CHAPTER 17: SIGNALS

Six months after Maya joined them at Black Mountain, their unusual family had settled into something resembling routine. Maya had transformed her assigned greenhouse into a thriving laboratory, developing plant species that could detect Kh'ryx biochemical signatures. Vex'ra had grown less solitary, forming a productive partnership with Maya based on their shared scientific mindset. Elara and Chad had announced their engagement, with plans for a small ceremony at the facility that had General Hayes muttering about "unprecedented personnel situations" while grudgingly approving the request.

It was during an ordinary afternoon—Elara analyzing data from the deep space monitoring network, Chad leading a training session, Maya tending her modified plants, and Vex'ra calibrating sensor arrays—that everything changed.

Elara noticed it first: a subtle disruption in the System connection that linked the three Seedling hybrids. A faint but persistent pattern emerging from the background noise, like a whispered conversation just at the edge of hearing.

*Are you receiving this?* she directed the question to both Vex'ra and Maya through their shared connection.

*Yes,* came Vex'ra's immediate response. *Pattern matches no known System protocol. Not Kh'ryx communication standard.*

*It feels... different,* Maya added, her less experienced but uniquely intuitive perception offering another perspective. *Not threatening. More like... questioning?*

Elara focused more intently on the signal, allowing her Seedling to filter and enhance the pattern. It was definitely coming through the System network that connected all Seedling consciousness, but it used none of the formal structures of Kh'ryx communication. Instead, it seemed almost organic, flowing in rhythms that reminded her of music more than data transmission.

*Location?* Vex'ra queried, always focused on practical details.

Elara consulted the tracking data. *Difficult to pinpoint precisely. The signal appears to be reflecting through the System network rather than transmitting directly, but general origin appears to be... lunar orbit?*

This was unexpected enough that all three of them immediately redirected their attention. The moon had no known Kh'ryx presence—all previous encounters had involved direct approaches to Earth. The last monitoring sweep of lunar space had shown no unusual activity.

*Attempting to establish direct communication,* Vex'ra announced, its more experienced Seedling reaching out through the System to contact the unknown source.

For several tense moments, nothing happened. Then the pattern changed, becoming more structured, clearly an intentional response:

*Friends? Safe? Others like us?*

The three hybrids exchanged a moment of stunned recognition. Another Seedling integration was reaching out to them—one they hadn't known existed, one operating independently in lunar orbit.

Elara responded immediately: *Yes. Friends. Three integrated here. Safe. Who are you?*

The answering transmission came quickly, as if the sender had been hoping desperately for just such a response:

*Pilot. Captured. Integrated. Escaped. Hiding. Watching. Found small ship. Reached moon. Observed Earth. Detected you recently. Feared Kh'ryx trap. Uncertain. Alone.*

The broken, fragmentary communication conveyed not just information but profound isolation—a loneliness that resonated deeply with all three of them.

*Not alone now,* Maya responded gently. *We are like you. Earth has safe place for us. Can you bring your ship here?*

A hesitation before the response:

*Ship damaged. Limited function. Orbit stable but degrading. Resources depleting. Feared contacting Earth. Kh'ryx might monitor. Need help but afraid.*

Vex'ra's practical mind immediately analyzed the situation: *If their orbit is degrading and resources depleting, time is limited. They require extraction.*

Elara rushed to the command center. "Dr. Chen! We need to speak with General Hayes immediately. We've detected another Seedling integration—in lunar orbit."

Dr. Chen's eyes widened. "Lunar orbit? How is that possible?"

"Escaped Kh'ryx captive, apparently a pilot of some kind. They've been hiding there, possibly for months, in a damaged ship. Their situation is deteriorating—we need to mount a rescue operation."

Within minutes, an emergency briefing was underway. General Hayes listened via secure video link as Elara explained the situation, his expression growing increasingly concerned.

"Let me understand correctly," he said when she had finished. "You want us to launch a lunar rescue mission for an unknown entity that claims to be another human-Seedling hybrid, based solely on communications you've received through this... System connection you share?"

"We are certain it is another integration like us," Vex'ra stated firmly. "The communication patterns are distinctive. No Kh'ryx could accurately simulate them."

"And they're in trouble," Maya added. "Their life support is failing. Without intervention, they will die."

The general rubbed his forehead wearily. "Even if I wanted to approve this—and I'm not saying I do—we don't exactly have lunar-capable rescue vehicles sitting around. The space program has been focused on orbital defense systems, not moon missions."

"Actually," Dr. Chen interjected, "we might have something suitable." All eyes turned to her as she continued, "The modified Kh'ryx shuttle that brought Elara and Chad back from their mission six months ago. It's been extensively studied and retrofitted. Its range and life support should be sufficient for lunar orbit."

"You want to send our most valuable assets—three irreplaceable Seedling-integrated humans—on a risky rescue mission to the moon?" General Hayes asked incredulously. "Based on an unverified distress call?"

"Not all of us," Elara clarified. "A small team would be sufficient. I volunteer to go."

