“My name is Spacemen First Class Xal Robinson. I am in the unit known as Dark Specter 1. Both scientists and Spacemen staff the ship. My job description is Lunar Communications Specialist, code WT04. A fancy way to say that I’m in charge of the communication between our people and us back home, and I failed to this point. It has been three days since we received our last transmission from Earth.”

“Let me warn you before I get ahead of myself. I only transmit this to regain communication. I do not intend to send this to any particular government or nation for its monopolization. I hope that you might know what happened before the world went dark. I will send transmissions when I can. Other than that, if there is anyone still on Earth, I hope you stay alive and save these recordings. We are lucky to have so many members left on board after the attack that happened months ago. The world has been dark for one day, and I hope that no catastrophe obliterated the human race.”

“The Fleet Admiral briefed the men on the new situation after the multiple explosions tore apart Dark Specter Space Station. It seems that someone blew a whistle and drew attention to the program. All of the top-secret projects got swept into the internet a few hours before the brief. They put us on lockdown as soon as the first threads appeared on social media. The memes that the media pushed out to make the public believe that the program didn’t exist failed. The attack came on December 31, 2019. While in lockdown, I was called to the Fleet Admiral’s Office and asked if I could determine how the information leaked. I searched and found that the tag on the information connected to multiple computers on Dark Specter 1.” 

“I couldn’t determine who sent the message due to the high volume of terminals needed to send the information. I did hear one note that day that made me guess why the world went dark. A strange illness appeared in a country outside the United States on the same day that someone leaked the information, and we got attacked. I think it’s too much coincidence, but I needed to let the Fleet Admiral know what happened. When he learned that the information came from his ship, we found ourselves on lockdown. I am the only one permitted to communicate with the outside world since they claim I’m cleared of suspicion. Even though I didn’t release the information, I wouldn’t discount anyone yet if I were the Fleet Admiral. But what do I know? I’m just a Spaceman First Class.” 

“No one knew who released the information, but they will keep us in our quarters until they discover who leaked. I couldn’t tell them who leaked, and I will say to them after the interrogations begin. Many of my fellow Spacemen don’t believe that they’ll do it, but I served in the US Army before I became a Space Idiot, I know how this works. The next few days will make me wish I could go back to Basic Training.”

“My experience on the Earth didn’t prepare me enough for the events so far. I fear for my life and the life of those of my fellow Spacemen. They look to me for reassurance, but I can’t give that to them. Part of me would rather live in the dark world below than my steel capsule in Dark Specter 1. If anyone receives this message, please send help.”

Xal clicked the submit button in hopes that the message would reach someone. Cold steel couldn’t comfort the way communication with a human could. The small room he lived in looked less like a room from the movie 2012, and more like the pods described in Artemis. It offered enough comfort to sleep, but nothing magical. A notification popped up on the computer screen, and then another. Xal pushed on one and found the confirmation that the transmission had sent. He hoped that the second would show a receipt notice from any Earth Radio Station that received the message. Instead, Xal found a notification from the Fleet Admiral that ordered him to the Fleet Admirals Office for further questioning. Xal felt too old for this bull shit, he thought the Fleet Admiral wanted to pin it on him since it would make his job more manageable. The steel door shot open were two armed escorts stood outside the doorway. Xal shut off his computer and took his ID card with him.