Robyn Michaels
The Sunchaser descended into the thick, roiling clouds of Aquila-9, a waterworld whose turbulent oceans churned with storms the size of continents. The planet’s relentless waves crashed against the ruins of an ancient civilization submerged beneath its surface, where the final resonator beacon awaited.
Aline Greaves stared at the viewport, her sharp gaze fixed on the chaotic seas below. The Quantum Maelstrom loomed on the horizon, a swirling mass of destruction creeping closer with every passing moment.
“We’ve got two hours—tops—before the Maelstrom hits this system,” Jessa Quinn reported from the console. “If we don’t activate that beacon, we’re toast.”
Harlan Vesh adjusted his gear, a grim expression on his face. “Underwater missions. My favourite.”
“Better than spacewalks,” Aline said, her tone clipped. “At least you can swim.”
“Assuming the local fauna doesn’t eat us first,” Jessa muttered, pointing at the sensor readouts. “The oceans are teeming with lifeforms, and most of them are big enough to swallow the Sunchaser whole.”
“Cheery as ever,” Harlan quipped.
“Focus,” Aline snapped. “This is our last shot. If the beacon’s damaged, we’ll need to repair it. If it’s functional, we’ll need to shield it from whatever’s down there. Either way, we get it online, or we all die. Understood?”
The crew nodded, and the Sunchaser plunged into the waves, its reinforced hull groaning under the pressure as it descended into the depths.
The beacon was located within a colossal undersea structure, its spire jutting out from the seabed like a jagged tooth. As the ship approached, Aline could see the telltale glow of inertium veins crisscrossing its surface, their light flickering erratically.
“Looks damaged,” Jessa said, scanning the beacon. “We’re going to need to get up close.”
The crew suited up in reinforced dive gear, their helmets equipped with HUDs linked to Lyr, the ship’s AI. As they exited the airlock, the crushing weight of the ocean pressed down on them, their suits straining against the immense pressure.
“Stay together,” Aline ordered, her voice steady despite the tension. “No heroics.”
They swam toward the beacon, their lights cutting through the murky water. Strange, bioluminescent creatures darted around them, their movements graceful yet unsettling. The alien architecture of the ruins loomed around them, a haunting reminder of a civilization long gone.
As they reached the base of the beacon, Aline spotted the source of the problem: the inertium core was cracked, its crystalline structure leaking energy into the surrounding water.
“That’s why it’s unstable,” Jessa said, inspecting the core. “If we replace it with a new shard, it should stabilize, but…”
“But what?” Harlan asked, keeping an eye on the shadows.
“The cracks have spread into the beacon’s circuitry,” Jessa replied. “There’s a chance it might overload when we power it up.”
“Chance of failure versus guaranteed annihilation,” Aline said. “We don’t have a choice.”
She pulled out the last shard of inertium from her pack, its glow dim but steady. Carefully, she slid it into place. The beacon shuddered, its light flaring as power surged through it.
“Step back,” Aline warned. “Lyr, monitor the system. Tell me if—”
Her words were cut off as the ground beneath them shook violently. A deep, resonant roar echoed through the water, and the crew turned to see a massive shape emerging from the darkness.
“What is that?” Harlan shouted.
Lyr’s voice crackled in their helmets. “Hostile biological entity detected. Classification: Leviathan. Estimated size: 200 meters.”
“Of course,” Jessa groaned. “Because this wasn’t hard enough already.”
The creature was a nightmare of teeth and tentacles, its glowing eyes fixed on the beacon. It let out another roar, and the water churned as it surged toward them.
Aline acted quickly. “Jessa, stay on the beacon. Keep it stable. Harlan, with me!”
The two of them swam toward the leviathan, their weapons drawn. Aline fired a pulse round, the blast striking the creature’s hide but barely leaving a mark. It turned toward her, its maw opening to reveal rows of serrated teeth.
“Over here, you overgrown calamari!” she shouted, drawing it away from the beacon.
Harlan threw a concussion grenade, the explosion disorienting the leviathan for a moment. But it quickly recovered, its tentacles lashing out with terrifying speed. One of them struck Harlan, sending him spinning through the water.
“I’m fine,” he grunted, regaining his balance. “But this thing’s too tough. What’s the plan?”
Aline glanced at the beacon, its glow growing stronger. “Buy time. That’s the plan.”
They continued to harry the leviathan, dodging its attacks and drawing its attention. Meanwhile, Jessa worked frantically on the beacon, adjusting its settings and stabilizing the inertium core.
“Almost there,” she muttered. “Just a little longer…”
The leviathan let out a deafening roar, its tentacles smashing into the seabed and sending up clouds of silt. One of them wrapped around Aline, squeezing tightly as it dragged her closer to its gaping maw.
“Aline!” Harlan shouted, firing at the creature’s eye.
The shot struck true, and the leviathan released her, thrashing in pain. Aline swam back toward the beacon, her breath ragged.
“Jessa, status!” she called out.
“It’s stabilizing,” Jessa replied, her voice tight with concentration. “But it’s drawing a massive amount of energy. If the core overloads—”
“It won’t,” Aline said firmly. “Keep going.”
The leviathan, enraged, turned its attention back to the beacon. Aline realized with a sinking feeling that it wasn’t just attacking randomly—it was drawn to the inertium’s energy.
“It’s going for the beacon!” she shouted.
Harlan swam forward, planting another grenade near the creature’s head. The explosion stunned it, but only briefly. The leviathan roared and charged toward the beacon, its massive body shattering ancient ruins in its path.
Aline made a split-second decision. “Jessa, get clear. Harlan, follow her.”
“What about you?” Harlan asked, his voice sharp with worry.
“I’m staying,” Aline said, swimming toward the beacon. “I have an idea.”
As the others retreated, Aline accessed the beacon’s control panel, her fingers flying over the alien interface. If she could amplify the inertium’s energy output, it might overload—just enough to drive the leviathan away.
The creature closed in, its glowing eyes fixed on her. Aline took a deep breath, steadying her nerves.
“Come on,” she muttered. “Just a little closer…”
At the last moment, she triggered the overload. The beacon emitted a blinding pulse of energy, the shockwave rippling through the water. The leviathan let out a final, agonized roar before retreating into the darkness.
The beacon’s glow settled into a steady rhythm, its energy stabilizing the surrounding space-time. The Maelstrom, visible even from the ocean depths, began to shrink, its destructive force dissipating.
Aline floated in the water, her body battered but her mission complete. The others swam back to her, relief etched on their faces.
“You’re insane,” Harlan said, helping her back to the ship.
“Maybe,” Aline replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “But it worked.”
Back aboard the Sunchaser, the crew watched as the Maelstrom collapsed, leaving the sector safe once more. Aline leaned against the console, exhaustion written across her face.
“We did it,” Jessa said softly.
Aline nodded. “Yeah. But the Scatterverse isn’t done with us yet.”
The beacon’s activation had sent out a signal—a pulse that echoed across the stars. Somewhere, something ancient and unknown had heard it.
And it was coming.
The End (For Now)
Endless Horizons 