Latest / Creepy Stories to Fall Asleep To / We Went to Pluto For a Space Mission. It is Horrifying Here.

Transcript

We Went to Pluto For a Space Mission. It is Horrifying Here. · Creepy Stories to Fall Asleep To

0:00
I stared at the holographic projection of Pluto floating in
0:03
my living room, slowly rotating to reveal the strange structure
0:08
jutting from its icy surface. The black formation looked like
0:12
a tooth breaking through pale gums.
0:15
I reached out, fingers passing through the blue light as I
0:19
zoomed in on the anomaly. They're calling it the Monolith.
0:24
I said, mostly to myself. Though it's not exactly
0:28
monolithic in structure, the projection highlighted the
0:32
object's dimensions. 30 meters tall, roughly 15 meters wide at
0:37
its base, with a surface that appeared unnaturally smooth
0:41
against Pluto's cratered terrain.
0:44
The reading suggested it was made of material unlike anything
0:48
in our geological record. Helen walked up behind me and
0:53
set a coffee mug on the side table.
0:56
You've been looking at that thing for hours.
0:58
She said, her voice tight despite her attempt at
1:01
casualness. Can you blame me?
1:05
I turned the projection with a gesture, examining the structure
1:08
from another angle. Nothing like this has ever been
1:12
discovered before. If it's artificial, that's a big
1:17
if, Theo. Helen crossed her arms, the
1:21
sleeves of her oversized sweater bunching at her elbows.
1:25
The resolution on those images isn't great.
1:28
It could be a natural formation we don't understand yet.
1:33
I shook my head. The preliminary data suggests
1:37
otherwise. The angles are too precise, the
1:40
material composition too uniform.
1:43
I looked up at her. NASA wouldn't be planning a
1:47
manned mission if they thought it was just an unusual rock.
1:51
Helen's face tightened. That's what I wanted to talk to
1:55
you about. She sat on the arm of the couch,
1:59
her Hazel eyes fixed on mine. This mission is too dangerous.
2:05
They're rushing things after what happened on Mars.
2:09
The mention of Mars sent a chill through me.
2:12
The colony disaster had claimed 23 lives just 18 months ago,
2:17
when the habitat's environmental systems failed during a dust
2:20
storm. The public outcry had nearly
2:22
shut down NASA's deep space program entirely.
2:26
This is different, I said, trying to keep my voice even.
2:31
We're not establishing a colony. It's reconnaissance, only six
2:36
months in experimental cryosleep to reach the farthest planet in
2:40
our solar system to investigate something we know nothing about.
2:46
Helen's voice rose slightly. They haven't even tested the
2:50
long duration cryo sleep on humans yet.
2:53
You'd be the first. I turned off the projection with
2:57
a wave of my hand, the room suddenly darker without its blue
3:01
glow. That's why they need experienced
3:05
astronauts. People who understand the risks.
3:09
People willing to die for discovery, you mean.
3:13
Helen's words came out sharper than I think she intended.
3:17
I took her hand, feeling the familiar softness of her skin
3:21
against mine. This could be the discovery of
3:24
the century, Helen, Proof we're not alone in the universe.
3:28
Or it could be nothing and you'd risk everything for nothing.
3:34
If it's nothing, then I come back and we laugh about how I
3:37
flew billions of miles to look at a weird shaped rock.
3:41
I squeezed her hand. But if it's something?
3:46
She pulled away, standing up. If it's something, then what?
3:51
You go down in history, they name the structure after you,
3:57
the Doyle monolith. The accusation stung because
4:01
there was truth in it. The thought had crossed my mind.
4:05
Being the commander of humanity's first contact mission
4:08
would cement my place in history books forever.
4:12
That's not fair. I said quietly.
4:16
Helen's shoulders slumped. No, it's not I'm sorry.
4:20
She looked at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
4:24
I just don't want to lose you to the void of space, Theo.
4:28
Not for a maybe. I stood and pulled her into a
4:31
hug, feeling her warmth against me.
4:35
You won't lose me, I promise. But we both knew it was a
4:40
promise I might not be able to keep. 2 weeks later, I stood on
4:46
the launchpad beside the Artemis 9 spacecraft as technicians made
4:50
final checks. Deborah Chen adjusted her flight
4:54
suit collar beside me, her practical Bob haircut tucked
4:57
neatly beneath her cap. As our exobiologist, she'd been
5:02
practically vibrating with excitement since the mission
5:05
announcement. Beautiful morning for making
5:08
history, she said. Gordon Diaz, our flight
5:13
engineer, grunted in agreement. He was a man of few words but
5:18
unmatched skill at the controls. His military background showed
5:22
in his posture, ramrod straight, eyes constantly scanning our
5:26
surroundings. Let's hope it stays beautiful
5:30
all the way to Pluto, said Cindy Wright, completing our four
5:34
person crew. As our mission specialist, she'd
5:38
been responsible for much of our specialized training over the
5:41
past months. Her amber eyes caught the
5:45
sunlight as she squinted up at the spacecraft.
5:48
Mission Director Cox approached us with his tablet.
5:52
His serious expression looked even more severe today.
5:56
Commander Doyle, he said, extending his hand.
5:59
I shook it firmly. The President sends his regards
6:03
and wishes you a successful mission.
