Your voice rings out through the corridor, surprisingly steady despite the fear crawling up your throat. 'Everyone stay calm! We need to assess our options before moving.' The panicked crew members freeze, their faces illuminated by the pulsing red glow from the viewport. The junior ensign grips your arm tighter, her fingers trembling.

You quickly scan the corridor. The emergency lighting kicks in, bathing everything in dim red. A maintenance panel nearby catches your eye—it leads to the ship's secondary systems. You remember your orientation training: these access ways run parallel to main corridors, potentially offering safer passage.

As you consider this, the ship shudders again violently. Several crew members cry out as they're thrown against the walls. Through the viewport, you see one of the obsidian structure's tendrils make contact with the Astral Dawn's hull. The metal groans ominously.

The intercom crackles to life once more, but the message is garbled—only static and broken phrases: '...containment breach...deck seven...evacuate...' The junior ensign meets your eyes, her face pale. 'What do we do?' she whispers.