Latest / Creepy Stories to Fall Asleep To / We Received a Transmission From an Abandoned Moon Outpost.

Transcript

We Received a Transmission From an Abandoned Moon Outpost. · Creepy Stories to Fall Asleep To

0:00
I couldn't believe what I was reading.
0:03
The brief sat in front of me on the conference table, and I had
0:06
to read it twice to make sure I wasn't missing something.
0:10
Artemis 7 is transmitting again? I asked, looking up at Director
0:15
Franklin. She nodded, her face serious
0:19
under the fluorescent lights of the briefing room.
0:22
After 30 years of silence, the signal started three days ago.
0:29
I flipped through the pages again.
0:31
Artemis 7 had been NASA's most ambitious lunar outpost in the
0:35
20 Thirties. Before the program was scrapped.
0:39
The facility had been shut down, sealed up and abandoned for
0:43
three decades. Nobody had set foot there since
0:47
the evacuation. What kind of signal are we
0:50
talking about? I asked.
0:53
That's part of the mystery, Commander Moreno Franklin said,
0:57
taking a seat across from me. It's not a distress call or a
1:02
standard beacon. It's a data transmission on an
1:05
old NASA frequency, but it's encrypted.
1:09
We can't decode it. I close the folder and you want
1:14
me to lead A-Team to investigate?
1:17
You're the obvious choice. You've logged more lunar hours
1:21
than anyone else in the program. 4 missions, including the
1:25
Shackleton Crater recovery. Franklin adjusted her glasses.
1:30
This is sensitive, Jim. If Artemis 7 is somehow
1:34
operational after 30 years, it shouldn't be.
1:38
I finished for her. The power systems were designed
1:41
to last 15 years at most. Nothing should be working.
1:46
Exactly. Franklin stood up and walked to
1:49
the wall screen, bringing up schematics of the old outpost.
1:54
We need to know what's transmitting and why.
1:57
Is it a system malfunction? Has someone accessed the
2:00
facility, or is it something else entirely?
2:04
I studied the layout of Artemis 7 on the screen. 6
2:08
interconnected modules buried under 3 meters of lunar regolith
2:12
for radiation protection, a small landing pad, power arrays,
2:18
All of it should have been dead and cold for decades.
2:22
When do we leave? I asked.
2:25
Three days. Orion Dwatheen is being prepped
2:27
as we speak. Franklin handed me another
2:30
folder. Here's your team.
2:33
I opened it and scanned the personnel files. 4 names, none I
2:38
recognized from previous lunar missions.
2:41
They're all rookies. I said, not hiding my concern.
2:45
They're the best we have available on short notice.
2:48
Each one is at the top of their field.
2:51
Franklin pointed to the first file doctor, Carmen Medina,
2:56
exobiologist. She's been studying the lunar
3:00
samples from the last decade of missions.
3:02
Troy Nunez, systems specialist. He's an expert on the old
3:07
Artemis era technology. Danny Patel, security officer,
3:13
former Special Forces with additional training for off
3:16
world scenarios, and Martha Burgess, communications expert.
3:21
I flipped through their files, scanning qualifications and
3:25
psych profiles. They've never been to the moon,
3:29
no, Franklin admitted. But they've all completed the
3:33
simulator training. The mission parameters are
3:37
simple. Get to Artemis 7, determine
3:40
what's causing the transmission, secure any sensitive materials
3:43
or technology, and report back. Five days on the surface, Max.
3:50
I nodded slowly. It was a straightforward
3:53
investigation mission. Get in, find the source of the
3:57
signal, get out. Still, something about it made
4:01
me uneasy. Is there anything else I should
4:04
know? I asked.
4:06
Franklin hesitated, just for a second.
4:10
The original Artemis 7 records are incomplete.
4:13
Some of the final mission logs were corrupted or missing
4:16
altogether. The evacuation was rushed, I
4:20
said. I remember the news reports from
4:23
when I was a teenager. The sudden shutdown of the
4:26
program had sparked all kinds of conspiracy theories.
4:30
Yes, budget cuts and political pressure were the official
4:34
reasons. Franklin's tone was carefully
4:37
neutral. Your father was on one of the
4:41
last cruise there, wasn't he? I felt a familiar tightness in
4:45
my chest. Yeah, his 2nd to last mission
4:50
before the accident. Franklin nodded, not pushing
4:54
further. My father's death during a
4:57
training exercise had been 15 years ago, but NASA people still
5:02
walked carefully around the subject.
5:05
I want daily reports, she said, changing the subject.
5:10
Any findings get transmitted immediately.
5:13
If you discover the source of the signal and can safely
5:16
deactivate it, do so. If not, document everything and
5:20
we'll send a specialized team later.
5:23
Understood. I gathered the files and stood
5:27
up. I'll meet with the team today.
5:31
They're waiting for you in Lab 4.
5:33
Franklin said. Good luck, Commander.
5:38
I left the briefing room with the mission documents tucked
5:40
under my arm, my mind already running through preparation
5:43
protocols. Whatever was happening at
5:46
Artemis 7, we'd find it. But I couldn't shake the feeling
5:51
that this mission was going to be more than a simple
5:54
investigation. The team was exactly where
5:57
Franklin said they'd be, gathered around a table in Lab
6:00
4, looking like new recruits on their first day.
6:05
They all straightened when I walked in.
6:09
Commander Moreno, a woman with braided hair and alert eyes,
6:13
said, stepping forward. I'm Martha Burgess.
6:17
Communications. I shook her hand.
6:20
Nice to meet you. The others introduced
6:23
themselves, 1 by 1. Carmen Medina was shorter than
6:27
her file photo suggested, with intelligent eyes behind
6:31
lightweight glasses. Troy Nunez had the restless
6:35
energy of a tech specialist who preferred working with machines
6:39
to people. Danny Patel stood with military
6:42
precision, his assessment of me obvious and professional.
6:47
I've reviewed your files, I said after the introductions.
6:52
You're all qualified for your roles, but none of you have been
6:56
to the moon before. That changes in three days.
7:00
We're prepared, Commander Patel said, with the confidence of
7:03
someone who believed in their training.
