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Season III
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The interior of the Void Lance, an ageing light freighter, hummed softly with the vibrations of its power core. The cramped galley was sparsely lit, with a single flickering light strip casting uneven shadows across the utilitarian walls. Aiden Kalser stood at a narrow counter, slicing rations into neat portions with a dull knife. His movements were methodical, almost mechanical, as though the act itself might steady the turbulence in his mind.
The ship was docked at a remote station orbiting Indu San, a world where the remnants of Imperial might still live out a fragile existence. For Aiden, the Void Lance had become both sanctuary and prison, a place where he could pretend that loyalty and duty still meant something.
The faint hiss of the airlock opening behind him drew his attention. Aiden’s hand paused mid-slice, his grip tightening on the knife as heavy, deliberate footsteps echoed in the corridor.
“You’ve got nerve, Traskk,” he called without turning. His voice was laced with a mix of irritation and weariness.
The form of Traskk Korr appeared in the doorway, his olive-scaled frame in the narrow entrance. His sharp eyes took in the scene, his mouth curling in a faint smirk. “You didn’t exactly make it hard to find you,” he said, stepping inside.
Traskk ignored the jab, leaning casually against the bulkhead. “We need to talk.”
Aiden sighed, dropping the knife onto the counter with a clatter. “If this is about the BSB again, you’re wasting your breath.”
“You didn’t answer my comms,” Traskk said simply, his tone low and steady. “That tells me you’re not as certain as you pretend to be.”
“You didn’t answer my comms,” Traskk said simply, his tone low and steady. “That tells me you’re not as certain as you pretend to be.”
Aiden turned to face him, crossing his arms over his chest. His sharp features were drawn tight with frustration. “I’m plenty certain,” he snapped. “Certain that I’m not about to abandon the Empire for some—what do you even call it? A security company? A vigilante squad? Don’t dress it up, Traskk. You’re just another mercenary.”
Traskk’s tail flicked against the bulkhead, the only sign of his growing irritation. “And you’re just another soldier pretending the Empire isn’t dead,” he countered. “How long are you going to keep lying to yourself, Aiden? The galaxy’s changed. You’ve got no future with them.”
Aiden’s hand drifted back to the counter, his fingers brushing the handle of the knife. “Maybe I don’t want a future with your lot either,” he said coldly. “At least I know where I stand.”
Traskk’s sharp eyes caught the movement, but he didn’t flinch. Instead, he straightened, his imposing presence filling the small space. “Do you?” he asked quietly. “Because the Aiden I knew cared about protecting people—not clinging to scraps of a broken empire.”
Aiden hesitated, his grip on the knife faltering. “That Aiden died when the galaxy fell apart,” he said, his voice hollow.
“No, he didn’t,” Traskk said firmly. “He’s standing right here, too stubborn to admit he’s on the wrong side.”
The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the soft hum of the ship’s systems.
“No, he didn’t,” Traskk said firmly. “He’s standing right here, too stubborn to admit he’s on the wrong side.”
The silence between them was heavy, broken only by the soft hum of the ship’s systems.
Traskk lingered for a moment, his gaze unwavering. Then, with a sigh, he stepped back towards the door. “When you’re ready to stop running, you know where to find me,” he said, his voice softer now.
As the airlock hissed shut behind him, Aiden slumped against the counter, the weight of Traskk’s words settling heavily on his shoulders. Outside, the freighter’s docking clamps groaned, and the stars beyond the viewport seemed colder than ever.
As the airlock hissed shut behind him, Aiden slumped against the counter, the weight of Traskk’s words settling heavily on his shoulders. Outside, the freighter’s docking clamps groaned, and the stars beyond the viewport seemed colder than ever.
This is a first part of a story collaboration with Captain Havoc, featuring the interior of a vessel above Indu San. I'd been wanting to attempt a nice ship quarters for a while now and found the episode to be a perfect opportunity. My inspiration for this design came from MARS Mission models I'd seen along with an art piece that I have linked in the extra photos section. I wanted this build to be clean and angular, but convey a sense of loneliness to help carry the story.
Posted : 16/12/2024 4:17 pm
