Then light shone from Logafell, and from that radiance there came bolts of lightning; 

wearing helmets at Himingvani came the Valkyries.

The exhaustion etched across Niala’s face told the tale of a grueling day. The med bay harbored three senior engineers, victims of an enigmatic flu that likely hitchhiked on inadequately decontaminated materials. Time lingered in the schedule, offering a window for their recovery, but Niala, fueled by determination, shunned the wait. Opting for action, she grabbed a hyperspanner, the cool metal a reassuring weight in her hand, and immersed herself in the sea of mechanics diligently toiling beneath her supervision.

Each clang and hum of the machinery echoed the urgency of the ongoing project—the meticulous refit of the Sovereign-class starship, the USS Valkyrie. Niala hadn’t stumbled into this role; she had been handpicked by the station’s Chief Engineer herself. The weight of responsibility settled on her as she observed the remaining grease monkeys, her decision to join them a silent declaration of solidarity.

The Valkyrie, a colossal beauty named after ancient Earth mythology, held a story that had captivated Niala’s curiosity. She had immersed herself in the ancient earth tales of Valkyries, and now, as she crawled the starship’s Jeffries tubes, the imposing hull loomed only a few feet above her. Its sleek lines and powerful presence mirrored the mythical Valkyrie warriors it was named after. 

Fatigue clung to Niala like a persistent shadow, but her determined silhouette pressed on. In the dimly lit confines, a sudden surge of pain rippled through her fingertip as it brushed against a malfunctioning relay. Breath caught, the hum of the ship seemed to echo the uncertainty of the moment. Then, in an involuntary reflex, her spanner slipped from her grasp, its metallic clatter punctuating the silence of the tubes.

Her eyes followed the tool’s descent, and a sigh escaped her lips, carrying a mixture of frustration and resignation. Without hesitation, Niala turned to chase after the fallen spanner. In the confined space, shadows danced around her, accentuating the challenges and intricacies of the starship. Each movement told a story of determination, of a relentless pursuit to conquer not just the mechanical intricacies but the physical toll the Valkyrie demanded from its custodian, a toll she was happy to pay.