7:06
Good, because prepared is what you need to be.
7:11
I activated the room's display table, bringing up the Artemis 7
7:15
schematics. This is our destination, a 30
7:20
year old abandoned outpost that suddenly started transmitting
7:23
again. I watched their reactions,
7:27
surprise from Burgess and Medina, interest from Nunez,
7:31
cautious assessment from Patel. What kind of transmission?
7:36
Burgess asked, leaning forward to study the display.
7:40
Encrypted data on an old frequency.
7:44
We don't know what it contains or what's generating it.
7:47
I expanded the schematic showing the outposts layout.
7:52
Artemis 7 was built to house 12 personnel for extended lunar
7:56
research. It was shut down in 2039 and has
8:00
been abandoned since. Nunez pointed at the power
8:03
systems diagram. Solar arrays with hydrogen fuel
8:07
cell backups. Those batteries would have
8:09
degraded decades ago. Exactly.
8:13
I said nothing should be operational.
8:16
That's why we're going. What's our mission parameters,
8:19
Sir? Patel asked.
8:22
We land, we investigate the source of the transmission, we
8:26
document everything, and we leave.
8:29
Five days Max on the surface. Doctor Medina raised her hand
8:33
slightly. Are we expecting to find
8:37
biological material? The outpost housed several
8:40
experimental habitats. Unlikely after 30 years without
8:44
maintenance, but your expertise might be needed if we find
8:48
preserved samples. I looked at each of them.
8:53
Any other questions? What happens if we find someone
8:57
there? Troy asked.
9:00
The room went quiet. It was the question no one
9:03
wanted to ask directly. The outpost has been abandoned
9:07
for 30 years. I said carefully, If we find
9:12
evidence that someone has accessed it recently, we
9:15
document and report immediately. We are not authorized for first
9:19
contact scenarios or hostile engagement.
9:23
Patel nodded, his expression serious.
9:27
Security protocols. Standard NASA procedures for
9:31
abandoned facilities. We stay together, we maintain
9:35
communication, and we proceed with caution.
9:39
I close the schematics. We have three days for
9:42
preparation and briefings. I want everyone to study the
9:46
Artemis 7 layout until you can navigate it blindfolded.
9:50
I dismissed them to their preparation tasks, but stayed
9:54
behind to review the mission details again.
9:57
As the room emptied, I found myself staring at the outpost
10:00
schematic, focusing on the main corridor that connected the six
10:04
modules. Something about the layout
10:08
nagged at me. The way the sleeping quarters
10:10
branched off from the main science lab, the position of the
10:14
communications center relative to the airlock.
10:17
It felt familiar. But that didn't make sense.
10:24
I'd never been to Artemis 7. The facility had been abandoned
10:29
years before I joined NASA, yet I could almost picture walking
10:33
down that main corridor, turning right at the junction toward the
10:37
environmental control room. I shook my head and closed the
10:41
display, probably just my brain filling in details from similar
10:46
outposts I'd visited. The lunar habitats all followed
10:50
certain design principles, but the feeling of deja vu lingered
10:54
as I left the lab to continue my own preparations.
10:57
The next three days passed in a blur of briefings, equipment
11:01
checks, and simulations. I watched my team closely,
11:05
assessing their readiness. They were professionals, each
11:10
excellent in their field, but the moon was unforgiving of
11:13
mistakes. One small error could be fatal.
11:19
Nunez spent most of his time studying the Artemis 7 systems,
11:23
muttering about outdated technology.
11:26
Medina reviewed the biological research that had been conducted
11:30
at the outpost, particularly interested in the sealed
11:33
specimen containers that might have preserved samples.
11:36
Patel methodically checked and rechecked our security
11:39
protocols, while Burgess familiarized herself with the
11:42
old communication systems we might encounter.
11:45
On the night before launch, I found myself in the simulator
11:49
room, running through the Artemis 7 layout one more time.
11:54
The strange sense of familiarity had grown stronger the more I
11:58
studied the schematics. I could visualize details that
12:02
weren't even in the technical drawings.
12:04
A dent in the wall panel near the science lab.
12:07
The way the door to storage compartment be stuck slightly
12:10
when opening. You're still at it, Commander.
12:15
I turned to see Martha Burgess in the doorway.
12:18
Just doing a final review. I said, shutting down the
12:21
simulator. She nodded.
12:25
The others are turning in big day tomorrow.
12:29
You should get some rest too. I will.
12:33
She hesitated. Can I ask you something, Sir?
12:37
Go ahead. Have you ever had a feeling
12:41
about a mission like AI don't know a premonition?
12:46
I studied her face, having second thoughts.
12:49
Burgess. No, Sir, I'm ready.
12:53
She glanced at the darkened simulator screen.
12:56
It's just, there's something about this mission, something
13:01
different. I knew exactly what she meant,
13:05
but I couldn't say that to a team member the night before
13:08
launch. Every mission is different, but
13:12
we're prepared, we know our objectives, and we have the
13:16
skills to handle whatever we find.
13:19
She nodded, seemingly reassured. You're right.
13:24
Good night, commander. After she left, I stared at the
13:28
blank screen for a long moment. She was picking up on my own
13:32
unease. I needed to be more careful.
13:36
A commander's doubts could infect the whole team.
13:40
I pushed the feelings aside and focused on what I knew for
13:44
certain. Tomorrow we would launch.
13:48
In three days, we would reach the moon, and then we would find
13:53
out what was transmitting from an outpost that should have been
13:56
dead and silent for 30 years. Orion, though thened, lifted off
14:02
exactly on schedule. The familiar pressure of
14:06
acceleration pushed us back into our seats as Earth fell away
14:10
beneath us. For the rookies, it was their
14:13
first experience with actual launch forces.
14:16
After countless simulations, I watched their faces, the
14:22
controlled excitement of Medina, the focused concentration of
14:26
Nunez, the professional calm of Patel, and the quiet wonder of
14:31
Burgess. Status check, I said once we
14:35
reached orbit. All systems nominal, Commander
14:39
Nunez reported his eyes scanning the readouts.
