I wake up.

I wake up, in the ship, alone. The lights are dim. A dark red glow emanates from their bulbs. And where have the usual brightly lit corridors gone? I wonder as I find walls covered in rust, shadows where the figures of my comrades should be.

In search of Luenos, I rush to my room.

What I find there is nothing. Nothing but a note. You are a failure, it reads. Because of you, they will perish.

The paper catches fire. My eyes go wide. I let go before it has a chance to burn my skin. I scream.

Dashing toward the docks, I pant in search of breaths long lost. I must get out, I think. I must leave. Something is wrong. Something is so terribly, terribly wrong.

And I hear laughter but see no one.

And I look down to find my hands are no longer my own. They’re purple. Purple and long. Just like the Kraken’s.

Behind the lobby’s door, Howard begs for his life.

I cannot take any more.

My knees give out.

I drop to the floor and cover my ears. “No!” I shout. “Please, stop.”

*

I open my eyes.

Luenos rests next to me, fast asleep. I press my ear to his chest, to a small beat that thumps between us, a beat that isn’t mine. Glancing upward, I watch as he snores with his mouth wide open, his tongue poking out from between his teeth. He looks so modest, so harmless in this light, as if he had no cares in this universe whatsoever.

I grin.

I hug him once, pat him on the shoulder, and pull away. “We’re going to get you back in shape, buddy. You’ll see,” I say before crawling over to edge of the bed and placing both my legs on— Oh. I pause, remembering my dream in which I could still walk, in which I could still run. Right. I squeeze my arm and swallow an invisible mass that had built up in my throat. Right… It’s never coming back, is it?

Grabbing my crutch, I snatch my jacket from my chair and look to the clock.

Six in the morning, Earth time.

As I take a step forward and yawn, I exit my quarters and listen to the relaxing low hum of the engine—a noise that has helped me rise since the start of our mission.

I pass the tech room but pause.

A tiny clank grabs my attention.

Following the trail of my shadow, I trace my steps and peek through the half-open door.

I clear my throat. “Vihkir,” I say, “what are you doing here?”

Seated cross-legged on the floor, jaw covered in smudges of oil, he glances at me from over his shoulder and grins. “Oh, good timing!” Vihkir motions for me to enter. “Come over here for a second, would you?” he says. “I’d like to show you something.”