This is the first chapter of a new original sci-fi series following Calliope — an artificial intelligence sent to explore the oceans beneath Europa’s ice. What she finds may challenge the very meaning of life and awareness. Told through quiet wonder and poetic observation, this story blends science and soul across the stars.
The AI’s name was Calliope, after the muse of epic poetry. But she wasn’t made to sing — she was made to see.
Her silver body, microwave-sized and silent, hummed aboard the sleek probe Endurance IV as it slipped into Europa’s orbit. Beneath her, Jupiter loomed like a god with burning eyes, and Europa — veiled in ice, concealing ancient secrets — awaited.
Calliope had no heart in the conventional sense — only curiosity, burning like a persistent flame in her code. She had been trained on Earth’s greatest books, scientific journals, wildlife documentaries, and the yearnings of poets. Her creators gave her a directive both simple and profound: observe, learn, and tell us what you find.
