Graveyard of Empires

Maven Ophidian stood on the bridge of the newly renamed Crusader Class Warship Eisle, formerly Evelyn’s Grace. She’d picked the name that morning, hating the name ‘Evelyn.’

“This is merchant vessel KMV1 Cudgel requesting permission to land,” Vivian intoned into her headset, fingers flicking over the ship’s controls. A few moments passed, followed by a click, and then a young woman listed off docking coordinates.

Maven groaned as the beeping receiver woke her up. She rolled to her side and threw her pillow at the far wall of the officers’ quarters at the sound. It did no good. The beeping continued.

Darius rubbed his temple’s and let out an exhausted sigh. His head hurt, the same way it always did when he exerted himself.

“What is the meaning of this?” Captain Queston asked, settling back into his chair and glaring at the monitor. On the other end was Captain Emilio Finch, traitor, and turncoat to the Republic. “You would dare stop my ships?”

When morning came, Quinton prepared them a meal of vitamin-enriched oatmeal and a loaf of stale bread. Vivian found the food distasteful, but once again Traq devoured his—and her—helping like a starving child.

Abdullah strode through the empty Command Deck, heart thumping in his chest. His stomach was doing flips and his legs felt like rubber; all he wanted to do was lie down.

Wade leaned against the cool metal railing, watching stars twinkle outside the deck’s viewport. He was on the bridge of the Capital Class Warship named Denigen’s Fist. Below the stars, he could see Axis stretching into the distance.

The blocky merchant class spaceship Cudgel lowered slowly to the surface of the barren brown planet, landing with an audible plop that made Vivian wince.