THE RINGS SPEAK
A soft glow filled the bridge.
Not from the consoles.
Not from the viewscreen.
From everywhere.
A gentle cascade of holographic symbols materialized in midair—swirling around Kira, Mei, Nikolai, Marcus, George. They were intricate. Beautiful. Familiar.
Mei gasped.
“Captain—they’re using… our alphabet. Old Earth script. Modified.”
The symbols aligned themselves into a sentence.
E REMEMBER THE FIRST PATHFINDERS.
WE REMEMBER HUMANITY.
ARE YOU THEIR HEIRS?
Silence fell over the Oregon.
Kira’s heart pounded.
This was no mere alien megastructure.
This was a legacy.
A message across centuries.
A forgotten pact returning to light.
She stepped forward.
“Yes,” she said softly but clearly.
“We are their heirs. And we are ready to remember them with you.”
The Rings brightened, resonating like celestial chimes.
THEN THE PATH SHALL OPEN.
