2025-04-18 10:51:40POV: Danny
The main laboratory of the lunar module was colder than usual. Or maybe it was just the tremor that hadn't stopped running through my bones since I woke up.
Lena had insisted that I stay in quarantine for another 24 hours, but the clock on my wrist kept vibrating - 4:23, 4:23, 4:23 - like an anxious heartbeat against my skin.
Raj was typing frantically on his terminal when I entered, his fingers creating an irregular rhythm that mixed with the distorted music only I (and now Jun) seemed to hear.
"Commander!" He stood up so quickly he knocked over his chair. "You should be—"
"Where are the samples?" I cut him off, ignoring the throbbing pain behind my eyes.
Raj exchanged a glance with Alyssa, who was watching from her position near the air filters. Her arms were crossed, and her face, usually so expressive, was void of any emotion.
"In containment chamber B," Raj replied, lowering his voice. "But you need to see this first."
He spun his datapad in my direction. The images showed our Helium-3 samples, captured at six-hour intervals.
In the first frame, perfect blue crystals. In the second, the same crystals, but now with fine filaments extending like roots. In the third frame…
"They're multiplying," I whispered.
Raj nodded, his face pale under the bluish lights.
"No power source, no additional raw material. Just... growing."
Alyssa finally moved, her footsteps echoing on the metal floor.
"And that's not all." She threw another datapad onto the table. "I found this on Jun's personal terminal. Encrypted files, but not very well."
The images that appeared made me swallow hard.
Videos of Jun injecting small amounts of liquid Helium-3 into his own arm. Daily records of body temperature, blood pressure, brain activity. And at the end, a single phrase repeated hundreds of times:
"The music is louder today."
"What the hell is this, Danny?" Alyssa slammed her fist on the table, making the equipment shake. "Why is our chief scientist injecting himself with the material we came to collect? What didn’t Kovac tell us?"
Lena entered the room at that moment, carrying a tray of medical instruments. Her eyes observed the scene for a few seconds: me pale as chalk, Raj huddled in his seat, Alyssa shaking with rage.
"Looks like I missed the party," she murmured, carefully placing the tray on the table.
"Great timing," Alyssa growled. "Can you explain why your friend Jun is doping himself with Helium-3? Or is that another thing Kovac 'forgot' to mention?"
Lena didn't react to the provocation. Instead, she looked at me, as if waiting for some guidance.
"We need to check the communications," I said, changing the subject. "If Helium-3 is behaving unpredictably, Earth needs to know."
Raj coughed.
"About that..." He typed some commands, and a series of red alerts appeared on the main screen. "Communications have been down for twelve hours. At first, I thought it was just delays, but now..."
"We're completely isolated," Alyssa finished, her eyes gleaming as they turned toward me. "Convenient, right? Just when we find out this mission is a sham."
"I suggest you be careful with what you say," Lena cut in, finally showing some emotion. "The Great Hero is a man of respect. He never—"
"Kovac never what, Lena?" Alyssa stepped forward, her fists clenched. "Never lied? Never hid the truth? Why do you think he chose you for this mission? For your physical attributes or because he knew you'd do anything he asked?"
The low blow hit Lena like a slap. I saw her eyes narrow, her muscles tense.
"What did you say?"
"That's right. Everyone knows you've always been the favorite. Not that you have any merit in that. Not when you have a nice pair of legs and big tits like yours—"
"What are you insinuating, you little bitch? You press a few buttons and think you're superior because of that?!" Lena was hysterical. "What's the hardest thing you've ever had to do in life besides sitting your ass in a chair and messing with a computer?"
"Well, you sat your ass on the cocks of all the superiors to climb the hierarchy, didn't you?"
"ENOUGH," I shouted, furious. The music kept looping in my head. "Both of you will be severely punished if this exchange of insults continues. Behave. We're on a mission."
Alyssa seemed even more offended:
"This suicide mission? You're still worried about collecting that damn Helium?"
"I don't—"
The emergency alarm began to blare.
Raj jumped in his seat.
"It’s from the containment chamber!"
We ran down the narrow corridor, the alarm howling in our ears. When the chamber door slid open, what we saw made me stop at the threshold.
The Helium-3 samples were no longer in their containers.
