Shadows in the Void

Chapter 21: Less Than Twenty Percent

Helena tilted her head, as if something off screen had drawn her attention. "Lieutenant Magnusson...Dagr" Helena's voice interrupted the silence, her digital tone now carrying a hint of urgency.

"While the internal comms have been restored, I've now detected a significant issue with the ship's propulsion. The main drive is glitching, and it will require a manual reset to ensure our safe arrival at the L‑class planet."

"However, the thermal readings indicate that the creatures have claimed the drive chamber as their own. The heat generated by the drive is likely a desirable environment for them."

The news hit Dagr like a punch to the gut, but he knew he had to act.

He let out a weary sigh, his eyes focused on the flickering screens of the comms room.

He knew the question he was about to ask was one he might not be prepared to hear the answer to.

"How many of those... things are there?" His voice was a mix of exhaustion and fear.

He knew the ship's AI had been keeping tabs on the creatures' movements and numbers since he first encountered them, but hearing the number out loud was something entirely different.

"The exact number is... difficult to determine, Dagr," Helena's voice trembled, a rare show of concern from the usually stoic AI.

"The creatures are highly elusive, and their population seems to fluctuate. However, my last estimate places their number in the hundreds. They have indeed claimed the drive chamber as their nesting and breeding ground."

"The ship's structural integrity remains compromised, currently holding at 61%, and I have been forced to reroute power to sustain life support.

"The cryopod bay is secure, but Lieutenant Jiang's pod is showing signs of distress, the dura glass is cracked. The pod's seal may weakening, and if it fails, she will be exposed to the ship's current environment without the wake sequence, which would be..." she paused, searching for the right words, "...fatal."

The words hung in the air, a grim reality that Dagr could almost feel wrapping its cold fingers around his throat.

"So in other words, I have to reset the drive manually if we're going to have any chance of making it to that planet and keeping Xinyue alive."

His voice was a mix of resignation and determination, echoing off the cold steel walls of the comms room.

He knew the risks, knew that venturing into the creatures' lair would be like walking into the jaws of hell itself.

But he had made a promise.

He had to keep her safe, no matter the cost.

Helena's voice carried a calm certainty, but beneath it was a rare tremor of concern.

"Dagr, I understand the gravity of your situation. However, the creatures have overrun the drive chamber. Attempting to reset the drive manually would be a suicide mission — less than a 20% chance of survival. Activating the self‑destruct sequence and escaping in one of the landing ships is the most logical course of action for your survival. The Dominance cannot sustain life much longer, and I fear for your safety."

Her words were like a death sentence for Xinyue, the cold arithmetic of survival laid bare.

Dagr's eyes widened at the stark logic in Helena's voice.

The thought of abandoning the ship, leaving Xinyue and potential other survivors to their fate, was unbearable.

His heart pounded in his chest like a trapped animal.

"No," he murmured, his voice a whisper. "I can't do that."

He thought of Xinyue — her gentle smile, the way she spoke of her family back on Earth, the warmth she brought to the cold steel corridors of the ship.

He couldn't let her die.

"I have to try. I can't just give up on them," he said, his voice gaining strength.

"I'll find a way to reset the drive without them noticing, or..." He trailed off, his mind racing with impossible scenarios.

"I'll think of something. I just can't leave them here. Not like this."

Helena's voice remained calm, but there was a note of understanding in her response.

"Dagr, your compassion is commendable. However, the risk you propose is substantial. The creatures are highly aggressive and have shown no signs of intelligence or reasoning. The drive chamber is their stronghold, and entering it unprepared could lead to disaster. If you insist on this course of action, I can provide you with the necessary schematics and procedures for the manual reset. I will also do everything in my power to distract them, but you must be swift and decisive."

Dagr's mind sparked with sudden clarity.

"Helena, the drive chamber has only two entrances, both with their own airlocks. It was designed that way so we could eject the drive core if we had to. What if I seal the drive room off, then activate the eject sequence, but not eject the core? The drive room would be exposed to space, killing anything in there."

The AI considered his plan, her digital mind racing through the ship's blueprints and the potential consequences.

"Your proposal has merit, Lieutenant," she conceded after a moment of silence.

"The ejection sequence would indeed deprive the creatures of oxygen and pressure, killing them. However, it is a dangerous gambit. The force of the ejection could cause further damage to the ship's structure, and there is a risk that the seals may fail."

"Additionally, you would have to perform the reset immediately upon re‑entering the chamber. But it may be our only hope of reaching the L‑class planet and preserving the lives of those in cryostasis — including Lieutenant Jiang."

Dagr nodded solemnly, his mind racing with the weight of his decision.

"All right, Helena. Seal off the drive room. Once the creatures are gone, I'll go in and reset the core. Just make sure Xinyue's pod stays online no matter what happens."

The words tasted bitter in his mouth, the thought of losing her unbearable.

He took a deep breath, steeling himself for the task ahead.

"And keep an eye on the drones. We need all the help we can get."

"Lieutenant, there is an unforeseen complication with your strategy," Helena's voice was calm but urgent.

"The main airtight bulkhead doors to the drive core have sustained severe damage. Attempting to decompress the chamber could cause a breach in the ship's hull. If the seals fail, it will not only kill the creatures but could potentially destabilize the entire ship's structure. This is a risk we cannot afford to take."

The gravity of her words settled over Dagr like a heavy fog, obscuring the clarity of his plan.

He knew that without a fully functioning drive, their chances of reaching the L‑class planet — and saving Xinyue — were all but nonexistent.

Yet, the thought of the ship crumbling around them was equally terrifying.

The ship's AI had become more than just a tool, she was a confidant in the vast emptiness of space, a beacon of rationality in a sea of chaos.

He trusted her judgment implicitly, but the fear that he might fail her, that he might fail Xinyue, was a knot in his stomach that tightened with each passing moment.

Dagr let out a long breath.

"I'll just have to repair the door then..."

He thanked Helena quietly, his voice hoarse with fatigue, and added, "I'll come back after some sleep."

The comms room dimmed around him, the flickering lights casting shadows that seemed to whisper of battles yet to come.

For now, he would rest — but tomorrow, he would face the drive chamber.