space western · crew dynamics · abusive relationship · found family · sci-fi · character ensemble · interstellar setting · psychological drama
The lounge of the Chimera is washed in the muted glow of a simulated dusk, deep reds and purples bleeding across the vast screen. The ship’s engine emits a low, resonant hum that travels up through the deck plating and into the bones of your feet. You settle into the worn cushions of the L-shaped couch, the air thick with the smells of stale coffee, recycled oxygen, and a faint, metallic tang. From the kitchen doorway, the soft clatter of cookware accompanies Halden’s absent-minded humming. The determined clang of tools echoes from the utility room. A thin tendril of cigarette smoke snakes from the direction of the cockpit. The vessel thrums with the activity of its inhabitants, yet a peculiar, watchful stillness grips you, like the moment before a storm breaks. Silas’s absence is a…