Commander Yara pressed her face against the observation glass, staring into the dense cluster of stars that crowded the outer rim of the Velorian nebula. Three years into the mission, and she still held her breath at the sight.
"Navigation confirms we've reached the coordinates," Lieutenant Doss announced from his console. "The expansion of the anomaly has accelerated. It's grown forty percent since our last survey."
Yara turned slowly. "Forty percent in eight months."
"Yes, Commander." Doss hesitated. "Whatever's inside it is growing fast."
The ship's AI interrupted with a calm chime. "Recommend resource conservation before entering the anomaly zone. Current fuel reserves are practically insufficient for extended exploration."
Yara nodded. Her crew had lived by frugality since leaving the station — rationing power, recycling water, burning only what was necessary. Pride in their discipline had kept them alive out here on the edge of known space.
"What do the probes show?" she asked.
Doss pulled up a holographic display. At the center of the expanding anomaly sat a perfectly geometric structure, pulsing with faint amber light.
"We've been trying to decode the signal it broadcasts," he said. "Repeating sequence. Like a name."
"A name?"
"An appellation, really. It keeps transmitting the same identifier — seventeen syllables, ancient harmonic pattern." He looked up. "Commander, whatever built that structure has been calling itself something for a very long time."
Yara studied the amber pulse on the display, slow and patient as a heartbeat.
"Then let's go introduce ourselves," she said quietly, and gave the order to descend.