Kael’s boots echoed on the cold, metallic floor of Dock C.

The sound cutting through the still air like a steady drumbeat of tension.

The Iron Fang loomed ahead, its battered hull projecting an aura of menace, a freighter that seemed less a vessel and more a beast waiting to strike.

The faint, flickering glow of overhead lights reflected off its worn surface, amplifying the sense of danger that clung to the space like static electricity.

At the bottom of the boarding ramp stood Captain Drexon Varc, his imposing frame casting a shadow that seemed to stretch unnaturally in the dim light. He was flanked by his crew, each figure as intimidating as the last, their presence adding weight to the unease building in Kael’s chest.

Drexon’s mechanical left arm gleamed faintly, its intricate design hinting at both utility and brutal efficiency. He crossed his arms over his chest, the motion emphasizing the sharp contours of his hybrid physique, his slate-gray skin absorbing the weak light like a void.

His orange cybernetic eye glinted, its cold illumination making his organic gaze seem darker by comparison. When he spoke, his gruff tone carried the weight of authority honed through years of command and survival.

"You better have something worth my time, kid," he said bluntly. 

"I don’t run a charity, and I surely don’t babysit fools."

Kael suppressed the urge to respond in kind, keeping his expression neutral even as a sharp quip danced at the edge of his tongue. He couldn’t afford to alienate Drexon; not yet.

"I’ve got a destination that awaits; credits along with it. That enough for you?" Kael said, his voice steady despite his growing unease.

Drexon tilted his head slightly, his organic eye narrowing in scrutiny. The gesture carried no threat explicitly, but the undertone of menace was unmistakable.

"We’ll see. Do anything suspicious, and you’re getting tossed out the airlock. Clear?"

Kael nodded, his jaw tightening as Drexon stepped aside, revealing the rest of the crew standing at the base of the ramp.

First to step forward was Raxa Grev, her towering figure commanding attention immediately. 

The dock lights shimmered against her emerald-green scales, which shifted faintly with the subtle motion of her breathing. 

Her vertical-pupilled eyes fixed on Kael with predatory intensity, scanning him with the sharpness of someone who’d seen a thousand battles and expected at least a thousand more. Her four arms rested casually at her sides, but the positioning wasn’t random; each hand hovered close to a weapon, ready to spring to action at a moment’s notice. 

It was less a stance of readiness and more a display of dominance, a message written into her movements without a single word.

Kael forced himself to hold her gaze, suppressing the instinct to flinch under her predatory scrutiny. 

"This the one?" Raxa’s voice was a low, guttural rasp, the sharpness in her tone immediately cutting through the air.

"Don’t look like much."

Kael didn’t miss a beat, his counter quick and steady.

"I don’t need to look like much to pull my weight."

Raxa’s lips curled slightly; what might have been a smirk, though the expression carried more challenge than humor.

"We’ll see if you’re worth the ammo it’d take to cover you."

Kael decided silence was the better strategy, holding his tongue as the next figure stepped into view.

Kallen "Scrap" Vin, the ship’s engineer, cut a wiry figure compared to Raxa’s towering presence. 

His grease-streaked skin spoke of countless hours spent deep in the guts of machinery, and his bright red cybernetic eyes almost seemed too alive, glowing faintly against the station’s dim lighting. His patched overalls hung loosely from his frame, fabric strips from various materials holding them together in an improvised way. 

Yet, even as he glanced at Kael, his fingers remained busy, disassembling what looked like a malfunctioning control module.

"Hey, just a tip," Scrap said casually, his smirk crooked but not unkind.

"Don’t touch anything on the ship unless you want to make my life harder. You break it, you fix it."

Kael raised an eyebrow, his voice calm but carrying a faintly challenging edge.

"Seems fair. What about you? What if you break something?"

Scrap barked a short laugh, the sound sharp and quick.

"I don’t break things. I improve them. Usually."

