The Terror from the Depths

Commander John Hanson leads the compact, fast‑moving patrol ship Ertak on what feels like an endless series of routine sweeps through quiet sectors of space. He and his restless first officer, Correy, grow weary of the monotony, dreaming of a chance to test their skills against something truly dangerous. Their latest assignment brings them near Hydrot, a massive water‑world that appears barren except for occasional plumes of volcanic steam rising from its depths.

While scanning the planet, the crew’s instruments pick up an unexpected pattern: three sharp columns of steam forming a triangular arrangement, one near the equator and the others stretching toward the poles. The strange geometry hints at activity far below the surface, stirring both curiosity and unease. As Hanson and Correy debate whether to investigate, the sense that something unseen lurks beneath the endless gray water begins to take hold, promising a test of nerve that the routine patrol has long denied them.