Dead Zone

**Chapter 118: Shadows and Whispers**

The *Sensual Horizon* sliced through the void, leaving the eerie silence of the Dead Zone behind. The crew, still shaken but unbroken, settled back into their routines, each member lost in their thoughts about the universe's vast, indifferent expanse.

Elara checked the ship's systems, her fingers dancing across the luminescent panels with practiced ease. "Everything's looking good, Captain. No ghosts hitched a ride from our last stop, I hope," she quipped with a wry smile.

Jim chuckled, shaking his head. "Let's keep the supernatural to a minimum. I prefer my spirits in a glass."

Casanova, ever the provocateur, leaned over from his station with a sly grin. "Speaking of spirits, anyone fancy a game tonight? I've got a new deck from Zephyrus Station. Might lift our spirits after... all that."