The command deck of the Ark hummed with a quiet tension, the air heavy with expectation as the crew gathered in front of the central holoprojector. The galaxy map flickered with vibrant star systems, but the lines that once marked the boundaries of free and allied worlds were quickly fading. Ethan stood at the center, arms crossed, his brow furrowed as they waited for the broadcast from the Galactic Senate. Around him, his crew moved restlessly, each knowing what was coming but hoping, even against all logic, that it wouldn't be as bad as they feared.
Mira Tarlan, the Ark's navigator, tapped the console with practiced precision. The screen blinked to life, casting a pale blue light across their faces. The Senate's seal, the symbol of galactic unity that had once inspired hope, now felt like an empty promise, hollow and broken.
The image flickered for a moment, and then it appeared: the Galactic Senate broadcast.
