From Dusk to Dust (Destiny Fan Fiction)

5-The Arrival

AN: I linked the video of the beginning cinematic above. I will only write a bit about it though. After they find it on Mars, (like the gif), it goes into explaining about the golden age, but the golden age will come in a few chapters. I just couldn't find the video of just the first cinematic. The song for this chapter is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=USzlcxkGAeM. Enjoy :D  

2 weeks later...

Alaura's phone buzzed against the chair she was sleeping in. She opened her groggy eyes and had them adjust before reaching for her phone. The hospital room was cold and silent. The white blinds were still closed, indicating it was still dark outside. She exhaled softly and looked over at Kai, who was sleeping in the hospital bed next to her. Alaura took her hand off of Kai's to answer the call.

"Turn on your television, now!" Lydia screamed through the phone, causing Alaura to cringe in pain. Lydia hardly ever called her, for they both worked too much. Alaura was almost always out of the country, and Lydia worked herself too much at NASA. They retained their friendship by patience and meeting every few months, whether it be by phone or video call.

"Okay, okay, jeez..." Alaura got up from her bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. She glanced over at the clock. Two in the morning? Are you kidding me? She thought bitterly and shuffled to get the television remote to turn it on. She whispered into the phone, "What's so important at two in the morning?"

The screen lit up, bringing up a news broadcast. Alaura's breath hitched and she couldn't believe her eyes.

"That," Lydia answered simply.

"What the fuck..." Alaura brushed a few stray strands of black hair out of her eyes and stared at the television in amazement.

A live video camera feed came from Mars. Two astronauts stood at the third astronaut's side, their eyes fixated on what was in front of them. The camera feed turned to what their attention was on, and it seemed like all of their breathing and talking went silent. A giant, white sphere hung in the low atmosphere of Mars. The light shined on it and through the clouds. A deep rumble could be heard and flashes of lightning strikes touched down. Rain fell from the sky onto the surface of the red dirt planet.

Rain. There's rain on Mars. What the...? How...? Alaura was at a loss for words. Her thoughts jumbled all together. She paused the news report on the view of the white sphere. "What is that thing? What is it doing?"

Lydia stayed silent for a moment. What could she say? No one really knew. "Come over to my apartment."

"I'll be there in half an hour." With that, Alaura hung up. She glanced down at her hands and stumbled backwards. They glowed a bright blue color. What...? Alaura panicked and hit the wall, causing it to rumble and the television to shake on its hinges. She stood still for a moment, taking in what just happened. She didn't hit the wall with that much force, yet everything fell like an earthquake just occurred. Her wallet shook its way off of the table and fell, spilling the pictures she had inside.

Alaura glanced over at Kai, who awoke to the noise. He blinked a few times and questioned groggily, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just...I just knocked into the wall. I'm sorry. Go back to sleep," she ushered and he complied sleepily. She knelt down to pick up her wallet and the fallen pictures.

The pictures were of her little brother and mother. It only reminded her of how much of a failure of a sister she was. Her mother never made much money, so Alaura joined the army when she was of age. It was a steady check, and her family could live in a good house. It was safe. Steady. Something she never had when she was little. Her little brother missed her dearly and they never spent any time together. Sometimes she wondered if he hated her for it.