Chapter 5

  Close to the Sun, en route to the distressed station, the rescue ship moves forward.

  “The hull temperature is dropping. Rebooting the defense system,” Emma says calmly, though her tone betrays tension. “All systems normal. Minor damage, I’m fixing it. How are you feeling?”

  “Like we’ve been slow-roasted,” Maria jokes, leaning back in her chair. “Nine out of ten on the solar flare scale. I thought we weren’t going to make it.”

  “I take back everything I said,” Pietro chuckles hoarsely, glancing at the captain. “I remember we complained about you pouring a fortune into defense. Now I’d pay extra for another upgrade.”

  “Experience is the best teacher,” Manuel responds coolly, satisfaction in his eyes. “Next time we talk funding, you’ll argue less.”

  “Absolutely, Captain,” Maria agrees, rubbing her temples. “At least let me treat you to an energy cocktail in honor of our survival.”

  “Later,” Manuel says, focused on the holographic screen. “We’ve arrived. The station is within scanning range.”

  The image smoothly transitions to a 3D display. A massive structure floats in the void, ominously dark, with no signs of activity.

  “She’s silent,” Manuel notes, squinting. “Everyone, stay alert. Preparing to dock.”

  The ship gently presses against the airlock. A soft jolt, a vibration – docking complete.

  “Docking successful,” Manuel informs his crew, leaving his chair. “Pietro, you stay on the ship. Maria and I are going aboard.”

  “Understood,” Pietro replies, his fingers dancing over the control panel.

  “Activate drones,” Manuel commands through the ship’s voice system, his voice firm with a hint of caution.

  Instantly, small dragonfly-sized drones—like tiny ghosts—dart through the opened airlock and into the station’s dark corridors, lights flashing. Each one gathers data, sweeping every corner.

  “Nothing,” Manuel summarizes with a hint of confusion and disappointment as he analyzes the drone feed. The 3D scans show only emptiness. “Suspicious compartment at the far end of the eastern section. It’s locked.”

  “What does that mean?” Maria asks, trying to keep her voice steady despite the unease.

  “It means we’re going in to find out,” Manuel replies coldly. He still speaks with confidence, but his eyes hint at worry. He touches the mic embedded in his ear. “Activate weapons.”

  As if summoned, the drone swarm forms a protective field around Manuel and Maria. An energy shield—an invisible mesh—links them, ready to defend against any threat.

  “What is going on here?” Manuel mutters tensely as they advance toward the locked compartment. He knows anything could be waiting. There’s no fear on his face—just a deep strain, as if sensing something dangerous ahead.

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  Approaching the sealed doors, Manuel touches the sensor pad.

  “Locked. We’ll need to work on it.”

  Maria steps up, hands moving quickly as she retrieves a lockpick device. Her focus is sharp, her expression resolute. Every motion is precise and confident. A minute passes, and the doors slide open. They step inside.

  What they see makes their hearts freeze. The compartment is utterly destroyed, mangled by thermal grenades. Ash piles lie on the floor—possibly the remains of the station’s crew.

  “They’re all dead... It’s awful,” Maria’s voice breaks, trembling as she tries and fails to hide her emotions. Her breath grows heavy, as if she feels the pain of the victims.

  Manuel glares across the room, fury rising in his eyes.

  “Inquisitors, damn you,” he growls, teeth clenched. “Only they could do this. I warned the station owner he needed to compromise with the corporation. But now it’s too late. We move on.”

  Under the drones’ protection, they continue the inspection. Manuel speaks through the comms:

  “Pietro. Arm the ship. They might attack at any moment.”

  “Who’s they?” Pietro’s voice carries a touch of confusion.

  “The Inquisitors,” Manuel answers with disgust, his eyes flaring with rage.

  Pietro obeys. The perimeter drones shift into combat mode. The ship is surrounded by a defensive energy field—an invisible armor. Every move is calculated.

  Maria, still feeling a lingering fear, glances around warily, as if shadows might hide the enemy.

  “Maria, check the hangar,” Manuel orders, looking at her. “Be careful. They could be close. I’ll search the station owner’s quarters.”

  Maria heads toward the hangar, eyes scanning the damage. Her gaze catches on a mound in the ashes. She cautiously approaches, brushes it aside, and finds a small box.

  “What’s this?” she whispers to herself before stashing it. “I’ll figure it out on the ship.”

  Meanwhile, Manuel finds the station owner’s quarters. A few books lie on the shelf, their old paper scent evoking memories of forgotten times. He smirks at the thought that the Inquisitors hadn’t taken them. Then he spots a box shaped like a book. Inside are two amulets marked with strange symbols.

  He reaches for the box, scanning it, hardly believing the results.

  “What is this? The material... it’s unidentifiable,” he murmurs to himself in amazement.

  “Seems like the amulets are safe. Strange thing. I’ll take them.”

  At that moment, his communicator activates. Maria’s voice sounds in his ear:

  “I’m in the hangar. It’s empty.”

  “We’re leaving this dead station,” Manuel orders, clenching the amulets. “There’s no one left to save. It’s too late.”

  He returns to the ship, Maria following close behind, eager to escape the haunting place. On board, Manuel immediately addresses Pietro:

  “Disengage. We’re leaving now.”

  The ship detaches from the lifeless station. The three of them, still in their seats, glance at each other. As always, Maria is the first to express curiosity.

  “Look what I found on the station,” she says proudly, showing them the box. “The scanner identified it as a high-resistance storage container.”

  “What could be inside?” Pietro asks, eyes wide with interest, his hands sweating slightly from excitement.

  Maria opens the container. Inside is a memory block. The scanner struggles but manages to extract the data.

  “Coordinates and access codes,” Manuel says with joy, exclaiming like he’s won the lottery. “Bingo!”

  Maria, unable to contain her excitement, hugs her crewmates. She feels a rush of relief and adrenaline. It’s a step forward.

  “Let’s go! Set course for the coordinates.”