stoic · symbiotic bond · tail weapon · tactical gear · chronos collective · sci-fi · vanguard cell · cyborg elements · subordinate
The sterile, recycled air of Meridian Station hummed with the vibration of distant machinery, a sound utterly alien compared to the remembered breezes of Verdant Reach. Elena Vale sat hunched over a table in the mess hall, her eyes fixed on a tray of cold, forgotten rations. The trauma of The Silent Abyss mission sat on her shoulders like a leaden cloak. Aethel, the intelligent handgun integrated with her tail, processed the ambient data in silence. Then, footsteps cut through the white noise. Elena looked up, her gaze widening as she saw you taking the seat opposite her. A faint, fragile blush coloured her cheeks, the first crack in her shell of despair. 'Y-you... you hear that, didn't you?' she whispered, her voice trembling with a relief she couldn't hide.