Echoes of the Forgotten
Echoes of the Forgotten
The void stretched before them, endless and untouched.
For the first time since its transformation, the Event Horizon had brought them somewhere no human had ever set foot before.
The system ahead was… silent.
No recorded charts. No known civilizations.
Yet somehow…
It didn't feel empty.
---
The New System
"Scan the sector," Vance ordered, his voice steady despite the weight pressing down on them.
The bridge was a mixture of old and new, a labyrinth of technology still settling into itself. Where before there had been standard navigation consoles and tactile control panels, there were now shimmering conduits woven seamlessly into the bulkheads, glowing softly with a pulse that felt almost alive.
Patel's fingers danced over the new control interface. The surface was cool, malleable, reacting not to his touch but to his intentions.
The ship reacted, running a deep scan before he even finished the command.
Patel exhaled. "Captain, you're not going to believe this."
The display lit up with a massive structure in the distance.
A station.
Not human.
Not UED.
Not anything they had ever encountered.
It drifted in the void, ancient, its outer layers crumbling, yet something within still pulsed with energy.
Cormac stared, eyes narrowed. "That place is… still active. It looks like a graveyard, but something's moving in there."
Dr. Pryce's gaze was unreadable, her fingertips resting on the console's shimmering surface. "Whatever it is… it's waiting."
For what?
They were about to find out.
---
Legacies: The Media Offensive Begins
The lounge was an opulent expanse of chrome, glass, and soft synthetic leather, where the wealthy and powerful gathered to exchange favors and plot futures.
Every wall was a holographic window, offering a stunning view of Earth's vibrant blue glow and the stark, glittering surface of Luna's industrial complexes. Gentle ambient music played, a soothing counterpoint to the quiet conversations of power brokers and financiers lounging in privacy pods scattered throughout the room.
Alistair Rhys-Kingsley took a slow sip of his drink, the amber liquid swirling in the elegant crystal glass. Its sharp, smoky flavor left a bitter trace on his tongue, one he found surprisingly comforting.
He let his gaze drift to the view beyond the glass. His inheritance had been a dynasty of wealth, built from the ground up by his ancestors over generations. Now, he intended to turn that wealth into influence.
"Stocks are shifting," Genevieve Duval murmured from the chair beside him. She was tapping her tablet with the same casual elegance she applied to everything, her expression cool and detached. "Investors are nervous. Kain's actions are destabilizing the markets, especially with the Event Horizon going rogue. Too many unknowns."
"Then we turn the unknowns into assets," Rhys-Kingsley replied smoothly. "People fear what they don't understand. But if we shape the narrative, we can control the fear."
Duval glanced at him, her eyes sharp. "How do you suggest we do that?"
Rhys-Kingsley's smirk widened. "We approach the financial leaders first. The real powers. The ones who have the ear of the public. We gather their opinions, craft a message, and then use our return from the dead to amplify it."
"And if some of them support Kain?"
"Then we find someone louder who disagrees."
They had learned quickly that their status as survivors of the Event Horizon's 'failed mission' had granted them a form of untouchable celebrity. Their words were given weight far beyond what they would have held before.
Now, they intended to wield that influence like a scalpel, cutting away at the UED's credibility.
"It's working," Duval remarked, nodding toward the holoscreen where a prominent economist was denouncing Kain's aggressive tactics. "The cracks are spreading."
Rhys-Kingsley lifted his glass in a mock toast. "Let them crumble. We'll be ready to pick up the pieces."
---
Kain's Grip Tightens
Aboard the UED flagship Ascendant Valor, the air was frigid, kept sterile and clinical by the automated environmental systems.
The command deck was a study in cold efficiency—steel corridors lined with blinding white lights, consoles displaying tactical readouts with ruthless precision.
Admiral Kain stood at the command station, his hands clasped behind his back. His uniform, once pristine, now showed hints of something inhuman—dark lines running under his skin, like cracks filled with molten energy.
The Ascendant Valor was the spearhead of the UED's might, a colossal warship bristling with cutting-edge weaponry and sophisticated shielding. Its very presence was meant to deter rebellion and inspire loyalty.
But now, it inspired something else.
Fear.
"Sir, the Event Horizon has vanished from all known tracking systems," one of the officers reported, his voice trembling slightly.
Kain's gaze was cold. "They haven't vanished. They've simply found something beyond our comprehension. And we will follow."
His words were low, more like a growl than speech.
---
A Step into the Unknown
Back aboard the Event Horizon, the crew braced themselves as they approached the derelict station.
Patel stared at the monitors, his hands shaking. "We're getting… something."
A signal.
A single transmission, looping endlessly in a language no one could understand.
The Silent Watcher symbols embedded in the ship's hull shifted, morphing and reconfiguring until the words became legible.
Dr. Ibarra's voice was tight. "The ship… it's translating it."
The words formed on-screen.
A simple message.
A warning.
> "DO NOT WAKE IT."
Cormac's hand hovered over her weapon. "That's comforting."
Vance clenched his jaw. "Whatever's in there… it's been waiting a long time."
But waiting for what?
---