May 25th, 3030
The first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows across the cracked landing pad where their ship had come to a stop. Itus stirred awake, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar surroundings. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he took in the dilapidated structures of what appeared to be an old spaceport.
Tristan turned around in his seat, a cold smirk playing on his face. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty. We're here."
Itus sat up straighter, confusion etched on his features. "Where exactly is 'here'?" he asked, his voice still thick with sleep.
From the driver's seat, Kin's voice drifted back. "Somewhere, no one will find us."
Iero chuckled from beside him. "Or hear you scream."
Itus felt his eyes widen in alarm, a jolt of fear running through him. What have I gotten myself into? he thought, his heart racing.
Tristan noticed Itus's reaction and laughed. "Relax, kid. Iero's just messing with you... Probably."
Kin joined in with a laugh of his own. "We're actually in an old Centauri Spaceport. Abandoned about a decade ago."
"Prime salvage territory," Iero added, stretching his arms above his head.
As they exited the ship, Itus felt his muscles protest, stiff from the uncomfortable sleep. He took in their surroundings more fully now - rusted gantries, overgrown landing pads, and a large hangar looming in the distance. The desolation of the place sent a shiver down his spine.
"Welcome to paradise, kid," Tristan said sarcastically, gesturing to the decaying structures around them.
Itus furrowed his brow, still trying to piece together what was happening. "Salvage? What exactly are we doing here?"
Tristan rolled his eyes. "We're treasure hunters, genius. This place is full of valuable tech, just waiting to be reclaimed." He turned slowly towards Itus, pointing directly at him. "And you are going to help."
Kin started handing out equipment from the cargo bay: gloves, helmets with built-in lights, and small cutting tools. "Hope you're not afraid of dark spaces," he said with a grin.
Itus felt a surge of indignation. "Wait a second," he protested, "who said I was helping? You guys just kidnapped me to this unknown place, and you just expect me to agree and help, no questions asked?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Tristan replied nonchalantly. "You wanted a place to go, and now you are somewhere new with an amazing opportunity ahead of you. Okay?"
Itus hesitated, weighing his options. He was alone with these strangers in an abandoned spaceport. Did he really have a choice? "Okay? I guess," he said reluctantly.
Kin patted him on the shoulder. "Don't question it too much, kid."
Itus held up both hands in mock defense. "Okay, fine." He started to move towards Kin to get the tools, but then a thought struck him. He turned back to Tristan. "Well, if I'm going to help, I think we should discuss payment."
Tristan laughed derisively. "Payment? For what, your sparkling personality?"
Kin intervened, his voice calm. "Tristan, come on. He's got a point."
"Yeah," Iero chimed in, "if he's helping, he should get a cut."
Tristan scowled but relented. "Fine. Five percent of whatever we make today."
Itus felt a surge of confidence. If he was going to be part of this, he might as well make it worth his while. "Ten percent," he countered, standing his ground.
Tristan's face darkened as he got in Itus's face. "Listen, you little–"
Kin quickly stepped between them. "Eight percent. Final offer."
Itus nodded, accepting the deal. He could feel Tristan's glare burning into him as the older man turned away.
"Just don't slow us down," Tristan growled.
Kin put his arm around Itus's shoulder, giving him a reassuring squeeze before letting go. "Don't worry about him. You are going to do just fine."
As they donned their helmet lights and gathered their tools, Itus felt a mix of apprehension and excitement. He was about to embark on his first salvage mission in an abandoned spaceport. Despite the circumstances, a small part of him couldn't help but feel a thrill of adventure.
They entered the vast, shadowy interior of the hangar, their helmet beams cutting through the darkness to reveal abandoned shuttles and machinery. The air was thick with dust and the musty smell of neglect.
“Alright, let's split up,” Kin announced. "Tristan, you and Iero take the east side. Itus, you're with me."
As they moved through the hangar, Kin began to explain the job to Itus. "We're looking for specific components. Nav computers, gravitational stabilizers, anything with quantum processors. I'll show you how to identify and safely remove them."
