Lyra and Kael exchanged a nervous glance. What was the signal, and what did it mean? They knew they had to act fast to uncover the truth.
"I think we should try to hack into the console," Lyra whispered. "We might be able to learn more about the signal and what they're planning to do with it."
Kael nodded, his eyes locked on the window. "Let's do it. But we need to be careful. If we get caught, it could mean trouble for us."
Lyra nodded, and they quickly made their way back to the door. Kael carefully picked the lock, and they slipped inside the room.
The group of people in lab coats were still huddled around the console, discussing something in hushed tones. Lyra and Kael crept closer, trying not to draw attention to themselves.
Lyra quickly got to work, trying to hack into the console. She worked her magic, bypassing security protocols and gaining access to the system.
As she scrolled through the files, Lyra's eyes widened in shock. "Kael, look at this," she whispered.
Kael leaned in, his eyes scanning the screen. "What is it?"
"It's a message," Lyra replied. "From the Xanthean Empire. They're planning to use the signal to communicate with an alien species."
Kael's expression was grim. "That's not all. Look at the coordinates. They're planning to transmit the signal to a specific location in space."
Lyra's eyes widened as she saw the coordinates. "That's where the signal is coming from," she whispered. "They're trying to respond to it."
Suddenly, the console beeped again, and the group turned to look at it. Lyra's eyes locked on the screen as it displayed a message: "Transmission initiated. Awaiting response."
The room fell silent, and Lyra and Kael held their breaths. What would happen next? Would they receive a response from the alien species, or would something go terribly wrong?
As they waited, Lyra couldn't help but think about the implications of what they were doing. Were they ready for contact with an alien species? What would it mean for humanity?
The tension in the room was palpable, and Lyra could feel the weight of the moment. She glanced at Kael, who was watching her with a serious expression.
"What do you think will happen?" Lyra whispered to him.
Kael shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."
As they waited, the console beeped again, and the screen flickered to life. Lyra's eyes widened as she saw a message appear on the screen: "Response received. Decoding..."
The room erupted into chaos as the group of people in lab coats began to scramble, trying to decode the message. Lyra and Kael exchanged a nervous glance, knowing that their lives were about to change forever.