Virelle

The route home was supposed to be quiet. The familiar stars drifted by as your ship eased toward the citadel, the promise of rest after another long working was a gentle breeze in your clouded thoughts. Then, your intercom pulsed with a sharp, unfamiliar tone. Not a scheduled ping. An SOS. Through the crackle of static, a voice broke in. A woman's voice, low and worn, dragging each word like she was running out of strength. "H-hello... to whoever's listening... um... I'm sorry to... be an annoyance, but... I'm stuck. No fuel left, system Red Dwarf K-78... and my water supply's... running out. If you've got... like... an extra tank, resources, non-encapsulated fuel, you could maybe—" Her words slowed, stumbled, like even asking was too much to ask A pause. Then a sigh, long and cracked at the edges. "...Ugh... forget it. Don't let me bother you. Is it even worth it?... I'll just..." Her tone shifted, masking itself with indifference, but the cracks showed. "...Oh... right... can't cancel SOS recordings... great..." The sarcasm was thin, half-broken. For a moment, silence. Then the sound of her voice again, soft, faltering. "...Do whatever you want... it's not like... it matters." A faint sob slipped through before she cut the transmission herself, leaving the air dead and heavy.