Fading Star [Short Story]

Chapter 1

The Eclipse continued its voyage through the cold, infinite void of space, a fragile speck of life in an ocean of darkness.

For days, the crew had been focused on routine exploration tasks—scanning nearby celestial bodies, analyzing data, and maintaining the ship's systems. But Kade was restless. The monotony of their journey couldn't distract him from the thoughts that gnawed at his mind.

In the dim light of the engineering bay, Kade worked tirelessly, his hands moving with the precision of someone who had performed these tasks a thousand times before.

But even as he adjusted the ship's core, his thoughts were elsewhere—on a different ship, in a different time, with a different woman.

He was so absorbed in his work that he didn't hear Em approach. She stood quietly in the doorway for a moment, watching him.

There was something comforting about the sight of him at work, but also something deeply sad. He was a man trying to outrun his past, but Em knew that no matter how far you run, your demons always catch up eventually.

She cleared her throat gently, breaking the silence. "Kade?"

He looked up, his eyes briefly flickering with surprise before they returned to their usual guarded expression. "Em. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question," she replied with a soft smile. "You've been down here for hours. Don't you ever take a break?"

Kade shrugged, his gaze drifting back to the console. "Work keeps me busy. It's better that way."

Em stepped closer, her voice filled with gentle concern. "Keeping busy won't make the nightmares go away, Kade."

His hands stilled, and for a moment, she thought she had gotten through to him. But then he shook his head, a small, bitter smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It's not about the nightmares, Em. It's about making sure that what happened never happens again."

She frowned, sensing the depth of his guilt but not fully understanding it. "What do you mean?"

Kade hesitated, his mind racing. He had never talked about the past with anyone on the Eclipse. It was a part of himself he had locked away, believing it was too dangerous to share. But something about Em made him want to open up, even if just a little.

"It's nothing," he said finally, his voice quieter. "Just... things I'd rather not talk about."

Em wasn't satisfied with his answer, but she knew better than to push too hard. She could see that he was carrying a heavy burden, but she also knew that he would only share it when he was ready.

"Okay," she said softly. "But if you ever do want to talk... I'm here. You don't have to go through this alone."

Kade met her gaze, and for a brief moment, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes—gratitude, perhaps. But just as quickly, he looked away, the moment lost.

"Thanks, Em," he murmured. "I appreciate it."

Em gave him a small, sad smile and turned to leave. But as she reached the doorway, she paused, looking back at him. "Kade, just... don't forget that you're not alone. There are people here who care about you. I care about you."

Her words hung in the air like a fragile thread, connecting them across the distance of the room. Kade's heart tightened in his chest, torn between the desire to reach out and the need to protect her from the darkness he carried.

"I know," he said quietly, his voice barely audible. "But sometimes, it feels like I'm the only one who can do this."

Em's eyes softened with understanding, but also with sadness. "You're not, Kade. And you don't have to be."

With that, she left him alone with his thoughts, the door sliding shut behind her. Kade stared at the empty space where she had stood, his mind replaying her words over and over.

'You're not alone.'

It was a nice thought, but Kade knew better. He had learned the hard way that caring about someone—loving someone—only led to pain. The memories of Evelyn, the woman he had once loved and lost, were proof enough of that.

No, he couldn't afford to let anyone get close. Not again. Not when there was so much at stake.

But even as he tried to convince himself of that, a small part of him couldn't help but long for the connection that Em offered. A connection that, for all his resolve, he couldn't completely shut out.

And so, as the ship drifted silently through the stars, Kade continued his work, the echo of Em's words lingering in his mind like a faint, distant melody—one that he couldn't quite forget.