Chapter 13: The Edge of the Expanse

The Vanguard sailed through the endless black, each passing moment bringing them closer to the Cordillera Expanse. The tension on board had become a living, breathing thing. Every member of the crew knew that their chances were dwindling, and whatever lay beyond that wormhole was either salvation or another nightmare waiting to tear them apart.

Scar stood at the command station, his eyes fixed on the swirling blue-green clouds of the Expanse visible on the horizon of the star map. He had fought battles, faced insurmountable odds, but this mission was pushing him—and his team—beyond their limits. His thoughts were interrupted when Nova called out from the helm.

“We’re approaching the outer edges of the Cordillera Expanse,” she announced, her voice steady but lacking its usual confidence. “The radiation levels are spiking, but we’re still within tolerable range.”

Jefro wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, his gaze glued to the readouts on his console. “I’ll have to reroute more power to the shields. The radiation’s going to hit us hard if we don’t keep them up.”

Scar nodded. “Do it. We can’t afford any malfunctions.”

Jefro’s hands moved quickly, his fingers a blur over the controls. He had become their miracle worker, patching the Vanguard together with bits of scrap and ingenuity. But he knew that miracles didn’t last forever. “Rerouting now,” he muttered. “But keep an eye out—any fluctuations could fry our systems.”

Cyko leaned against the bulkhead, one hand resting on the grip of his rifle. “Great,” he said, his voice laced with sarcasm. “First we dodge Delta Command, and now we’re flying into a radiation storm. Remind me why we didn’t just retire on some nice, peaceful moon?”

Nova didn’t turn away from the controls, but Scar could see the tiniest hint of a smile tug at her lips. “Because peaceful moons don’t come with a side of imminent death, and you’d get bored.”

Cyko let out a bark of laughter, though it sounded more strained than usual. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

Scar approached Arlen, who was sitting near the back of the cabin, clutching his father’s notebook as if it were a lifeline. The boy’s eyes were wide, and he looked smaller than ever in the shadow of the danger surrounding them.

“Arlen,” Scar said gently, lowering himself to the boy’s eye level. “We’re getting close to the Expanse. I need you to tell me everything you know about this wormhole. Any detail, no matter how small.”

Arlen looked up, his face pale but determined. He opened the notebook, his hands shaking slightly. “My father believed the wormhole was stable,” he said, his voice a whisper. “He thought it was created by something—someone—a long time ago. He said it could take us to a place where humanity could start over. A planet… he called it Eden-V.”

Jefro’s head whipped around. “Eden-V? That sounds almost too good to be true.”

Arlen’s eyes filled with a mixture of hope and fear. “He wasn’t sure. He never got to finish his research. But he said it was humanity’s best chance. If we can get through the wormhole…”

Scar placed a hand on the boy’s shoulder, trying to steady the whirlwind of emotions that threatened to overwhelm them all. “We’ll make it through,” he promised. “We have to.”

Nova brought the ship into a holding pattern at the very edge of the Cordillera Expanse. The swirling nebula loomed ahead, a beautiful and deadly wall of color that twisted and pulsed with raw energy. The Vanguard’s shields flared, the energy field flickering in response to the Expanse’s radiation.

“Shields are holding,” Jefro announced, though his voice was tight. “But I can’t say for how long.”

Cyko’s eyes were glued to the view outside. “I’ll be honest,” he said. “That looks like the kind of place that swallows ships whole. You sure about this, Scar?”

Scar stared into the swirling chaos, feeling the weight of every life on board. He didn’t have the luxury of doubt, not anymore. “We’ve come too far to turn back now,” he replied. “We find the wormhole, and we go through. It’s our only shot.”

Nova began running scans, her hands moving swiftly over the controls. “I’m picking up some gravitational distortions,” she said. “Could be the wormhole, or could be something else.”

Scar frowned. “Define ‘something else.’”

Jefro glanced at his monitor. “Anything from a spatial anomaly to a collapsing star fragment. We won’t know until we get closer.”

Cyko let out a sigh. “Of course. Just once, I’d like something to be simple.”

The Vanguard inched forward, every meter a test of their resolve. The Expanse was alive, a swirling vortex of color and energy that made their instruments flare and sputter. Nova’s face was a mask of concentration, every muscle in her body tense as she guided the ship through the shifting currents.

Then, without warning, a burst of energy arced out of the nebula, slamming into the Vanguard’s shields. The ship lurched violently, and alarms blared throughout the cabin.

“Brace for impact!” Nova shouted, gripping the controls as the ship shuddered.

Jefro’s console lit up with a cascade of red warnings. “Shields down to fifty percent! We can’t take much more of that!”

Scar grabbed a support rail, his heart pounding. “Can we stabilize?”

Nova fought with the controls, her knuckles white. “I’m trying, but this turbulence is insane!”

The ship bucked again, and Cyko was nearly thrown off his feet. He grabbed the nearest bulkhead, his expression one of grim determination. “Tell me we’ve got some way to fight back against this… whatever it is.”

Jefro shook his head. “Not unless you’ve got a way to punch a nebula in the face.”

Another energy burst rocked the ship, and Arlen let out a cry, clutching his notebook to his chest. Scar’s protective instincts flared, but he couldn’t afford to leave the command center. “Jefro, divert everything we’ve got to the shields,” he ordered.

Jefro’s hands flew over the controls. “Doing it, but it won’t last long!”

Nova’s eyes narrowed, a sudden glint of hope flashing across her face. “Wait… I’m picking up something,” she said, her voice sharp. “A gravitational anomaly. It matches the wormhole signature your father mapped out, Arlen!”

Scar’s heart leapt. “Can you get us there?”

Nova didn’t hesitate. “I’ll try. But it’s going to be a rough ride.”

The Vanguard pitched forward, the engines roaring as Nova pushed them toward the anomaly. The ship’s hull groaned, and the shields flared dangerously, but they pressed on. The gravitational forces pulled at them, each second a battle for control.

Scar turned to Arlen, who was trembling but determined. “Hold on,” Scar said, his voice steady. “We’re almost there.”

Cyko grabbed his rifle, even though it was useless against the forces battering them. “If we make it through this, drinks are on me,” he said, trying to keep the fear at bay.

Nova gritted her teeth, her eyes locked on the anomaly. “Almost… there…”

The wormhole loomed ahead, a swirling vortex of blue and silver light. It was both beautiful and terrifying, a cosmic doorway to the unknown. Nova guided the ship toward it, every muscle in her body screaming from the effort.

“Here we go!” she shouted.

The Vanguard hurtled into the wormhole, and the universe twisted around them. Colors exploded in a kaleidoscope of light, and gravity seemed to invert, pulling them in every direction at once. Scar felt the world tilt and shatter, his vision blurring.

Then, suddenly, everything went still. The chaos vanished, and the Vanguard drifted into an expanse of calm, uncharted space. The crew sat in stunned silence, their minds struggling to process what had just happened.

Nova’s hands finally relaxed, and she let out a shaky laugh. “We made it,” she whispered. “We actually made it.”

Scar’s heart still hammered in his chest, but he managed a smile. “Status report,” he said, his voice hoarse.

Jefro checked the readings, his eyes wide with disbelief. “Shields are fried, engines barely holding… but we’re alive. And… holy hell, the stars match the coordinates from Arlen’s father’s research. We’re in the Eden-V system.”

Arlen’s eyes filled with tears, a mix of relief and hope shining through. “My father was right,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. “It’s real.”

Scar felt a wave of emotion crash over him, but he pushed it down. There was still work to be done. “All right,” he said, looking at his crew. “We made it through, but we’re not safe yet. Let’s find Eden-V and figure out our next move.”