Daylight’s arrival found Gan weaving through the bewildering maze that made up Poppy’s ship, an embodiment of human ingenuity as captivating as it was complex. Its structural elegance was rivaled only by its ingenious functionality, a silent ode to the advanced technological prowess of its architects. Yet, what truly ensnared Gan’s fascination was the ship’s propulsion core. A harmonious confluence of kinetic energy and intricate physics—the engine pulsed with life under Poppy’s adept hands. The resonant thrum of its potential energy reverberated throughout the ship, a powerful orchestra of potentiality and prowess. The sophistication of human technology defied Gan’s initial assumptions, formed by Poppy’s relatively primitive weapon.

  Poppy, the ship’s engineer and sole surviving commander, served as both the shepherd and the storyteller during Gan’s exploratory odyssey. She spun narratives about the ship’s celestial voyage and its erstwhile inhabitants, her words suffused with a respect that spoke volumes of her deep attachment to this metallic sanctuary and its former occupants.

  “This ship of yours is an architectural masterpiece,” Gan remarked, admiration filtering through his voice. “How did such an artifact come into your possession?”

  Poppy’s youthful face was imbued with a mix of pride and nostalgia, her eyes twinkling with a myriad of unspoken stories. “Among my people, I’m known as an astronaut,” she clarified, guiding Gan around a gargantuan piece of machinery that bore a striking resemblance to a quantum impeller. “Though, technically speaking, I’m still a student.”

  She led him through a labyrinth of spaceship innards, her voice unwavering. “I’m a senior at USC–well, was, I guess,” she amended with a wry smile, “before I accepted an internship with SpaceReach, an aerospace exploration company. They chose me as part of a crew tasked with exploring this sector of space, the last uncharted frontier of our known universe. We aimed to establish connections with other sentient lifeforms. It was a dream come true, but...”

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  Her voice trailed off, the echoes of her laughter replaced by a mournful silence. She didn’t need to continue; the dilapidated state of the ship and her solitary presence spoke volumes about the unfortunate fate of her crew.

  Crew? The term reverberated through Gan’s thoughts, his curiosity igniting. He had spotted no traces of additional personnel aboard the ship, raising questions about the fidelity of his Universal Translator’s interpretations.

  “You referred to a crew. What became of them?” Gan ventured, his gaze seeking answers in the depths of Poppy’s sad eyes.

  Her eyes adopted a faraway expression, mirroring a heartache too profound to articulate. “They... They didn’t survive,” Poppy confessed, each word wrapped in a shroud of melancholy.

  A tidal wave of disbelief crashed over Gan, leaving him breathless. He stammered out a single, shocked syllable, “Oh.”

  “We were taken by surprise by some hostile entity,” Poppy continued, her voice steeling as she delved into the story of their disastrous encounter. Her description of the mysterious attackers painted a chilling picture that reminded Gan of the deadly Marau fighter he often dreamed of, a parallel he found hard to ignore.

  “We tried to make contact, attempted to open diplomatic lines, but our pleas were just noise to them. We had no other choice but to trigger our emergency evacuation protocol. The crew piled into the escape pod, setting their coordinates for the nearest planet. As the youngest and the least experienced, I got left behind. They hoped I’d be safe here, hidden from the attackers until they could return.”

  Her vibrant eyes, now dulled with the grief of remembrance, welled up. “Just as the escape pod was leaving, an enemy projectile hit it. They... They didn’t even have a chance to react.”

  Her voice faltered, choked by the crushing weight of her loss. “My crew... my friends... They’re all... gone. I think the attackers believe they wiped us out. But I worry they might come back, looking to strip our ship for anything valuable.”

  “You mistook me for one of them when I stepped onboard, didn’t you?” Gan queried, piecing together the pieces of the tragic jigsaw.

  A solemn nod was Poppy’s only response, her gaze reflecting the ghostly remnants of past horrors.

  “My heart goes out to you, Poppy,” Gan offered, his voice echoing genuine sympathy. “Not all species harbor such malice. Regrettably, it seems like you crossed paths with the Marau.”

  one of loss, survival, and shattered dreams. ?? She was part of humanity’s hopeful journey to explore the unknown—but instead, she lost her entire crew to a ruthless enemy. Now, stranded and alone, she has no idea if her people even know what happened.

  The attackers sound eerily familiar… could this be the Marau? If so, what were they doing here? And if they think the ship was destroyed, how long before they come back to finish the job?

  Will Gan and Poppy find a way out, or is this just the beginning of their troubles? Drop your thoughts below! ??

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