Dr. Ven Aalto monitored the last ice collector on Carthos-V, a planet of shifting white dunes. The crust held ancient, frozen water reserves, but her machines retrieved only dust. The colony’s survival depended on her success.
A crackle from her wrist unit. “Ven, anything?”
She hesitated. “The reserves are thinning. We need another plan.”
A deep tremor rocked the surface. Her probe had struck something deep below. She activated the scanner—organic patterns. Movement.
The ice wasn’t just a resource; it was home to something alive. The colony’s engineers would demand extraction, but she saw it clearly now. Their drilling was an invasion.
Another message. “Ven, report!”
She cut the transmission. Stepping from her rover, she watched as the sands shifted, revealing translucent forms beneath. This world had its own claim to survival. The colony would have to find another way.
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