6:07
Thank you, Sir, I replied. We won't let NASA down.
6:12
Cox's blue eyes narrowed slightly.
6:16
I want to remind all of you that this is strictly reconnaissance.
6:19
Your primary objective is to determine the nature of the
6:22
anomaly, collect data, and return safely.
6:26
Under no circumstances are you to take unnecessary risks.
6:31
Understood, Sir, I said, though I caught Cindy's barely
6:36
perceptible eye roll. She'd been pushing for more
6:39
aggressive exploration parameters since day one.
6:43
The world will be watching, Cox continued.
6:47
The Mars incident is still fresh in people's minds.
6:51
We need this mission to be flawless.
6:54
It will be, I assured him, feeling the weight of his words.
6:59
The unspoken message was clear. Don't make NASA look bad, don't
7:03
die, and don't waste the billions spent on this mission.
7:08
Cox nodded and stepped back. T -, 20 minutes, Commander.
7:13
Good luck. As he walked away, Gordon leaned
7:17
in. No pressure or anything.
7:20
Deborah laughed softly. Just discover alien technology,
7:24
solve the mystery of whether we're alone in the universe, and
7:27
don't screw up easy. I smiled, despite my nerves.
7:32
One step at a time. First step, Don't blow up during
7:36
launch. Always a good first step.
7:40
Cindy agreed. We made our final equipment
7:43
checks, then climbed the elevator to the top of the
7:46
launch tower. I paused at the spacecraft
7:50
entrance, taking one last look at Earth.
7:53
Somewhere down there, Helen was watching for Mission Control.
7:59
I took a deep breath of fresh air, knowing it would be the
8:02
last I'd taste until we returned.
8:06
Then I ducked inside the Artemis 9.
8:09
The interior was cramped but efficient, every surface covered
8:12
with controls, screens or storage compartments.
8:16
We strapped into our acceleration couches, the
8:19
familiar routine of pre launch checks calming my nerves.
8:23
Come check. I said, adjusting my headset
8:27
loud and clear. Commander.
8:29
Came the response from Mission Control, All systems nominal.
8:34
Gordon reported from the pilot station.
8:37
Ready for launch sequence. I glanced around at my crew.
8:42
Deborah gave me a thumbs up, her eyes bright with excitement.
8:47
Gordon remained focused on his controls, his hands moving with
8:50
practiced precision. Cindy nodded at me, a small
8:54
smile playing at her lips. Artemis neen, ready for launch.
8:59
I reported. The countdown began, each number
9:04
bringing us closer to the moment we leave Earth behind.
9:08
I closed my eyes briefly, picturing Helen's face holding
9:11
the image in my mind. The engines ignited, shaking the
9:15
spacecraft. G forces pressed us back as we
9:19
accelerated upward, the sky outside darkening to black as we
9:24
broke through the atmosphere. The vibration rattled my teeth
9:28
and blurred my vision. I watched the instrument panels
9:32
as our altitude climbed. 8 minutes of controlled explosion
9:37
propelled us toward orbit, then suddenly silence.
9:43
The engines cut off and we were weightless.
9:47
We have achieved orbit. Gordon announced, his voice
9:50
steady. A cheer went up from Deborah and
9:53
Cindy. I allowed myself a smile as I
9:57
unstrapped and floated from my couch.
10:00
Mission Control Artemis Nime is in stable orbit and preparing
10:04
for transplutonium injection. I reported.
10:08
Copy that Artemis you are go for TPI burn in 30 minutes.
10:14
We moved through the spacecraft, checking systems and preparing
10:17
for the burn that would send us on our six month journey to
10:20
Pluto. Outside, Earth curved beneath
10:24
us. The TPI burn went perfectly, the
10:27
secondary engines firing for 12 minutes to break us free of
10:31
Earth's gravitational influence. When they shut down, we were
10:36
officially on our way to Pluto, traveling faster than any human
10:40
craft before us. Well, Cindy said, floating near
10:45
the main viewport. No turning back now.
10:49
Not unless you want to get out and push.
10:52
Gordon replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in what
10:55
passed for his smile. We spent the next 24 hours
10:58
running final checks on all systems, particularly the
11:02
experimental cryosleep chambers that would preserve us during
11:06
the long journey. The chambers look like high tech
11:09
coffins, their interiors lined with sensors and medical
11:13
equipment. Time to take the longest nap of
11:17
our lives, Deborah said as we gathered around the chambers on
11:21
our second day in space. I nodded, feeling a flutter of
11:25
apprehension. The cryo sleep technology had
11:29
been tested extensively on animals and in short duration
11:32
human trials, but never for a mission of this length.
11:37
We would be the first. The auto wake sequence is
11:41
programmed to begin when we're three days from Pluto, I
11:44
reminded them. But if there's any emergency,
11:48
the system will revive us immediately.
11:51
And if the system fails? Cindy asked, voicing the concern
11:56
we all shared. I met her gaze steadily.
12:00
Then we don't wake up. But the alternative is spending
12:04
six months conscious in this tin can, going slowly mad from
12:08
boredom and using up our limited supplies.
12:12
Gordon tapped the side of his chamber.
12:15
I'll take my chances with the freezer, thanks.
12:18
We changed into the specialized body suits designed to protect
12:21
our skin and monitor our vital functions during cryosleep.
