The latch hissed as the air equalized between the two ships, the metallic scent of recycled air mixing with the cold bite of the Scavenger ship's interior.
Elan stepped forward first, taser in hand, every step echoing softly in the dark corridor. Max followed close, eyes sharp, while Shizuka's voice crackled in their earpieces, "Jammer holding, no signals getting out."
Ren's voice came next, tense, "No movement on sensors. You're clear, for now."
The corridor was narrow, walls patched with welded plates, wires snaking along the edges, the flickering emergency lights revealing the rough life of the Scavenger crew.
Elan gestured, and Max moved to check a side passage, clearing each angle before nodding back. They advanced slowly, the tension like a weight pressing on their shoulders.
At the end of the corridor, they found the inner gate open, leading into a small cargo hold. Crates were stacked haphazardly, some marked with faded labels, others simply tied with rope.
Max leaned close, whispering, "Fluxine containers."
Elan's eyes narrowed. "Take what we can carry, quickly."
They moved in silence, grabbing two canisters of Fluxine and a small crate of ration packs, the sound of their breathing loud in the stillness.
"Movement," Ren's voice cracked sharply in their ears. "Someone's coming down the hall."
Elan's grip tightened on the taser as the shadows in the hallway shifted, preparing for the moment when the Scavengers would find them, the breach turning from silent theft to survival's edge.
Footsteps echoed down the hall, heavy boots against metal, growing louder as Elan and Max froze near the crates.
Elan glanced at Max, nodding once before stepping into the shadows beside the entryway, taser ready. Max moved to the opposite side, crouched low.
Two Scavengers appeared, arguing in hushed tones, unaware of the intruders.
"I told you the signal cut wasn't random!" one snapped.
"Yeah, well, the scanner didn't show anything," the other replied, frustration clear in his voice.
As they stepped fully into the cargo hold, Max made a small noise, intentional, drawing their attention.
"What the—"
Elan lunged from the side, taser crackling as it connected with the first Scavenger, dropping him instantly with a stifled grunt. The second turned, eyes wide, reaching for a tool at his belt, but Max tackled him, pinning him to the ground.
The Scavenger struggled, but Max pressed the taser against his side, the shock dropping him limp beside his companion.
Elan's breathing was heavy, his eyes scanning the hall. "Shizuka, status on signals?"
"Still jammed, but we need to hurry," came the reply, tension in her voice.
Ren's voice followed, "No one else moving yet, but I don't know for how long."
Max stood, helping Elan lift the unconscious bodies, dragging them into the corner behind crates to keep them out of immediate sight.
"Grab what we can and get ready to move," Elan ordered, his voice low but firm.
They returned to the crates, moving quickly to secure the Fluxine and rations, the quiet around them now feeling like a fragile glass ready to shatter at any moment as they prepared for extraction.
Elan hoisted the crate of rations while Max secured the Fluxine canisters against his harness, tightening the straps until they wouldn't rattle.
"Time check," Elan whispered.
"Two minutes until we lose our window," Shizuka's voice came through, strained but steady.
Ren added, "Still clear on sensors, but I'm getting spikes from their systems. They might be rebooting."
Elan glanced at Max. "We're leaving."
They moved quickly, retracing their steps down the narrow hallway, stepping over scattered tools and loose wires, the lights flickering above them as the Scavenger ship's systems pulsed.
As they neared the docking latch, Max paused, pulling a small tool from his belt and snapping a critical panel on the Scavenger ship's power conduit. Sparks flew, the lights dimming further.
"That should slow them down if they try to follow," Max said, breathing hard.
Elan nodded, pressing the release on the manual latch. The magnetic clamps disengaged with a heavy thud, and the ships separated, drifting apart in the void.
"Disengaged," Elan reported.
Shizuka's voice came back, relief in her tone. "Jammer off. We're clear."
Max slid into the pilot seat, hands moving across the console. "Pushing us away, low power, keep us hidden."
Elan dropped the crate onto the floor, breathing heavily, his hands shaking as the adrenaline began to fade.
Ren spun her seat around, looking at them, eyes wide. "We actually did it."
Elan managed a tired smile. "Yeah. We did."
Outside the viewport, the Scavenger ship floated silently, unaware of who had come and gone, as Elan and his crew drifted into the shadows of the stars, carrying their stolen lifeline deeper into the unknown.
The hum of the ship's systems filled the silence as the crew sat, catching their breath, the stolen supplies stacked in the narrow walkway.
Ren wrapped her arms around her knees, her eyes distant. "I can't believe we did that. We attacked people… stole from them."
Elan leaned against the console, wiping sweat from his brow. "We didn't hurt them any more than we had to. We did what we had to do."
Max was already checking the Fluxine canisters, calculating their remaining fuel days. "With this, we've bought ourselves another month, maybe more if we ration it carefully."
Shizuka looked at the crate of rations, fingers tracing the worn edges. "And we have food for a while."
Kenta, quiet until now, whispered, "Are they going to come after us?"
Max didn't look up. "Probably. But we'll be gone by the time they figure it out."
Ren's voice rose, frustration and fear mixing. "And then what? We keep stealing? Keep running? Is this all we're going to be now?"
Elan met her gaze, his voice calm but edged with exhaustion. "We're going to survive. That's what we're going to do."
The cabin fell silent, the weight of what they had done settling like a shadow among them. The hum of the engines and the quiet blinking of the stars through the viewport were the only sounds in the darkness.
Max finally spoke, breaking the tension. "Elan's right. We're alive. That's what matters."
Ren looked away, wiping at her eyes, her voice a whisper. "Yeah. I guess it is."
The stars drifted by outside as the crew sat in the quiet, the stolen supplies beside them, the cold dark of space pressing close as they prepared for whatever would come next.
The ship's engines pulsed softly as Max adjusted their trajectory, setting a slow, deliberate course away from the ice cluster and the Scavenger ship now drifting behind them.
Elan stood near the viewport, watching the stars slide past in cold silence. Each point of light felt like a reminder of how far from home they were, how alone they were in the dark.
Shizuka and Kenta quietly sorted the rations, counting and cataloging with precise movements. The small comforts of structure helped steady their hands, even as their eyes betrayed exhaustion.
Ren sat at the sensors, her head resting against her arms, eyes closed but not asleep. The tension hadn't left her shoulders, but for now, she didn't speak.
Max spoke, his voice low, "Course set. We'll drift for a while to avoid leaving a trace. I've marked potential systems we can scan for ice or minerals."
Elan nodded, pulling himself away from the viewport. "We'll need to find a place to rest, somewhere quiet where we can sort out what comes next."
Shizuka looked up. "And what is next?"
Elan paused, looking at each of them. "We live. We learn. We prepare for the next time, because there will be a next time."
Kenta hugged his knees to his chest, whispering, "I don't want to do it again."
Elan knelt in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "None of us do. But we will, if we have to."
Ren finally lifted her head, her eyes tired but focused. "Then we'd better make this worth it."
Outside, the stars stretched endlessly as the ship drifted deeper into the void, carrying the weight of survival and the silent promise that they would continue, no matter what waited in the dark ahead.