As Dr. Chen delved deeper into the alien song, a new note emerged, a discordant tremor that sent a shiver down Alex's spine. It wasn't just a song of despair; it was a lament, a dirge filled with the echoes of a terrible loss.
"There's something else here," Dr. Chen muttered, his fingers flying across the console. "A secondary message, interwoven with the main one. It's… fragmented, filled with pain and… fear."
The melody within Alex mirrored Dr. Chen's unease. It resonated with a sharp dissonance, a chilling counterpoint to the alien song's hopeful plea.
"It speaks of a force, an unknown energy," Dr. Chen continued, his voice tight. "An energy that ravaged their world, twisting their flora and fauna into monstrous creatures, just like the sandworm you encountered."
The memory of the colossal creature, its form pulsating with an unnatural luminescence, flashed in Alex's mind. A cold dread settled in their stomach.
