Chapter 4🛡️Trial of Shields

People all over the planet froze at their screens, holding their breath. The air was filled with tension – it seemed as if fate itself had decided to play a decisive game with the civilization of Litea.

The planetary government has activated an anti-asteroid shield. Litea bristled with defenses. The approaching thing stopped, as if in amazement. There was a brief pause, and then the unknown rushed towards the planet with a vengeance, piercing the protective field of Litea with its powerful signals.

The shield crackled as if made of crystal, and shimmering cracks ran across its surface. Each breakthrough was accompanied by a flash of crimson light and a low-frequency hum that vibrated the walls of buildings and burst glass panels in houses.

"The energy load exceeds the calculated parameters by 300%!" the technician shouted, clutching the edge of the console. – The system can't take another hit!

Professor Elarion Hart abruptly turned to the team:

– Turn off the power to the shield! Transfer all resources to the Lighthouse communication module! We will not fight, we will talk.

There was a dead silence in the hall. The technician, pale and tense, whispered:

"Are you crazy, Professor?" It just attacked us!

"It didn't attack,– Elarion pointed at the projection. "It was studying. And now that we have responded with force, it sees us as a threat. We must show that we are ready for dialogue.

He went to the main terminal and activated the transmitter. The hologram of the Lighthouse was replaced by the image of the planetary emblem of the Litea – woven rings of light, symbolizing unity and knowledge. A stream of signals rushed to the airwaves on all frequencies: mathematical sequences, physical constants, a map of the starry sky with a Litea mark.

For a moment, everything froze.

The object stopped at one and a half million kilometers from the atmosphere. His pulsation has changed – instead of sharp, aggressive bursts, smooth, rhythmic waves have appeared. The crimson light was replaced by a soft golden glow.

–They're... responding,– analyst Liana whispered in disbelief. – Welcome! They're picking up our signal!

But the joy was short-lived.

The radiance of the object suddenly darkened, acquiring an ominous purple hue. Rhythmic waves were replaced by chaotic impulses. Gaps began to appear in the atmosphere – areas of space where the laws of physics ceased to apply. Buildings crumbled to dust, rivers boiled in places, and the sky turned into colors that never existed.

"This is not a dialogue," Elarion whispered, realizing the truth. "This is an autopsy. It studies us by taking apart the very fabric of reality.

To be continued... 💫