The stars above the Solace Rift sparkled like broken glass—sharp, uneven, but beautiful. Captain Lyra Blackwood stood alone on the observation deck of the UGC Sentinel, staring at the cosmic scar that had haunted her for ten years.
This was not a black hole or nebula. The Rift was different—an area of warped space-time, filled with the sound of different realities mixing together. To many, it was a puzzle. To Lyra, it was a grave.
When they first experimented with the Rift, her sister, Aria, was lost. Lyra had been seventeen. One moment, Aria was with her in the lab, laughing while they worked on the equipment. The next, there was a flash of light, a scream—and then silence. They never found Aria's body. Officially, she had died in an accident.
But deep down, Lyra never accepted that.
Over the years, Lyra buried her sadness beneath discipline and determination. She quickly climbed the ranks in the UGC, driven by her need to understand what happened. She became a pilot, then a captain, and eventually someone trusted to explore the edges of the multiverse.
Yet, the Rift was still there. Always watching. Always waiting.
Her wrist comm beeped. She kept her gaze on the Rift.
[Incoming Transmission: Admiral Cevik]
She answered the call. A blue hologram of the admiral appeared next to her.
"Captain Blackwood," Cevik said, folding his arms. His tone was serious but kind. "We have a situation. You're being reassigned."
Lyra stayed still. "Another anomaly?"
"Worse. A new cluster. Signatures we've never seen before. Located just beyond Sector Theta-9. Unstable. Highly reactive. Possibly intelligent."
Her eyes narrowed. "And you want me to lead the mission."
"You're the best, Lyra. This one is different. The science division thinks it's linked to the original Rift event."
Lyra turned to him, his words echoing in her mind. Connected to Aria.
"I'll take it," she said.
Cevik nodded, not surprised. "Report to the Valkyrie. Departure is in forty-eight hours. Your team is being put together. And Lyra—"
She raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever is out there isn't just another mission. Stay sharp."
The hologram disappeared. Silence returned, except for the soft hum of the station.
Lyra stepped closer to the window, pressing her hand against the thick glass. The Rift pulsed lightly, like a whisper from another world.
"I'm coming," she murmured.
The stars didn't respond. But deep within the Rift, something was moving.