"As do I," Vex'ra added immediately. "My experience with Kh'ryx vessel operations exceeds Elara's. The mission probability of success increases significantly with my participation."

"I should remain here," Maya acknowledged reluctantly. "My skills are less relevant to space rescue, and my connection to the System is still developing. I can maintain communication from Black Mountain."

The door burst open, and Chad rushed in, still in his workout clothes. "Sorry I'm late! Maya sent someone to get me. Something about a moon rescue? Please tell me we're going to the moon."

General Hayes sighed deeply. "No one has approved any lunar mission yet, Mr. Thunderson."

"But we have to go!" Chad protested. "There's a bug person stranded on the moon! It's like the setup for the coolest rescue mission ever!" He turned to Elara. "Babe, tell the general we need to do this. Space rescue. Moon mission. Saving alien hybrid buddies. This is literally what we do!"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Elara couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm. "Chad's right about one thing—this is exactly the kind of situation our team was formed to handle. We have the technology, the experience with Seedling integration, and the modified shuttle. We're the logical choice."

"The risk—" the general began.

"Is significant," Vex'ra acknowledged. "But so is the potential value of another successful integration, particularly one with pilot training and experience operating Kh'ryx vessels independently."

After further debate, General Hayes reluctantly authorized a preliminary mission plan. Dr. Chen assembled a technical team to assess the shuttle's lunar capability while Elara maintained communication with the stranded hybrid. They learned the pilot had limited life support remaining—perhaps ten days at most—and had been surviving in lunar orbit for nearly six months since escaping during the chaos of Elara and Chad's attack on the Kh'ryx flagship.

Over the next forty-eight hours, Black Mountain transformed into mission control for "Operation Moonbug" (a name Chad had suggested and everyone else had reluctantly adopted). The modified Kh'ryx shuttle was prepared for lunar transit, its systems enhanced and reinforced by the engineering team working around the clock.

The mission team was finalized: Elara and Vex'ra as the primary operatives, with their Seedling integration allowing them to interface directly with the shuttle's systems and communicate with the stranded hybrid. Two specialist technicians with space operations training—Rodriguez and Takahashi—would accompany them for additional support. And, despite considerable debate among the command staff, Chad had been approved as the fifth member of the team.

"He has practical experience with Kh'ryx vessel operations," Elara had argued during the final planning session. "And his physical strength could be crucial if we need to execute manual repairs or emergency procedures."

What she didn't add—though she suspected everyone knew—was that she simply wouldn't consider undertaking such a dangerous mission without him. They had faced every challenge together since the beginning; this would be no different.

The night before launch, Elara found herself unable to rest despite the Seedling's attempts to regulate her body into its regenerative cycle. She stood at the window of their quarters, looking up at the night sky where the moon hung bright and clear against the backdrop of stars.

"Can't sleep?" Chad's voice came softly from behind her as he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Too much to process," she admitted. "Another one like us, Chad. Surviving alone in lunar orbit all this time. I can't imagine the isolation they've endured."

"You survived alone on the Kh'ryx ship," he pointed out. "Vex'ra survived alone for years in space. Maya survived alone in the jungle. You bug people are surprisingly resilient."

"We had our Seedlings," Elara reminded him. "Never truly alone, even at our most isolated."

Chad considered this. "Fair point. But hey—that's why we're going up there. No more solo moon vacation for Moonbug. They're joining the team, getting the full Black Mountain welcome package, complete with custom protein shake recipes and my outstanding motivational speeches."

Elara leaned back against him, drawing comfort from his solid presence. "What if something goes wrong? Lunar rescue isn't exactly something we've trained for."

"Then we improvise, adapt, and overcome—just like we always do." He turned her gently to face him. "Besides, I have extra motivation to make sure this mission succeeds flawlessly."

"What's that?"

"Can't have my fiancée floating off into space before the wedding. I've already ordered a custom tux with protein molecule cufflinks."

The absurdity of worrying about wedding details in the midst of planning a lunar rescue mission made Elara laugh—that crystal sound that never failed to delight Chad. "Your priorities are impeccable as always."

"I'm just saying, we have a future to get back to. Moon rescue is just a brief detour on the way to happily ever after, Protein Man and Bug Babe style."

His unwavering confidence steadied her, as it always did. Whatever challenges awaited them in lunar orbit, they would face them together.

The launch the next morning proceeded with remarkable smoothness, considering the experimental nature of their mission. The modified Kh'ryx shuttle rose from the desert launch pad with the strange, organic grace that characterized all Seedling-enhanced technology—not the brute force thrust of traditional rockets but something more elegant, more efficient.

Chad, strapped into his specialized chair in the shuttle's cabin, wore an expression of pure joy as they accelerated through the atmosphere. "We're going to the MOON!" he kept repeating, each time with renewed enthusiasm. "Actual space! The actual moon!"

The two specialists—Rodriguez and Takahashi, both with military backgrounds and specialized technical training—maintained a more professional demeanor, though even they couldn't entirely suppress their excitement. This was, after all, beyond the scope of any mission they had ever trained for.

