In the furthest reaches of the universe, a binary star system falls victim to the gravitational pull of a black hole. This black hole, like many others, has served as the harbinger of death for many celestial bodies. The star system, like those others before it, will eventually be destroyed in such a manner that is best described as being stretched thin like taffy, then immediately refracted like light at harsh angles, before falling into the deepest abyss of the black hole. Unlike other star systems, this one consists of a yellow sun nearing the end of its life, and an oversized planetoid completely void of flora and fauna. It would take a millennium for that binary star to finally fall from the outer edges of the black hole to the event horizon. Or at least that’s how long it would take if the nearest satellite were to record it. From the surface, it would only feel like a matter of weeks. Black holes have a funny way of distorting time, just like everything else.

Vesper slithered lazily through the vacuum of space, daydreaming about the comet he had left behind. It was twin tailed and far colder than most. It was a beautiful comet, but he was tragically ejected from it when he attempted to split one of its tails in an effort to give it three. Now he was left to wander in a region of space even he found somewhat unfamiliar. Eager to reorient himself, he began scanning the nearby stars for a familiar system. Instead, his attention was grabbed by a black hole swirling in the distance.

Interesting, Vesper mused. Perhaps I could spend some time over there and watch as things fall victim to its gravity. He adjusted his course and prepared to launch himself closer to the gaping maw of death. He coiled his massive body so tightly his muscles started to protest, and his head was almost lost among the layers of his body. When his body was fully compressed, he exhaled and launched himself forward. Within seconds, Vesper found himself beyond the edges of the black hole’s gravitational pull. He knew immediately that he had gone too far, but a part of him did not care. It was that part of him that drove him onward.

Within the immediate vicinity of where Vesper had arrived was a bit of cosmic dust, an ancient satellite likely defunct, and a certain binary star. Vesper had no interest in the dust with its chunks of ice and diamonds, nor in the satellite with its untold secrets, large black disk, and blinking light. Were it not for the other cosmic phenomena brewing nearby, perhaps Vesper would have shown interest in one of these, but it was not meant to be.

From the moment he spotted it, Vesper knew that he must investigate the planetoid further. Some unknown force was drawing him to it, completely overpowering every single part of him that was trying to warn him of the nearby danger. Upon entering the planetoid’s atmosphere, Vesper thought – if only for a moment- that the planetoid looked vaguely familiar. He was staring at the terrain below him so intently that by the time he noticed the mountain in front of him, it was too late to change course. As he had been gliding through the air at a relatively fast pace, the impact of his body caused the mountain to crumble beneath his massive form. He came out the other side with broken rocks in his face, which caused him to become disoriented and crash into the ground and side quite a distance, leaving a ragged section of the planetoid’s surface behind him.

Vesper chose to lay where his body had stopped, thoroughly sore and almost certain that something was permanently damaged. Exhausted and in a tremendous amount of pain, he allowed himself to slip into a troubled sleep, which was peppered with moments of searing pain that would occasionally bring him to a state of semi consciousness. He continued to slumber in agony for three days before his breathing returned to a more relaxed rhythm.

Klaxons began to wail impossibly loud the instant Kalivaar’s ship exited the wormhole. Frantically, each pair of her hands began hammering away at the controls in front of her. She ignored the sounds of coming from the ship around her: the crackle of a fire that erupted in the space behind her, the computerized screams or warning from nearly every screen, and the groans of protest coming from the hull. Looking up for the briefest second, she could see the rocky surface of a planet rushing up to meet her.

“No. Not today. Not like this,” she growled as she yanked the steering mechanism to her chest. The ship veered away from the ground, leading her to let out a sigh of relief, before plummeting straight into the ground and sending Kalivaar sailing through the window. She hit a nearby cliff just above a small precipice, that felt very much not like rock at least she had ever encountered. She slid down the cliffside in gingerly made her way to the edge of the overhang, where she positioned herself near two steam vents periodically letting out air.

Kalivaar surveyed the damage done to her ship- which was conveniently or nearby- as well as to herself and tried not to think too much about the putrid odor coming from the nearby vents. At one point she was so lost and thought that she could have sworn that the cliff she was on was moving, almost as if she were floating on water. It wasn't until she felt well enough to return to her ship that she noticed that the movement had stopped. When she turned to look for a path down, she was greeted by a giant eye. Luckily for Kalivaar, the drop was short enough for her to tumble to the ground without adding to her injuries.