12:26
The material clung like a second skin, embedded with a network of
12:30
sensors and temperature regulators.
12:33
See you on the other side, Deborah said, climbing into her
12:37
chamber. 1 by 1. We settled into our pods.
12:43
I went last, watching as each of my crew members was sealed in.
12:48
Then I lay back in my own chamber, trying to ignore how
12:52
much it felt like a coffin initiating cryo sleep sequence.
12:56
I said, my voice sounding strange in the confined space.
13:01
The lid lowered slowly, sealing with a soft hiss.
13:06
The interior lights dimmed to a soft blue glow.
13:11
I felt the first rush of cold air across my skin, carrying the
13:15
sweet smelling sedative gas that would ease the transition.
13:19
I thought about Helen as I grew sleepy.
13:23
I pictured her smile and laughing eyes.
13:26
I hoped she wouldn't worry. During our journey, the
13:30
temperature dropped rapidly, my breath visible in the air.
13:35
The chills slowed my heart rate and metabolism as my eyelids
13:38
grew heavy. The last thing I saw before
13:42
passing out was the status display showing our arrival at
13:46
Pluto One on our Haiti days. My last coherent thought was
13:50
simple. When I wake up, we'll be making
13:54
history. Then everything went black.
13:58
I drifted through blue darkness, suspended between sleep and
14:03
waking. The structure stood before me
14:06
again, it's black surface darker than the surrounding void.
14:11
Blue light pulsed from seams across Pluto's frozen landscape.
14:16
The whispers came next, as they always did, unintelligible
14:20
sounds that weren't quite words or music, but something
14:23
unsettling in between. Return.
14:28
One seemed to say, though I couldn't be sure.
14:31
Inside, maybe another. The voices overlapped, speaking
14:37
in languages that had never existed on Earth.
14:41
I tried to move closer to the structure, but my dream body
14:45
remained fixed in place. The whispers grew louder, more
14:50
insistent, until they filled my consciousness completely.
14:55
Then the blue light flashed, blinding me, and my eyes shot
15:00
open to the soft beep of the cryo chambers revival sequence.
15:04
My throat felt raw, my muscles weak.
15:08
The chamber's lid slid back with a pneumatic hiss, revealing the
15:12
cramped interior of the Artemis 9.
15:16
I blinked against the harsh white light of the ship's
15:18
systems. Coming back online.
15:21
It took me a few seconds to remember where I was, who I was.
15:26
Theo Doyle, mission commander. We were approaching Pluto, the
15:31
structure, the monolith. I pulled myself up, fighting
15:36
against muscles that felt like they hadn't moved in years
15:39
rather than months. The medical readout on my
15:43
chamber showed normal vitals, but something felt off.
15:47
The dreams had been too vivid, too consistent.
15:52
It was as if I'd been living another life while in cryosleep.
15:57
I glanced at the other chambers. Gordon was already up, running
16:02
system checks at the main console.
16:05
Deborah's chamber was open, but empty.
16:08
Cindy was still in the final stages of revival, her eyes
16:12
fluttering beneath closed lids. Welcome back to the land of the
16:16
living, Commander. Gordon said without looking up
16:20
from his work. His voice sounded rough from
16:23
disuse. Systems check, almost complete.
16:27
We're right where we should be, 3 days out from Pluto.
16:31
I swung my legs over the side of the chamber, testing my weight.
16:36
How long have you been up? About 20 minutes.
16:40
Deborah's in the head. She woke up first.
16:44
I nodded and reached for the water pouch attached to my
16:46
chamber. My throat burned as I swallowed.
16:51
Any unusual dreams? I asked, trying to sound casual.
16:56
Gordon's hands paused over the controls.
16:59
He turned to look at me, his expression guarded.
17:03
Yeah, actually. Weird stuff, you 2.
17:08
Before I could answer, Deborah emerged from the small bathroom
17:11
compartment, her hair still damp from the Sonic shower.
17:16
Morning, sunshine, she said to me with a tired smile.
17:20
Or whatever time it is. The ship says we've been under
17:23
for 177 days. Feels longer, I said.
17:29
Deborah nodded slowly. Much longer.
17:34
A soft groan came from Cindy's chamber as the lid fully
17:37
retracted. She sat up, looking disoriented.
17:42
Did anyone else have messed up dreams?
17:45
She asked without preamble. The three of us exchanged
17:48
glances. What kind of dreams?
17:52
I asked. Cindy rubbed her temples, the
17:56
structure blue light voices I couldn't understand.
18:01
My stomach dropped. All of you had these dreams?
18:06
They all nodded. Same here, Gordon said over and
18:11
over, the structure glowing blue.
18:13
Strange whispers. It felt like years, Deborah
18:18
added quietly. Like I lived an entire life in
18:21
those dreams. I moved to the command console
18:24
and pulled up the ship's log. Any anomalies during cryosleep?
18:30
Radiation spikes? Anything unusual?
18:33
Gordon joined me, checking the readouts.
18:36
Nothing. Everything reads normal.
18:38
Cryosystems functioned within expected parameters.
18:42
Could be a side effect of long term cryosleep.
18:46
Deborah suggested. Our brains trying to make sense
18:49
of the minimal input they were receiving.
18:52
All having the same dream though?
