Creative Writing for November

Somewhere in deep space, a place undiscovered and untouched by any complex life, a small object was moving peacefully through the void. Suspended, it gracefully made its way through the endless archive of stars, exoplanets, stray meteorites, and other flotsam soaring by, without a care. Its curved plate attached to one end, drinking any solar energy up greedily, and two long, thin legs stuck out at odd angles like that of a dead spider’s. The metalwork must have been crafted elegantly by an anonymous being. But who, exactly, is the mystery.

The vast void stretched to what seemed like infinity, constantly expanding as if a small child were enthusiastically blowing it up like a balloon, growing and growing forever. Serenely, the probe explored this ominous void of darkness. Every once in a while, it would catch sight of a new planet or galactic body-in this case, it glided past in deadened oblivion. Most times, the probe floated aimlessly through a dark world that would remain unnoticed by living eyes for centuries to come. 

Distant stars blinked. Close stars roared silently. Tiny, deteriorating planetary bodies slowly falling apart like damp paper dotted their orbits, sometimes the occasional comet. But despite its ever-changing quality, space was a place with no observers; no listeners; nothing to experience it.

And then that serenity screeched to a halt as the probe’s grave speed sped up dangerously; the machine jerked and thrashed as it was violently pulled in a completely different direction. Unbeknownst to it, an enormous, blueish planet had loomed threateningly close and begun to grasp at the probe with invisible tendrils, desperately dragging it along with it. The probe was no match at all for the planet. Harshly-ruthlessly yanked through the steam-hot steamy atmosphere-falling-

But there was no collision.

The probe had to endure no catastrophic landing because there was no surface to land on; the planet was entirely composed of warm, rippling water that evaporated on impact. The probe only sank into the planet after the initial unpleasant smack on the surface. Disturbed ripples bounced along the surface hurriedly. And the probe sank. It sank lower and lower until the light from the stars penetrated no further. It began to crumble like damp paper; slowly but surely, there were sharp tangs and hisses as it was crushed under the pressure. 

A fluorescent light, blinking brightly in the dark watery grave ocean, rapidly brightened as its source grew closer. The light emitting from a strange, alien creature illuminated the probe and parts of itself, as well, and what a beautiful oddity it was; at least, to human eyes. Its body was appeared solid, but as it swam, gelatinous waves rippled through its lithe form. A rounded head was adorned with two enormous silvery eyes and enormous black pupils that peered curiously at the sinking probe. A thin grey iris encircled the pupil. Circling the probe warily, but with intrigue, its thin and streamlined body twisted, tiny fins along its sides flat. 

The creature approached the probe. It was smaller than the machine itself. Intricate and complex patterns swathed over its body painted warm light onto the subject of its bewilderment and curiosity. It paused; an enormous, fawning, accordion-like tail oscillated in the disturbed ocean; they, alien and machine, were suspended in time. 

The creature, mildly wary, gently nudged the probe with its head, and watched with confusion as no response was given; metal groaned suddenly under the uncomfortable pressure; the creature flattened slightly, its gelatinous body accustomed. Flashing lights reflected off of a reflective gold circle attached to the probe’s side. As the machine murmured its goodbyes the carefully etched lines on the disk stood out sharply. How fragile, comparably, the probe was to the small watery dweller of its equally watery planet... The creature’s tail twitched as metal folded on metal and delicate instruments crumpled, and finally, the thin disk of dull golden material popped off soundlessly. It drifted sluggishly. The intrigued creature, enchanted with such an abnormality as an alien probe, started to attention; the saucer had gently brushed the long, fluttering fin along its back. It turned to look back and forth between the tragic wreckage of a once-beautiful machine. A long-forgotten masterpiece sinking down, down, down; down, into the deep, crushing abyss where it would eventually come to a pause at a core of unnatural ice. A tiny disk full of history and a doorway to the future. The creature, without looking back, swept the circular plate into its tail and its light disappeared into the murkiness.

The machine sank.

This story was about the 1977 Voyager 1 probe, carrying the Golden Record, crashing onto an alien planet.
What did you think it was about?

A short video explaining just what's on the Golden Record