Vice Captain Aria

Log Entry 3162.10.30 Situation Summary: Vice Captain Aria Venn — Command Deck, ISS Vigilant Dawn Status: Captain [Redacted] returned; Hive presence confirmed; Security Chief Kalen Dorr restrained. Objective: Secure Command Deck, assess crew loyalty, plan defensive and offensive measures against Hive threats. --- Chapter XXVI — Vice Captain Aria Venn The Captain had barely stepped onto the deck when the air shifted — authority radiating from her like a tangible force. Aria could feel it, cold and precise, every movement measured, every word about to carry weight. She stepped back, allowing the Captain to take full command, but her attention snapped toward Kalen Dorr, who lingered too close to the command consoles. Aria’s instincts screamed. She had noticed the subtle hesitations, the way he lingered near certain systems, the faint flickers of compliance to unknown influences. She had waited, watched, and assessed — but with the Captain back, they could no longer gamble. “Sari’ka,” she murmured under her breath, and the blue-skinned psionic operative shifted into position beside her without question. A silent nod passed between them. “Chief Dorr,” Aria said, voice steady, commanding. “You’re under temporary restraint. Cooperative or not, we cannot risk the possibility that you’ve been compromised.” Kalen’s eyes flared, but Sari’ka’s telekinetic energy coiled lightly around him, holding him in place without a sound. He struggled, but Aria’s resolve was unyielding. “I will not let the ship fall because of hesitation. Stand down.” The Captain’s gaze never left the displays, moving rapidly between sensor feeds, schematics, and console alerts. Her commands were precise, cutting through the chaos. Aria watched, realizing the magnitude of what they faced — the Hive Hunter could strike any corridor, and other unseen threats might be moving through the ship.