14:43
Communications online and clear, Burgess added.
14:47
Medical readings normal across the crew.
14:50
Medina confirmed. Security protocols active.
14:54
Patel finished. I nodded.
14:57
Houston, Orion Dorind is in stable orbit and preparing for
15:01
translunar injection. Copy that, Orion Tuathin, Came
15:07
the response from Mission Control.
15:09
You are go for TLI. Godspeed.
15:13
The burn to send us toward the moon went smoothly, and soon
15:17
Earth was shrinking behind us. The three day journey gave us
15:21
time for final preparations and system checks.
15:26
I kept the team focused on their tasks, but I could feel my own
15:30
unease growing stronger with each passing hour.
15:34
During our final approach to lunar orbit, I found myself
15:38
staring out the viewport at the scarred surface below.
15:42
The moon had been my workplace for years.
15:45
I'd walked on that dust, set up equipment on those planes,
15:49
collected samples from those craters.
15:52
It should have felt familiar, comfortable even.
15:56
Instead, I felt a chill as we passed over the Aitkin Basin and
16:01
approached the site of Artemis 7.
16:04
The outpost was located on the edge of a smaller crater,
16:08
partially shielded from micrometeorites by the crater
16:10
wall. As the landing site came into
16:14
view, something twisted in my stomach.
16:17
There it is, Nunes said, pointing to a cluster of solar
16:22
arrays barely visible against the Gray landscape.
16:26
Artemis Seven. I stared at the abandoned
16:29
outpost. From orbit, it looked like every
16:32
other lunar facility, a collection of interconnected
16:36
modules, mostly buried under regolith for radiation
16:39
protection, with only the solar arrays and communication
16:43
equipment exposed. But something about seeing it
16:47
made my heart rate increase. Commander Martha's voice broke
16:53
through my thoughts. Are you all right?
16:56
Your vitals just spiked. I realized the others were
16:59
looking at me. I'm fine.
17:02
I just focused on the approach. I turned back to the controls.
17:07
Let's prepare for landing. The descent module separated
17:12
smoothly from the orbiter. Patel would remain aboard to
17:15
maintain our link with Earth while the rest of us
17:18
investigated the outpost. The landing went by the book.
17:22
A textbook touched down on the designated pad about 100 meters
17:26
from Artemis 7's main airlock. Houston, this is Orion Twiddles
17:31
descent module. We have touched down at Artemis
17:34
7. I reported time is 1427 UTC.
17:39
Copy that, Orion Twiddles. Good landing.
17:43
You are clear to begin Eva preparations.
17:47
We suited up methodically. The rookies had trained for
17:51
this, but I could see the nervous excitement in their
17:54
movements as they checked and rechecked their seals and
17:57
systems. Stay focused, I reminded them.
18:02
The Moon doesn't care how many simulations you've done.
18:05
Follow protocols, watch your oxygen levels, and maintain
18:08
communication at all times. They nodded, serious now as the
18:14
reality of the situation set in. One by one, we cycled through
18:19
the airlock and stepped onto the lunar surface.
18:23
I went first, then Medina, Nunes, and finally Burgess.
18:28
The familiar 1/6 gravity welcomed me as I took my first
18:32
steps. The outpost lay ahead, partially
18:36
covered by 30 years of accumulated lunar dust.
18:40
The solar arrays were still intact, though, coated with the
18:44
same fine Gray powder that covered everything on the moon.
18:48
Nunez, check those power readings, I said, pointing to
18:51
his handheld scanner. He aimed it toward the outpost,
18:56
his expression hidden behind his helmet visor.
19:00
I'm getting energy signatures, Commander.
19:02
Low level, but definitely active.
19:05
Some of the systems are still running on minimal power.
19:09
That shouldn't be possible, Medina said, her scientific
19:13
curiosity evident in her voice. And yet here we are, I replied.
19:20
Let's move to the airlock. Standard contamination
19:23
protocols. We approach the main entrance,
19:27
our boots leaving clear tracks in the undisturbed dust.
19:31
The airlock door was sealed as it should have been, but when
19:34
Nunez connected his equipment to the external access panel, the
19:38
lights flickered on. It's accepting the override
19:41
codes, he said, surprise in his voice.
19:45
The system recognized current NASA protocols.
19:49
That's impossible, Burgess said. Those codes shouldn't work on 30
19:54
year old systems. Someone's updated them, I said.
19:59
The implication hanging in the vacuum between us.
20:02
The outer door slid open with a puff of escaping air.
20:06
The airlock chamber beyond was dark.
20:09
But auxiliary lighting activated as we entered.
20:12
The inner door remained sealed until we completed the
20:15
decontamination cycle. Another system that shouldn't
20:20
have been operational after all this time.
20:23
Nunez worked the inner door controls.
20:27
Ready, Commander? I nodded, trying to ignore the
20:30
growing sense of wrongness that had been building since we
20:33
landed. Open it.
20:37
The inner door slid open, revealing A dimly lit corridor
20:41
beyond, and I froze. The layout was exactly as I had
20:47
pictured it. Not just the general design from
20:50
the schematics, but specific details I couldn't possibly have
20:53
known. The slight curve of the corridor
20:56
as it LED toward the main hub. The recessed lighting panels in
21:00
the ceiling, two of which were dark near the junction.
21:04
The access panel on the right wall, with its distinctive
21:07
scratch across the lower corner. It matched the image in my mind
21:12
perfectly, down to the smallest detail.
21:16
But I had never been here before, I couldn't have been,
21:22
And yet somehow I knew this place.
21:27
Commander Martha's voice came through my helmet.
21:30
Calm. Is something wrong?
21:33
I realized I was standing motionless in the airlock
21:36
doorway, blocking the others. No, I said, forcing myself to
21:42
move forward. Everything's fine.
21:44
Let's proceed. But everything wasn't fine.
21:49
As I LED my team into the abandoned outpost, I couldn't
21:52
shake the impossible feeling that I was returning to a place
21:55
I'd been before. I scanned the entry corridor,
21:59
taking in the abandoned outpost. The place looked frozen in time.