They covered the walls.
Bright blue crystals spread like ice on every surface, pulsing with a soft light that beat in unison with the music in my head.
In the center of the room, with his back to us, Jun was standing.
He turned slowly.
His eyes now shone like tiny suns, and when he opened his mouth to speak, his voice came distorted, as if bells were stuck in his vocal cords.
"We can't escape. The music is getting louder."
Alyssa recoiled.
"What the hell is this?"
Jun smiled, and in his teeth, I saw small blue crystals growing between his molars.
"The beginning," he replied, as the lunar module's communication systems shut down one by one behind us. "The true beginning."
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HELIUM-3 Chapter 06
POV: DannyThe alarm was still blaring when Lena grabbed my arm hard enough to leave marks.“We need to isolate him. Now.”Jun just smiled, his blue teeth glowing in the dim light. Alyssa backed away until she hit the opposite wall, while Raj started hyperventilating.“Lena, with me,” I ordered, moving toward Jun. “Raj, disable that alarm. Alyssa, check the life support systems.”“Are you insane?” Alyssa screamed. “We need to get out of here! Abort the mission!”Lena was already at my side, her body tense like a coiled spring.“We contain him first. Then we decide.”Jun laughed, a sound that echoed like shattering glass.“Decide what? Who dies first?”Before we could react, he turned and bolted down the main corridor, his body moving in a strangely uncoordinated way, as if it wasn’t entirely under his control.. . .The control room was in chaos.Raj was typing furiously while Lena and I tried to track Jun’s movements through the security cameras.“Lock down Section C,” Lena ordered,
HELIUM-3 Chapter 07
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HELIUM-3 Chapter 08
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HELIUM-3 Chapter 09
POV: DannyThe lab smelled like blood and chemicals.Raj was hunched over the navigation panels, his hands trembling as he soldered exposed wires. The wound on his back already showed bluish veins, but he kept working.“Five… five more minutes,” he coughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a soot-stained arm. “I can restore the temperature controls.”Alyssa watched from afar, arms crossed so tightly her fingers dug into her skin.“And then what? We’ll slowly cook instead of freeze?”“It’s bad enough already, okay? Maybe save the sarcasm for later,” Raj replied without looking up.“Yes, like at the time of our death,” she answered, ignoring his advice completely.I leaned against the bench, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my wrist.Piotr’s watch still read 4:23, as always.. . .Lena entered the room carrying a radiation meter. Her movements were slow, calculated, as if each step hurt.When she passed by me, I saw what she was trying to hide: the blue creeping up her neck
HELIUM-3 Chapter 01
POV: Danny“Suit checked, systems green,” the technical voice echoes through the platform speakers.I stand on the walkway leading to the Helix-7, the flight suit heavy on my shoulders, Piotr’s watch hidden beneath my sleeve.Launch day had finally arrived.The team buzzes around me. Raj checking the last bits of navigation data, Alyssa adjusting the comms systems, Dr. Jun holding his biological samples.And then I see him.Kovac crosses the yard like a ship cutting through waves, the technicians parting to let him pass. His dress uniform is immaculate, but there’s something different today—a tension in his shoulders that wasn’t there before.“Great Hero,” I greet, saluting.He skips protocol and walks straight to me, lifting his hands to adjust my helmet with precise movements. His fingers are cold against the back of my neck.“You ready?” my mentor asks, just low enough for me to hear.More than ever, I want to say something meaningful, something worthy of the moment. But all that c
HELIUM-3 Chapter 02
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HELIUM-3 Chapter 03
POV: DannyThe red shapes appear in my vision again.Danger.I blink to push them away, but it doesn't help.Alyssa insists:“Danny.”The nervousness, the disjointed information, and that damn feeling of not knowing what's happening quickly turn into anger.“It’s Commander to you,” I snapped.Jun flinches, but Alyssa merely lifts her chin slightly, as if trying hard not to insult me right then and there.“Very well. Commander,” she says my title with a slight tone of mockery, “what the hell is going on with this mission?”I glance at the clock. I take a deep breath.“Kovac sent me here not just because of my skills.”“What do you mean by that?”I feel my eyes burn with the tears that threaten to roll down my face.“He came to my house. That’s when he gave me this.” I point to the watch....TWO WEEKS BEFOREI look at the object in my hand. It’s a simple, analog watch, and apparently quite worn. Kovac, sitting across from me on the couch, says nothing as I carefully inspect it.Traces
