North - Prologue - etc
01:02:37

The lights, as they had expected, dimmed exactly 2801 seconds after the Hermes had disengaged. What they had not expected were the other lights that would flicker to life, nor that instrument panels which had previously been thought faulty would suddenly alight.
A low thrumming noise jostled their bones almost silent in the depth of its pitch.
Michael, the third crew mate, came careening through the only doorway with wild eyes.
Caleb and Emily looked back from their respective seats beside previously active panels.
They had been monitoring rotation, life support, transmissions, and other such functions that had become of routine interest since the Aurora's discovery some nine months prior.
Now they blinked through stunned faces before snapping back to action.

"Specialist Hayes, contact the Hermes," Caleb commanded.
Emily swung away from him and back to the dials beside her.

~

Walker, Moore, and Hayes