22:04
Dust covered equipment, discarded tools, and empty crew
22:08
stations. We need to cover more ground.
22:11
I said, turning to face my team. Their helmet lights bobbed in
22:16
acknowledgement. We'll split up to investigate
22:20
different sections. Troy adjusted something on his
22:24
wrist computer. Makes sense.
22:27
What's the plan, Commander? I pulled up the facility
22:30
schematics on my helmet display. Carmen, you and Troy, check the
22:36
research labs and life support systems.
22:39
See if you can figure out how this place still has power after
22:42
30 years. Carmen nodded.
22:46
I'm particularly interested in the main lab.
22:49
If there was research that could explain the signal.
22:52
Focus on the power systems first.
22:55
I cut in, then the research. We need to understand how
22:59
anything's still running. Got it?
23:02
Troy said, already checking his equipment.
23:06
I turn to Martha and Danny. You 2 head to the communications
23:10
hub. That's likely the source of our
23:13
mystery signal. Document everything, especially
23:17
anything that looks like it's been modified or accessed
23:19
recently. What about you, Commander?
23:24
Danny asked, his security training making him hesitant
23:27
about splitting up. I'll check the command center,
23:31
it should have logs of all facility operations.
23:35
I pointed down the main corridor.
23:38
We'll stay on comms, check insurance every 15 minutes.
23:42
Any problems? We regroup at the airlock
23:44
immediately. Standard protocols apply.
23:49
Danny reminded everyone. Unknown environment, potentially
23:53
compromised systems. Stay alert.
23:57
We synchronized our suit timers for the check insurance, and I
24:01
watched as the two teams headed in opposite directions, their
24:04
lights growing dimmer as they move deeper into the facility.
24:09
Once they disappeared around corners, I started toward the
24:12
command center. The corridors were eerily
24:16
silent, except for the sound of my breathing and the soft hum of
24:20
my suit systems. Emergency lighting cast
24:23
everything in a dull blue glow, creating deep shadows and
24:27
doorways and recessed areas. I followed the main corridor,
24:32
checking my position against the schematic.
24:35
Something moved in my peripheral vision.
24:38
I turned sharply, suit lights illuminating an empty corridor
24:42
junction. Nothing there, just dust
24:46
particles floating in my light beam.
24:49
Getting jumpy. I muttered to myself, continuing
24:53
forward. The command center was located
24:57
in the central hub of the facility, accessible through a
25:00
series of progressively narrower corridors.
25:04
As I walked, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.
25:09
Twice more, I caught what seemed like movement just at the edge
25:13
of my vision, but each time I turned, I found empty space.
25:19
Medina to Commander Carmen's voice came through my helmet,
25:23
calm, making me flinch. Go ahead, I replied, steadying
25:28
my breathing. We've reached the life support
25:31
section. Troy's checking the Power
25:34
Distribution now. The main systems are in standby
25:37
mode, but they're definitely operational.
25:40
How is that possible? I asked.
25:43
Troy's voice cut in. That's the weird part.
25:47
The solar array connections show signs of recent maintenance.
25:51
Someone's been keeping them functioning.
25:54
That didn't make sense. Recent as in years or days?
25:59
Recent as in months, maybe weeks, Troy replied.
26:03
I'm running diagnostics now. Keep me posted.
26:07
I said Burgess Patel status. We're at the communications hub,
26:13
Martha reported. Everything's powered up but in
26:17
low energy mode. The system logs show the
26:20
transmission began exactly 3 days ago, just like we were
26:24
told. Any sign of what triggered it?
26:28
Not yet, she answered. But Commander, the system's been
26:32
regularly maintained. The software has been updated
26:36
multiple times over the years. Last update time stamp is from 8
26:40
months ago. I stopped walking.
26:44
That's impossible. This facility was abandoned 30
26:47
years ago. The logs don't lie, Martha said.
26:53
Someone's been here recently. I continued toward the command
26:57
center, processing this information.
27:01
All teams, stay alert. We're not alone here.
27:03
Or at least we haven't been. I reached a set of pressure
27:08
doors marked Command CENTER in faded lettering.
27:13
The access panel glowed faintly, indicating power.
27:17
I placed my hand on the scanner, not expecting anything, but the
27:22
doors slid open with a hiss of equalizing pressure.
27:27
The command center was a circular room with workstations
27:30
arranged in concentric rings around a central holographic
27:33
projector. Dust covered every surface, but
27:37
several monitors flickered with dim light.
27:40
I moved to the main console and wiped away a thick layer of
27:44
dust. The screen beneath brightened at
27:47
my touch, displaying a message. Protocol Echo initiated status
27:52
active convergence imminent. What the hell is Protocol Echo?
27:58
I muttered, searching through the system menus.
28:02
The computer responded sluggishly, many of the files
28:05
corrupted or access restricted. I keyed my Calm team check in.
28:12
Anyone find references to something called Protocol Echo?
28:16
Nothing in the labs, Carmen replied.
28:21
Nothing in communications logs, Martha said.
28:24
But wait, the transmission that brought us here, it's repeating
28:29
a pattern. I didn't see it before.
28:32
It's the letter E in old Morse code, over and over.
28:36
E for echo, I said. Commander Troy's voice came
28:42
through with a hint of concern. The power usage just spiked
28:46
throughout the facility. Whatever's running is drawing
28:49
more energy now. As if responding to his words,
28:54
the lights in the command center flickered.
28:57
The central holographic projector sputtered to life,
29:00
casting ghostly blue light across the room.
29:04
And that's when I saw him. A young boy, maybe eight or nine
29:08
years old, standing in the doorway.
29:11
He wore a standard issue jumpsuit, too large for a small
29:15
frame. The name Patch read.
29:17
Walker. I blinked, certain I was seeing
29:21
things, but he remained watching me with an unnerving stillness.
29:27
Hello. I said, my voice sounding
29:30
strange even to myself. The boy didn't respond.
29:34
He just stared, his expression unreadable.
29:39
How did you get here? I asked, taking a step toward
29:42
him. The lights flickered again and
29:45
the boy turned away, walking into the corridor.
