The End to Come - Page 6 3D Render, Digital Artwork by emarukk

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The End to Come - Page 6

3D Render by emarukk

Olivia fixed her gaze on the stranger, unable to grasp the meaning behind his response. The armored figure, whose calm voice resonated through the ruins of her shattered world, tilted his head ever so slightly. His sensor array pulsed with an inscrutable, impassive rhythm in the dim light.

"So you think that airlock is a safe bet?" he repeated, his voice imbued with eerie patience, as if time had stalled and Olivia's hesitation was nothing more than a minor hurdle he'd already anticipated overcoming. "And what's your plan after that? Just sit tight, hoping someone will eventually show up? Once this place fully loses power, that airlock will transform into nothing more than a sealed tomb."

Olivia stiffened at his words. She had considered that possibility, fully aware of the risks involved. Yet it remained her only option—the alternative being far worse. "This is my home," she spat, wrapping her arms tightly around herself as if she could somehow hold the station together. "I won't just abandon it. I can wait. The Confederation will come."

The man let out a dry, static-laced chuckle. "Oh really?" His head shifted slightly as if tuning in to something beyond her hearing. "Kid, this station has already been declared lost."

Those words struck her like a blow. Declared lost. That signified the Confederation wasn't coming. Officially, Verdantia Station no longer existed. It meant she was considered salvage. The realization coiled tightly in her stomach like ice. Salvage—she had heard the stories. In the lawless Outer Territories, brutality was the norm; when a ship or station was abandoned, anyone who found it was free to claim it, survivors included. If no one was coming for her, then by every rule in this region of space, she belonged to the first person who found her. Her breathing quickened, growing ragged with fear.

The stranger noticed Olivia's mounting panic, her restless shifting, and the desperate way her eyes roamed through the dim corridor, searching for any sign of hope. He observed as her confidence melted away, his vision even picking up the rapid beat of her heart. Without taking a step, his tone softened into something that edged on pity. "Yeah," he muttered. "You're beginning to understand."

Olivia balled her fists, clutching the last remnants of her confidence. "The Confederation—"

"They're not coming," the stranger interrupted flatly. "They've already written this place off. And even if someone does show up, it won't be the kind of people you want to meet." Leaning in slightly, his armor emitted a faint mechanical whir as it shifted. "Do you really want to take your chances with who might come through that airlock next?"

Olivia's breath caught in her throat. Was this stranger really the type of person she wanted to encounter? It seemed unjust. She had always done what was right. She had worked tirelessly, fought to keep the station operational, and had faith in the Confederation and values it thought. Now, all she had was this stranger in battle-worn armor crouching in front of her as if he had already determined her fate, warning her of the approaching danger of evil people. However, he himself could claim ownership over her.

Her fingernails pressed into her palms. "I'm not going with you," she declared, infusing her voice with determination. "This is my home." She regained her composure and crossed her arms defiantly.

The stranger sighed, and for the first time, she detected genuine impatience in his voice. "It won't be for much longer." With a swift motion, he seized her upper arm and pulled her along with him. "I could also wait until we lose gravity since you don't have gravity shoes. Or oxygen, making it easier to carry you."

Olivia gasped, trying to twist free, but his grip was firm—unyielding but not painful or harsh. It was as if gravity itself had decreed her destiny.

"Let me go!" she demanded, struggling, but the stranger barely acknowledged her efforts. He continued walking, dragging her along with him.

"You can shout as much as you like," he said, his tone taking on a hint of amusement. "But you're coming with me."

She kicked, twisted, and dug her heels into the floor. Anything to halt their progress, but the station shuddered again with a deep, ominous groan that chilled her to the bone. The walls vibrated, the lights flickered, and gravity began to shift. For the first time, Olivia truly comprehended that Verdantia Station was already doomed. She had just been too stubborn to abandon its lifeless form.