The blinding flash of light from the colossal orb engulfed Anya, Kai, Ren, and the entire docking area. The alien melody reached a deafening crescendo, then abruptly ceased, leaving behind an unsettling silence. Moments later, an equally unsettling gurgle emanated from the Lumeneris' intercom system.
Anya, miraculously unharmed, found herself sprawled on the bridge floor, blinking away spots. Kai scrambled to his feet, his usually stoic face a mask of bewilderment. Ren, still strapped into his pilot's chair, was staring at the comm console with a mixture of horror and morbid fascination.
"Uh, Captain," Ren's voice crackled through the intercom, laced with a hint of panic, "I'm getting some very… unusual readings from the docking bay."
Anya scrambled to her feet, her heart hammering against her ribs. "Unusual how?"
"Well, Captain," Ren continued, his voice strained, "it appears the docking clamps have… melted. And the Xythian ship… well, let's just say it looks like a particularly enthusiastic child used it for chewing practice."
Anya's jaw slackened. She sprinted towards the viewport, peering out at the docking bay. The once sleek Xythian vessel now resembled a crumpled piece of tinfoil, its hull warped and twisted beyond recognition.
Kai, peering over her shoulder, whistled through his teeth. "Looks like someone didn't appreciate their welcome gift."
A wry chuckle escaped Anya's lips, a welcome release of nervous tension. Despite the bizarre turn of events, she couldn't help but find the sight of the mangled Xythian ship oddly satisfying.
Suddenly, the bridge lights flickered ominously, plunging them into partial darkness. A series of sparks erupted from the control panel, accompanied by a plume of smoke. Ren let out a yelp and frantically started swatting at the smoke with a nearby data pad.
Anya, suppressing another chuckle, grabbed a fire extinguisher from its wall bracket. "Anyone else smell burnt circuits and shattered dreams of Xythian galactic domination?"
Ren coughed and waved a hand dismissively through the smoke. "Just another Tuesday aboard the Lumeneris, Captain."
With a flourish, Anya discharged the fire extinguisher, silencing the sputtering sparks. "Alright, team," she declared, wiping soot off her forehead, "Looks like our little visit to the colossal structure might have fried our systems. Ren, any chance of a quick reboot?"
Ren peered at the smoldering control panel, his expression grim. "Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on if the smoke got to the essential circuits."
Anya sighed. "Great. Well, while we wait for our trusty ship to hopefully wake up from its nap, any ideas on how we get back to Aetheria?"
Kai, ever the optimist, shrugged. "We could always try waving down a passing space freighter. Or maybe build a raft out of the Xythian scrap metal and hope for a strong current."
Anya's lips twitched. "Let's just stick with the reboot for now, shall we?"
End of Season 1