Behind Scrap, a slender figure stepped forward; Niriel Jex. 

Their pale, unnervingly smooth features reflected the faint glow of the station lights, giving them an almost ethereal quality. Their black, reflective eyes betrayed no emotion, their movements fluid yet unnatural, sending subtle waves of unease through Kael.

Kael couldn’t place their origin; their androgynous appearance and otherworldly energy were unlike anything he’d encountered before.

"Your presence has shifted the stars," Niriel said, their melodic voice carrying an enigmatic weight. The words sent a shiver down Kael’s spine, an involuntary reaction to their unsettling tone.

"Sevarix will be the first to judge you."

Kael frowned, his discomfort clear in his voice as he replied.

"That supposed to be a riddle?"

Niriel’s expression didn’t change.

"It is not for you to interpret."

With that, they glided away, their movements ghostly, leaving Kael both confused and deeply unsettled.

"You and your jokes!! Never gets old!" Raxa blurted out, her tone tinged with annoyance as she watched Niriel retreat.

Niriel stopped briefly, their voice calm but icy as they responded. "I never joke."

Without another glance, Niriel disappeared, leaving Raxa to mutter under her breath.

"Whatever... Hey Threx, say hi to our patron here!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the lingering silence.

An enormous Drehlan brushed past Kael, carrying a heavy box with ease despite its weight. 

Threx was a wall of leathery intimidation, his tusks curving upward like twin blades that seemed to cut through the air itself.

He didn’t so much as glance at Kael, offering only a grunt in acknowledgment. Threx’s silence spoke volumes; he was the enforcer, a presence designed to make words unnecessary.

Kael’s attention shifted to a much smaller figure standing awkwardly near the ramp. 

Barely more than a teenager, Bolt fidgeted nervously with a toolbox, his thin frame making the oversized work uniform he wore look even baggier. He seemed desperate to disappear into the background, his slouched posture and averted gaze betraying a world of insecurity. The scars crisscrossing Bolt’s arms and the crude cybernetic replacement for his right leg told a story of hardships far beyond his years. Whatever path had led him here, it hadn’t been a gentle one.

"Uh, hey," Bolt said timidly, his voice barely rising above the hum of the dock. 

"Don’t mind me. I’m just; just making sure everything’s ready."

Kael frowned, his brows knitting together as he studied the nervous boy.

"You’re part of the crew?"

Before Bolt could answer, Drexon’s voice cut through the air, cold and unrelenting.

"Bolt here... is a reminder to anyone thinking about crossing me," he said, his cybernetic eye glinting ominously. "His parents couldn’t pay their debt, so his soul is mine now."

Kael’s stomach twisted at the blunt cruelty of Drexon’s words. 

Bolt flushed a deep red, his gaze dropping to the ground as he busied himself with his toolbox, doing everything he could to avoid eye contact.

"That doesn’t seem... fair," Kael said, his voice careful but laced with unease.

Drexon’s cybernetic hand flexed with a faint whirring sound, the subtle motion carrying an unspoken threat. 

"Life isn’t fair, kid. On my ship, you earn your keep; or you don’t stay. End of story."

Kael didn’t reply. He knew better than to challenge Drexon outright; not yet. But as he watched Bolt shuffle up the ramp and disappear onto the ship, he made a quiet vow to himself: he’d keep an eye on the boy, whatever it took. This crew was dangerous, no doubt about it, but Bolt didn’t deserve to become another casualty of their ruthlessness.

"All right, enough introductions," Drexon barked, his voice gruff with finality. 

"Get your ass aboard and don’t slow us down. We’ve got a long way to Sevarix."

As the boarding ramp closed behind him with a metallic hiss, Kael couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling settling in his gut. The Iron Fang wasn’t just a freighter; it was a den of predators, each crew member as dangerous as the ship itself. 

Whether he’d joined a crew or walked willingly into a trap, Kael wasn’t sure.

*****