Chapter 23 – The Final Transmission
The world unites in anticipation as humanity’s three Mars probes make their journey toward the red planet. Elena Park and her team monitor each carefully—until, one by one, they vanish from telemetry without warning. The pattern is unmistakable. Something near Mars has destroyed them.
At the same time, the ATLAS deep-space network detects a massive anomaly inbound from the direction of Mars. Three colossal vessels emerge from the void—one nearly two kilometers across, accompanied by two smaller, elongated warships. Humanity holds its breath. Elena briefs the President: this could be an invasion.
Then, the lead vessel shifts course—toward the Moon. Observatories across the world capture breathtaking images as it decelerates into lunar orbit, followed by the other two leviathans. From the largest ship, multiple colony modules descend to the surface, spreading across the barren terrain.
During a tense briefing, the long-awaited message arrives—broadcast simultaneously across every frequency and platform. A single alien voice speaks with countless overlapping tones, translated into all human languages:
“We are the Acheli. We have taken control of this star system and continue to expand our reach. At this moment, your species is not a threat. We will not interfere—but you will remain confined to your world. Any vessels you launch beyond it will be eliminated. We defend this system from all external threats. You will be protected, as long as you remain.”
Relief mingles with despair. Humanity is spared—but imprisoned. Elena gazes up at the night sky, knowing Earth has become a sanctuary and a cage. For now, the Acheli have spoken. The stars are no longer ours.