The Ark floated in the quiet of neutral space, its battered hull a testament to the battles it had endured. The crew, though weary, were finally afforded a moment to breathe. Ethan sat in the captain's chair on the bridge, a steaming cup of coffee in his hand, and a rare sense of calm in his chest.
"Captain," Nova called from her station, spinning in her chair with an almost childlike grin, "we've got a ping from one of the EDF scout ships. They've located a potential lead on a lost Athellian relic. Supposedly, it's some kind of artifact that predates even the Reavers. Sounds like an adventure to me."
Ethan raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "And this is supposed to help us… how?"
Nova shrugged, leaning back with her boots propped on the console. "Who knows? Maybe it's got ancient tech we can use. Or maybe it's just shiny. Either way, it's better than sitting around waiting for the next moon to show up."
