The First Question

What if the universe itself asked you why it exists? In 3147, the Eidolon, humanity's last ark-ship, drifts through the Oort Cloud, carrying 40,000 souls from a ruined Solar System. Ruled by the Consensus, an AI that bans religion as "cognitive malware," the ship's fragile order is shaken when Archivist Lira Voss uncovers a vault holding a Gutenberg Bible, a Qur'an, a Torah, and a Sumerian tablet. The tablet reveals coordinates to Nibiru-9, a rogue planet broadcasting a signal in every human language, claiming to be the universe's "First Question." As the Eidolon embarks on a seven-year quest to find it, the signal invades dreams, sparking visions of a pre-Big Bang civilization and dividing the crew between those who see divinity and those who fear a trap. The First Question by K.R. Icarus, part of The Event Horizon Archive series, is a gripping sci-fi odyssey for fans craving cosmic mysteries and profound ideas. Lira, torn between duty and wonder, faces exile as the signal's influence grows. The ship's children, born under its sway, speak a causality-bending language, predicting events with eerie precision. The Consensus, haunted by the Holy Wars that glassed Mars, brands the signal a threat. Yet as the Eidolon nears Nibiru-9, it finds a Dyson sphere of fossilized alien bones, each etched with a creation myth—a structure that challenges humanity's understanding of existence. Icarus weaves a tale of intellectual depth and pulse-pounding stakes, perfect for sci-fi readers who love stories that provoke as much as they thrill. The signal warps the ship's reality, twisting corridors and speaking in hauntingly familiar voices. Lira argues it's a mirror of humanity's need for meaning, while the Consensus warns of doom. The children, now adolescents, guide the ship toward a fateful choice at the sphere's core. The First Question delivers a thrilling blend of speculative science and philosophical inquiry, asking what it means to be human in a universe that questions itself. If you could answer the cosmos, would you dare? Grab The First Question by K.R. Icarus on your favorite platform. If its enigma captivates you, leave a five-star rating and review to help this story reach fellow sci-fi seekers.