18:55
Cindy asked, now fully awake and joining us at the console.
19:00
That's not normal. I pulled up a new log entry and
19:04
began recording Commander's log. Day 178.
19:10
Crew successfully revived from cryo sleep.
19:13
All systems nominal. Approaching Pluto.
19:16
ETA three days. I paused, considering what to
19:21
add about our shared dreams, then decided against it.
19:25
Crew in good physical condition beginning final approach
19:30
preparations. We closed the log without
19:33
mentioning the dreams. The others looked at me
19:36
questioningly. You're not reporting the dreams?
19:40
Deborah asked. I shook my head.
19:43
Not yet. Let's get more data first.
19:46
If we tell Houston we're all having the same hallucinations,
19:49
they might abort the mission. Is that such a bad idea?
19:54
Cindy asked. This is weird, Theo.
19:58
We've come too far. I said firmly.
20:01
Let's complete the mission objectives, gather our data, and
20:05
then we can report everything once we're headed home.
20:09
The others didn't look entirely convinced, but they nodded in
20:12
agreement. We had all sacrificed too much
20:16
to turn back now. The next three days we ran
20:20
systems checks, calibrated landing equipment, and prepared
20:24
our Eva suits for Pluto. The black structure grew larger
20:29
in our viewports as we approached.
20:32
We strapped into our acceleration couches as Gordon
20:35
took manual control. Pluto's thin atmosphere and low
20:39
gravity made landing precisely difficult.
20:42
Thrusters at 60%, Gordon said. Descent angle looks good.
20:49
The ship shuttered as we dropped through Pluto's atmosphere.
20:53
Through the viewport I saw the structure, a massive black tooth
20:58
jutting from the frozen surface. 500 meters to landing site,
21:03
Gordon called out. 403 hundred. Another, stronger shutter rocked
21:11
the ship. Crosswind, Gordon muttered,
21:15
making adjustments, compensating.
21:18
The ship tilted, and I thought we might need to abort, but
21:22
Gordon's hands moved precisely countering each force. 100
21:28
meters, he said. 5020 contact light.
21:33
We landed on Pluto with a bump. Engines shut down, Gordon said.
21:39
Flipping switches. We are down to kilometers from
21:43
the target. The collective breath of relief
21:46
filled the cabin. We had made it nice flying, I
21:51
told Gordon, genuinely impressed.
21:54
The landing had been textbook, despite the challenges.
21:58
Let's run post landing checks before we suit up.
22:01
I said, already unbuckling from my couch.
22:04
I want to make sure everything's green before we step outside.
22:08
We spent two hours checking ship systems and preparing our Eva
22:11
suits. Pluto's extreme cold would
22:14
freeze oxygen solid, making any suit failure quickly fatal
22:18
despite our redundant heating systems.
22:21
Comms check. I said, my voice slightly
22:24
muffled inside my helmet. Copy came three voices in
22:30
sequence. I stood in the airlock, fully
22:34
suited, with the others behind me in the cabin.
22:38
As mission commander, I would be first to step onto Pluto's
22:41
surface, beginning depressurization.
22:45
I announced, activating the airlock sequence.
22:49
The air hissed out around me and the temperature dropped rapidly.
22:53
My suit compensated, the heating elements working harder when the
22:58
pressure equalized with the outside.
23:00
The outer door slid open. I stood at the threshold,
23:04
looking out at Pluto's surface. The pale plain of frozen
23:08
nitrogen and methane ice stretched ahead, with the black
23:12
structure rising in the distance.
23:15
I stepped forward onto the frozen nitrogen.
23:18
It crunched beneath my weight, more solid than expected.
23:22
Houston, this is Commander Doyle, I transmitted, knowing
23:27
the message would take about 20 minutes to reach Earth.
23:31
I am standing on the surface of Pluto.
23:34
The landing was successful. We are approximately 2
23:38
kilometers from the anomaly. I took another step, testing my
23:42
balance in the low gravity. The bulky suit required
23:46
deliberate movements. Surface is frozen nitrogen with
23:51
methane ice formations. I reported temperature at
23:55
-231°C. Visibility good under Karen's
24:00
light. I turned back toward the ship.
24:04
Crew is preparing to exit. We will proceed to the structure
24:07
once everyone is on the surface. 1 by 1.
24:11
The others join me, first Gordon, then Deborah, and
24:15
finally Cindy. We stood together, four tiny
24:20
figures on the edge of the solar system, looking toward the
24:23
massive black structure that had brought us here.
24:26
It's bigger than the images showed, Deborah said quietly,
24:30
over the calm. Much bigger.
24:33
Let's move, I said, checking my helmet display.
24:37
Standard formation. Maintain visual contact.
24:41
We began walking toward the structure, leaving tracks in the
24:45
frozen surface. Each step balance the low
24:48
gravity that made us almost buoyant against the need to
24:51
maintain traction. As we drew closer, the structure
24:56
grew larger and dominating the horizon.
25:00
Its surface was smooth and black, absorbing light rather
25:03
than reflecting it. It matched our shared dreams
25:07
exactly, except for one thing. There was no blue glow
25:13
approaching the structure. I reported to Houston, though
25:17
they wouldn't hear me for 20 minutes.
25:20
It's 30 meters tall, 15 wide at the base.
