The signal had stopped. Or at least, the intense, unrelenting screech had faded. But something lingered in its wake, like the hum of a broken instrument echoing through the halls of the Vigilant.
Kaelen stood by the viewport, staring out at the stars, feeling as if the vast emptiness of space was closing in around him. The shadow—whatever it was—had moved closer. It wasn't a natural anomaly, not just debris or space dust. It was something alive.
He glanced over at Mira, who was still poring over the data on her console. Her face was tight with worry. They both knew that time was running out.
"We need to find out what's out there," Kaelen said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Before it finds us."
Mira looked up from the screen, eyes narrowed. "We'll send a probe. See if we can get any closer without risking the ship."
But Kaelen knew that wasn't enough. They weren't just dealing with a hostile alien presence—they were dealing with something far worse. The signal wasn't just trying to reach them. It was trying to pull them in.
Before they could act, R0NIN's voice interrupted. "Warning: unidentified object approaching the ship. Course correction required."