Vex'ra, as the most experienced with space navigation, took primary control of the shuttle once they cleared Earth's atmosphere. Its blue exoskeleton interfaced directly with the control systems, creating a neural connection that allowed for precision adjustments impossible through conventional piloting.

"Trajectory established," it reported calmly. "Estimated arrival at target coordinates in five hours, seventeen minutes."

Elara maintained constant communication with their stranded ally through the System, providing updates on their approach and receiving increasingly detailed information about the damaged vessel they would be encountering.

*Ship is modified Kh'ryx scout vessel,* the lunar hybrid explained. *Small. Two-occupant design. Stole during confusion of flagship assault six months ago. Navigation systems damaged. Life support compromised. Made best course for Earth but calculations off. Lunar gravity captured vessel. Have been orbiting since, conserving resources, repairing what possible, observing Earth, searching for others like self through System.*

"Six months in a damaged scout ship, orbiting the moon alone," Elara translated aloud for the benefit of Chad and the specialists. "They escaped during the chaos when we attacked the flagship."

"So they've been up there watching us the whole time we've been building the defense network?" Rodriguez asked, a note of concern in her voice.

"Not spying," Elara clarified, reading the hybrid's intent through the System. "Searching for signs they weren't alone. They only recently detected our System communications when we expanded the deep space monitoring network. Before that, they feared attempting direct contact might reveal their position to any Kh'ryx still in the system."

"Paranoid but smart," Chad commented. "Must be lonely though, hanging out on the moon for half a year with just a Seedling for company. No offense," he added quickly to Elara and Vex'ra.

The hours passed with a mixture of tense anticipation and routine system checks as they continued their approach to lunar orbit. Through the System connection, Elara could sense the growing excitement and relief from the stranded hybrid as their rescue drew closer—emotions so powerful they sometimes threatened to overwhelm the fragmented communication.

*Nearly there,* she reassured their new ally. *Just hold on a little longer.*

The response came with surprising clarity: *Have held on this long. Can hold a bit more. Thank you. Thank you for coming. Thought would die here. Alone. Forgotten.*

"We're entering lunar orbital insertion," Vex'ra announced, the shuttle adjusting its trajectory with perfect precision. "Beginning scan for target vessel."

Through the viewport, the stark beauty of the moon's cratered surface came into view, bathed in harsh light and shadow. Earth hung in the distance, a blue jewel against the blackness of space, somehow both impossibly far and achingly close.

"There," Takahashi said suddenly, pointing to a blip on the sensor display. "Small craft, matching the description. Lunar orbit, approximately two hundred kilometers above the surface."

As they adjusted course to intercept, the damaged scout vessel finally appeared on visual scanners—a sleek, insectoid design marred by visible damage and improvised repairs. No external lights functioned; the only illumination came from faint bioluminescence pulsing erratically through certain hull sections.

"Life signs?" Elara asked tensely.

"One occupant," Rodriguez confirmed, studying her readouts. "Biological signature consistent with Seedling integration, but showing signs of stress. Likely dehydration, malnutrition, and possible atmospheric degradation effects."

Through the System, Elara reached out more strongly: *We see you. We're approaching now. Status?*

The response came with a surge of emotion that made her pink exoskeleton glow briefly in resonance: *See you! See your ship! Cannot express... gratitude. Hope. Relief.*

The damaged scout vessel grew larger in their viewport as they matched its orbit, the details of its compromised condition becoming painfully clear. Entire sections of the hull had been patched with what appeared to be repurposed interior components, and the propulsion system showed signs of catastrophic damage that had been only partially repaired.

"How did they keep that thing functional for six months?" Takahashi murmured, professional admiration in her voice. "The engineering skills alone..."

"Desperation is a powerful motivator," Vex'ra observed. "Combined with Seedling-enhanced problem-solving capabilities, it can produce remarkable results."

Chad, who had been uncharacteristically quiet as he took in the view of lunar orbit, finally spoke. "So what's the plan? We can't exactly pull up alongside and open the door."

"We'll need to perform a space walk," Elara explained, already moving toward the equipment bay where their specialized EVA suits were stored. "Direct transfer between vessels. The scout ship's docking capability appears compromised, and attempting to dock could destabilize its already precarious systems."

"Spacewalk? Awesome!" Chad's enthusiasm returned immediately. "I mean, tactically sound decision."

As they prepared for the approaching rescue operation, Elara maintained constant communication with their stranded ally, whose relief at their arrival was palpable even through the fragmentary System connection. Six months of isolation, of fighting for survival in the void of space, were about to end.

The metamorphosis continued—not just for them individually but for their growing collective. Another hybrid waited to join them, another unique expression of the transformation that had begun when the sky split open and the Kh'ryx arrived. Whatever challenges awaited, they would face them as they had faced everything since the beginning:

Together.

*We're coming for you,* Elara promised through the System as they prepared for the space walk that would bring their newest family member home. *Hold on. You're not alone anymore.*