Somewhere far into the galaxy, beyond the remnants of collapsed stars and the ancient silence of dead solar systems, a lone capsule carved its way through the void. It had traveled longer than most civilizations had existed, its origin a mystery lost to time. Once, it was launched from a planet called Earth—a planet now erased from all maps and memories.
Its destination: Helios—a sprawling cybernetic world orbiting the black-star Helion, known across the galaxies for its sentient machine lifeforms and mastery of interstellar technology. The Helian people, advanced beyond comprehension, resembled humans only in shape. They were living constructs—beings of polished alloy, quantum brains, and eternal life cycles. They had charted the veins of the universe, plundered dead galaxies, and established dominion over cosmic territories. But nothing prepared them for what came from that ancient capsule.
Inside Helios Command Tower, deep within the heart of the capital city Stratos-9, alarms screamed to life.
"Unidentified object on approach," a silver-armored radar technician reported. His synthetic voice trembled with rare urgency. "High-speed descent. No response to identification pings. Trajectory locked—impact zone within Sector 14."
General Kael, commander of Helios Defense, narrowed his glowing mechanical eyes. "Any signature readings?"
"Minimal," came the reply. "One lifeform detected. Organic. Unstable."
General Kael turned to the room. "Let it land. Maintain lockdown protocol. Mobilize elite response teams. No action unless provoked—but be prepared for the worst."
"Sir," asked one soldier nervously, "What if it's another xenomorph infiltration?"
Kael's metallic jaw clenched. "Then you shoot first and burn what's left."
Across the capital, drop-ships launched, descending like shadows over the soon-to-be crash zone. Ground troops deployed quickly, forming perimeters with mobile energy barriers. The city was quiet, tense, watching from above as the streak of fire split the sky.
The capsule tore through the upper atmosphere like a comet, flames licking its hull, friction superheating its reinforced plating until it glowed molten red. It hit the outskirts of Stratos-9 like a meteor, sending shockwaves for miles. Craters formed. Glass shattered.
The soldiers moved in, weapons raised.
"It's not from any known faction," muttered a recon officer scanning the pod. "No insignia, no language markers… it's ancient."
Inside the capsule, deep within layers of bio-shielding and suspended animation, the occupant stirred. Limbs twitched. Neural waves spiked.
General Kael stepped forward. "Hold fire," he commanded. "Let it open. We see what we're dealing with."
The soldiers tensed, rifles aimed, energy blades primed.
Then, without warning, a faint hum began to emanate from the pod.
The earth beneath it pulsed with a strange vibration.
Everyone waited, breathless—even the machines.
Whatever was inside that capsule, it had survived a dead world, traveled a billion years through time and space, and chosen this planet to awaken.
And as the locking mechanisms of the pod began to shift and release steam into the air… Helios prepared to meet its ghost from the past.