Silent Stars: Refracted

Three months in deep space.
Three months of routine.
Three months of silence.

Theta-9 was never meant to be exciting. A small station, a simple assignment, a crew used to the quiet.

But lately, the quiet feels different.

The station doesn't seem as small as it should. The halls feel longer. The shadows stretch just a little too far. And outside the viewport, the stars look dimmer than before.

It's nothing, of course. Just the isolation. Just the long hours.

Just the mind playing tricks.

...Right?

ONC 2025 Entry