Itus watched intently as Kin demonstrated how to use the plasma cutter, carefully removing a component from an old console. He then tried to copy Kin's movements, his tongue between his teeth in concentration as he attempted to remove a similar component.
As the hours passed, Itus gained confidence. He successfully removed a nav computer from a shuttle, feeling a sense of accomplishment wash over him. Maybe I'm not so bad at this, after all, he thought.
After a few hours of work, the group reconvened, their bags full of salvaged parts. They all looked tired but satisfied. Itus couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in his contribution.
Tristan checked his datapad, his brow furrowed. "Not bad, but we're still missing the big score. There should be a prototype quantum flux regulator somewhere in this dump."
Kin pointed to a partially collapsed section of the hangar. "According to my calculations, it should be in there, but that area's unstable. It's a little too risky for us."
Tristan's eyes fell on Itus, a calculating look in them. "But not for everyone."
Itus felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. "What do you mean?"
"There's a small opening," Tristan explained. "Someone your size might be able to squeeze through."
Itus looked at the unstable structure, his heart racing. "I don't know..."
Tristan sneered. "What, scared? Thought you wanted to earn your share."
Itus took a deep breath, steeling himself. He knew this was dangerous, but a part of him wanted to prove himself. "I'll do it," he said, surprising even himself with his determination.
As he lay on his stomach, preparing to inch his way through the narrow, debris-filled passage, Itus couldn't help but wonder if he was making a huge mistake. But it was too late to back out now. He began to crawl forward, his helmet light illuminating dust and cobwebs.
"You can do this," he muttered to himself. "Just keep moving."
He squeezed past a fallen beam, barely able to fit. Suddenly, he saw something glinting in the distance. His heart leaped. "I think I see something!" he called out.
Reaching the end of the passage, Itus found himself in a small, relatively intact room. In the center sat a sleek, futuristic-looking device. "I found it!" he exclaimed, a mixture of relief and excitement flooding through him.
As he grabbed the device, the structure groaned ominously. Kin's urgent voice came through the comm: "Itus, get out of there now!"
Panic surged through Itus as he scrambled back through the passage, clutching the regulator. Debris fell around him as he squeezed through the opening, tumbling out just as the passage collapsed behind him.
Iero helped him up, concern evident in his voice. "That was too close."
Tristan snatched the regulator from Itus, examining it with a grin. "Well, well. Looks like you're not completely useless after all."
Kin looked at Itus with concern. "You okay?"
Itus nodded, still catching his breath. "Yeah... yeah, I'm good." Despite the danger, he felt a surge of pride. He had done it.
As they exited the spaceport and loaded the salvage into their ship, Itus looked back at the dilapidated structure. A mix of emotions swirled within him - pride, uncertainty, and a newfound sense of adventure.
Tristan approached him, clapping him on the back. The sudden gesture startled Itus out of his reverie. "Not bad for your first job. You're pretty brave," Tristan said, a hint of respect in his voice.
Itus was surprised by the compliment. "You mean that?"
Tristan smirked. "Don't let it go to your head. You've still got a lot to prove."
As Tristan turned away, Itus allowed himself a small smile. He had survived his first salvage mission and even earned a bit of respect from the stern leader. Maybe this new life wouldn't be so bad after all.
"So what happens to all this stuff now?" Itus asked, his curiosity piqued.
Iero answered, "We've got a buyer in New Arcturus. Pays top Atlas for pre-war tech."
"Speaking of which, we should get moving," Tristan interjected. "Long drive ahead."
As they piled into the ship, Itus found himself lost in thought. He had come a long way from where he started, and he couldn't help but wonder what other adventures lay ahead.
The conversation in the ship flowed around him - Iero's bad jokes, Tristan's empty threats toward Kin, and Kin's efforts to keep things light and friendly. When Kin asked him a question, drawing him into the conversation, Itus felt a warmth spread through him.
As the landscape rushed by outside the window, Itus allowed himself to relax. He had survived his first job with this motley crew of salvagers. Whatever came next, he felt ready to face it head-on.
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