The Tartarusios glides through the star-strewn void, black hull sleek and silent. Empire cruisers flare in pursuit, but the crew expertly maneuvers through asteroid belts and radiation fields.
"Captain, we have successfully evaded Empire forces. Connect me to Titan 0," the first officer says, voice tight with urgency.
A moment later, the communications panel buzzes. "Titan 0 is in leaping process. ETA: five minutes."
Hangar doors hiss open, revealing the dimly lit docking bay. Every crew member is at stations, bracing for Titan 0's return.
Titan 0 surfaces with a metallic thud. The docking clamps engage. The crew holds their breath as medics rush forward.
"Youri, thank you for saving us," the captain says, relief and worry mingling in their voice.
But alarms blare. "Titan 0 shows no vital signs!"
Chaos erupts. Medics sprint to the cockpit, jacks and bio-scanners springing to life. Crew members shout, panic visible in every motion.
"I… I did it again. Pushed Alto to its limits… Where am I? Alto… is that you?" His voice was weak, fragmented, as if the words themselves were struggling to survive.
"You damn fool," came the response, low and sharp, carrying a weight that pressed against the shadows of the room. "Why are you throwing your life away for them?"
He swallowed hard, every breath trembling. "I… I don't know. I guess… I got used to them. Couldn't let them die."
The silence that followed was thick and heavy, broken only by the faint, mechanical hum that echoed through the gray-lit chamber. It felt like the very walls were holding their breath, waiting.
"Last time, you lost your taste," the voice murmured, quiet now, almost intimate, almost cold. "Tell me… what have you lost this time?"
He shivered. "I… I don't know… what did you take?"
A soft, dark chuckle, more feeling than sound. "Your smell. Consider yourself lucky. Next time… it will be your sight."
He closed his eyes, letting the gray emptiness wash over him, the hum of the machinery a lullaby in the void. "…Thank you… Alto," he whispered, voice fragile, almost swallowed by the shadows.
Inside the Tartarusios, medics work frantically. Youri's body is unresponsive; only brain activity remains. Monitors flicker, beeping steadily.
"Will he wake up?" a medic asks, concern lacing their voice.
"It's hard to say. For now, we're pumping his heart manually. If he doesn't wake soon, we'll lose him," another replies.
The captain stands near, guilt shadowing their face. "It's all my fault… we got into that trap because of me."
"Don't be hard on yourself. Everything happens for a reason," the first officer reassures.
"Captain, we need you at the helm," the engineer calls. The captain rushes to the controls, tension radiating.
"Boss, we have a problem. Leap engines overheated. Part of the heat sink has melted. We can't leap for a few days," the engineer reports grimly.
"Stay stationed. Any vibrations could risk a core explosion," the captain commands.
"Understood. Where's the nearest habitable planet?"
"We're in the Pascal region. Few habitable worlds. Closest is Planet Altea—a rocky world in the Goldilocks zone. Multiple biosignatures detected."
"Alright… we have to risk it. Set destination—Planet Altea," the captain orders, determination hardening their tone.