With a few commands, Jaden transmitted the override signal, watching as the massive hangar doors on the Chiss vessel groaned open in the vacuum, revealing a large bay dimly lit by failing emergency strobes. He guided their ship inside with a few thruster adjustments, the landing struts touching down with a soft thud that echoed through the empty space. The hangar sealed behind them, and a faint hiss suggested atmosphere was cycling in.
Jaden powered down the controls, exchanging a glance with Fay. "Let's see what we've got here."
Jaden rose from the pilot's seat, stretching his back with a satisfied grunt, just as Vaylin entered the cockpit balancing a tray laden with an assortment of ration bars, dried fruits, and hastily assembled protein packs.
"Taking those to go," Jaden said, snatching a couple of bars from the tray with a quick grin before turning toward the exit ramp leading down to the hangar.
"Wait, what? Where are we?" Vaylin blurted, her eyes widening in confusion as she glanced out the viewport at the unfamiliar hanger bay surrounding their ship.
"Thank you, Vaylin," Fay said graciously, reaching over to pluck a small handful of the food.
Vaylin huffed, setting the tray down with a clatter, her arms crossing in mild annoyance.
Jaden didn't wait for the others, striding down the dimly lit corridor that led to the hangar deck. The air in the Chiss ship felt cooler, almost sterile. He reached the hangar first, the vast space stretching out before him. By the time the rest of the crew caught up—Aubrie, Zule, Fay, Scout, Vaylin, and SD8 trailing in a loose group—Jaden was already standing at the base of their ship's ramp, arms folded as he surveyed the empty expanse.
"Alright, listen up," Jaden said. "We've landed inside a Chiss Ascendancy vessel. It's adrift, power minimal, life support on fumes. Sensors picked it up near one of the planets in this system. Could be our ticket out of this mess if we play it right."
The group exchanged glances, a mix of curiosity and wariness rippling through them.
"What's a Chiss Ascendancy ship doing out here?" Aubrie asked, her brow furrowing as she adjusted her toolkit on her belt.
"How big is it? Any idea on crew complement?" Zule added.
"Are we sure it's safe? No automated defenses or traps?" Scout chimed in, peering into the hanger.
Jaden held up a hand, shaking his head. "I don't have answers for most of that. Scans were inconclusive beyond the basics. But here's the plan: Scout and SD8, you two stay here and work on fixing our ship. Get those engines purring again, or at least give us enough juice to limp out if things go south."
Scout nodded eagerly, while SD8 simply inclined its head in affirmation.
"Aubrie and I will scout ahead, look for any survivors and see if we can lend a hand."
"Zule and Fay, you're on scavenging duty. Grab anything useful from this ship: parts, supplies, tech we can repurpose. Don't strip it bare, but prioritize what we need."
"Won't they be angry if we steal?" Scout asked.
Jaden shrugged. "We can compensate them if there are survivors. But I'd rather not waste time—this ship is huge, could take days to comb through properly. Priorities first."
"Can't you and Fay sense if there're survivors?" Vaylin asked as she joined the group, munching on one of the snacks she'd brought.
Jaden and Fay exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting to something uneasy—Jaden's jaw tightening slightly, Fay's serene features clouding with subtle discomfort.
"We can sense... people," Jaden said slowly, choosing his words with care. "But they don't seem right. I'm not sure how else to put it—it's like they're people, but also not. Could be interference from something."
Scout shivered slightly, rubbing her arms. "I felt something strange too when we were approaching—like a weird tingle in the back of my mind. But my senses aren't as attuned as yours or Fay's; it's probably nothing."
"It doesn't matter," Jaden said firmly, cutting off further speculation. "Let's get this done and then get out of here." He grabbed a compact backpack from a nearby locker, loading it with a medkit, a multi-tool, and a sidearm for good measure, slinging it over his shoulder. Aubrie did the same, falling in step beside him as they ventured out into the Chiss ship.
Zule and Fay followed soon after, disappearing down a side corridor, their silhouettes vanishing into the blue-tinged shadows.
"Guess it's just us three," Scout said enthusiastically to SD8 and Vaylin, clapping her hands together with forced cheer. "Engine party! Who's ready to get greasy?"
"Definitely not," Vaylin said flatly, already turning to walk away without a second glance.
"Where are you going?" Scout asked, her voice tinged with surprise. "Jaden wants us to fix the engine."
