Chapter 5
Debra looked at Nash with shining eyes, filled with amazement that was almost turning into admiration, and said in a voice so soft she could barely hear herself: "What did you do to Einar? He's talking like... a living being! I've never seen him react like this before."
Nash smiled broadly, showing how proud he was of what he had done, his dark hair scattering slightly with his movement. "Just a few minor adjustments here and there, because I was getting really bored. After all, I can't stay idle for more than five months in endless dark space, can I?" His tone carried a hint of defiance as if boredom was his only motivation for those bold modifications.
It had been more than five months since the guard ship had launched and left the mother ship. The journey to the Macbe galaxy usually took only three months at the ship's high speed, but five months of not reaching their destination had caused extreme boredom in his heart.
"I'm surprised you're a fighter with such skill in mechanical modifications," said Debra, looking up at the ceiling, as if pondering the strangeness of this contradiction in his personality. "You've even affected Einar, he seems... more human? That's something I would never have imagined from an AI."
"Haha," Nash laughed loudly, a carefree laugh that echoed in the small cabin. "Elliott is the reason, I don't really like him.
" He was referring to their supreme commander, for whom Nash had some clear resentment and perhaps more than just resentment; there was a deep sense of contempt and disrespect. "Hush!!" Debra took a deep breath and quickly placed her hand over Nash's mouth, her eyes widening in panic. Her gaze carried a stern warning and genuine fear of the consequences. "Don't mention the supreme commander with such sarcasm! We'll be severely punished if anyone hears you! You know how strict he is." "To hell with him!" Nash said, gently pushing her hand away from his mouth, then striding toward the door with obvious defiance in every step.
"I'm already being punished by being stuck in this disgusting galaxy for five years. What more can he do?" His words carried a hidden bitterness, revealing his resentment at his current situation and the punishment imposed on him.
"You...!" Debra spoke, but her words suddenly stopped in her throat. She was unable to respond, realizing that Nash was right. He didn't have much to lose, and that made him more daring and reckless. She felt a mixture of frustration and fear for him, but she couldn't help but admire his toughness in the face of harsh circumstances.
Boom!
At that moment, without warning, there was a loud explosion that shook the entire ship violently. The walls shook, small objects flew around, and the dim lights swayed wildly, casting dancing shadows on the terrified faces.
"What's happening!" Nash shouted, his expression changing from cheerful to completely serious in the blink of an eye. Nash quickly grabbed the door handle, trying to steady himself, while Debra lost her balance completely and fell to the floor, hitting the wall behind her from the sudden tilt of the ship. Fear appeared on her face as she tried to understand what had just happened.
Beep!
[Einar: Warning, the ship is under attack!]
Beep!
[Einar: Warning, the ship is under attack!]
Beep!
[Einar: Warning, the ship is under attack!]
The robot Einar's voice sounded, this time more urgent and higher pitched, announcing the reason for the sudden vibration. The warning was repeated three times, adding to the intensity of the situation and the tension in the air.
"Debra! Are you okay?" Nash Elliott rushed toward Debra, his heart pounding, and reached out to help her up. He touched the back of her head with concern, finding only a small amount of blood from the impact, which reassured him a little, but he was still worried.
"I-I'm fine." Debra felt embarrassed by Nash's touch, and her face flushed slightly. She quickly moved away from him, trying to regain her composure.
"I'll go to the cockpit and see what's going on," Nash said, not noticing her embarrassment as he focused intently on the emergency situation they were facing.
His eyes were fixed on the cockpit door, his mind working quickly to analyze the situation.
"Let's go, Debra. Something serious seems to be going on," Nash said, nodding toward the door, motioning for her to follow him.
Nash and Debra exchanged glances, their eyes filled with worry and anticipation, but also with a determination to face the unknown.
"Yes, let's go!" Debra replied, regaining some of her composure as she quickly followed him toward the cockpit.
...
Whoosh!
The cockpit door opened automatically with a soft noise, and Nash Elliott and Debra entered the space crowded with instruments and glowing screens. The atmosphere inside the cockpit was tense and chaotic.
"What's going on?" Nash asked as soon as he entered the cockpit, his voice carrying a clear tone of command, his eyes quickly scanning the room to assess the situation.
He saw Zara, the squad leader, sweating profusely, his blue suit completely soaked. His hands were shaking as he gripped his chair tightly, his eyes darting between the screens in front of him in despair. Zara wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand as he tried to make sense of the reports coming in through the ship's internal robot system. He pointed bitterly to the glowing yellow lines that surrounded the ship on the screens, like a giant net.
"The ship has accidentally entered one of the great vortexes of the Macab Galaxy, the Yellow Belt Vortex!" Zara said in a broken voice as if the words were struggling to come out.
Beep!
[Einar: Contacting the mother ship.]
Beep!
[Einar: Connection failed.]
Beep!
[Einar: Reconnecting.]
Beep!
[Einar: Connection failed.]
Beep!
[Einar: Connection failed.]
Beep!
[Octavia: Propulsion systems failed, fourth engine down.]
Beep!
[Octavia: Navigation system failed.]