A low hiss sounded from the node interface panel on the penal colony below; its indicator light settled into a steady green pulse relayed across the quantum link. Overhead screens on the Cataclysm''s main bridge updated in sync, displaying five stable green dots—the fleet network locked. Captain Nathaniel Rourke released the command dais railing, turning as Lieutenant Mark Jansen approached, data slate active.


    "Latency nominal, sir," Jansen reported, his voice clipped against the bridge hum. Diagnostics scrolled across his slate. "Colony node connection stable. Earth confirms link integrity."


    The forward screen flickered, framing the colony officer—relief visible in the slight easing of lines around her eyes, red dust still streaking her face. "Captain, network online," her voice came through, steadier now. "Holding stable. Our thanks."


    Rourke gave a curt nod. "Maintain vigilance down there, Lieutenant. Report anomalies immediately." He cut the connection. The bridge settled back into its operational quiet, the soft blue glow of consoles reflecting on polished surfaces. "Briefing room," Rourke stated, turning towards Commander Laehy. "Five minutes."


    Soon after, the holo-room pulsed with dim overhead light, catching faint scratches on the steel-gray walls. The central holo-table projected split images: Vortus Prime''s swirling pastel bands—blues and pinks hazy—and the starkly different view of Kaelis, dominated by a vast, glassy crater reflecting the projection''s light, its rim unnaturally sharp. Rourke stood at the table''s edge, Jansen and Hara positioned nearby. Holograms of Captain Veyra (Regulus), Captain Tiberius (Vanguard), and the Stalwart''s commander shimmered blue, their forms subtly jittering with the quantum link''s baseline interference.


    Rourke tapped the controls, the holo zooming onto Vortus Prime, highlighting the shimmering Veil structure in its upper atmosphere. "Vortus Prime," he began, voice low, resonant. "Hara, report findings."


    Hara activated her datapad, projecting a rotating lattice overlay onto the Veil. "Detected coherent, non-random energy patterns within the crystal matrix, sir. Cross-referenced with logs recovered from the captured device retrieved near Vortus..." She paused, pointing. "Found fragmented star-lane coordinates consistent with supernova-era designations. SC-13 was flagged multiple times. Matches no current Federation charts."


    Tiberius''s holo leaned forward slightly. "Supernova-era ghosts, maybe? Corridor''s full of degraded signals."


    Jansen adjusted his spectacles, his own datapad displaying parallel data streams. "Unlikely random, Captain Tiberius. Log fragments also referenced Waypoint Cassini – repeatedly. Correlation suggests targeted data retrieval or mapping."


    Veyra''s image flickered, static briefly obscuring her features as she intervened. "That may connect to Kaelis," she said, her voice tight. The holo shifted abruptly, Kaelis''s crater filling the view—a perfect, obsidian bowl gouged into planetary crust, vitrified edges glinting sharp. "Impact analysis confirms recent formation. Energy yield estimate: sixty megatons. Possible battleship-grade weapon signature, inconsistent with standard meteorite impact profiles."


    Hara drew a sharp, almost inaudible breath, eyes narrowed on the crater''s smooth, surgical precision. "No ejecta pattern consistent with kinetic impact," she murmured. "A subsurface detonation? Or directed energy? That clarity... it''s deliberate."


    Veyra''s holo nodded. "The precision is... notable. Anomalous for natural corridor events."


    A low murmur moved through the bridge officers observing from the holo-room periphery. Rourke''s gaze remained fixed on the crater, brow furrowed. "Connect the dots," he said, voice hard. "Vortus Veil signals pointing to lost supernova outposts. Cassini mentioned. Kaelis crater showing a recent, massive energy event. These aren''t isolated incidents."


    Jansen tapped his slate. "Cassini is logged as ore-rich. Could attract unauthorized mining or salvage. But sixty megatons exceeds known pirate capabilities..."


    Tiberius''s holo straightened, his expression grim. "If Kaelis was hit that hard, recently... whatever did it could still be operating nearby. A weapon with that yield changes the strategic map entirely."


    A heavy silence fell, underscored by the quantum link''s faint, steady hum. Outside the Cataclysm''s viewports, unseen, the penal colony''s dust whipped under its dim star.


    "Then we expand the search," Rourke stated, breaking the quiet. His voice held a hard edge. "Sensor sweeps prioritized around Vortus Prime and Kaelis. Log any energy signatures matching the Kaelis event profile. Cross-reference recovered lane data with Cassini approaches. Determine if these events correlate."


    Nodded affirmations rippled across the holo-displays. The strategic picture flickered—Vortus Prime''s mystery Veil, Kaelis''s violent scar, Cassini''s potential lure, fragmented data hinting at lost worlds.


    Veyra''s holo crossed its arms. "Standard patrols won''t cut it if we''re dealing with capital-grade weaponry hiding in the corridor," she said, tone sharp. "Indomitable''s presence is essential if this escalates."


    Rourke dipped his head. "Agreed. Maintain fleet cohesion. Any deviation from expected energy patterns near Kaelis or Cassini—report immediately via quantum net."


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    The briefing seemed to edge towards conclusion, the next steps clear but the underlying threat still nebulous. Just as Rourke opened his mouth for final orders, a sharp, priority chime sounded from his wrist comm. Every eye snapped towards him. He consulted the display, his expression tightening almost imperceptibly. Lips pressed thin.


    "Update," he said, voice dropping low, capturing the room''s full attention. "Federation High Command dispatch. FNS Endeavor task group is en route to Waypoint Cassini." He paused, letting the implications land. "Heavy escort—destroyers, cruisers. Launched hours ago." He met the holographic gazes one by one. "They transmitted standard flight plan post-departure. No direct communication request to this fleet element."