29:49
Wait. I called out, moving quickly to
29:52
follow him. I stepped into the corridor just
29:55
in time to see him turn a corner.
29:58
I followed, my mind racing with impossible questions.
30:03
A child here after 30 years. Team, this is Moreno, I said
30:11
into my calm. I've just encountered someone, a
30:16
child. I'm pursuing Static, answered
30:19
me. Repeat, this is Commander
30:21
Moreno. Does anyone copy?
30:24
More Static. The boy led me through corridors
30:28
that twisted in ways that didn't match the schematics I'd
30:30
memorized. We passed junctions and rooms I
30:34
couldn't reconcile with the facility layout.
30:37
My suit compass spun uselessly, and the positioning system
30:40
showed conflicting readings. I lost sight of him twice, only
30:45
to find him waiting patiently at the next intersection, as if
30:49
ensuring I followed. He never spoke, never
30:53
acknowledged my calls. The corridors narrowed, the
30:57
emergency lighting dimmer. Here, I realized, we'd entered a
31:01
section that hadn't appeared on any of the schematics, A wing of
31:05
the facility that officially didn't exist.
31:09
Who are you? I called out, my voice echoing
31:12
in the empty corridor. What is this place?
31:17
The boy stopped before a heavy door marked with warning symbols
31:21
and the words PROJECT ECHO Authorized personnel only.
31:27
He pointed at the door, then at me.
31:31
You want me to go in there? I asked.
31:34
He nodded the first response he'd given me.
31:38
I approached the door cautiously.
31:40
The access panel required security clearance I shouldn't
31:43
have had yet. When I placed my hand on the
31:47
scanner, the panel turned green. The massive door slid open with
31:52
a groan of disused mechanisms. The room beyond was enormous,
31:59
far larger than should have been possible given the facilities
32:02
dimensions. In the center stood a massive
32:05
device consisting of concentric rings suspended within each
32:09
other, surrounded by equipment I didn't recognize.
32:13
The walls were covered in markings, symbols that weren't
32:17
any language I knew, arranged in patterns that somehow hurt to
32:21
look at directly. The boy walked past me into the
32:25
room, pointing insistently at a control panel that lit up as I
32:29
approached. The interface was unlike
32:32
anything I'd seen in NASA technology, more advanced,
32:35
almost organic in its design. The panel activated fully as I
32:40
stood before it, displaying a single pulsing icon.
32:45
What is this place? I asked the silent boy.
32:49
What are you trying to show me? He just pointed at the panel
32:53
again, his eyes now reflecting an urgency that hadn't been
32:57
there before. The control panel hummed under
33:00
my hand, the icon pulsing faster, as if responding to my
33:05
presence. I reached out and pressed the
33:08
pulsing icon. The panel hummed, then clicked.
33:13
A video screen appeared, floating in the air above the
33:16
control panel. Static at first, then clearing
33:21
log entry 947, a voice said. Commander Cody Moreno, Artemis 7
33:29
My hand froze above the controls.
33:31
The video quality wasn't great, had that grainy look of old
33:34
recordings, but there was no mistaking the face on screen.
33:39
It was my father. No, that wasn't right.
33:43
It was me. Same face, same eyes, maybe a
33:47
bit more tired around the edges, but it was my face staring back
33:51
at me. I stepped back.
33:54
What the hell? The recording continued, my
33:57
father's voice echoing in the cavernous room.
34:01
We've managed to stabilize the energy signature.
34:04
The entity, if that's what it is, seems to respond to human
34:08
presence. Not just any presence.
34:11
Mine, specifically. I glanced at the boy, who stood
34:15
perfectly still, watching me watch the recording.
34:19
My father looked exhausted in the video, dark circles under
34:23
his eyes, stubble on his chin. The time stamps show this was
34:28
recorded two weeks before his official death date.
34:31
The entity communicates in ways we don't fully understand, he
34:35
continued. It exists outside our perception
34:39
of time. It shows me things, past and
34:42
future events simultaneously. I've seen Jim, my son.
34:49
He paused, rubbing his face. He's here on the moon, but he's
34:55
older, much older. My stomach dropped.
34:59
This didn't make sense. My father died in a training
35:03
accident. That's what they told us.
35:06
That's what I believed for 15 years.
35:10
I think whatever's down there beneath the lunar surface, it's
35:14
been trying to communicate across time, and somehow Jim is
35:18
connected to it. Maybe he always has been.
35:23
The boy stepped closer to me, his eyes fixed on the screen.
35:28
Director Franklin wants to shut this down, says it's too
35:31
dangerous. My father laughed bitterly.
35:35
She doesn't understand what we found, what it could mean.
35:39
I turned to the boy. Who are you?
35:42
What is this? For the first time since I'd
35:45
seen him, the boy spoke. His voice was odd, not quite a
35:51
child's voice, something older behind it.
35:54
Cody knew you would come back, he said simply back.
36:00
I've never been here before. But even as I said it, I knew it
36:04
wasn't entirely true. The familiarity I'd felt since
36:08
arriving. It wasn't deja vu, it was
36:11
recognition. You have always been here, the
36:15
boy said. And you have never been here.
36:19
The facility suddenly shuddered. A deep vibration ran through the
36:22
floor, up my legs. Dust fell from the ceiling.
36:27
My calm crackled to life. Danny's voice tense and urgent.
36:33
Commander, something's happening.
36:35
The outposts power systems are spiking.
36:38
I'm getting readings off the charts.
36:40
Another tremor, stronger this time.
36:43
Equipment rattled on shelves. Warning lights began flashing
36:47
around the room. Danny, what's our status?
36:50
I said, already moving toward the door.
36:53
Not good, Sir. Energy readings are climbing.
36:56
The systems weren't designed to handle this kind of load.
36:59
I've lost contact with Earth. Interference is too strong.
37:04
The boy didn't move, just watched me with those unnerving
37:07
eyes. Where are the others?
37:10
I asked. Danny, Carmen and Troy are
37:13
heading back to the airlock. Martha's with them.
37:17
The facility rocked again. An alarm started blaring, high
37:21
pitched, insistent everyone evacuate to the Lander.
37:25
I ordered. I'm on my way.
