The Anomaly of the Stupid Backoff

Chapter 3 - The Artifact's Echo

"Your daughter." Thomas's voice was steady, but his grip on the command chair tightened. "You're telling me your daughter is somehow on this ship? With us?"

Professor Alcubierre shook his head, his expression pained. "Not exactly. What is on your ship is... a quantum echo. An imprint. The artifact changed her cellular structure at the fundamental level."

The bridge of the Stupid Backoff had become an impromptu conference room. Thomas, Kurt, and Nova stood facing the professor, while ASHLOK maintained a position by the door. Luna had retreated under a console, her eyes fixed on the air vents. The ship's low, resonant hum had intensified, punctuated by occasional metallic groans from the lower decks.

«The temperature in cargo bay three has stabilized at minus forty-five degrees Celsius,» TESS reported. «That exceeds the design parameters of our environmental systems. This should not be possible.»

"Welcome to the wonderful world of quantum impossibilities," Kurt muttered, his eyes never leaving the professor's face. "I think it's time for the full story, Professor. Starting with what exactly this 'artifact' is."

The professor hesitated, then set his tablet on the main console. With a few deft movements, he brought up a three-dimensional rendering of what appeared to be a small, geometrically complex object—a lattice of interconnected structures that seemed to shift and change even as they watched.

"Five years ago, my daughter Elena led an expedition to a previously unexplored exoplanet in the TRAPPIST-1 system," the professor began. "She was following readings that suggested the presence of non-standard matter—material that doesn't conform to our understanding of physics."

He manipulated the display, showing the artifact from different angles. "What she found was this. Approximately fifteen centimeters across, composed of... we're still not certain. The material defies analysis. It appears to exist partially outside our normal three-dimensional space."

"That's impossible," Nova said, leaning closer to study the rendering. "Unless..."

"Unless it's from somewhere else," Kurt finished. "Another reality."

The professor nodded gravely. "Elena had the same theory. She believed it was a technological artifact from a civilization that had mastered interdimensional travel."

"And what happened to her?" Thomas asked.

"She made the mistake of attempting to transport it back to her research station," Professor Alcubierre said, his voice cracking slightly. "During transit, there was an... incident. The artifact reacted to the ship's quantum drive, creating a cascade effect. By the time emergency responders reached the vessel, the entire crew was gone."

"Dead?" Nova whispered.

"Transformed," the professor corrected. "Their physical bodies had been... reconfigured at the quantum level. They existed as energy patterns rather than matter. Elena was the only one who maintained some semblance of consciousness, perhaps because of her familiarity with quantum field theory."

The professor's hands trembled as he continued. "For three years, I communicated with her through specialized equipment. She was... learning to navigate her new existence. Then, six months ago, she disappeared. The artifact with her."

‹Und Sie glauben, dass sie hier ist? Auf diesem Schiff?› ASHLOK interjected.

"Yes," the professor replied, understanding the German. "I believe she is here. The quantum disturbances match her signature. The tracking device on your hull—it was planted by those who want the artifact. They've been hunting me, knowing I would try to find Elena."

"Who are 'they'?" Thomas demanded.

"A research division within the Earth government," the professor said. "They believe the artifact could be weaponized, used to transform matter at will. My daughter is proof of concept."

Kurt had been unusually quiet, studying the rendering of the artifact with intense focus. "The quantum instabilities I've been detecting for months," he said finally. "They're connected to this, aren't they?"

The professor looked at Kurt with newfound interest. "You've been monitoring quantum field fluctuations? For how long?"

"Long enough to know something fundamental is changing in our corner of the universe," Kurt replied. "The patterns have been intensifying, becoming more organized. Almost like..."

"Like a consciousness spreading," the professor finished. "Yes. Elena is not alone anymore. The artifact connected her to something else, something vast. She's been trying to warn me."

As if triggered by his words, the ship's lights flickered violently. The main display split into static before reforming into a different image—a woman's face, distorted and shifting, her features recognizably similar to the professor's.

«Interference detected in main systems,» TESS announced, her voice fluctuating between her normal cadence and something more mechanical. «Unknown entity attempting to access communication protocols.»

The face on the screen seemed to be struggling to form words, the image repeatedly dissolving and reassembling. Finally, a voice emerged from the ship's speakers—feminine but overlaid with harmonics that made it sound as if multiple people were speaking in perfect unison.

"Father," the voice said. "They're coming. The gate is opening. You must destroy the artifact."

"Elena!" The professor moved toward the screen, his hand reaching out. "Where are you? How can I find you?"

The image distorted further. "Not much time. The others are waking. They want to come through. You must—"

The transmission cut off abruptly as all systems on the bridge went dark. A moment later, emergency power engaged, bathing them in dim red light.

«Primary systems compromised,» TESS reported, her voice now entirely mechanical. «Detecting quantum incursion in ship's mainframe. Initiating emergency protocols.»

"She's trying to help us," the professor said urgently. "Elena knows what's coming. The artifact isn't just a tool—it's a doorway."

"A doorway to what?" Thomas asked, already moving toward the weapons locker.

The professor's face was ashen in the emergency lighting. "Another universe. One that has been trying to break into ours for a very long time. And they've found the perfect vessel in my daughter."

From below decks came a sound like tearing metal, followed by the distinctive vacuum seal breach alarms.

"Hull integrity compromised in cargo bay three," TESS announced. «Sealing affected sections.»

Nova was already at the engineering station, her fingers flying over the controls. "Something's forcing its way out of the ship," she reported. "The quantum readings are off the scale."

"Not out," the professor corrected grimly. "In. From elsewhere. The breach is allowing something to manifest physically in our reality."

Thomas turned to Kurt. "This ship has defensive capabilities you never told me about, doesn't it?" It wasn't really a question.

Kurt hesitated, then nodded. "Quantum dampeners. Originally designed to mask our signature from conventional sensors, but they might be repurposed to disrupt whatever's trying to come through."

"Do it," Thomas ordered. He turned to the professor. "You said we need to destroy the artifact. Where exactly is it?"

"With Elena," the professor said. "Or rather, with what Elena has become. Her consciousness is intertwined with it now."

Thomas processed this information, his expression hardening. "So to stop this incursion, we might have to..."

"Destroy what remains of my daughter," the professor finished, his voice hollow. "Yes, Captain. That may be our only option."

Before Thomas could respond, TESS's voice cut through the increasingly chaotic bridge. «Captain, I've detected a vessel on intercept course. It's broadcasting Earth government security codes and demanding immediate surrender of the ship.»

The timing couldn't be worse. The entity below was breaking through reality itself, their systems were compromised, and now government agents were bearing down on them.

"Options?" Thomas asked, looking around at his crew.

‹Wir können kämpfen oder fliehen,› ASHLOK stated flatly. ‹Aber nicht beides gleichzeitig.›

"We can fight or we can run," Thomas translated. "But not both at the same time."

The professor stepped forward, his face set with grim determination. "There is a third option, Captain. But you're not going to like it."

The ship shuddered again, more violently this time. Whatever was coming through from the other side was getting stronger.

They were running out of time.