HELIUM-3 Chapter 04
POV: DannyThe pain came before consciousness. A throbbing stab in my temples that made me groan even before opening my eyes. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, mixing with the acidic taste of dried vomit at the corner of my lips."Finally."Lena's voice came from somewhere to my right. Instinctively, I turned my head, which was also extremely painful. I tried to focus on her, but my vision was still filled with pulsating red spots."How long?" My voice came out weak and hoarse, causing Lena to frown."Eighteen hours, forty-three minutes." She leaned forward, her cold fingers touching my wrist. "You had three seizures. The team wanted to induce a coma, but I...""You stopped them."She didn’t respond, just pressed her fingers a little harder against my skin. Her touch was firm, professional, but there was something else there—a hesitation that had never been there before."You're not wearing PPE."Lena smiled, a small, slightly sarcastic gesture."Observant as always, Comma
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Chapter 09
POV: DannyThe lab smelled like blood and chemicals.Raj was hunched over the navigation panels, his hands trembling as he soldered exposed wires. The wound on his back already showed bluish veins, but he kept working.“Five… five more minutes,” he coughed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a soot-stained arm. “I can restore the temperature controls.”Alyssa watched from afar, arms crossed so tightly her fingers dug into her skin.“And then what? We’ll slowly cook instead of freeze?”“It’s bad enough already, okay? Maybe save the sarcasm for later,” Raj replied without looking up.“Yes, like at the time of our death,” she answered, ignoring his advice completely.I leaned against the bench, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my wrist.Piotr’s watch still read 4:23, as always.. . .Lena entered the room carrying a radiation meter. Her movements were slow, calculated, as if each step hurt.When she passed by me, I saw what she was trying to hide: the blue creeping up her neck
Chapter 08
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Chapter 07
POV: DannyThe main corridor pulsed with an eerie bluish light, illuminated by Jun’s transforming body.His footsteps echoed with a strangely metallic ring, as if his feet had already begun to solidify. When he turned to us, the sight made my stomach churn.His eyes were no longer eyes, but two perfect crystals, as deep as the vacuum of space.“You still don’t get it, do you?” Jun raised his hands, where his fingers had fused into sharp crystalline structures. “We are witnessing the birth of a new era!”Pale and frozen in place, none of us could even react as our scientist began pacing in circles, his movements disturbingly fluid for someone half-petrified. Every word was broken by nervous laughter.“For decades, humanity has crawled through petty conflicts! Wars for oil, land, foolish ideologies!” His chest heaved violently. “But Helium-3... Helium-3 changes everything!”He smashed a control panel with a punch, shards of metal failing to harm his crystallized hand.“Imagine a world w
Chapter 06
POV: DannyThe alarm was still blaring when Lena grabbed my arm hard enough to leave marks.“We need to isolate him. Now.”Jun just smiled, his blue teeth glowing in the dim light. Alyssa backed away until she hit the opposite wall, while Raj started hyperventilating.“Lena, with me,” I ordered, moving toward Jun. “Raj, disable that alarm. Alyssa, check the life support systems.”“Are you insane?” Alyssa screamed. “We need to get out of here! Abort the mission!”Lena was already at my side, her body tense like a coiled spring.“We contain him first. Then we decide.”Jun laughed, a sound that echoed like shattering glass.“Decide what? Who dies first?”Before we could react, he turned and bolted down the main corridor, his body moving in a strangely uncoordinated way, as if it wasn’t entirely under his control.. . .The control room was in chaos.Raj was typing furiously while Lena and I tried to track Jun’s movements through the security cameras.“Lock down Section C,” Lena ordered,
Chapter 05
