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"It appears our arrival has disrupted the planetoid's already unstable tectonics," Zoran explained. "We need to leave immediately. The surface could completely fragment within minutes."

"Understood. What's your status?"

"We've managed to repair enough of the jump drive to make it back to the academy," Zoran replied. "We'll see you on the other side of the jump."

Tivek hesitated, something like concern flashing across his features, but he quickly masked it. "Affirmative. Safe journey, Admiral."

The transmission ended, and Tivek turned to me. "Strap in," he ordered, his voice calm but commanding. "I'm closing the ramp and prepping for takeoff."

I slid into the co-pilot's seat, fumbling with the restraints as my hands shook uncontrollably. The console before me lit up with warning indicators I didn't fully understand, but their angry red glow couldn't be good.

"Can we jump from here?" I asked as the engines roared to life.

Tivek shook his head. "Not from inside the nebula. There are too many gravitational anomalies. We need to exit first."

The ship lifted off with a jolt, the planetoid's surface already breaking apart beneath us. Through the viewscreen, I could see the other vessel rising as well, shakier than ours but still moving with obvious urgency.

We followed them through the swirling gases of the nebula, our ship humming. The purple and blue clouds parted before us, occasionally giving way to glimpses of distant stars. My knuckles were white on the armrests as Tivek navigated the treacherous path in silent concentration.

Finally, the nebula thinned, and I could see clear space ahead. The other ship accelerated, pulling away from us.

"They're jumping.” Tivek’s eyes were fixed on their vessel. There was a brief flash of light, and then they were gone.

A wave of relief washed over me. At least they had made it safely. Now it was our turn.

"Preparing for jump," Tivek announced, entering coordinates into the navigation system. "The drive is functioning, but the atmosphere is fluctuating. This won't be the smoothest transition."

"I've never experienced a smooth one anyway," I joked weakly.

His lips quirked in a small smile. "Fair point. Ready?"

I nodded, gripping the seat tighter.

"Jump in three," he began, his hand hovering over the control. "Two..."

A warning alarm blared suddenly as something flashed on the sensors.

"One," he finished grimly, slamming his palm down on the jump initiator.

The ship lurched violently, and I felt the familiar yet always unsettling sensation of being simultaneously flattened and stretched as we entered jump space. But something was wrong. The usual discomfort magnified tenfold, and a horrible screeching sound filled the cabin. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to breathe with compressed lungs.

After what seemed like an eternity, the sensations subsided, and I cautiously opened my eyes to see unfamiliar stars through the viewscreen.

"That was the weirdest jump I've ever—" I began, my voice shaky.

"It wasn't a full jump," Tivek cut me off, his expression solemn as he studied the readouts. "We were grazed by a Kronock photon just as we entered jump space. It destabilized the transition and knocked all our systems offline."

My stomach dropped. "What does that mean?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes meeting mine. "It means our jump drive is damaged beyond repair. And I don't know where we are."

Chapter

Thirty-Three

Tivek

Instead of materializing near the Academy, or even anywhere recognizable, we were adrift in unrecognizable space. We could be a single light year from Drex, or a hundred parsecs from the nearest form of life.