The bridge of Sector Zero filled with a quiet tension as the alien signal continued to stream through the comms panel—patterns of light and sound dancing across the holo-displays in rhythm with something far beyond human comprehension.
Lan had isolated the frequency, but decoding it was another matter. "This isn't a language we know," she muttered. "Not human, not any known galactic dialect. It's… something else. But it's structured. Intelligent."
Nam stared at the repeating patterns. His instincts screamed that this was more than a message—it was a test.
"They knew we'd hear it," he said. "They've been waiting."
Lan looked up. "For us?"
"For anyone who could open the Rift… and survive it."
Suddenly, the lights flickered. The station trembled—not from damage, but from something internal. The alien transmission began to resonate within the core systems of Sector Zero, activating subroutines that had been dormant for centuries.
"System override detected," the station's AI warned. "Unknown protocol initiated. Rebuilding interface..."
A new display shimmered into view, circular glyphs spinning into formation, assembling into what looked like a star map—except the stars were shifting, flickering in and out of existence like memories being restored.
Nam reached for the console, but the interface responded before he touched it, pulsing gently.
"It's alive," Lan whispered.
"No," Nam said, a chill creeping down his spine. "It's aware."
Across the galaxy, chaos spread. The Reclaimer Protocol had awakened more than just Sector Zero. Deep beneath forgotten moons, ancient Earth outposts began transmitting. Buried AI systems sparked to life. Obsolete satellites realigned. Someone—something—was pulling humanity's lost technologies back into the light.
Back on Nemesis, General Hoàng watched the events unfold in rage and awe. "He's forcing our hand," he growled. "If he thinks he can control this, he's wrong."
"We're receiving... invitations," the comms officer said, pale. "Coordinates. From the system beyond the Rift."
"They're calling him," Hoàng muttered. "And he's going to answer."
At Sector Zero, Lan finally cracked part of the code.
"It's not just a message," she said breathlessly. "It's... a star route. A path."
Nam's gaze hardened. "Then we follow it."
Lan hesitated. "Nam, we don't know what's out there."
He turned to her, resolve written across his face. "We've come this far. We opened the door. We owe it to the universe—and to ourselves—to see what's on the other side."
Lan nodded, her voice soft. "Then let's go see who's been listening in the dark."
As Sector Zero shifted into interdimensional alignment, the ship's engines began to hum—no longer just a machine of science, but now a vessel bound for the unknown.
The silence of the universe had ended.
And the response had just begun.