25:24
Surface is black with no seams or features.
25:27
We stopped 50 meters from the base.
25:30
The black structure tapered slightly toward the top,
25:34
standing out against the pale landscape.
25:36
An impossible object in this desolate place.
25:40
It looks just like in the dreams, Cindy whispered over the
25:44
calm. None of us disagreed.
25:48
We stood in silence, four small figures before something ancient
25:52
and unknowable on the very edge of human exploration.
25:57
I took a few steps toward the structure, my boots crunching on
26:00
the frozen nitrogen surface of Pluto.
26:04
The rest of the crew followed, our movements slow and
26:07
deliberate in the minimal gravity.
26:10
We stopped about 10 feet from the base, all of us staring up
26:14
at the massive black form. It's even more impressive up
26:18
close, I said, my voice sounding hollow inside my helmet.
26:23
The structure towered above us, easily 30 meters tall with a
26:27
base about 15 meters wide. Its sides were unnaturally
26:32
smooth, the surface so black it seemed to eat the light from our
26:36
helmet lamps rather than reflected back in person.
26:41
The angles and dimensions looked even more precise than they had
26:45
in the holographic projections I'd studied for months.
26:49
Gordon walked a few paces to the right, running a scanner along
26:53
the base. No detectable radiation or
26:57
energy signatures. It's just sitting here.
27:02
This is definitely artificial. Deborah said, her voice filled
27:07
with quiet awe as she checked her own readings.
27:10
The composition analysis shows uniform molecular structure
27:14
throughout. No natural formation could
27:17
achieve this level of homogeneity.
27:20
Anar, how old do you think it is?
27:23
I asked. Deborah adjusted something on
27:26
her scanner. Based on the surface degradation
27:30
from micro meteorite impacts and the accumulation patterns of
27:33
space dust, I'd estimate at least three million years,
27:38
possibly much older. I felt a chill that had nothing
27:42
to do with the extreme cold outside my suit. 3,000,000 years
27:47
before humans had even evolved. Commander Cindy called from
27:53
several meters to my left. You should see this.
27:57
I moved carefully to join her. She was pointing her light at
28:01
what appeared to be a seam running vertically up the
28:03
structure's face. Is that what I think it is?
28:07
I asked. Looks like a door to me, Cindy
28:10
said. See how the material changes
28:13
slightly along this line, and the geometric precision is
28:17
unmistakable. The seam was barely visible, a
28:22
slightly different texture along a perfectly straight line that
28:25
ran from the ground up about 3 meters.
28:28
I reached out my gloved hand toward it, drawn by an impulse I
28:32
couldn't explain. The moment my fingers got within
28:35
inches of the surface, a blinding white light flashed
28:38
across my vision. I stumbled backward, crying out
28:43
as pain Lance through my head. Commander, what's wrong?
28:49
Gordon's voice sounded distant. I blinked rapidly, trying to
28:53
clear my vision. The white light faded, but
28:57
instead of seeing the black structure in my team, I saw
29:02
Helen. She stood right in front of me
29:05
on Pluto's surface. No spacesuit, just Helen in the
29:10
same blue sweater she'd been wearing the day I left Earth.
29:14
Her Auburn hair moved slightly, as though in a gentle breeze
29:17
that couldn't possibly exist here.
29:20
Don't open it, Theo, she said, her voice somehow clear despite
29:24
the impossibility of sound traveling in Pluto's near
29:27
vacuum. Helen, how are you?
29:30
How? I'm not really here, she said,
29:34
her expression urgent. Not physically.
29:37
I'm a message sent back to this moment.
29:41
A message from where? The future.
29:45
She nodded. You need to listen carefully.
29:49
Whatever's inside this structure, you can't let it out.
29:52
If you open that door, what's inside will eventually make its
29:55
way to Earth, and it will destroy everything.
29:59
What is it? I asked, my mind reeling.
30:04
I don't know exactly, but it changes people, corrupts them.
30:09
By the time we understood what was happening, it was too late.
30:14
Her image flickered slightly. This is the moment, Theo, the
30:20
point where everything can change.
30:22
Don't open the door, take readings, take pictures, but
30:27
leave it sealed. Theo, can you hear me?
30:31
Gordon's voice cut through Helen's words.
30:34
I blinked and Helen vanished. I was staring at the black
30:39
structure again, Gordon's hand gripping my shoulder.
30:43
What happened? You just froze up and started
30:46
talking to yourself. He said, concern evident in his
30:50
voice. I looked around wildly.
30:54
Did you see her? Did you see Helen?
30:58
The three of them exchanged glances through their helmet
31:00
visors. Your wife, Deborah asked
31:04
carefully. Commander, there's no one here
31:07
but us. She was right there, I insisted,
31:12
pointing to where Helen had stood.
31:15
She told me not to open it, said it was a message from the
31:18
future. Your vital spiked a minute ago,
31:22
Cindy said, checking a readout on her wrist display.
31:26
Pulse, blood pressure, brain activity, all off the charts.
31:30
Maybe the radiation from this object is affecting your
31:33
perception. What radiation?
31:36
I asked. Gordon just said there weren't
31:39
any energy signatures. None we can detect with our
31:43
standard equipment. Gordon clarified.
31:47
But this thing is clearly not natural.
