Satellite of Death

A lone orbital outpost circles the Earth, its five crew members—an American, a Russian, a Frenchman, an Englishman, and an Indian—keeping a tense watch over one another while guarding powerful weapons that could level the planet. Their routine is shattered when a sleek, iridescent craft drifts into view, tethered to the station’s airlock like a stranger in a foreign harbor. Curiosity and caution clash as the men debate who will step aboard the unknown vessel first.

When they finally breach the alien hull, they discover an empty interior bathed in strange lights, its controls and fittings unlike anything from Earth. The silent, unmanned ship raises more questions than answers, leaving the five astronauts to grapple with the unsettling possibility of unseen pilots or technology beyond human comprehension. Their discovery promises a tantalizing glimpse into a wider cosmos, but also a mystery that could change humanity’s view of its place among the stars.