The ship Ethereal Dawn drifted silently through the vast, unending void of space. Its hull, once sleek and gleaming, was now scarred by the debris of countless meteoroids. The soft hum of the life support systems was the only sound within, a faint reminder of its fragile tether to life.
Commander Kael Varyn leaned back in the pilot’s chair, staring out at the infinite expanse of stars. Each one seemed to mock him, a tiny pinprick of light in the darkness, unreachable and indifferent. He had been alone aboard the Ethereal Dawn for 437 days.
----------------------------------------
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
The mission was a simple one: ferry a group of scientists to a distant research station orbiting the binary star Zetrax. It was a routine voyage, something Kael had done dozens of times before.
But the explosion had changed everything.
It had come without warning—a brilliant flash of light, followed by a deafening roar. One of the ship’s fuel cells had ruptured, tearing through the vessel like a jagged blade. Kael had managed to seal off the affected sections, but the damage was catastrophic. The scientists were gone, their quarters now an icy tomb. The ship’s propulsion systems were dead, leaving it adrift in uncharted space.
Kael had sent out distress signals, but no one had answered.
----------------------------------------
The loneliness was the worst part.
Kael had never been a social man, but he had always taken comfort in the presence of others, even if it was just the quiet chatter of his crew or the hum of activity on the bridge. Now, the silence pressed down on him like a weight, growing heavier with each passing day.
He had tried to keep himself busy, running diagnostics, repairing what systems he could, and recording logs. But as the months stretched into a year, his efforts became increasingly futile.
The ship’s rations were running low, and the recycling systems were failing. He had started rationing water, drinking only when the dryness in his throat became unbearable.
Kael stared out at the stars, wondering which one would be his grave.
----------------------------------------
It was on the 438th day that something changed.
Kael was in the maintenance bay, attempting to jury-rig a water filter, when a flicker of light caught his eye. At first, he thought it was just another star, but it moved—slowly, deliberately—toward the ship.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
He rushed to the bridge, his heart pounding.
The object was small and metallic, its surface reflecting the dim light of a nearby star. It wasn’t a natural formation—it was a probe.
Kael’s hands trembled as he activated the ship’s communications array, broadcasting a signal on every frequency.
“This is Commander Kael Varyn of the Ethereal Dawn. If you can hear me, please respond.”
There was a long pause, and then a voice crackled through the static.
“Commander Varyn, we’ve been looking for you.”
----------------------------------------
The relief that washed over Kael was overwhelming. He slumped back in his chair, tears streaming down his face. For the first time in over a year, he wasn’t alone.
The voice belonged to a woman who identified herself as Captain Ilya Sarin of the Stellar Nexus, a deep-space exploration vessel. The probe, she explained, was one of many they had sent out after receiving a faint distress signal from his ship.
“We’re a few light-hours away,” Ilya said. “Hold tight, Commander. We’re coming to get you.”
Kael’s heart soared. He activated the Ethereal Dawn’s beacon, guiding the Stellar Nexus toward his position.
----------------------------------------
As the hours passed, Kael found himself growing increasingly anxious. The thought of rescue, so long an impossible dream, now felt almost too good to be true.
When the Stellar Nexus finally appeared on his sensors, a sleek and massive vessel brimming with lights and life, Kael could hardly believe his eyes.
The docking process was smooth, and soon Kael stood face-to-face with Ilya and her crew. They were a mix of humans and aliens, their uniforms crisp and their expressions kind.
“Welcome aboard, Commander,” Ilya said, extending a hand.
Kael shook it, his grip firm despite his weariness. “Thank you,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.
----------------------------------------
But the rescue wasn’t the end of Kael’s journey.
As the days turned into weeks aboard the Stellar Nexus, Kael learned that the galaxy had changed in ways he couldn’t have imagined. His mission, it seemed, had been part of a larger effort to chart new trade routes and establish alliances with alien civilizations.
The explosion that had stranded him wasn’t an accident. It was sabotage.
Kael spent hours in the Nexus’s archives, piecing together the events that had unfolded during his time adrift. A shadowy organization known as the Voidborn had been targeting ships like his, seeking to disrupt the expansion of interstellar trade.
The scientists aboard the Ethereal Dawn had been their true targets, carrying sensitive data that could have exposed the Voidborn’s plans.
Kael felt a deep sense of responsibility. He had survived while his crew hadn’t, and now he had a chance to uncover the truth and bring justice to those who had been lost.
----------------------------------------
The crew of the Stellar Nexus welcomed Kael into their ranks, and he quickly proved himself invaluable. His experience as a pilot and his knowledge of the Voidborn’s tactics made him an asset in their mission to protect the galaxy’s fragile alliances.
But even as Kael found a new purpose, he couldn’t forget the time he had spent adrift. The stars, once a source of despair, now seemed like beacons of hope.
Kael vowed never to take the light for granted again.