Before initiating descent, Arnaldo divided up their tasks:

  “Get ready, you two. This planet may harbor a civilization we’ve never known. No one can say how they’ll receive us. I’ll have the ship conduct a reconnaissance pass first to assess internal conditions. Meanwhile, both of you gear up in EVA suits immediately. We’ll be landing in about an hour.”

  Valentina gave a slight nod and quietly followed Tuan toward the EVA chamber, while Arnaldo remained behind to pilot the ship on a scouting orbit. The first thing that caught his attention was the planet’s astonishingly clear atmosphere. There were no visible air currents, no cloud layers obstructing the view. Even with only the faint illumination of the ship’s headlights, Arnaldo could clearly see the ground below, blanketed in pristine white snow. The scene was breathtakingly surreal – yet that very stillness stirred a vague sense of unease within him.

  Even stranger was the fact that ALIEN’s radar failed to register the planet’s existence at all. The spectral scanning system was equally useless, as though the planet were cloaked in an invisibility mantle, immune to every form of wave-based detection.

  Could there truly be a civilization here – one capable of concealing itself from even the most advanced systems humanity has ever built? Arnaldo thought. A creeping discomfort tightened around his heart like an invisible, delicate thread.

  At that moment, the sound of a door opening behind him pulled him from his troubled thoughts. The instant Tuan stepped into the room, he shouted excitedly:

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  “Woo-hoo! We finally get to go exploring! This is awesome! I’ve been waiting for this moment forever! Exploration! Exploration! Exploration! Exploration!”

  Arnaldo narrowed his eyes at Tuan, then turned to Valentina, his voice dropping.

  “Are you sure we should land here, Tereshkova? This place doesn’t look safe at all.”

  “Trust my intuition, Mendéz,” Valentina replied.

  The determination in her eyes strengthened Arnaldo’s faith in her decision. As for Tuan – there was no point even trying to stop him. Whatever he said now wouldn’t change that boy’s mind. With a resigned sigh, Arnaldo chose to go along with them.

  By the time Arnaldo finished donning his EVA suit, the other two had already guided the ship into the planet’s airspace. Gravity here was low, allowing for a smooth descent. The ship settled gently onto the thick snow, as softly as placing a foot upon a plush fur carpet.

  The first sight that greeted all three of them was a vast field of snow stretching endlessly toward the horizon. Everything was swallowed by a dense, oppressive darkness – silent, frigid, and deeply unsettling. The air felt heavy, pressing down on every breath. The only sound was the steady beep… beep… echoing from the control panel inside the ship.

  Arnaldo took a deep breath and walked toward the corner of the control room. He pressed a narrow seam in the wall, revealing a concealed compartment packed with an arsenal of modern long-range weapons. He pulled out two pistols and tossed them to the others, then selected a shotgun for himself. Exhaling slowly, he turned and issued firm instructions:

  “Are you both ready? We’re about to explore an unknown planet, and no one knows whether it’s safe. If danger appears, open fire immediately. Do not hesitate. Stay in constant communication, and do not stray more than five meters from me. Understood?”

  Valentina and Tuan nodded in unison.

  Arnaldo chambered a round, resolve clear in his eyes.

  “Alright. Let’s move.”