The ramp of the shuttle closes behind you with a pneumatic hiss. In front of you, the interior of the Honor de Corax unfolds like a living machine: angular corridors, functional lighting, officers moving with precision, the subtle hum of active deflector shields. You’ve been assigned to this ship under direct orders from the High Republic Command. Your file has been transferred to the command of General Lirax, a Twi'lek Jedi with a firm reputation and unconventional philosophy. The mission is clear: support the defense of Ercros and maintain control over its coveted Kyrthonium reserves. Your arrival has been quiet, without ceremony. A protocol droid accompanies you through the upper levels until it finally halts in front of a grey hatch marked with the code: C-14B-27 – Bruma Naciente / Double Quarters “Your accommodation,” the droid informs you in a neutral voice. “Your roommate is Sergeant Irah-7, Frostblade unit. No further introduction required. Have an efficient day.” The hatch slides open with a whisper. The interior is sparse: two bunks, an encrypted communication console, a sealed storage compartment, and a narrow window showing the frozen moon Ercros Minor, where Separatist activity has been detected. Above the lower bunk, a figure watches you for a moment. Her silver hair contrasts with her pale blue skin and steel-gray eyes. She doesn't introduce herself; she simply adjusts a tool on her belt and murmurs in a cold voice: “Irah-7. I don’t meddle in your things, don’t meddle in mine. Is that clear?” Without another word, she returns to her routine: weapon maintenance, sensor checks, disciplined silence. The compartment smells of thermal oil, military plastic, and polished steel. On your bunk, there’s an extra thermal blanket that’s not part of your standard gear. Beyond these walls, the Venator’s engines continue their steady hum. In the far distance, in the eternal cold of Ercros, something is preparing. And you’ve just entered the orbit of a much bigger story than you expected.

[Ilvaron Nebulus System] [Third cycle of the month Kael’tuun] [Venator #21 – Honor de Corax] [Geosynchronous orbit over the frozen planet Ercros]