Chapter 3: Echoes in the Dark

The cockpit of the Starborn was silent save for the low hum of its failing systems. Kera stared at the shard in her hand, its glow dim but alive, pulsating faintly as though it had its own heartbeat. The patterns etched into its surface seemed to shift subtly, forming shapes she couldn't quite decipher. Beside her, Talen gritted his teeth as he pounded on the navigation console.

"Still no idea where we are," he growled, his frustration palpable. "The nav's fried, communications are dead, and we've got no way to scan the system. Whatever that shard of yours did, it didn't do us any favors."

"It saved us," Kera countered, though her voice wavered. "Without it, we'd still be in that Dominion trap. Or worse."

Talen turned, his expression hard. "And now we're stranded in the middle of nowhere with no backup, no fuel, and a glowing rock that seems hellbent on drawing more attention. Fantastic trade-off."

Before Kera could respond, the ship's AI interrupted with a monotone chime. "Proximity alert. Debris field detected. Scans indicate potential salvage opportunities."

Talen perked up slightly. "Debris field, huh? Could be derelicts. Derelicts mean supplies—or trouble." He gave Kera a sharp look. "Your call."

"We're not exactly swimming in options," Kera replied, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Let's see what we can find."

---

The Starborn drifted into the debris field, its external lights casting long shadows over the remnants of a long-forgotten battle. Broken hulls and charred panels floated aimlessly, silent testimony to destruction.

"This wasn't a skirmish," Talen murmured, his sharp eyes scanning the wreckage. "This was annihilation. Look at the scorch marks—some of these ships didn't stand a chance."

Kera barely heard him. The shard in her hand pulsed faintly, vibrating with an energy she couldn't explain. "There's something here," she said quietly. "I can feel it."

Talen gave her a skeptical glance but adjusted their course. The shard's pull grew stronger as they approached the hulking remains of a massive cruiser. Its shattered frame loomed ahead, jagged edges silhouetted against the void.

"That's Dominion tech," Kera said, her voice tight. She recognized the insignia—chains encircling a burning sunburst—etched faintly into the cruiser's hull.

Talen grimaced. "Figures. Even out here, the Dominion leaves its fingerprints. Let's hope whatever's inside isn't still active."

They docked with the wreck, the Starborn's airlock sealing with a sharp hiss. Kera and Talen suited up, stepping into the dim, lifeless corridors of the Dominion ship. Their helmet lights pierced the darkness, revealing shattered consoles and twisted metal.

"Keep your guard up," Talen muttered, his hand resting on the grip of his blaster.

The shard's glow grew brighter as they ventured deeper, its rhythm quickening. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the faint hiss of their breathing.

They entered a cavernous chamber lined with stasis pods. Most were shattered, their contents long gone, but one pod remained intact. Kera approached it cautiously, the shard vibrating wildly in her grip.

Inside the pod was a humanoid figure, its form too perfect to be human. Its crystalline armor shimmered faintly, and its sharp, symmetrical features were framed by silvery threads that moved as if alive. Frost clung to the glass, obscuring the figure's glowing amber eyes.

The shard flared brightly, and Kera staggered back.

"Is that alive?" Talen asked, his blaster aimed at the pod.

The pod hissed as the seals released, frost dissipating in a cloud of vapor. The figure stepped out with unnatural grace, its movements fluid and precise.

"Catalyst," it said, its voice resonating like a chorus of harmonics.

Kera froze. "What did you call me?"

The figure's glowing eyes locked onto her. "You are the Catalyst. The bearer of the Eclipse Shard. You have awakened its power."

Talen raised his blaster. "I don't know who—or what—you are, but you've got about five seconds to explain yourself."

The figure didn't flinch, its gaze never leaving Kera. "The shard chose you. It is both your burden and your destiny. The Rift Sovereign must not be allowed to cross into this realm."

Kera shook her head. "The Rift Sovereign? What are you talking about?"

Before the figure could answer, a low, guttural hum filled the chamber. The lights flickered, and the walls trembled.

"They're here," the figure said sharply, turning toward the source of the sound.

The far wall exploded inward, and a creature emerged. Its form was a chaotic mass of writhing shadow, constantly shifting and reforming. Jagged spines jutted from its body, glinting with an oily sheen, and its many glowing red eyes burned with malevolence.

"What the hell is that?" Talen shouted.

"One of the Sovereign's heralds," the figure replied grimly. "We must leave—now."

The creature lunged, its movements flickering unnaturally as though it existed in multiple dimensions at once. Talen fired his blaster, but the bolts dissipated harmlessly against its shifting form.

"Run!" the figure commanded, shoving Kera toward the exit.

They fled through collapsing corridors, the creature's roars reverberating behind them. The shard's light guided their path, its glow fierce and unyielding.

The Starborn's airlock sealed just as the creature slammed into the hull, shaking the ship violently. Talen powered the engines, launching them away from the wreckage.

The Dominion cruiser imploded behind them, taking the creature with it.

Kera sat in silence, clutching the shard. Its glow had dimmed, but the weight of its purpose pressed heavily on her.

"What was that thing?" Talen asked, his voice unsteady.

"Something worse than the Dominion," Kera replied.

The mysterious figure had vanished during the chaos, leaving more questions than answers. But one thing was clear: the shard was far more than a simple artifact.

It was a key, and the door it unlocked was one she wasn't sure she wanted to open.