Rajiv narrowed his eyes as the distress signal's coordinates flashed on his screen. The signal was coming from the ISS Nighthawk, a ship everyone believed had been destroyed by the Cyanthrans months ago.
"Raj, we need you to check this out," Lieutenant Harper's voice crackled over the comms. "Proceed with caution. We don't know what you'll find out there."
"Understood, Lieutenant," Raj replied. The Nighthawk was a legend, its disappearance a mystery that had haunted the fleet. If the distress signal was real, it could mean survivors—or something far worse.
Raj engaged the Valkyrie's thrusters, the mech smoothly gliding out of the hangar and into the vast expanse of space. He plotted a course to the signal's origin, the coordinates leading him to a dark, desolate sector of space.
As he neared the location, the outline of the ISS Nighthawk emerged from the shadows, its once-majestic form now a haunting silhouette. The ship was battered and scarred, its hull marked by signs of battle and decay. Raj's sensors scanned the vessel, searching for life signs or any indication of what might have happened.
"Lieutenant, I've got a visual on the Nighthawk," Raj reported. "No immediate signs of activity, but the ship's integrity is compromised."
"Proceed with caution, Raj." Harper's voice was firm. "If there are survivors, they may be in desperate need of help. But be prepared for anything."
Raj maneuvered the Valkyrie closer. He found an entry point, a gaping breach in the hull that allowed access to the interior. Taking a deep breath, he activated the Valkyrie's magnetic clams, securing the mech to the Nighthawk's side.
Switching to EVA mode, Raj exited the Valkyrie and floated towards the breach. His suit's lights illuminated the dark corridors, revealing twisted metal and drifting debris.As he reached a sealed compartment, Raj's sensors picked up multiple life signs. The door was jammed, but with a few precise blasts from his plasma cutter, he managed to force it open.