POV: DannyThe main laboratory of the lunar module was colder than usual. Or maybe it was just the tremor that hadn't stopped running through my bones since I woke up.Lena had insisted that I stay in quarantine for another 24 hours, but the clock on my wrist kept vibrating - 4:23, 4:23, 4:23 - like an anxious heartbeat against my skin.Raj was typing frantically on his terminal when I entered, his fingers creating an irregular rhythm that mixed with the distorted music only I (and now Jun) seemed to hear."Commander!" He stood up so quickly he knocked over his chair. "You should be—""Where are the samples?" I cut him off, ignoring the throbbing pain behind my eyes.Raj exchanged a glance with Alyssa, who was watching from her position near the air filters. Her arms were crossed, and her face, usually so expressive, was void of any emotion."In containment chamber B," Raj replied, lowering his voice. "But you need to see this first."He spun his datapad in my direction. The images sh
Chapter 04
POV: DannyThe pain came before consciousness. A throbbing stab in my temples that made me groan even before opening my eyes. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, mixing with the acidic taste of dried vomit at the corner of my lips."Finally."Lena's voice came from somewhere to my right. Instinctively, I turned my head, which was also extremely painful. I tried to focus on her, but my vision was still filled with pulsating red spots."How long?" My voice came out weak and hoarse, causing Lena to frown."Eighteen hours, forty-three minutes." She leaned forward, her cold fingers touching my wrist. "You had three seizures. The team wanted to induce a coma, but I...""You stopped them."She didn’t respond, just pressed her fingers a little harder against my skin. Her touch was firm, professional, but there was something else there—a hesitation that had never been there before."You're not wearing PPE."Lena smiled, a small, slightly sarcastic gesture."Observant as always, Comma
Chapter 03
POV: DannyThe red shapes appear in my vision again.Danger.I blink to push them away, but it doesn't help.Alyssa insists:“Danny.”The nervousness, the disjointed information, and that damn feeling of not knowing what's happening quickly turn into anger.“It’s Commander to you,” I snapped.Jun flinches, but Alyssa merely lifts her chin slightly, as if trying hard not to insult me right then and there.“Very well. Commander,” she says my title with a slight tone of mockery, “what the hell is going on with this mission?”I glance at the clock. I take a deep breath.“Kovac sent me here not just because of my skills.”“What do you mean by that?”I feel my eyes burn with the tears that threaten to roll down my face.“He came to my house. That’s when he gave me this.” I point to the watch....TWO WEEKS BEFOREI look at the object in my hand. It’s a simple, analog watch, and apparently quite worn. Kovac, sitting across from me on the couch, says nothing as I carefully inspect it.Traces
Chapter 02
POV: Danny“My father didn’t want this.”Piotr’s voice still echoes in my ears, so real that for a crazy moment I turn my head, looking for him in the dark room.“I swear my father didn’t want this.”My fingers find the watch on my wrist - 4:23, always 4:23 - while the last image from the dream is still vivid in my mind: Piotr standing in the middle of the lunar base, his NCEA uniform soaked in blood, pointing to the walls that were dripping bright red.“Even if he didn’t want to, you’re seeing it now, aren’t you, Danny?” he had said in the dream, with a sad smile that didn’t match his bright blue eyes. “You’re seeing what he did?”I rub my face hard, trying to erase the image, and my hand comes away stained with red. A damn nosebleed. And in a concerning amount.“Shit, shit, shit.”I’m trying to clean the mess discreetly on the sheet when I hear deafening screams.“NO! NO, TAKE IT OFF! TAKE IT OFF!”Raj.My heart races before my brain even processes what’s happening. I jump out of be
Chapter 01
POV: Danny“Suit checked, systems green,” the technical voice echoes through the platform speakers.I stand on the walkway leading to the Helix-7, the flight suit heavy on my shoulders, Piotr’s watch hidden beneath my sleeve.Launch day had finally arrived.The team buzzes around me. Raj checking the last bits of navigation data, Alyssa adjusting the comms systems, Dr. Jun holding his biological samples.And then I see him.Kovac crosses the yard like a ship cutting through waves, the technicians parting to let him pass. His dress uniform is immaculate, but there’s something different today—a tension in his shoulders that wasn’t there before.“Great Hero,” I greet, saluting.He skips protocol and walks straight to me, lifting his hands to adjust my helmet with precise movements. His fingers are cold against the back of my neck.“You ready?” my mentor asks, just low enough for me to hear.More than ever, I want to say something meaningful, something worthy of the moment. But all that c
