The ship groaned as Mira rerouted power from the lower decks, the lights flickering as if the ship itself was protesting the strain. Every moment felt like a countdown to disaster.
Kaelen kept his eyes on Mira, her hands moving with practiced speed, the tension in her posture palpable. She didn't speak, didn't look up as she worked, but Kaelen could sense the burden she carried. She was carrying not just the weight of the ship's survival, but the hope that this signal might lead them to something—anything—that could get them out of this nightmare.
A low hum filled the air, and the console beeped in confirmation. The signal was getting stronger. Mira's face lit up, but it was only for a moment before her expression darkened.
"It's working... but there's something wrong," she said, her voice quivering slightly.
Kaelen's heart raced. "What do you mean?"
"I've isolated the transmission," Mira explained, her fingers still dancing over the console. "But there's a secondary signal embedded within it. It's... it's some kind of code."
"A code?" Kaelen repeated, stepping closer to get a better view. "What kind of code?"
"It's encrypted," Mira said, her eyes widening. "But I think it's a warning. Not for us... but for whoever is listening."
A chill ran down Kaelen's spine. A warning. For them? Or for someone else?
Before he could respond, the console flared with a sudden surge of energy. Mira cried out in alarm as the lights blinked out, plunging them into darkness. The ship shuddered violently, the walls groaning as though they were being torn apart.
"What the hell—?" Kaelen started, but his words were drowned out by the violent rumble that shook the ship to its core.
Mira's face was lit by the faint glow of the emergency lights. She turned to Kaelen, eyes wide with terror. "We've been found."
The ship groaned again, this time more violently. The walls around them buckled, and the air was sucked out of the room, leaving only a muffled silence as Kaelen's pulse thundered in his ears. The Vigilant was in freefall, plummeting toward something unseen.
"Get to the escape pods!" Kaelen shouted, his voice cutting through the panic. "We need to get out—now!"
But before they could move, the lights flickered back on, and the communication system came to life once more. The distorted voice from the signal crackled through the speakers.
"Warning... incoming vessel. No escape... Prepare for—"
The transmission cut off, leaving nothing but static.