31:49
Who knows what it might be emitting that our instruments
31:52
can't pick up? I looked back at the seam in the
31:55
structure. Had I hallucinated Helen?
31:59
It had felt so real. Her voice, her presence, the
32:03
urgency in her eyes. I think we should conduct more
32:07
scans before we try to open anything, I said, taking a step
32:11
back from the structure. If this thing is affecting our
32:16
mind somehow, Commander, with all due respect, we didn't come
32:21
all this way just to look at it from a distance.
32:23
Cindy said. Our mission parameters include
32:27
attempting to determine the nature and purpose of the
32:29
anomaly. Gordon nodded.
32:33
We've got the sample collection tools.
32:35
At minimum, we should try to extract a small piece for
32:38
analysis. I hesitated, Helen's warning
32:43
echoing in my mind. Was it real or just some kind of
32:47
hallucination? The rational part of me knew
32:50
that my wife couldn't possibly have been standing on Pluto's
32:53
surface without protection and messages from the future.
32:58
It sounded absurd. All right, I said reluctantly.
33:04
But we proceed with extreme caution.
33:07
Cindy, run a detailed scan of that seam.
33:11
Gordon, prepare the sample collection kit, but don't use it
33:15
until I give the word. Cindy stepped forward with her
33:18
scanner, running it slowly along the vertical line.
33:23
The molecular structure changes slightly along this boundary.
33:27
It's definitely. She jumped back as the seam
33:31
suddenly widened, creating a dark opening about a meter wide
33:35
that extended upward. What did you do?
33:38
I demanded, heart pounding. Nothing.
33:42
Cindy insisted. I was just scanning it.
33:45
Deborah moved closer, appearing at the opening.
33:49
It seems to be responding to our technology.
33:53
The scanner emissions might have triggered some kind of automatic
33:56
response mechanism. I stared into the darkness
34:00
beyond the opening. I couldn't see anything inside,
34:04
just a black void that seemed to stretch impossibly far.
34:08
Helen's warning pounded in my head, but so did the voice of
34:12
reason. We were making history here, the
34:16
first humans to discover definitive proof of
34:19
extraterrestrial intelligence. Deborah.
34:23
I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
34:27
What do you make of this? She turned to me, her expression
34:31
visible through her helmet visor.
34:34
There was something strange in her eyes, a look I'd never seen
34:38
before. I've been dreaming of this
34:41
moment for years, Theo. She said quietly.
34:46
Ever since we went into cryosleep.
34:49
I was struck by another blinding flash Before I could respond to
34:52
Deborah, this one hit harder, a white hot light that seemed to
34:58
burn through my eyes and into my brain.
35:01
I staggered back, my boots sliding on Pluto's frozen
35:04
surface as pain lanced through my skull.
35:08
Commander Gordon's voice sounded distant through the calm.
35:13
Your vitals are spiking again. But I couldn't answer.
35:18
The white light faded, replaced by something worse.
35:22
The structure in front of us changed.
35:26
Its surface seemed to fold inward, revealing impossible
35:29
angles that hurt to look at, corners that bent in ways that
35:33
shouldn't exist in three-dimensional space.
35:36
The blackness inside wasn't empty at all.
35:39
Things moved within it. Not creatures, not anything I
35:44
could describe with words from our language.
35:47
They were masses of shifting parts, flowing and reforming,
35:51
with too many limbs that bent backward and forward
35:54
simultaneously. I watched in horror as one of
35:58
these things reached out toward what looked like Cindy.
36:05
Her scream cut through my helmet, speakers high and
36:09
terrified, before choking off abruptly.
36:13
The thing didn't grab her. It passed through her and she
36:16
changed, her body twisting as though being remolded from the
36:20
inside. No, I tried to move to help her,
36:26
but I was frozen in place. Gordon ran toward her, but
36:30
another shape emerged, this one like smoke with too many eyes
36:34
wrapping around him. I heard his scream next, raw and
36:38
primal. Deborah stood motionless,
36:42
watching it all with that same strange look in her eyes.
36:46
They're here, she whispered. They've always been here.
36:51
Something cold touched my mind then.
36:54
Not physical, but a presence alien and vast and pushed
36:59
against my thoughts, trying to get in, to take root.
37:03
I felt it searching, probing, looking for a way past my
37:07
defenses. Get out, I gasped, clutching my
37:10
helmet. Get out of my head.
37:13
The pressure increased and I felt myself falling.
37:17
The last thing I saw was the black structure, now pulsing
37:21
with that same blue light from our dreams.
37:25
Then nothing. I woke to the familiar hum of
37:28
the Artemis 9's life support systems.
37:32
My vision cleared slowly, revealing the curved ceiling of
37:35
the medical Bay. I tried to move, only to find
37:39
myself strapped to the bed. He's awake.
37:44
Deborah's voice came from somewhere to my left.
37:47
I turned my head, wincing at the dull ache that radiated from the
37:51
base of my skull. Deborah stood over me, checking
37:55
readings on a medical tablet. She looked normal, professional,
38:00
focused, nothing like the strange expression I'd seen on
38:04
her face by the structure. What happened?
38:08
My voice came out raspy, my throat dry.
38:12
You had some kind of seizure after we collected the sample,
38:16
she said, placing the tablet down and reaching for a water
38:19
pouch. She held it to my lips and I
38:23
drank greedily. You've been unconscious for
38:26
three days. We were getting worried.
