The Last Transmission

Lieutenant Kael Reyes stared at the blinking console in front of him, his fingers hovering above the controls. The Pioneer drifted through the outskirts of a dead star system, far from any known civilization. The stars around them were distant and cold, barely more than pinpricks of light in the vastness of space. The mission was simple—investigate a mysterious transmission.

“Status report, Reyes,” Commander Alys Ferris said, her voice calm but with a hint of urgency.

Kael glanced at the readings. “The transmission is coming from the third planet. It’s faint, but it’s definitely there. It’s not any signal we recognize.”

Alys stepped closer, her brow furrowed. “Any signs of life?”

“No,” Kael replied. “But the signal… it’s structured, almost like it’s trying to communicate. It’s been repeating for over a decade, but we couldn’t find it until now.”

“How far are we from the planet?”

“Less than an hour,” Kael said. “We’ll be there soon.”

The crew of the Pioneer had been tracking this signal for weeks, following its irregular pulse through deep space. The transmission was old, but it seemed to grow stronger as they approached.

Alys didn’t speak for a moment, her eyes fixed on the viewscreen, which displayed a barren, rocky world. The planet had no signs of life, no atmosphere to speak of. Nothing that would suggest it was the source of the transmission.

“We’re entering orbit now,” Kael said. “Should I prepare a landing party?”

“Yes,” Alys said after a long pause. “But be careful. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”

The Pioneer settled into orbit, and soon Kael, Alys, and a small team were descending toward the surface. As the shuttle pierced the thin atmosphere, they could see the ruins—massive structures, broken and abandoned. The planet seemed like a graveyard, a forgotten world.

The transmission was now a constant hum in the background, louder as they landed near the ruins.

“Stay alert,” Alys warned. “We don’t know if this is a trap.”

The group disembarked and moved toward the largest structure, a towering edifice that seemed to pulse with an eerie glow. The signal was coming from within.

They entered cautiously, weapons drawn, their footsteps echoing in the empty halls. The walls were covered in strange symbols, but nothing made sense. Kael’s hand grazed the surface, feeling a slight warmth.

Then, the air seemed to shimmer, and a voice—distorted but unmistakable—came through their comms.

“This is the last transmission,” it said, the voice trembling. “We failed… we failed… they are coming.”

Alys turned to Kael, her eyes wide. “What does it mean?”

Before he could answer, the ground beneath them trembled, and the walls seemed to pulse. Then, the transmission cut off, leaving only a terrible silence.

“We need to get back to the ship,” Kael said urgently.

As they rushed back to the shuttle, a shadow moved across the surface of the planet. They weren’t alone anymore.