    He tapped the holo-table again. Cassini''s waypoint flashed brighter amidst the swirling copper dust clouds and debris fields projected along the corridor lane. "They''re heading directly into the area Jansen flagged."


    Jansen leaned forward, tracing the projected route. "That vector passes near several high-interference dust clouds... optimal cover for ambush if someone knew they were coming."


    Veyra''s holo crackled faintly. "A heavy escort for a standard survey or salvage assessment? And no courtesy hail to the ranking command ship in the sector?" Her tone was laced with suspicion. "Something''s irregular."


    Hara looked up from her datapad. "Sir, those Vortus Veil signals... could they correspond to navigational markers for hidden routes? Routes the Endeavor might not have access to, but someone else does?"


    The air in the holo-room felt colder. Is Endeavor walking into something? Rourke turned the thought over. Cassini the target, or just a marker on a hidden route? Tiberius''s voice, rough, sliced the tension. "Do we pursue? Alert them? A full fleet jump based on partial intel could provoke something. But letting them proceed blind..." His words hung unfinished.


    Rourke drew a slow breath, the hum of the quantum link a low pulse beneath the deck plates. His gaze swept the holo—Kaelis''s scar, the faint supernova outpost markers, Endeavor''s projected vector intersecting near Cassini. "The corridor remains unpredictable," he stated, his voice regaining command resonance. "A task force, even heavily escorted, is exposed if they encounter... Kaelis-level variables." He pushed away from the table''s edge. "We don''t stand idle. They might require proximate support."


    Affirmative signals rippled across the holo-displays. Veyra''s hologram remained composed, a finger tapping her chin display projection. "Caution advised, but this elevates the situation. Prioritize tracking corridor energy fluctuations—flare spikes or gravitational anomalies could provide early warning."


    Reyes leaned forward from his position near the edge, a quick, wry curve touching his lips. "Ore deposits and meltdown relics scattered out there—attractive salvage. Sixty megatons or not, Endeavor might appreciate having adjacent fleet assets."


    Hara nodded, her posture precise. "Standard sensors will degrade in corridor storms—our established network is their only reliable comm link if conditions deteriorate."


    Rourke''s gaze hardened, decision locking into place. "Agreed. We proceed with tactical awareness—no headlong rush. Indomitable, Regulus, Vanguard, and Cataclysm will plot course via designated safe corridor lanes towards Cassini''s vicinity. Stalwart maintains the penal colony link and orbital position."


    Tiberius''s hologram leaned back slightly, tension easing somewhat from his shoulders. "Understood, Captain. Engines to readiness. We monitor flare activity and track Endeavor''s progress relative to ours."


    A charged quiet settled over the group, resolve solidifying in the bridge officers'' postures. The corridor''s coppery haze shimmered on the holo-display, dusty tendrils swirling silent. Cassini waited—potential prize, potential flashpoint. Meltdown secrets lingered. The Federation needed presence.


    "Alright," Rourke said, voice low, firm. "Set departure timeline. Maintain open fleet channels, tight formation protocols. If Endeavor encounters difficulties, we provide immediate support."


    The holo-room''s ambient lighting flared back to standard levels, washing out the glowing overlays into faint afterimages. Officers detached, voices issuing clipped orders as they moved towards their stations, boots striking the steel deck with muted purpose. Rourke remained for a moment after Hara and Jansen departed, his focus already shifting to sensor coordination. He stood alone, eyes tracing the corridor''s jagged arcs still glowing dimly on the inactive holo-table—a map of dust and ruin. Somewhere within that vast swirl, answers waited—Kaelis''s origins, Cassini''s significance—buried like relics in the cosmic grit.


    On the main bridge, a focused energy took hold. Navigation officers at helm stations input jump vectors, threading calculated paths through known corridor hazards—projected flare zones and debris fields flickering amber on their screens. Communications officers confirmed frequency synchronization with Indomitable, Regulus, and Vanguard, their low voices merging with the drone of ship systems. Jansen stood at the sensor suite, datapad active, sweeping for any new energy signatures or vessel movement. The quantum link''s steady beep pulsed through the bridge, anchoring the fleet to the penal colony node even as departure sequences commenced.


    Rourke took position at the central command console, arms crossed, his presence a still point amidst the controlled activity. The main holo-display stretched wide, rendering the corridor''s arcs in sharp relief—copper swirls churning, meltdown turbulence fields glinting like fractured obsidian. A low, persistent feeling registered: Kaelis''s scar, the fragmented lane data, Endeavor''s unannounced, heavily escorted run toward Cassini. "Maintain alert status," he murmured, almost to himself.


    "Captain?" Reyes''s voice came from the pilot''s seat, fingers hovering over thruster controls. "Formation reports green across the board—Indomitable, Regulus, Vanguard holding position relative to our stern. Stalwart acknowledges holding station at RX-7."


    Rourke gave a sharp nod. "Standard departure sequence. Keep corridor hazard maps active—no deviations from plotted route. Clear planetary gravity well, then initiate quantum drive spool for coordinated fleet jump." His gaze swept the bridge, meeting the focused eyes of Jansen, Hara, and the crew. "Smooth deployment. Observe protocols. Lane integrity is paramount."


    The engines hummed, then deepened into a low growl, a heavy rumble tilting the Cataclysm into its departure vector. External camera feeds framed the penal colony receding—red dust swirling in trenches under a violet star, wind scoring faint lines across the crust. The view shifted. Three battleships flared into position behind, thrusters carving bright trails against the black. A taut quiet settled over the bridge, every action precise. Cassini ahead—salvage run or trap? The corridor sprawled before them—dust clouds roiling, debris glinting. The fleet surged forward, four capital ships cutting into the unknown, sensors active, weapons charged, prepared for whatever lay hidden in the ruins of the supernova.