To Everlasting Ebb

[Dusk]

Fischer
02.01.836 AS

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The object of her interest was in sight. A dead world, slowly being devoured by a cosmic maw. Who knew what it had been like before fate hadn't sent it to this cruel doom? It was hard to imagine now. A hunk of lifeless rock was gradually losing its shape, succumbing to a boundless hunger. Approaching it, Crimson Veil asked the others (among them Falke, Chevalier's sister, who had hidden in the cargo bay earlier, heedless of any risks) to keep their distance: partly because of the unnecessary risk of approaching an unstable object, and partly... because of what she might find there.

It was impossible not to notice how the pull of the cosmic maw was increasing. Even though the impulse engines were still able to cope with it, the effect of the inexorable approach of death was... incomparable. As if the claws of someone's evil will were gradually squeezing the girl's throat, making it difficult to breathe.

When Crimson Veil finally circled the dead planet, its exposed, burning core met her gaze. This was the place that had experienced the full devastation of the everlasting ebb's hunger. The albino's slender fingers quickly launched a scan; it took her a few seconds to balance the thrust of her engines against the gravity of the black hole. In those moments, the conversations of her team seemed to fade into the background... It was as if she hadn't heard them. In addition to the damage data on this world, Crimson Veil detected another interesting and unusual signal. Approaching the core a little closer, she beheld before her... A container. Who had left it here? Why did they? How had it remained undamaged? Why hadn't it been sucked into the cosmic maw?

After a brief pause, Crimson Veil lifted the container into the cargo bay. Initial scans revealed similarities between the contents of this container and the mysterious "singing" anomalies in Omega-97. It seemed the albino woman could hear that light, barely perceptible voice even from here.



Entranced, Crimson Veil only came to herself a few seconds later, hearing her beloved's anxious voice. Having completed her scan, Crimson Veil immediately aimed her fighter toward the Chevalier gunship. The Oder's engines, facing away from the cosmic maw, were operating at reduced efficiency. Insufficient to overcome the everlasting ebb.

Handling a surge of panic, Crimson Veil mustered all the calmness she could and asked what she needed to do. She was prepared to take the escape pods into her cargo bay, but the Chevalier and her sister Falke seemed to be actively attempting to fix the malfunction. Albino and Novak could only watch. And hope.

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