The self-destruct counts down the final moments.
You stare out the window at the stars beyond.
LOG ENTRY: Look over your logbook. Make one final entry; Do you agree with everything that brought you to this point?
Another alarm?
Almost lost under the self-destruct’s warning is the blare of the collision alarm. You see an immense gray bulk pulling alongside. The ship comms crackle to life:
“NCRV Phoenix this is the independent freighter Eber-Nari. We received your distress call and are pulling to your starboard hatch to receive all evacs. We read your reactor going critical, so be there.”
You sprint to the starboard hatch as the panel blinks green for a safe lock.
How many seconds are left? All you hear is ringing. You throw the hatch and two crew members in black jumpsuits grab you and pull you over.
“Anyone else?”
If there is, they’d never get here in time. They don’t wait for you to finish thinking and close their hatch.
“Go go go go!”
The Eber-Nari pulls free and dives, engines at maximum. You can see the Phoenix rapidly shrinking behind you. A twinkling star among stars. The self-destruct doesn’t fire. Did someone stop it?
then it does.
There’s a blinding flash and then a blast wave that picks the Eber-Nari up like a paper boat and everything is tumbling. The lights flash out. Sparks. Screams.