Chapter 10: Ambushed in Space

The Vanguard soared through space, leaving the graveyard of derelict ships far behind. The tension in the cabin was palpable, but a sense of grim relief had settled over the crew. They had the fuel, the salvaged parts, and a plan—though it felt like each victory came at an increasingly higher cost.

Nova sat at the pilot’s console, guiding the ship along a path that skirted the edge of an uncharted nebula. Her eyes scanned the navigational readouts, and her fingers moved deftly across the controls. “We’re holding steady,” she reported. “No sign of pursuit.”

Scar stood behind her, his expression carved from stone. The encounter with the android aboard the derelict ship had shaken him more than he cared to admit. The past, it seemed, had a way of reasserting itself at the worst possible times. “Good,” he said, though his voice lacked its usual confidence. “Keep an eye out. We can’t afford to be blindsided again.”

Cyko lounged in a seat nearby, trying to lighten the mood. “Blindsided, huh? I think that’s our specialty at this point.” He forced a laugh, but it fell flat.

Jefro was hunched over his workstation, attaching the salvaged power couplings to the Vanguard’s shield array. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his hands trembled from fatigue. “Almost… done,” he muttered. “These parts aren’t exactly fresh out of the factory, but they should hold—at least for a while.”

Scar gave him a nod. “Good work. Once the shields are up, we’ll be in a better position if things go south.”

Arlen sat quietly at the back of the cabin, his legs drawn up to his chest. His eyes were wide and watchful, and he flinched at every sudden noise. Nova caught sight of him in the reflection of her console and frowned. “You holding up okay, kid?” she asked, her voice softer than usual.

Arlen managed a nod, though his voice wavered. “I’m trying,” he said. “It’s just… a lot.”

Nova glanced at Scar, but he was lost in thought, staring out at the stars. She turned back to Arlen. “We’ll keep you safe,” she promised. “You have my word.”

Arlen’s eyes met hers, and though he didn’t respond, a flicker of hope seemed to pass through him.

Just as the crew allowed themselves a moment to breathe, the Vanguard’s warning alarms blared to life. Nova’s hands flew to the controls, her pulse spiking. “Incoming! Two ships, fast approach from starboard!”

Scar spun around, his body tensing. “Identify them!”

Jefro’s hands raced over his interface. “Delta Command patrol ships,” he said, panic creeping into his voice. “They’ve got us on their sensors!”

Cyko sprang to his feet, his playful demeanor vanishing in an instant. “Well, so much for lying low,” he said, checking the charge on his laser rifle. “What’s the plan, boss?”

Scar clenched his jaw. They were too far from any cover, and the Vanguard wasn’t equipped for a full-blown dogfight. “Nova, evasive maneuvers. Jefro, get those shields online now!”

Nova’s hands blurred over the controls, and the Vanguard banked hard, narrowly avoiding a barrage of energy blasts from the incoming patrol ships. The stars wheeled around them, and the ship shuddered under the strain.

“Shields at sixty percent!” Jefro called, his voice cracking. “Come on, hold together!”

The enemy ships split apart, one circling wide to flank them while the other pressed the attack. Nova twisted the Vanguard through a series of desperate rolls and dives, her focus unbreakable. But the patrol ships were faster, built for combat, and they were closing the gap.

“Scar, they’re boxing us in!” Nova shouted, sweat streaming down her face. The Vanguard’s hull groaned as another blast slammed into their rear shields, which flickered and wavered under the strain.

Scar’s mind raced. They couldn’t outrun their pursuers, and they couldn’t afford to be captured. His gaze shifted to Cyko. “Cyko, how are we on countermeasures?”

Cyko grinned, the wild spark of adrenaline lighting up his eyes. “Got a few tricks left,” he said. “Deploying now!”

He dashed to the weapons console and activated a volley of flares and decoy drones. The countermeasures shot out into space, weaving a dazzling display of light and false signals. The lead patrol ship veered off course, momentarily blinded.

Nova seized the opportunity, diving the Vanguard through the chaos. “Nice one, Cyko!” she called, her hands never slowing. The ship surged forward, but the second patrol ship wasn’t fooled. It swooped in, locking its weapons onto their exposed flank.

“Incoming fire!” Jefro shouted, his eyes wide with terror.

Scar made a split-second decision. “Nova, roll starboard and angle the shields!”

Nova didn’t hesitate, throwing the ship into a spiraling roll. The energy blasts glanced off the angled shields, but the impact sent shockwaves through the hull. The lights flickered, and warning signals screamed from every console.

“Shields down to thirty percent!” Jefro reported, his voice cracking. “We can’t take much more of this!”

Scar grabbed the comm. “Arlen, get to the secure cabin and lock yourself in. Now!”

Arlen didn’t argue. He scrambled out of his seat and disappeared down the corridor, the fear in his eyes cutting Scar to the core. But there was no time to dwell on it. They were seconds from being torn apart.

Cyko fired back with the ship’s limited weapons, but the patrol ship’s shields absorbed the blasts. “Scar, we’re not getting out of this unless we pull off something crazy!” he yelled, his voice a mix of fear and excitement.

Scar’s eyes narrowed. “Nova, head for that debris field ahead. We’ll use it for cover.”

Nova’s heart raced. “The debris field? That’s suicide!”

“It’s our only chance,” Scar insisted. “Trust me.”

Nova gritted her teeth. “All right. Hold on to something.”

She pushed the Vanguard’s engines to their limit, racing toward the looming debris field: a massive collection of shattered asteroids and shipwrecks, remnants of some long-forgotten disaster. The patrol ships followed, relentless, but Nova wove the Vanguard into the maze of wreckage, navigating with a precision that bordered on reckless.

The patrol ships hesitated, their pilots forced to slow down and pick their way through the hazardous field. Nova took full advantage, threading the Vanguard through narrow gaps and weaving around spinning chunks of rock and metal. The ship groaned under the stress, but she held it together.

Scar gripped the back of Nova’s seat, his knuckles white. “Cyko, ready the last of our countermeasures.”

Cyko worked furiously, setting up a trap among the debris. “Almost… there…” he muttered, sweat dripping into his eyes. “And… done!”

He launched a series of decoy drones, each one programmed to emit false energy signatures and mimic the Vanguard’s movements. The drones shot off in different directions, and the patrol ships hesitated, their targeting systems momentarily scrambled.

“Now, Nova!” Scar ordered.

Nova didn’t need to be told twice. She powered the Vanguard forward, slipping through a narrow gap between two asteroid fragments. The ship barely cleared the edges, sparks flying as metal scraped metal. The patrol ships tried to follow, but one was clipped by a tumbling wreck and spun out of control, its shields flickering before it detonated in a ball of fire.

The second patrol ship pulled back, unwilling to risk the same fate. The Vanguard burst free of the debris field, and Nova punched the engines, putting as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible.

The crew sat in stunned silence, the adrenaline slowly ebbing. Cyko let out a shaky laugh, wiping his brow. “That… was way too close.”

Jefro collapsed back into his chair, his chest heaving. “Never… again.”

Scar finally allowed himself to breathe, the tension releasing from his body. “Good work, everyone. We’re not safe yet, but we bought ourselves some time.”

Nova glanced at him, her expression a mix of relief and disbelief. “We made it,” she said softly, almost as if she couldn’t believe it.

Scar nodded, but his mind was already racing ahead. They had survived another ambush, but the danger wasn’t over. Delta Command wouldn’t stop hunting them, and the fight for survival was far from over.

He turned to the viewport, the stars stretching endlessly before them. They were running out of options, but Scar knew one thing for certain: they wouldn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.