When Vesper finally awoke from his tortured sleep, he was shocked to be greeted by a green lump at the end of his nose. While he contemplated what to do about it, the thing moved without warning. The creature had revealed its face, let out a piercing shriek, and jumped away, all before he could blink. He lifted his head and peered closer at the ground, just in time to see it disappear into a smoking mass of metal he was almost certain hadn't been there before. By the time the creature emerged again, Vesper had repositioned himself into a more comfortable position. From his new position, he had a decent vantage point for observing the events that were unfolding closer to the surface. The green thing was removing bids from the smoking metal and spreading it between nearby rocks. His initial fascination was waning, and at that moment he remembered the nearby sun. He told himself he would only watch for a little while longer.

Vesper He was a great sigh and watches the tiny creature scrambled back and forth, mildly annoyed and rather fixated. As the green things printed from one rock to another, he couldn't help but wonder what the little being would hope to accomplish. Even with four appendages to carry debris, it was evident to Vesper that nothing of any significance would come from the thing’s efforts.  He even tried to mention this at one point but was only met with the high-pitched shrieking that served as either a primitive form of communication or vain attempt to ward off predators. No longer interested, Vesper turned himself away from the Shrieking Green Thing and slithered off to watch the dying star fight for its survival.

Kalivaar was sweating profusely as she ran between her wrecked ship and the boulders where she was gathering parts. She was cursing herself for having this awful idea but Spurs herself on knowing that she didn't have much choice. Her ship would never fly again and if she ever wanted off this rock, she had to get that translator working again. That monolithic beast has been watching her work in hissing occasionally. The last time it had done so, she had lost her temper.

“I’m working on it!” Kalivaar had roared. “It’s not like you are helping.” She had started down waiting for it to finally speak or at the very least swallow her whole. In response the giant beast merely slithered away at an alarming speed. With a growing smile she said about welding the last pieces of her device together. Kalivaar shouted triumphantly when her project was finally complete, which resulted in the reappearance of the colossal reptile, who had what she hoped was an expression of curiosity on his face.

An unexpected cry from the Shrieking Green Thing prompted Vesper to return, despite his better judgment. Between the two was a strange looking piece of machinery. The Green Thing touched its surface and made a noise. He began to describe the uselessness of the thing and was silenced by a raised appendage. Green Thing was staring rather intensely at the machine, seeming to be waiting for it to do something. Without warning, it let out a beep, signaling Green Thing to make another sound. A few seconds later, Vesper heard a new voice.

“Hello?” He couldn't believe it. This was the first voice Vesper had heard in eons that wasn't his own. “Hello, can you hear me?” The Green Thing simply stared at Vesper. It took a long moment before he realized who the voice belonged to.

“Hello yourself.” Vesper’s shock and excitement had evaporated, only to be replaced by rage. “Do you realize how many times I've tried to speak to you? All you've done is shriek at me! Did you just learn to speak, or does language simply escape you most days?” His rage was threatening to boil over.

“Hey, don’t you yell at me like that!” The Green Thing was quick to match his rage. Slapping the top of the machine she retorted, “I was working on this obviously. It's clearly a translator. That's why we can suddenly understand each other.”

Vesper’s rage dissolved almost immediately. Ashamed for being so foolish, he turned slightly away to avoid eye contact. After a painfully long silence, he finally worked up the courage to ask another question, this time without shouting. “So, what should I call you?”

“Kalivaar. That's what my people call me. Kal works just fine too.” Her words hung in the air before she returned the question. “What about you? What do your people call you?”

“I have no people. But I call myself ... Vesper.” It had been too long since the last time he heard his own name. So long that hearing it now felt like a lie. Like it wasn't really his at all. His musings on his name was interrupted by Kalivaar's next question. 

“Any idea where we are?”

Of course, Vesper knew. But how could he bring himself to tell this being whom he just started communicating with that they were hurtling through space toward an inescapable death? With great reluctance he told himself.

“Yes. You and I are the only inhabitants of a binary star that is currently only moments away from the event horizon of a black hole. At that point, we will experience a death that no living creature has ever encountered, and no one will ever know.”

He couldn't bring himself to look at her. He knew that she would be filled with a tremendous amount of terror. She had to be; he certainly was. Rather than speaking, the two decided to spend their final moments in silence, as they slowly ventured beyond the void.