We need answers,” Isaac interrupted. “If there’s a threat, we can’t just ignore it. Suit up.”

---

The planet’s surface was a desolate wasteland. The landing party—Isaac, Lila, Jared, and two engineers—descended through an airlock into the structure beneath. The air was cold and stale, and the walls were covered in strange glyphs that glowed faintly.

“This place feels alive,” Lila murmured, scanning the glyphs with her handheld device. “These markings… they’re resonating with the signal.”

The corridor opened into a vast chamber. At its center stood a row of crystalline sarcophagi, each radiating a faint, pulsating light.

“Are those the Sleepers?” Jared asked, his voice hushed.

“They must be,” Lila replied, her voice tinged with awe and dread. “But the energy readings are… unstable.”

Isaac approached one of the sarcophagi. Inside, a humanoid figure floated in stasis, its features angular and alien. The glyphs on the walls brightened as he drew closer.

“This is what sent the signal,” Isaac said. “But why?”

Suddenly, the glyphs flared violently. The chamber trembled, and the crystalline coffins began to hum. A deep, guttural sound filled the air.

“Commander!” Lila shouted. “The Sleepers—they’re waking up!”

Isaac turned to the team. “Fall back! Now!”

As they retreated, the chamber erupted with light. The sarcophagi shattered, and towering figures emerged, their eyes glowing with an unnatural brilliance. Time itself seemed to warp around them, the air vibrating with an otherworldly energy.

Isaac’s voice was steady despite the chaos. “LYRA, emergency extraction! Now!”

The team scrambled back through the corridors, the sound of the Sleepers’ pursuit echoing behind them. Glyphs on the walls pulsed erratically, emitting bursts of heat and energy.

Reaching the surface, they boarded the shuttle just as the planet began to quake violently. As they ascended, the structure collapsed, sending plumes of dust and debris into the air.

Back on the Erebus, Isaac stood silently at the observation deck, staring at the planet below.

“Commander,” Lila said softly, “we don’t know what we’ve unleashed.”

Isaac didn’t look away. “We’ll warn the Federation. We’ll fight them if we have to.”

Lila hesitated. “And if they can’t be stopped?”

Isaac finally turned to her, his expression grim. “Then we pray the Veil can hold.”