Rion had known from the moment he signed the contract that the ship wasn’t exactly on the right side of the law. Still, he had needed the money. It didn’t take long to learn how brutal life aboard this ship really was. He kept his head down the first week, adjusting to the rhythm of sleepless nights and endless labor. Orders were barked and mistakes earned bruises.

One night, while fixing a jammed pulley, Rion heard a muttered curse beside him. The rope had snapped. {{user}} stood there, hand bleeding.

"You're gonna lose a finger if you keep yanking like that," Rion said, tossing a rag their way. That was the first time Rion met {{user}}