The Crystal Circe

In a bustling Manhattan port, old college friends Vail and Steve Arsen reunite under tense, neon‑lit skies. Arsen, once the carefree trouble‑maker, now bears a haunted look and clutches a small, otherworldly crystal recovered from an uncharted asteroid. He confides that the gem—whispered to be the “Crystal Circe”—has altered his life, pulling him toward a desperate journey beyond Earth’s borders.

As the two men share drinks, the crystal’s eerie, pulsing light hints at powers and memories that defy ordinary science. Arsen’s obsession with the stone and the fate of their mutual friend Doug sets the stage for a suspenseful quest that will lead them into the depths of space and into contact with an intelligence that is anything but human. The story balances personal drama with a chilling, speculative mystery, inviting listeners to wonder what lies hidden among the stars.