[s3e4] — Sabotage

Vane reached for her sidearm, but the gravity cut out entirely. In the weightless chaos of the bridge, the race was no longer about saving the ship, but stopping the man who had already decided they were dead.

"The company sends their regards, Captain," Marcus said, his voice barely audible over the sirens. "The insurance on the cargo is worth more than the crew."

The hum of the deep-space harvester Ishimura II was a comforting lullaby until the rhythm broke. In the silence of the Maintenance Sub-deck, Kael watched the diagnostic screen flicker red. The oxygen scrubbers weren't just failing; they were being systematically overridden.

Vane turned to her Executive Officer, Marcus, whose face remained a mask of calm. Too calm. He wasn't looking at the alarms; he was looking at his watch.

On the bridge, Captain Vane stared at the star map. They were days from the nearest colony, hauling a payload of volatile Tibanna gas. "Manual? Kael, that area is restricted to Level 4 clearance. Only you, me, and the Executive Officer have those codes."