38:30
Three days? That couldn't be right.
38:34
The structure. Did we go inside?
38:37
Deborah's eyebrows pulled together.
38:39
No, you specifically ordered us not to.
38:43
Don't you remember you said we should only take external
38:46
samples? I tried to sort through my
38:49
jumbled memories, but everything after seeing that strange look
38:53
on Deborah's face was a confused mess of horrific images and
38:57
sensations. The sample?
39:00
I said. We got a sample.
39:04
A small fragment, Gordon confirmed, entering the medical
39:09
Bay with Cindy close behind. Both looked tired, but unharmed.
39:15
Nothing like the twisted versions from my vision.
39:19
It's sealed in containment in the cargo hold.
39:22
Cindy stepped forward. The structure reacted when we
39:26
extracted it started emitting strange radiation patterns.
39:31
You ordered immediate evacuation, then collapsed right
39:34
as we were leaving. We followed emergency protocols
39:38
and launched as soon as we got you back to the ship, Gordon
39:42
added. We're already on our return
39:44
trajectory to Earth. I closed my eyes, trying to make
39:48
sense of it all. So we never opened the door?
39:53
There was no door, Commander Cindy said, exchanging a
39:57
concerned glance with the others.
40:00
Just a small section where the molecular structure seemed
40:03
slightly different. That's where we took the sample
40:06
from. You should rest, Deborah said,
40:10
adjusting my IV. The medical AI suggests your
40:15
seizure might have been caused by radiation exposure.
40:18
Despite our suits protection. We've been monitoring you
40:21
closely. Can you undo these straps?
40:24
I asked. Sorry about those, Gordon said
40:29
as he loosened the restraints. You were thrashing pretty badly
40:32
during the first day. We were afraid you'd hurt
40:35
yourself. Once freed.
40:38
I sat up slowly, feeling dizzy. I need to see the mission
40:42
footage. That can wait until Deborah
40:46
started now, I insisted. Please.
40:51
Over the next few days, I reviewed every second of footage
40:54
from our Eva Suits cameras. The video showed a completely
40:59
different mission than what I remembered.
41:01
There I was, confidently directing the team to take
41:04
samples from the exterior of the structure.
41:08
No internal exploration, my recorded voice said firmly.
41:14
Houston was clear about that external analysis.
41:17
Only the footage showed Cindy using a specialized tool to
41:21
extract a small fragment from the monolith surface.
41:26
As soon as the sample separated, the structure's surface rippled
41:29
slightly and our radiation detectors went crazy.
41:34
Everyone back to the ship now. I heard myself order on the
41:38
recording. The team turned and began moving
41:42
quickly toward the Artemis. The camera on my suit showed the
41:45
horizon tilting as I stumbled, then went dark as I apparently
41:50
collapsed. The next footage showed Gordon
41:53
and Cindy carrying me back to the ship while Deborah ran ahead
41:56
to prepare the medical Bay. I watched it all multiple times,
42:01
looking for any sign of the visions I'd experienced or the
42:04
strange conversation with Deborah about dreaming of this
42:07
moment. There was nothing.
42:10
No door opening, no creatures, no screams.
42:14
Just a routine sample collection followed by a medical emergency.
42:18
Finding what you need? Cindy asked, floating into the
42:22
command module where I'd set up the footage review.
42:26
Not exactly, I admitted, pausing the video.
42:30
My memory of what happened doesn't match this at all.
42:35
She settled into the seat next to mine.
42:38
Deborah says that's not uncommon with seizures.
42:41
Your brain was misfiring, creating false memories.
42:46
These don't feel like false memories, I said.
42:50
They feel real. What do you remember?
42:53
She asked. I hesitated.
42:56
If I told her everything, would you think I was losing my mind?
43:01
Would Houston ground me permanently when we got back?
43:04
It's complicated, I finally said.
43:08
I remember the structure opening somehow.
43:10
I remember seeing things inside it.
43:15
Cindy looked troubled. There was no opening, Commander.
43:19
I was right there the whole time.
43:21
I know the footage is clear. I rubbed my temples.
43:27
But it doesn't explain why we all had the same dream during
43:30
cryosleep, or why that dream showed the structure with a blue
43:34
light. The same blue light I saw in my,
43:37
whatever it was, hallucination vision.
43:41
I don't know, Maybe the sample will provide some answers, She
43:45
suggested. It's the first confirmed
43:48
extraterrestrial technology we've ever found.
43:52
Who knows what it might be capable of?
43:55
I nodded, but a chill ran through me at her words.
44:00
The sample. We'd brought a piece of that
44:03
thing back with us. Have you noticed anything
44:06
unusual about it? I asked.
44:09
Other than its impossible molecular structure and the fact
44:13
that it absorbs all wavelengths of light without reflecting
44:15
anything back? No, nothing unusual at all.
44:20
She said with a small smile. I didn't smile back.
44:25
Something about this whole situation felt wrong.
44:29
Had I really ordered them not to enter the structure?
44:33
Or had something happened, something real that wasn't on
44:37
any of our recordings? I remembered Helen's warning in
44:42
my first vision. Was that real?
44:46
Had something from the future reached back to warn me?
