The journey into the Vortan Expanse progressed smoothly for the first few days, but as they ventured deeper, the anomalies became more unpredictable. Energy surges and gravitational distortions tested the limits of their upgraded systems.
"We've detected a cluster of anomalies ahead," Aralina reported from her station. "They're more concentrated than anything we've encountered so far."
Wil nodded. "Prepare for evasive maneuvers. Keep all sensors focused on identifying any patterns."
As they navigated through the anomalies, a sudden alert flashed on Neil's console. "Captain, I'm picking up a signal. It's faint but definitely there."
"Source?" Wil asked, leaning over to examine the data.
"It's coming from within the anomaly cluster," Neil replied. "It doesn't match any known signatures. It could be from another stranded ship or even the entities we're researching."
"Plot a course," Wil ordered. "Let's see what we've found."
