The Awakening of The Silent Planet
Many generations ago, humanity had established its first humble outpost on a distant planet, known as Zephyra, but now, it had long been abandoned, fading into the realms of forgotten myth.
It all began when NASA discovered an old distress beacon suddenly pulsating ominously from Zephyra. This led them to send their best astronaut, Major Gideon Hawk, to investigate. Hawk's journey took five weary years before his spacecraft finally hovered over the ghostly surface of Zephyra. As his spacecraft descended through the layers of orange and purple clouds, it gently landed on the vibrant crystalline terrain, which bore the scars of an ancient civilization.
Major Hawk stepped out onto the foreign land, goosebumps crawling up his skin from both the chilly air and the chilling evidence of ancient human life. He walked along the remnants of old dwellings, buildings weather-beaten by time itself. The silent planet was whispering its forgotten mysteries to Hawk, accompanied by the orchestrated hum of the wind.
The Major carried on his exploration. The ghost town revealed modern amenities like a school building, a medical center, even a park. What could have caused such sudden desertion, he thought. As he was walking around, a peculiar geometric shape in the distance caught his eye. It was a monolithic structure eclipsing the horizon, an ancient pyramid with futuristic design elements. The sight was the perfect juxtaposition of the old with the new, and the perfect symbol for the planet Zephyra itself.
He decided to explore the structure. As he pressed on its flawless surface, a hidden door hissed open, revealing darkness within. Armed with his trusty flashlight, he ventured inside. Hawk was a brave man, but the eeriness of the ancient corridor sent uncomfortable shivers down his spine.
His flashlight revealed enigmatic glyphs and three-dimensional murals along the corridor’s walls. The murals seemed to narrate a journey: Earth, space travel, life on Zephyra, and something else. An ominous beast-like creature attacking the inhabitants.
Towards the end of the corridor was a large circular room. Its ceiling bore yet another mural showing the inhabitants sending off a beacon into space. This was the last they ever left, before Zephyra became silent. It clicked in Hawk's mind, the distress beacon, it was a warning sent into the cosmos, a warning about the beast.
Suddenly the room started shaking violently, lights flickering, with a deep, menacing growl reverberating through the walls. From the darkness, a monstrous figure emerged. Its eyes glowing with an eerie neon-green light. It was the same beast from the murals!
In the blink of an eye, it launched towards Hawk. Intent on survival, Hawk reached for his blaster, firing a beam of concentrated energy at it. The beast roared, momentarily dazed. Seizing this opportunity, Hawk darted out of the pyramid and raced back towards his spacecraft.
One quick glance backward revealed the creature was in pursuit, as fast and relentless as an intergalactic hunter. Hawk made it to his spacecraft, and with shaking hands fired up the engine. Just as the beast reached out for the ship in its flight, he escaped, leaving the baying creature and the silent planet of Zephyra behind him.
As he braced himself against the memory of the frightening encounter, Major Hawk radioed the surprising revelation back to Earth. The Silent Planet had indeed spoken, it was a forewarning ignored by past generations, becoming valuable testimony for mankind’s future explorations. It was no longer just an ancient folklore his ancestors had toyed with. It was a reality etched into the collective memory of mankind, to respect and to avoid.
Looking out of his ship window, he watched Zephyra recede into the vast interstellar space. It was then the Major realized he was the last of the valiant explorers, who ensured that the awakening of the Silent Planet didn't remain confined to the realm of the unknown.