44:50
Or was my mind creating elaborate scenarios to deal with
44:53
the stress of the mission? I closed the video files and
44:56
pulled up the data on our sample instead.
44:59
Whatever the truth was, that small black fragment in our
45:03
cargo hold might hold the answers.
45:05
I just hoped we hadn't made a terrible mistake bringing it
45:08
back with us. I sat in the living room of our
45:11
Houston home, watching Helen move around the kitchen with
45:15
practice deficiency. The smell of garlic and herbs
45:19
filled the air as she chopped vegetables for dinner.
45:22
Six months had passed since our return from Pluto, but sometimes
45:27
it felt like I'd never left that frozen surface.
45:30
Need any help? I asked, knowing she'd refuse.
45:35
Almost done. Helen replied, sliding diced
45:38
onions into a sizzling pan. Just relax, you've been working
45:42
all week. Working wasn't quite the right
45:45
word. I'd spent most of my time
45:48
answering the same questions over and over for different
45:51
specialists at NASA. What did I remember?
45:55
What did I see? How did I feel now?
45:59
The fragment we brought back from the structure had become
46:02
the most studied object on Earth, locked away in NASA's
46:06
highest security facility, where only a handful of scientists had
46:10
clearance to examine it. From what I'd heard, those
46:14
scientists were completely bewildered.
46:17
The sample had impossible properties.
46:19
It absorbed all energy directed at it without heating up or
46:23
changing in any way. More disturbing were the reports
46:27
that it occasionally emitted patterns that some researchers
46:30
believed might be communication attempts.
46:33
No one could decode them, but the patterns were too regular to
46:37
be random. They're holding another press
46:39
conference tomorrow, Helen said, glancing at me over her
46:43
shoulder. Liam called.
46:46
He wants you there. I nodded but didn't respond.
46:51
These press conferences had become routine, carefully
46:55
scripted events where we revealed nothing while
46:57
pretending to share everything. The public knew we'd found an
47:02
artificial structure and brought back a sample.
47:06
They didn't know about our shared dreams during cryo sleep
47:09
or my episode on Pluto's surface.
47:13
NASA's psych team had cleared me months ago.
47:17
My official file stated that I'd experienced a stress induced
47:20
hallucination combined with radiation exposure from the
47:23
structure. A perfectly reasonable
47:26
explanation that everyone seemed comfortable accepting.
47:30
Everyone except me. You're thinking about it again,
47:35
Helen said, turning down the heat on the stove before walking
47:39
over to join me on the couch. She tucked her legs underneath
47:43
her and studied my face. I can always tell.
47:47
Sorry. I said, trying to smile hard, to
47:50
turn it off. You don't need to apologize.
47:55
I looked at her, really looked at her, and felt that same
48:00
disorienting double vision I'd experienced so many times since
48:03
returning. The Helen sitting beside me,
48:07
warm and real, overlapped with a Helen I'd seen standing on
48:11
Pluto's surface without a space suit, warning me about something
48:15
terrible. I still believe something more
48:18
happened up there. I said quietly, something the
48:22
cameras didn't catch, something beyond a simple hallucination.
48:27
Helen didn't immediately dismiss me like she had during our first
48:30
weeks back. She'd grown more willing to
48:33
listen, even if she didn't fully believe the dreams we all shared
48:38
during cryosleep. I continued.
48:41
The vision I had of you on the surface, They're connected
48:45
somehow. I can't shake the feeling that
48:48
whatever warning I received, whether from the real you
48:52
somehow reaching across space or something else using your image,
48:56
saved me from something terrible.
48:59
Saved all of you? Helen corrected gently.
49:03
Maybe. I leaned forward, resting my
49:07
elbows on my knees. But what if we brought the
49:10
danger back with us? Anyway?
49:13
That sample something wanted us to open that door, Helen.
49:18
And something else warned me not to.
49:21
The door never opened, Theo, the footage showed.
49:25
I know what the footage showed. I said, more sharply than I
49:29
intended. I soften my voice.
49:33
But what if that's not what really happened?
49:35
What if something altered our perception, or the recordings?
49:39
What if we brought back something dangerous?
49:42
Helen reached for my hand and squeezed it.
49:45
Her palm was warm against mine, anchoring me to the present.
49:50
The sample is contained. The best minds on the planet are
49:54
studying it. If there's any danger, they'll
49:57
find it. I wanted to believe her, but at
50:01
night, when the house was quiet and Helen was asleep beside me,
50:07
I still heard those whispers from our cryo sleep dreams,
50:11
unintelligible words and voices that weren't human speaking
50:15
directly into my mind. And lately, I've noticed
50:19
something that I hadn't told anyone, not even Helen.
50:24
The voices were getting louder. You're right, I said, squeezing
50:29
her hand back. I'm sure everything's fine.
50:33
Helen studied my face for a moment longer, then stood up.
50:38
Dinner's almost ready. Why don't you set the table?
50:42
I nodded and got to my feet, following her into the kitchen.
50:47
As I pulled plates from the cabinet, I caught a glimpse of
50:51
my reflection in the window. For just a second, I thought I
50:56
saw something dark moving behind my eyes, something that didn't
51:00
belong there. I blinked and it was gone, but
51:06
the whispers remained a constant background noise that only I
51:10
could hear, growing more insistent with each passing day.