37:28
I turned to leave, but the boy was suddenly in front of me,
37:32
blocking the doorway. I don't know how he moved so
37:36
fast. You can't leave, he said.
37:39
Not yet. Listen, kid, or whatever you
37:42
are, this place is coming apart. We need to go.
37:48
He shook his head. You must complete the cycle.
37:52
What cycle? What are you talking about?
37:56
Instead of answering, he pointed to the center of the room, to
38:00
the platform surrounded by those concentric rings.
38:03
Stand there, he said, where your father stood.
38:08
Another violent tremor nearly knocked me off my feet.
38:12
The alarm changed pitch, becoming more urgent.
38:15
Commander Carmen's voice now the reactor's approaching critical
38:20
levels. We need to go now.
38:23
Every instinct told me to run, to get back to the Lander, to
38:27
get my team off this rock. But something else, something
38:32
deeper, kept me rooted. What happens if I stand there?
38:37
I asked the boy. You'll understand.
38:41
Understand what? Everything.
38:45
The facility shuttered again. A panel exploded on the far
38:49
wall, sparks cascading to the floor.
38:53
Jim, Carmen again. We're at the airlock.
38:58
Where are you? I looked at the boy, then at the
39:02
central platform. This was crazy.
39:05
I needed to get out, but I took a step toward the platform.
39:11
I'll be right there, I told Carmen.
39:14
Get everyone in the Lander. Be ready for immediate launch if
39:17
necessary. Another tremor, stronger than
39:21
the others. I staggered, but kept my
39:23
footing. The boy hadn't moved, still
39:27
blocking the exit, still watching me with those ancient
39:30
eyes in a child's face. Jim, Danny.
39:34
This time the structural integrity is failing.
39:38
We've got maybe 10 minutes before this whole place
39:41
collapses. I looked at the platform again.
39:44
Something about it pulled at me, like a memory I couldn't quite
39:48
grasp. Damn it.
39:51
I muttered and stepped onto the platform.
39:55
For a second, nothing happened. Then the rings surrounding the
39:59
platform began to move. Slowly at first, then faster,
40:04
rotating around me in different directions.
40:07
Energy crackled between them, blue white arcs jumping from
40:10
ring to ring. The boy smiled.
40:14
Actually smiled now you'll see. The energy built, humming
40:20
through the platform beneath my feet.
40:22
It travelled up my legs, through my body.
40:26
Not painful, but intense, like every cell was vibrating at a
40:32
different frequency. And then the visions hit me.
40:36
My father, younger than I'd ever known him, standing in this
40:39
exact spot, his face twisted in shock as the rings activated for
40:44
the first time. The entity, A presence rather
40:48
than a form, dwelling in the lunar bedrock for millennia
40:53
ancient beyond human comprehension.
40:56
My father again, night after night, returning to this
41:00
chamber, communicating with the entity, learning its language of
41:05
images and sensations rather than words.
41:09
The entities showing him glimpses across time, past,
41:12
present, future, all at once. Overwhelming at first, then
41:17
gradually making sense. Me as a child, drawing pictures
41:22
of a place I'd never been, a circular room with rings, a boy
41:27
standing in shadows. My father looking at those
41:31
drawings with a mix of fear and understanding.
41:35
Director Franklin ordering the facility shut down when my
41:38
father tried to explain what he'd found.
41:41
The argument, the threats, my father's decision to stay behind
41:45
when everyone else left to continue his work in secret.
41:51
The visions came faster now, years compressed into seconds.
41:56
My father, growing older in this abandoned outpost, maintaining
42:00
it alone. The entity sustaining him,
42:03
somehow keeping the systems running long after they should
42:06
have failed. His death, not in a training
42:09
accident, as I've been told, but here, on this platform.
42:15
His final moment spent leaving messages for me, knowing I would
42:19
come someday. The images stopped abruptly.
42:23
I gasped, nearly fell. The rings were spinning so fast
42:27
now they were just blurs around me.
42:30
Do you understand now? The boy asked.
42:34
You're not a boy, I said, my voice shaking.
42:38
You're the entity. You've been here all along.
42:42
He nodded. I have existed in many forms.
42:47
This one seemed least frightening to you.
42:49
The transmission. I said.
42:52
You sent it. Yes.
42:54
It was time. Time for what?
42:58
Another violent tremor rocked the facility.
43:01
Part of the ceiling collapsed at the far end of the room.
43:05
Commander Carmen's voice was frantic.
43:07
Now the reactor's gone critical. We have minutes at most.
43:13
The boy, The entity stepped closer to the platform.
43:18
Time to break the cycle, Jim Moreno.
43:20
What cycle? For 30 years, I have waited.
43:25
Showing your father glimpses of you.
43:27
Showing you glimpses of this place in your dreams.
43:30
The circle must be closed. I understood suddenly.
43:36
You brought me here to finish what he started?
43:39
No. The entity shook its head.
43:43
I brought you here to end what he started.
43:46
My calm crackled again. Jim, it was Carmen.
43:51
The reactor's going to blow. We need to launch now.
43:55
The entity's eyes met mine. Your father discovered me by
43:59
accident. He couldn't let go, couldn't
44:02
stop trying to understand. He became trapped in the cycle
44:06
between what was and what might be.
44:10
And me. What am I supposed to do?
44:14
Destroy this place completely? The connection must be severed.
44:20
Another section of ceiling crashed down.
44:23
The rings were spinning so fast now they were almost invisible.
44:28
How you already know the reactor, let it overload, the
44:32
explosion will be enough. I stepped off the platform and
44:36
the ring slowed immediately. If I do that, you'll die.
44:41
The entity smiled again, but sadly, this time I cannot die.
44:47
I will simply change, return to what I was before your kind
44:51
found me. Jim Carmen again.
44:55
We're launching in 2 minutes, with or without you.
44:59
I looked at the entity one last time.
45:02
Why me? Why not just let this place fall
45:05
apart on its own? Because you needed to know the
45:08
truth about your father, about yourself.
45:12
The entities form flickered, becoming less solid.
45:17
The cycle ends with you, Jim Moreno.
