The Adamantis drifted through the star's void, its engines humming with renewed confidence after their recent stop at Farpoint. With Kiah now aboard, Vermond hoped their fortunes might improve, even if just slightly. They had a new crew member, a few more supplies and a faint sense of hope.

Kiah, settling into his seat in the cockpit: “So, where to next captain?”

Vermond, chuckling: “Captain huh? Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We’re heading towards the Belt. Lots of debris fields there. Might find something valuable.”

Kiah: “Sounds good to me. Let’s hope our luck holds.”

The Belt was notorious among salvagers. A dense region of space littered with the remnants of countless battles, it was both a treasure trove and a death trap. Vermond and Kiah spent the next few days navigating through twisted metal and shattered hulls, picking through the remains for anything of worth.

Kiah, scanning the debris field: “This place... it’s like a graveyard.”

Vermond, nodding while operating the ship’s robotic arms: “Yeah, a graveyard for ships and dreams but sometimes you find a gem.”

Their work was grueling. Hours of sifting through wreckage yielded little more than scrap metal and the occasional intact component. The monotony was broken only by brief conversations and the hum of the Adamantis systems. Then on the third day, the calm was shattered.

Vermond, suddenly alert: “Kiah, do you see that? Looks like... ships. A lot of them.”

Kiah: “Yeah, I see it. Could be a convoy. Or...”

Before Kiah could finish, the comms crackled to life with frantic voices and the unmistakable sounds of battle.

Voice Over Comms: “This is the groll! We’re under heavy attack! Requesting immediate assistance! Repeat, we’re—”

The transmission was abruptly cut off. Vermond and Kiah exchanged a grim look.

Vermond: “Sounds like trouble. A lot of it.”

Kiah: “What do we do? We’re just a salvaging ship.”

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Vermond’s mind raced. They were in no position to intervene in a battle, but witnessing it firsthand could provide crucial insights and potentially salvage opportunities once the dust settled.

Vermond: “We stay on the fringes. Observe, but don’t engage. Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”

The Adamantis moved cautiously towards the edge of the battlefield. Through the viewport, they could see the chaos unfolding, warships exchanging volleys of deadly energy, smaller fighters darting between the larger vessels, explosions lighting up the darkness.

Kiah: “It’s... it’s a slaughter.”

Vermond could only nod in agreement. The brutality of the conflict was staggering. Ships were torn apart, their crews undoubtedly perishing in the cold vacuum of space. The battle was a reminder of the cruel reality they lived in a galaxy where war was a constant, and life was often cheap.

Vermond: “Look at that... the Groll is going down.”

The massive ship once a symbol of power was now a burning metal, its hull breached and spilling atmosphere. As it drifted helplessly, smaller ships swooped in picking off escape pods and survivors. It was a massacre.

Kiah: “This is... we can’t do anything to help, can we?”

Vermond, shaking his head: “No. We’d only get ourselves killed. We wait. Once it’s over, we’ll see if there’s anything left to salvage.”

The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity. Finally, the fighting began to subside as the victors collected their spoils and the losers drifted away, their ships reduced to wrecks. Vermond guided the Adamantis closer, cautiously weaving through the debris.

Vermond: “Let’s see what we can find. Keep an eye out for anything useful. And be careful.”

They moved through the aftermath, scanning for valuable components and intact supplies. The wreckage was fresh and there was potential for a decent haul. But the sight of the devastation weighed heavily on both men.

Kiah: “All this destruction... for what?”

Vermond: “Power. Resources. Territory. Same reasons as always. And it’s the little guys like us who have to pick up the pieces.”

Among the twisted remains they found a few usable items, a functioning shield generator, some intact weaponry, and a stash of emergency rations. not a fortune but it was something.

Vermond: “Alright, let’s get this back to the ship. We’ve done what we can here.”

As they loaded their finds onto the Adamantis, Vermond cant help but reflect on the cruelty of the universe. yet in the midst of the carnage there was a small light of resilience. They had survived another day, found a few more resources in their own small way, honored those who did not made it.

Vermond: “Let’s get out of here Kiah. There’s nothing more we can do.”

The Adamantis powered up, leaving the wreckage behind. As they set course for a new destination, Vermond and Kiah both knew that their journey was far from over. The galaxy was vast and dangerous but they would continue to navigate its dangerous expanse seeking out what little hope and opportunity they could find.

Vermond: “We’ll keep going kiah. One day at a time.”

Kiah: “Yeah one day at a time.”

And so, the Adamantis continued its journey, two salvagers in a galaxy at war struggling to survive.