The explosion tore through space like a nova, the collision of void energy and protective shields creating a blinding flash that forced me to shield my eyes. For a moment, I thought we were done for—that the Herald's desperate attack had succeeded.
Then the light faded, and through the dissipating energy field, I saw the silhouette of Kha'lira's ship—"The Star-Serpent"—still intact though heavily damaged. Hull plating had been torn away in several places, and one of the engine pods flickered erratically, but somehow it remained operational.
"Pilot status!" I called through the comm, my voice tight with fear.
For several agonizing seconds, there was only static. Then a weak transmission came through, not from the Xylosian pilot but from the Andarran engineer.
"Pilot is alive but gravely injured," the engineer reported, her voice strained. "I'm applying emergency medical protocols. The ship's automated systems and shields took most of the impact, but... it's bad, Princess."
