A Sci-Fi Fiction Series by Anupam

Date: September 6, 2025 Location: En route to Kepler-1128b aboard Odyssey

I. The Arrival

The Odyssey dropped out of quantum slipstream at 04:12 UTC. Kepler-1128b loomed ahead—dark, cratered, and silent. No cities. No lights. No signs of civilization. Yet the signal pulsed stronger than ever.

“We are dying. Help us.”

Commander Mira Stanton stood at the observation deck, her breath fogging the glass. Dr. Adrian Malik joined her, eyes locked on the planet.

“It’s colder than expected,” Mira said. Malik nodded. “And quieter.”

II. The Descent

The crew boarded the lander—Echo One—and began descent.

Dr. Lena Cho monitored atmospheric readings. “Trace oxygen. No radiation. But… there’s something off.”

Lt. Naomi Reyes scanned the terrain. “Looks abandoned. But not ancient. Like someone left… yesterday.”

As they touched down, the signal changed.

“Adrian… come alone.”

Malik’s blood ran cold.

III. The Structure

They found it 3.2 km from the landing site: a dome-like structure half-buried in ice. Smooth. Metallic. Not alien—but not Earth-made either.

Inside, the air was breathable. The walls pulsed faintly with light. And in the center stood a chair. Empty.

Then a voice echoed through the chamber:

“You came.”

IV. The Encounter

Malik stepped forward. A holographic figure flickered into view—female, translucent, familiar.

“Eliza?” he whispered.

The figure nodded. “A version of me. What’s left.”

She explained:

• A failed Mars mission had triggered a quantum echo.
• Her consciousness was copied—fragmented—and pulled across space.
• Kepler-1128b became a receiver. A prison. A mirror.

“I remember Earth,” she said. “But I am not her.”

V. The Warning

As Malik reached out, the lights dimmed. The hologram distorted.

“They’re listening.”

“Who?” Mira asked.

“The ones who built this. They mimic. They learn. They want Earth.”

Suddenly, the signal spiked. The dome shook. Outside, the lander’s systems began to fail.

Lt. Reyes shouted, “We’re being jammed!”

VI. The Decision

Mira turned to Malik. “Is she real?”

Malik hesitated. “She’s… a memory. But the danger is real.”

The crew scrambled to extract data. Cho downloaded the hologram’s code. Patel collected samples from the walls.

Then the voice returned:

“You must leave. Now.”

VII. The Escape

As the crew raced back to Echo One, the dome collapsed behind them. A pulse of energy surged across the ice. The signal stopped.

Back aboard Odyssey, Mira reviewed the data. The hologram’s final message played:

“They will send another signal. It will sound familiar. Do not answer.”

VIII. Closing Scene

Earth received a new transmission. Different voice. Same coordinates.

“We are dying. Help us.”

Mira stared at the screen. Malik whispered, “It’s starting again.”

Next: Episode 3 – The Mirror Protocol Earth prepares a defense. The crew decodes the hologram. And the mimicry begins.