45:20
The facility gave another violent shudder.
45:23
Warning lights flashed everywhere now.
45:26
I turned and ran for the door, not looking back.
45:30
I'll see you at the Lander. I told Carmen through the calm.
45:34
Start the launch sequence. I ran down the corridor, alarms
45:39
blaring all around me. Red emergency lights flashed,
45:43
making the shadows jump and dance on the walls.
45:46
The whole place was coming apart.
45:50
Carmen, do you copy? I shouted into my calm.
45:54
Her voice came back broken by static.
45:58
Jim, where are you? We're at the airlock on my way.
46:03
2 minutes. I checked the timer on my wrist
46:06
display. The self destruct sequence I
46:09
just activated gave us exactly 8 minutes to clear the facility
46:13
and get airborne. Not much time.
46:17
I took a sharp right at the next junction, my boots sliding on
46:20
the metal floor. This part of the outpost I
46:24
actually did remember from the schematics. 3 more turns and I'd
46:29
be at the main corridor that led to the airlock.
46:33
The floor beneath me shuttered. A deep mechanical groan echoed
46:38
through the structure, the sound of 30 year old systems preparing
46:42
to overload. Dust and small fragments of
46:45
ceiling material rained down. Jim, it was Troy this time.
46:52
Whatever you did in there, this whole place is going critical.
46:56
Reactors spiking off the charts. That's the point, I said,
47:01
ducking under a partially collapsed ceiling panel.
47:04
Don't wait for me. Start prep for immediate launch.
47:09
We're not leaving with. That's an order, Nunez.
47:13
I picked up my pace, ignoring the burning in my lungs.
47:18
Another violent shake nearly knocked me off my feet.
47:22
A pipe burst somewhere nearby, sending a cloud of steam hissing
47:27
into the corridor. The final turn came up and I
47:31
spotted the airlock at the far end, about 50 yards away.
47:35
Through the small viewport I could see my team inside, suited
47:39
up and ready. Carmen was standing by the inner
47:43
door, watching for me. I sprinted the final stretch as
47:48
another tremor hit. This one's strong enough to
47:51
crack the floor panels. The lights flickered, went out,
47:56
then came back on at 1/2 strength. 5 minutes to critical.
48:02
Danny's voice came through the calm from the Lander.
48:05
Whatever you're doing, do it faster.
48:08
I reached the airlock and slammed my palm against the
48:11
entry panel. The door hissed open and I
48:14
practically fell inside. Carmen grabbed my arm to steady
48:18
me. What the hell happened in there?
48:22
She demanded, already helping me into my Eva suit.
48:26
No time. I gasped, struggling to catch my
48:29
breath. Suit up, get out now.
48:33
Troy and Martha were already fully suited.
48:36
They moved to help me, their hands working quickly to secure
48:39
my helmet and check my seals. Did you find what was sending
48:43
the signal? Martha asked.
48:46
I nodded as I pulled my gloves on.
48:49
Found it. Found a lot more than that.
48:52
I'll explain once we're airborne.
48:55
The outpost gave another violent shake.
48:58
Alarms changed pitch, becoming more urgent.
49:01
That's the secondary systems failing.
49:04
Troy said, checking his tablet. Primaries next, then boom.
49:09
Carmen finished sealing my suit and did a rapid pressure check.
49:13
You're good, let's move. We cycled through the airlock in
49:17
record time, the decontamination sequence bypassed by the
49:21
emergency override. Once outside, we moved as fast
49:25
as our bulky suits would allow across the lunar surface,
49:29
bounding in the low gravity toward the waiting Lander.
49:32
Danny had the Hatch open and the engines already warming up.
49:36
I could see the blue glow of the thrusters as we approached. 4
49:41
minutes. He called out as we reached the
49:43
Lander. We climbed in one by one, Carmen
49:47
first, then Martha, Troy, and finally me.
49:52
Danny sealed the Hatch behind us.
49:55
Strapped in now. I ordered, moving to the pilot's
49:59
seat. Everyone scrambled to their
50:01
positions. I dropped into the pilot's chair
50:04
and started flipping switches, bringing the main engines
50:07
online. The control panel lit up green
50:10
across the board. Launch sequence initiated.
50:13
I announced. 3 minutes to get clear.
50:17
The Lander vibrated as the engines fired up to full power.
50:22
Through the viewport I could see the abandoned outpost, its
50:26
exterior still looking deceptively intact despite the
50:29
chaos happening inside. Reactor containment failing.
50:34
Troy reported from his station, eyes on the scanner.
50:38
We need to move now, Commander, hang on.
50:42
I pushed the throttle forward. The Lander lifted off the lunar
50:46
surface, kicking up a cloud of grey dust.
50:49
We rose steadily, the outpost shrinking beneath US. 1000 feet.
50:54
I called out. 2000 at 3000 feet. Troy spoke up again.
51:02
Should be high enough to avoid debris, but we need more
51:05
distance. I pushed the engines harder,
51:09
sending us moving laterally away from the outpost.
51:13
The moon's surface slid beneath us, a barren landscape of
51:16
craters and dust. What exactly did you do down
51:21
there? Troy asked, his eyes not leaving
51:24
his instruments. Later.
51:27
I said, focused on the controls. Everyone, brace.
51:32
The timer on my wrist hit zero just as I was about to say
51:35
something else. For a moment, nothing happened.
51:41
Then a flash of light erupted from the outpost so bright it
51:45
momentarily whited out the viewport.
51:48
The shockwave hit us a second later.
51:51
Even at our altitude and distance, it rocked the Lander
51:54
violently. Warning lights flashed across my
51:58
console, but nothing critical. Status.
52:02
I called out all systems operational.
52:06
Danny reported minor thruster fluctuation.
52:09
Correcting now, everyone OK? A chorus of affirmatives came
52:14
back. I adjusted our position,
52:18
bringing us around in a wide arc to view what remained of Artemis
52:22
7. Where the outpost had stood was
52:25
now a fresh crater, still glowing with residual heat.
52:30
Debris was scattered across the lunar surface for hundreds of
52:33
yards in all directions. The facility was completely
52:37
gone. My God, Martha whispered.
