The Battleship Victory cruised through the void, its engines humming a low, steady song. Commander Elena Marris stood on the bridge, her eyes scanning the star-studded blackness. The war was over, but its shadows lingered, especially the shadow of betrayal that had almost torn her crew apart.
“Commander, we're receiving a distress signal,” Lieutenant Hargreaves announced, breaking the silence. “It's faint, but it's there.”
Elena turned towards him, her expression taut. “Source?”
“An uncharted sector near the Oort Cloud,” he replied, his fingers dancing over the console to enhance the signal.
