Ψυχή – Dawn of the Galaxy

02-2: O.UNI-X — A Torrent of Shooting Stars

Just after Lite’s matter-of-fact report, a piercing emergency alarm suddenly shattered the calm of the bridge. Red warning lights began to flash violently, and the instruments emitted a clamorous cacophony, signalling a grave anomaly.

“What—what is happening?!” Eft cried out in alarm.

Before she could utter another word, the vast expanse of space displayed on the O.UNI-X’s main screen transformed in an instant into a nightmare. Countless meteoroids surged towards the ship like a furious storm, each one possessing enough mass to utterly devastate the vessel, raining down in wild frenzy.

“Evasive manoeuvre! Full speed, evade now, Eft!” Lite commanded, her voice steady yet urgent.

“I understand! But this—this isn’t what we signed up for!” Eft wailed, gripping the control stick desperately, pitching the ship from side to side, then up and down. The sheer number of meteoroids was overwhelming, one after another closing in relentlessly. The hull shuddered violently as the bridge was thrown about.

Captain Love watched the merciless meteor storm through the trembling monitors, listening intently to the tense exchange between Eft and Lite.

“Shields to maximum output! Identify all damage points and engage emergency repair protocols!”

“Multiple breaches! At this rate, we won’t hold together!”

Shior reported gravely from her monitoring station, her voice tinged with rising anxiety as Lite’s tone began to betray a trace of panic.

Meanwhile, at the rear of the bridge, One stood quietly, seemingly conversing with unseen companions — the LEP passengers entrusted to their care aboard O.UNI-X.

“…Yes, this is rather unexpected. But yes… I understand. Their safety remains our utmost priority…”

His murmured words were inaudible to the others, a dialogue beyond their comprehension.

Newly assigned navigator Shior, gripped by the unprecedented crisis, stared anxiously at her console, repeatedly turning to Captain Love with urgent questions.

“Captain! What’s the situation? Is this the ‘Baptism’ you mentioned? We had no prior intel on such a meteor swarm! Do we have any means to break through this? Please, we need a solution—quickly!”

Her rapid-fire queries only seemed to heighten the tension for Love and Eft alike. As expected, Eft’s movements grew more erratic, her frustration plainly evident.

“Quiet! I know full well! There’s no way to dodge this—under normal circumstances!”

Eft snapped irritably, her handling becoming increasingly aggressive as anger took hold.

“That’s right. With your usual skill, there’s no hope, Eft,” Lite said calmly but with a sharp edge. The pointed remark only worsened Eft’s mood, her control of the vessel growing even rougher. The ship tilted dangerously, throwing Shior and One against their seats at the rear.

“Eft!” Captain Love’s voice rang out across the bridge — devoid of anger or panic, it carried nothing but absolute faith and reassurance.

“You can do this. Focus.”

His words stilled Eft’s scattered spirit as though with a sudden stillness. Her ragged breathing evened out; hesitation vanished from her grip on the controls. Though the ship still shook, its motions became purposeful and precise.

“To think we’d encounter a meteor storm just after emerging from the multilayered space of the Ansible Network… There was no way to predict this. It’s an unforeseen event, isn’t it?” Shior muttered thoughtfully, piecing together the situation.

Her words sparked a flash of insight in Love’s mind.

“…Of course! Multilayered space! One!”

Love called sharply to One, who was still deep in conversation with his invisible companions.

“One! I need your counsel!”