52:42
It's just gone. I stared at the destruction
52:47
below, feeling a strange mix of relief and sadness.
52:51
The entity had gotten what it wanted.
52:53
The cycle was broken, Commander Carmen said quietly from beside
52:59
me. What happened down there?
53:02
I took a deep breath. Set course for orbital
53:06
rendezvous with Orion. I'll explain everything once
53:10
we're on our way home. The journey back to Earth took
53:14
three days, just as our trip to the Moon had.
53:18
But this time the atmosphere on board was completely different.
53:23
Instead of anticipation, there was confusion and disbelief as I
53:27
recounted what I discovered. We sat in the main cabin of
53:32
Orion Dwell, floating in the weightlessness of space.
53:36
Earth was growing larger in the viewport with each passing hour.
53:41
So you're saying this entity has been living under the lunar
53:46
surface for who knows how long? Danny asked, his face skeptical.
53:53
I nodded. That's what it showed me and
53:57
what my father discovered 30 years ago.
54:00
And it communicates across time. Martha shook her head.
54:05
That's impossible. I saw it happen.
54:08
I insisted. It showed me things.
54:11
Past, present, future, all at once.
54:14
It showed me my father's work, how he stayed behind when
54:18
everyone else left. Troy frowned.
54:22
But your father died in a training accident on Earth.
54:25
That's what the records show. The records are wrong.
54:29
I said. Director Franklin covered it up.
54:33
My father never left Artemis 7. He stayed to study the entity
54:37
until he died alone up there. Carmen, who had been quiet for
54:42
most of my explanation, finally spoke.
54:46
The transmission that brought us here.
54:49
You're saying the entity sent it?
54:51
Yes. It needed me.
54:53
Specifically needed a Moreno to end what my father started.
54:59
I looked out at the stars. It was trapped in some kind of
55:03
loop with my father, connected to him across time, showing him
55:07
glimpses of the future, the past.
55:11
My father became obsessed with understanding.
55:13
It couldn't let it go, and it couldn't let him go either.
55:18
Carmen said softly. Exactly.
55:21
But it knew I would come eventually.
55:24
It had seen me there, in its future.
55:27
I ran a hand through my hair. The boy I saw that was the
55:32
entity taking a form it thought I would respond to.
55:37
And the only way to break this connection was to destroy the
55:41
facility? Troy asked.
55:44
I nodded. The device my father built
55:48
amplified whatever natural abilities the entity had.
55:52
Destroying it was the only way to sever the connection
55:55
completely. Martha looked troubled.
55:59
Do you think it survived? It said it couldn't die, just
56:02
change, go back to what it was before humans found it.
56:08
I shrugged. Whatever that means.
56:11
Danny still looked unconvinced. This all sounds crazy, you know
56:16
that, right? Time communicating aliens, your
56:19
father living secretly on the moon for years.
56:23
I know how it sounds, I admitted.
56:27
But I downloaded data from the command center before we left.
56:30
My father's logs, the project files, it's all there.
56:35
We fell silent for a while, each lost in our own thoughts as
56:39
Earth grew larger in our viewport.
56:42
Director Franklin isn't going to like this, Troy finally said.
56:47
I gave a humorless laugh. No, she's not.
56:51
And she didn't. When we returned to Earth and I
56:55
presented my findings in the debriefing room, Director
56:58
Franklin's face grew progressively stonier.
57:02
Commander Moreno, she said after I'd finished my report.
57:07
You realize what you're suggesting violates every
57:10
protocol NASA has established. If what you say is true, your
57:15
father deliberately disobeyed direct orders and remained on
57:18
Artemis 7 without authorization. The evidence is all there, I
57:23
said, pointing to the data drive on the table between us.
57:27
His logs, the project files, everything.
57:31
She picked up the drive, turning it over in her fingers.
57:36
And you destroyed a multi billion dollar facility based on
57:40
the instructions of an alleged alien entity.
57:45
I destroyed it because it was about to explode anyway, I
57:49
countered. The entity had been manipulating
57:52
the systems for years, building up to this moment.
57:56
It needed to end. Franklin sighed, looking
58:00
suddenly tired. I'll review the data.
58:05
Until then, this debriefing and all findings are classified at
58:09
the highest level. No one discusses this with
58:12
anyone. My team nodded their agreement,
58:15
though I could see the questions still burning in their eyes.
58:19
Three months passed. NASA released an official
58:22
statement claiming Artemis 7 had suffered A catastrophic systems
58:26
failure due to its age, and that our mission had been to retrieve
58:29
data before such an event occurred.
58:32
The public bought it. Why wouldn't they?
58:36
I was placed on administrative leave, ostensibly for recovery
58:40
time after the mission. I knew it was really to keep me
58:44
away from the press while they figured out what to do with me.
58:49
Then one day, a Courier arrived at my apartment with a box.
58:53
Inside were my father's personal effects from his office at NASA,
58:58
things that had been in storage since his death 15 years ago.
59:03
Among them was a journal I'd never seen before.
59:06
Its pages were filled with sketches of the strange symbols
59:09
I'd seen in the chamber, along with notes about temporal echoes
59:14
and non linear communication. The final entry dated just days
59:20
before the facility was supposedly abandoned.
59:22
Red. I've seen him again.
59:26
Jim, Grown up standing where I stand now.
59:30
The entity shows him to me more clearly each time.
59:34
He will come here someday. I'm certain of it now.
59:38
And when he does, he'll need to understand.
59:41
He'll need to break the cycle I've created.
59:44
I've tried to leave him clues, bread crumbs to follow.
59:48
I hope it's enough. I hope he forgives me.
59:53
That night, I stood at my apartment window, looking up at
59:56
the moon barely visible through the city lights.
1:00:00
I thought about my father, alone up there for all those years,
1:00:04
talking to an entity that showed him glimpses of me.
1:00:08
I understood now what the entity had been trying to do.
1:00:11
It wasn't malevolent. It was trapped, just as my
1:00:15
father had been trapped. Time communication was its only
1:00:20
language, and it had used that language to engineer its own
1:00:23
freedom.