The birth of a Titan

[Soban]

Livadia, The bar

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As he gazed into the swirling nebula through the reinforced glass, a thin plume of smoke curling from his pipe, Daniel’s datapad buzzed in his pocket. A quick glance showed a request from the dockmaster: permission for Darkhorse and her captain to berth. Break’s over, he mused, letting the nebular clouds spin on without him.

A single tap granted docking clearance; a few more opened a comm channel to the inbound vessel.

“Access granted, Captain Flintlocke. I’ll be waitin’ in the bar—bet that Kappa radiation’s left ye fair parched!”

Finding an alcove that faced the entrance, he settled in, pipe in hand, and ran through the mental checklist of schematics piling up in the design office. They’d be poring over those soon enough—best savour what little respite remained.