Amber Skye Chapter 2 — The Signal That Shouldn't Be There

Amber Skye

Chapter 2 — The Signal That Shouldn't Be There

The stars looked different when you knew something was listening.

At least, that was what Amber Skye thought.

She floated upside down in the pilot chair of the Skylark, staring through the wide curved window of the exploration ship. From the outside, the vessel looked like a strange mix between a small airplane and a polished silver travel trailer. Most people would have called it a tourist craft.

They would have been wrong.

The walls weren't just walls. The floor wasn't just a floor. The tiny kitchen area wasn't just a kitchen.

Every ordinary-looking part of the Skylark had another purpose.

The cabinets stored emergency equipment. The seats converted into survival pods. The little storage compartment behind the snack shelf contained enough technology to map an entire star system.

And the backpack sitting beside Amber?

That was the biggest secret of all.

To anyone else, it looked like a normal explorer's backpack.

But Agie knew better.

"Your current position is inefficient," Agie said.

Amber looked toward the small floating orb hovering beside the control panel.

Agie's blue lights slowly pulsed as she scanned the ship.

"You're upside down."

Amber smiled.

"I know."

"Your blood circulation is changing."

"I know."

"You have been upside down for seven minutes."

"I know."

A pause.

"Then why continue?"

Amber turned in the chair and grinned.

"Because you always tell me not to."

Agie's lights blinked once.

"That conclusion does not make logical sense."

"Exactly."

"Your reasoning is flawed."

"Your reasoning is boring."

"That statement is unnecessarily personal."

Amber laughed.

That was Agie.

She was built to assist explorers, analyze environments, and keep missions running smoothly.

But somewhere along the way, she became something else.

A friend.

A very annoying friend.

"Incoming signal," Agie suddenly said.

Amber immediately flipped upright.

"Another one?"

"Confirmed."

The excitement on Amber's face disappeared into curiosity.

The unknown relay.

Ever since they discovered it, the strange response had become the biggest mystery of their journey.

Their reports were being received.

Something was answering.

But nobody knew what was on the other side.

"Play it."

Agie hesitated.

A tiny pause.

Amber noticed.

"You hesitated."

"I was processing."

"You don't hesitate."

"I do when additional analysis is required."

Amber narrowed her eyes.

"You sound nervous."

"I am an artificial intelligence."

"That's not an answer."

"It is the correct answer."

Amber smiled.

"You're avoiding the question."

"Correct."

The signal played.

Static filled the cockpit.

A broken transmission.

A few words.

A familiar voice.

Amber froze.

"...Agie?"

The recording continued.

"...you're telling me you're just a navigation system?"

Another voice answered.

"...correction. I am an advanced exploration assistant."

Amber slowly looked at Agie.

"That's us."

"Confirmed."

"That was from our report."

"Confirmed."

"Then why are we receiving it back?"

Agie's lights dimmed slightly as she processed.

"Several possibilities exist."

"Such as?"

"Relay damage."

Amber listened.

"Continue."

"Signal reflection."

"Continue."

"Cosmic interference causing transmission duplication."

Amber leaned back.

"And the possibility that someone is sending it back?"

A longer pause.

"Possible."

Amber smiled.

"You said possible."

"I did."

"You usually say unlikely."

"Because usually the evidence supports unlikely."

"And now?"

Agie turned toward the window.

"Now the evidence is incomplete."

Outside, the stars drifted silently past.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Amber smiled.

"Someone out there heard us."

"That is one interpretation."

"It's the fun interpretation."

"It is also the least verified."

Amber grabbed her explorer jacket.

"That's why we're going to investigate."

"That was my prediction."

"You predicted I'd investigate?"

"Yes."

"Because I'm predictable?"

"No."

Amber stopped.

"Then why?"

Agie's lights pulsed.

"Because you are Amber Skye."

Amber smiled.

For an AI, Agie was terrible at admitting she cared.

Which was exactly why Amber knew she did.

The Skylark's engines powered up.

The strange relay signal remained on their screens.

A tiny point of light.

A mystery waiting in the darkness.

Neither of them knew the truth.

They weren't chasing a message from another civilization.

They weren't following a new world trying to communicate.

They were following themselves.

A story traveling farther than they ever imagined.

And somewhere far away...

Someone was watching.