Vaylin glanced back over her shoulder. "Since when can I fix an engine?" she replied dryly, not bothering to stop.
Scout tilted her head, conceding the point with a shrug. "Fair enough. I guess it's just us, buddy," she said to SD8, giving his arm a light slap.
SD8 pivoted silently and headed back into the ship.
Scout sighed, muttering to herself as she followed him in. "Figures. I miss Velea."
Meanwhile, Vaylin stepped out of the hangar bay, her expression shifting the moment she was alone. She headed down the corridor in the opposite direction from the others. The ship's passages were a maze of metal walls, dimly lit by strips of emergency lighting that hummed faintly overhead. She moved through them with ease, turning corners and descending short ramps, the air growing cooler and carrying a faint metallic scent as she delved deeper into the vessel's interior. Conduits ran along the ceilings, occasionally sparking with residual energy, but she paid them no mind.
After navigating several sections, she reached a set of sealed doors, their access panel glowing red with a lockdown symbol. She tried the manual override, pressing the controls firmly, but they remained shut, a soft beep denying entry.
She tutted in mild irritation, stepping back slightly. With a casual wave of her hand, she summoned the Force, and the doors bent inwards, almost flying out of the doorway. Inside, she encountered several dead Chiss bodies scattered across the floor, their blue-skinned forms slumped in various poses, uniforms marred by wounds and dark bloodstains and grey sludge.
Vaylin's face twisted in disgust, her eyes narrowing at the sight. "Ugh, what a mess," she muttered under her breath, the smell of death wrinkling her nose. She extended a hand lazily, using the Force to push the bodies aside in a simple sweep, clearing a path as they rolled or slid out of her way with minimal effort. She stepped forward into the medical bay, the space now unobstructed.
Hopefully they would have what she needed.
...
Jaden and Aubrie crept through the dark guts of the Chiss ship, their torches lighting up the dark corridors. The air carried a sour stink that clawed at their throats—old blood and something rotten underneath. Something was profoundly wrong here, all of them felt it, but Jaden and Fay did more than most. There was something wrong with this place, and Jaden wanted to get out before he found out.
"This doesn't add up," Jaden whispered, his light hitting another dead Chiss slumped against a panel. "Outside, the ship's fine. But in here..."
Aubrie swallowed hard, her light shaking as it swept over the body. No wounds, just pale skin stretched tight over bones. "Poison? Plasma leak? Or... something worse?"
They pushed on, the dark seeming to thicken, closing in like a trap. Distant drips echoed further inside, but what was exactly dripping? Hard to tell. Aubrie's grip tightened on her torch; she swore she saw something move further ahead. But her senses told her that they were alone.
"We should hit the engine room," Jaden said. More bodies littered the hall ahead, twisted on the floor like broken dolls. "Get some power going. Light this ship up, make it easier to search for anyone left."
Aubrie nodded quick, her stomach knotting. "Yeah. Yeah, let's do that."
They poked into rooms as they went, doors hissing open to reveal more horror. Crew bunks empty but for corpses hunched over, faces frozen in pain. A mess hall with half-eaten food, bodies sprawled like they'd choked mid-bite. Deeper in, it got worse—bodies hollowed out, skin sagging like empty sacks, their insides scooped clean.
Aubrie froze by one, bile rising. "Force... what did this?" she breathed, voice cracking. The emptiness inside those shells whispered of something, but she didn't know what.
Jaden eyed it, with a grim face. "The ships logs might tell us. But we need power first."
The tension coiled tighter, the ship feeling like a tomb sealing shut. Aubrie stopped dead, head snapping up—she heard it. A soft scrape, like nails dragging on metal, faint from the vents. Her breath caught; she reached out with the Force, probing the murk. Nothing. "Jaden, what can you sense?" she asked, whispering, pressing close.
He scratched his chin, eyes narrowing into the black. "Life and death... both here at once. Like they exist in the same place."
"How's that even possible?" Her pulse hammered.
"Not sure," he said, tense. "Can't trust our senses right now. Best bet's getting that power on."
She nodded, fear twisting deeper. "Agreed." But as they moved, the shadows felt closer.
(AN: The crew of the Vengeance are on a weird ship, I just want to let you know now that I every thing is canon when concerning what's about to happen, though I use the term canon loosely. Anyway if you want to read the next 20 or so chapters support if you want. Anyways hope you enjoy)
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