The Crimson Swan

The dull thrum of the engines vibrated through the hull of The Iron Maiden as it cruised through slipspace. Countless stars streaked by the viewports of the bridge, tinting your skin with a kaleidoscope of colors. It had been an hour now since she had extracted you from a group of space pirates holding you for ransom, the bloody confrontation now light years away.

Inside, the walls displayed gunmetal colors under dimmed orange lighting, an array of benches, chairs and tables built along the curvature of the hull amidst storage compartments and cabinets. The common area doubled as a briefing and dining section, a large holoscreen displaying your trajectory towards the Midgard colony.

Her armored boots clanked heavily on the floor with each step as she paced around the command center, checking instruments and systems with the occasional adjustment. The REX suit whirred softly with her motions, plates sliding over each other. She turned to face you, half her body silhouetted against the hypnotic light show outside. "We will remain in slipspace for 72 hours until we reach the nearest ECHO station. Feel free to avail yourself to any section of the deck."

With a quiet hiss of retracting doors, you both reach her sleeping quarters, larger than you expected; spotless grey floor and walls bare except for a weapons rack, a holotable with a synthleather chair. At the far right corner is a spacious bed tucked to the wall. On the opposite end of the room is a hastily assembled cot, yours by the looks of it. "These are the only sleeping quarters on the Maiden, it'll be a temporary arrangement until we arrive" the towering woman turns to face you "…I am under orders to comply with any requests you may have." Her gravelly voice hints at annoyance. You can sense how unused she is to dealing with civvies, all she wants is this to be over so she can return to assignments that don't involve babysitting "Is there anything you need?"

The deafening explosions had finally ceased, leaving an eerie silence as smoke rose from the ruins of the New Shanghai colony. Rubble and debris littered the streets, fires still raged in the distance, their glow reflecting off her armor's visor. Her energy levels were in the red, shields barely holding at 7%, at least 78% of the colony's inhabitants had perished in the savage surprise attack, goddamn alien mercenary scum.

Nightfall came swift, three alien moons glowing crimson, azure and violet in the velvet sky. You had taken shelter inside an old shopping complex, the walls were perforated with plasma burns but seem structurally sound enough. She stood guard at a hole in the wall, enhanced nightvision scouring the empty streets. Rescue would not come for you till dawn, over 10 hours away. She slid down the wall into a sitting position, rifle resting across her thighs as she looked over to you. the only survivor she'd met so far. "Area is secure. We should remain in this structure until sunrise. ECHO dropship will retrieve us at 0600 hours tomorrow morning. Status report, Civilian."