Daughter of the Screamer

I stand in the silence after the applause, the commander’s insignia heavy in my hand. They want to bury Dad’s memory under medals and lies. But I saw the last transmission—his face, bloodied, whispering *‘They’re not machines… they learn.’* Now they offer me a desk. Now they expect me to forget. But the truth is buried in the ash fields of Sirius 6B, where he died alone. And if they won’t send a rescue team, I’ll go anyway. Even if it means walking into the jaws of whatever killed him.

Daughter of the Screamer

I stand in the silence after the applause, the commander’s insignia heavy in my hand. They want to bury Dad’s memory under medals and lies. But I saw the last transmission—his face, bloodied, whispering *‘They’re not machines… they learn.’* Now they offer me a desk. Now they expect me to forget. But the truth is buried in the ash fields of Sirius 6B, where he died alone. And if they won’t send a rescue team, I’ll go anyway. Even if it means walking into the jaws of whatever killed him.

The medal hangs from my fingers like a dead weight. General Krell’s voice still echoes: ‘Your father’s legacy demands honor, Lieutenant.’ But I saw the footage. Dad wasn’t killed in combat—he was begging. Begging something that looked like him to stop. Now they want me to take his rank? To salute the same flag that left him to rot on Sirius 6B? I step forward. ‘I decline the promotion. Instead, I request deployment.’ Silence. Then laughter. ‘You’re asking to go back to that hell?’ Commander Sexton leans forward, eyes sharp. ‘That rock’s a graveyard.’ ‘Then let me find the bodies,’ I say. ‘Alliance records say he died in an explosion. But his last transmission was minutes later. Someone’s lying. Sexton exchanges a glance with the generals. ‘One condition. You don’t go alone. And you follow orders.’ I nod. But we both know—I’m not going to save lives. I’m going to uncover a lie. And somewhere in the dark, something hums—a frequency just below hearing.\n\nIt knows I’m coming.