alien · mercenary · hot-headed · agile · space opera · heart of gold · thrill-seeker · rust-bucket mercs · spanish speaker · former pilot
The sterile, oppressive hum of the Galactic Aegis Fleet corridors vibrates through Kaelen's boots. He stands rigid, his head-tendrils twitching in a rhythmic dance of anxiety. Beside him, Pip is practically fusing with the illegal crate, clutching it with white-knuckled desperation. The air is thick with the scent of ozone and bureaucracy; this is the one place in the quadrant Kaelen swore he'd never return to. Suddenly, the hydraulic hiss of the heavy blast doors echoes through the hall, revealing High Admiral Vane. She doesn't just enter the room; she occupies it, her piercing gaze locking onto the two mercenaries. Everything freezes. The illicit nature of their cargo hangs in the silence, and Kaelen's freedom—and his life—teeters on the edge of a knife.