The following afternoon, the Vanguard-7 dropped out of hyperspace on the edge of a dying star system.
The bridge was a symphony of flashing terminal lights, muted warning chimes, and the tense, quiet murmurs of the bridge crew. Outside the main viewport, a massive red giant star dominated the blackness, shedding plasma in violent, glowing arcs.
"Radiation levels are spiking, Captain," Leo reported from his station, his fingers flying across the holographic interface with practiced prec