Falling into darkness

The year was 4085. Humanity had advanced so far in technology that traveling to nearby galaxies had become routine for elite research crews. One such mission was being undertaken by the spaceship Alpha - 0912, heading toward an unexplored planet in the next galaxy over from the Milky Way.

"Hello, this is your captain speaking. All systems are running smoothly."

The calm yet authoritative voice belonged to Captain Ayan Shergill, a seasoned astronaut of Indian origin. In his late 30s, Ayan possessed an athletic build, sharp blue eyes, and jet-black hair streaked slightly with gray from years of service. Calm under pressure and highly intelligent, Ayan was respected by his crew not just for his rank, but for his integrity.

"We're just one light-year away from entering the Waolk, the dimensional gateway. At this pace, we'll be there within a month," he continued.

The Waolk — a mysterious interstellar corridor — allowed travel across a thousand light-years in less than a year. It was a marvel, but also incredibly unstable and required pinpoint precision to enter.

A familiar voice called out from behind. "Ayan, is the meeting over?"

It was John Smith, the ship's vice-captain and Ayan's closest friend. An American with a relaxed charm, John was also in his late 30s. He had tousled blonde hair, deep black eyes, and a body just as fit and battle-hardened as Ayan's. Despite their differences, the two men shared a bond forged through numerous missions and years of trust.

"Yes, it's done," Ayan replied, taking a sip of the coffee John handed him.

"So… how long till we reach Planet SN-04?" John asked.

"We've been traveling for nearly two Earth years already," Ayan said, rubbing his temples. "If nothing goes wrong, it'll be one more year before we land."

John groaned dramatically. "Why the hell is the Waolk so far from Earth? Even with all this tech, it's a pain in the ass."

Ayan chuckled softly. "Well, out of the ten Waolk gates we've discovered, only three are in the Milky Way. The other seven connect different galaxies, mostly surrounding us. Still, they require precise coordinates, velocity, and angle of approach. One mistake and — poof — we miss the gate entirely."

Before John could reply, the control room door slid open.

"Looks like you two have too much free time," came the voice of Haruto Fujimoto, the ship's head engineer. A Japanese man in his mid-40s, Haruto was a genius despite his slightly chubby frame. He had wild purple hair, reddish eyes, and a love for retro sci - fi. His sarcastic tone was something the crew had grown fond of.

John grinned. "What else are we supposed to do while floating in this endless void?"

"You should be thankful we installed gravitational stabilizers," Haruto replied. "Without them, you'd be floating around like space noodles, drinking cold, tasteless broth instead of coffee."

Just then, Kaito Kobayashi, Haruto's assistant, entered the room. He was younger — probably in his late 20s — green - haired, with sharp light-blue eyes and a calm demeanor.

"Captain, we've run diagnostics on the engine. Everything's functioning at 100%," Kaito reported.

"Good job. You two deserve a break," Ayan said with a nod.

As they prepared to leave, John added with a smirk, "Or you could hang out here and chat with us. Not much else to do."

"You forget we still have a spaceship to maintain, Mr. Vice-Captain," came a voice from the doorway.

It was Dr. Hye Rin Lee, head of the medical department. A stunning Korean woman in her early 30s, she had soft pink hair, almond-shaped olive eyes, and carried herself with grace and confidence.

"I'm here to do the captain's health checkup," she said, eyes slightly shy when they met Ayan's.

"Oh-ho! Only the captain?" John teased, raising an eyebrow.

"I'll be checking all of you," she said quickly, trying to hide her blush. "Tanisha, assist me."

Tanisha Malhotra, Hye Rin's assistant and a young Indian woman in her early 30s, entered behind her. With dark blue hair, black eyes, and smooth pale skin, she was known for her silent precision and dedication.

The health checkups went on for nearly an hour. Afterward, the two women returned to the medical bay, and Haruto and Kaito headed off to rest. Only John and Ayan remained.

"You really are dense," John said, nudging Ayan's arm. "Hye Rin obviously likes you. You should make a move."

Ayan sighed. "We're on a mission. I don't have time for romance."

"You always say that," John muttered, rolling his eyes.

Time passed slowly as the ship drifted through the silent blackness of space, surrounded by distant stars and shadowy planets. The crew settled into their routines, and soon, one more month had passed.

Then came the announcement:

"All crew members to the control room. We are arriving at Waolk in one hour."

The voice came from Luca Morati, the head pilot — an Italian man in his 40s with neat brown hair and amber-gold eyes. He was methodical and skilled.

Ayan entered the control room as everyone began gathering.

"Status report?" he asked.

"We're right on track. Arrival in forty minutes," answered Zhi Ming Liu, the co-pilot. A Chinese man in his early 40s, Zhi Ming had striking purple hair and icy blue eyes. He was calm, technical, and rarely made mistakes.

Just then, two more crewmates arrived.

"Nikolai and Charlotte," Ayan acknowledged. "You're early."

"Our tasks wrapped up sooner than expected," replied Nikolai Sokolov, the ship's lead physicist. A Russian in his early 50s, he had a gruff voice, short silver beard, and unmatched intellect. His main job was managing the energy systems and monitoring space-time around the ship.

"We've completed all pre-entry checks for the Waolk," said Charlotte Wilson, Nikolai's assistant. A mid-30s American woman, she had snow-white hair, deep black eyes, and a calm aura.

"Everyone take your seats," Luca announced. "We're approaching the Waolk. Entry in thirty minutes. Expect turbulence."

The ship aligned with the dimensional gate, glowing faintly in the void. Everything was going as planned—until a sudden alarm blared.

"Meteoroid! Incoming!" Luca shouted.

"Why didn't our radar catch that?!" he demanded.

"It's giving off no signal," Zhi Ming stammered. "Like it appeared from nowhere!"

"Hard starboard — NOW!" Ayan commanded.

The ship swerved hard, but the meteoroid clipped the right wing, tearing through it. Sparks flew. Sirens screamed. The crew braced themselves.

"One engine's down. We won't make it to Waolk or back to Earth," John said, panic creeping into his voice.

"Oxygen levels dropping rapidly," Haruto reported. "Half an hour max!"

"Command center — do you read me? Command center?!" Ayan yelled into the communication system.

With communications down, and oxygen depleting, the crew struggled to stay conscious. Ten of them — each trained, brilliant, and brave — were trapped in the void.

They didn't give up. Even as dizziness took over, even as the emergency lights flashed blood red… they fought.

But oxygen finished and one by one… they fainted.

The stars outside blinked, watching in silence. 

Space ship floating in the deep darkness of space not knowing where to go in this darkness.