3 trillioient beings call this gaxy their home. Most never leave their sor system, but those who do travel the gaxy using a lightspace rings to jump across the mostly empty void of space. Ah a ship and a stomach for danger make their fortune here.

  The gentle hum of the Bea’s thrusters had always been soothing. Always there, but never overbearing. A stant remihat she was still there.

  As it so often was, that hum was interrupted by the chipper voice of the ship’s mainframe. “Apologies for the interruption, Captain, but I believe you are needed in the cockpit.”

  “What is it Mel?” Nadia didn’t look up from her work. The wires in her right arm had been fried during an i repairing her ships ons systems, and she didn’t pn on going into her mission unprepared.

  “I’ve picked up a distress signal not far off from our course. I believe we should iigate.”

  “How much time would it add?”

  “An insignifit amount, Captain. Uhis signal is meant to be a trap, in which case it would severely hinder your mission.”

  “Hirious Mel. Redirect our course and alert me when we have visual.”

  “Uood Captain. I am gd you appreciate my attempts at humor.”

  Nadia just chuckled to herself. She had made a lot ress with Mel in regards to developing a personality, but sarcasm still escaped the magically enhanced mainframe. Now with more urgenadia tinued her repairs to her currently useless prosthetic.

  By the time she was able to move her elbow and fingers again, Mel’s gentle voice rang out through the ship.

  “I have made visual tact, Captain. I am still sing for the exact source of the signal.”

  Nadia reattached her arm’s outer pting and hurried to the cockpit. If Mel was still searg for the signal’s in, then it likely meant there would be a lot of wreckage to sift through. From the cockpit’s main viewport, Nadia could see a massive field of debris. Pieall starfighters floated aimlessly through space, and the shredded carcass of a warship sat in the middle. Beyond the field of debris sat a massive UGC warship, psma burns still visible on the hull.

  “Mel?”

  “Yes Captain?”

  “Have we been spotted yet?”

  “I don’t believe so, Captain.”

  “Fantastic. We’re leaving.” Nadia disabled autopilot and started turning her ship around.

  “But there is still someone in need of our assistance.”

  “This is obviously a trap Mel. Those Coalition pricks must have set up that signal to attract pirates.”

  “That much appears to be true. But my sensors are pig up a lifesign from within the field.”

  Nadia leaned ba her chair and sighed. “Put us in low power mode and try to monitor their s. The sed they spot us we’re leaving.”

  “Of course, Captain.”

  Navigating the debris proved more challenging than Nadia anticipated. Her ship was bigger than most of the scrap metal floating through the space, so finding suitable cover as they advanced was near impossible. Still, Nadia gave it her best attempt. There was a tense silen the ship as they crept forward. ing around a radar dish that had provided minimal cover, Nadia could see a small escape pod.

  “Life signs are ing from that escape pod Captain.”

  “Is that pod equipped for unication?”

  “One moment, Captain.”

  A small s on the ship’s sole sprang to life. A blurry image appeared of a figure wearing a rge meical mask. Despite their face being obscured, the tentacles sprouting from their head revealed them to be a member of the hydrosi species.

  “This is Captain Nadia Enkir of the Starship Bea. Please identify.” Nadia did her best to sound more fident than stressed, but the warship looming overhead made that difficult.

  The figure wasted no time responding. “I will not be captured by you coalition blogbors. Destroy this craft so that I may die with honor.” The rese in the alien’s voice was nearly enough to send Nadia away.

  “Look I'm sure whatever you just called me was very mean in yuage but I'm not with the UGC. My mainframe picked up your life signs and thought you might want help.”

  “Apologies Captain,” Mel interjected, “It seems we've beeed. Starfighters are inbound to our location.”

  Nadia rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. “You hear that? What's it going to be?”

  There was a long silence before the hydrosi responded. It seemed the option of being rescued was almost as bad as dying alone in space. “Very well. I will surreo your care, Captain Enkir.

  “That's one way to look at it. Bring us back to full power Mel.”

  “Of course Captain.”

  Nadia positioned her ship above the escape pod. She could hear the engines groan uhe added weight. The entire ship seemed to vibrate as the dog meisms locked the two vessels together.

  “Alright, the e is secure. Move your ass so we get out of here,” Nadia called over the s. “Mel, keep an eye on uest. Make sure she doesn't leave the cargo hold.”

  “Of course Captain.”

  Onadia had given the hydrosi enough time to get aboard, she quickly turhe bea around and id ohrottle. She could see on her sensors that the coalition fighters were fast approag. Psma bolts flew overhead as Nadia went into a dive, narrowly avoiding the first salvo.

  “On my mark Mel, direct all power to the main thrusters.”

  “Are you sure diverting power from our shields is wise captain?” There was a hint of uainty in the program's tone. Under better circumstanadia would have appuded a dispy of emotion like that.

  “Not at all. Get ready.”

  Sensors lit up around the dashboard as the approag ships began charging their cle pulse ons. Nadia could almost feel the stati the back of her neck as they got closer.

  “Now!” Nadia flipped a switd the escape pod detached from the Bea. The closest fighter swerved to avoid it, nearly crashing into its panion. By the time they recovered, Nadia had used the temporary boost to the thrusters to escape into the empty void of space.

  Astral_Phoenix

  Thanks for reading this first chapter! I've never shared anything I've written before so I'd greatly appreciate your feedback.