Love Amidst Turmoil

Ashton sat in his quarters aboard the ship, his thoughts consumed by the recent events. Anna was busy checking the readings and the ship's systems, helping Kass. While Tarek was lying in his own room, recovering from the injuries he had sustained during and before their escape.

He couldn't shake the feeling of unease that settled in his gut every time he thought about the Orion Empire and the Xyrans. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't worry about things out of his control, and he needed to focus on what he could change.

"Even so... if those two are in cahoots, it could spell disaster for us."

As he sat there, lost in thought, the door to his quarters slid open, and Anna stepped inside. He couldn't help the smile that spread across his face as she made her way over to him.

"Hey," she said softly, taking a seat next to him on the couch.

"Hey," he replied, turning to face her. "How are you holding up?"