Father and son entered the wreck slowly, leaving behind the faint light of day. As they moved deeper, the cold, damp darkness closed in around them, creating an oppressive atmosphere. Jonas turned on his beam light, cutting a bright cone through the gloom. Arthur followed suit, and the sharp light immediately revealed metal walls eaten away by moisture, corrosion, and time.
- "Watch where you step," Jonas warned in a low voice. "You never know what you might run into here."Arthur simply nodded, directing his light toward the ground littered with metal debris, torn cables, and oddly shaped components.
The air was heavy with the acrid smell of rust and mildew, made worse by the stagnant humidity. With each step, their boots sent metallic crunches echoing through the cruiser's silent guts.
- "Look at this," Arthur murmured suddenly, aiming his light at a wall scarred with deep gouges. "It looks like something chewed through the steel."Jonas frowned, listening intently to the faint creaks and drips echoing around them.
- "Scavengers," he said cautiously, his gaze tense. "Be careful, Arthur. They don't like being disturbed."
Scavengers were creatures akin to enormous rats, their tough hides covered with dark, rugged plates. Armed with teeth capable of gnawing through even the strongest steel, they lived in the depths of wrecks, attacking only when they felt threatened.
Arthur tightened the strap of his bag nervously, but his attention was soon drawn by a strange pull, urging him to turn toward a narrow, partially blocked side passage.- "Wait, this way," he said, moving instinctively in that direction.Jonas followed, curious about his son's certainty. He'd learned over time that when Arthur felt compelled by something, it was rarely without reason. Still, Jonas usually chalked it up to intuition—or just plain luck.
They stepped over a pile of collapsed metal sheets, the steel groaning under their weight. Suddenly, Arthur froze, his beam lighting up a dark, narrow chamber. At the back, against a rusted wall, lay a heap of mechanical equipment, half-buried under cables and twisted metal.Without hesitation, Arthur moved forward, his fingers instinctively brushing over the parts. He pulled out a small generator, almost perfectly intact.
- "Look, it's in great condition," he whispered, holding it up to show his father.Jonas let out an impressed whistle.
- "That's a good find. But how did you know there was something there?"Arthur shrugged, a little embarrassed.
- "I don't know, I just had… a feeling."Jonas smiled gently and gave his son's shoulder a reassuring pat.
- "Then keep following that feeling, son."
They ventured further into the cruiser's interior. The deeper they went, the more oppressive the air became—thicker, damp, with oily water dripping slowly down the walls. An unshakable sense of unease crept over them. The silence was broken only by their steady breathing and the muffled clink of their boots on rusted metal.
When they reached an intersection, a sharp, grating noise suddenly echoed from the darkness.- "Stop!" Jonas hissed, holding his arm out in front of Arthur.
The silence returned, heavier and more threatening.Then came another noise, closer this time—the sound of claws scraping against metal.Jonas slowly lifted his lamp, and the beam caught two piercing yellow eyes. A Scavenger, the size of a large dog, glared at them, emitting a low, menacing growl.
- "Stay calm," Jonas murmured. "Back away slowly."But the creature, irritated at being disturbed, suddenly lunged, its rows of sharp teeth glinting ominously in their lights.
Arthur panicked, stumbling backward and landing on a pile of debris with a loud crash. Jonas reacted instantly, grabbing a piece of rusted metal and waving it forcefully in front of him.
- "Get out!" he shouted firmly. "Go on, get!"The beast hesitated for a brief moment before retreating into the shadows, growling one last time before disappearing.Jonas turned to his son immediately, concern etched on his face.
- "Are you okay, Arthur?"
Arthur's heart was pounding, but he managed to get up clumsily.
- "I think I'm okay… Just startled."Jonas helped him to his feet, a reassuring smile on his face.
- "We were lucky. Try to stay quiet—those creatures can be nasty."Arthur nodded silently, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. But his attention was already drawn to something else: a narrow opening to their left, nearly hidden behind debris fallen from the ceiling.
Without a word, he squeezed through, following that same inexplicable instinct. The room he entered was dark and small, but in the center, something immediately caught his eye—an electronic component glowing faintly in the beam of his flashlight.
- "Father, look!" Arthur called out, excited. "A quantum stabilizer!"Jonas widened his eyes in amazement.- "That's incredible… It's worth a small fortune! Arthur, how do you always find these things?"Arthur just shrugged with a grin.
- "Guess I'm lucky."Jonas put a hand on his son's shoulder, his gaze full of pride and warmth."Let's keep going a bit further. I have a feeling there's more to find here, thanks to you."
The two continued their exploration deeper into the imperial cruiser's hull, the enormity of the ship becoming more apparent with every step. Their flashlights illuminated massive vaulted corridors, vast abandoned control rooms, and pathways cluttered with cables, beams, and scattered parts.
At times, the walls receded into the shadows, revealing the structure's vast internal scope. Arthur gazed at these spaces in silent awe, imagining the power this ship must have represented when it still roamed the stars.
- "Can you imagine what it was like when it was still flying?" Arthur murmured, captivated as he shone his light on a huge cracked observation window overlooking the buried ground of Scrapra.Jonas slowly nodded.
- "I've rarely seen one this large. A ship like this could carry thousands of crew members, Arthur. Incredible machines…"
His voice trailed off, filled with quiet admiration. "We could spend months here and still not find everything."
But their exploration was abruptly interrupted by a sudden noise from a wide corridor to their right. A furious, rhythmic scraping against metal echoed, accompanied by sinister squeals.
Arthur's blood ran cold at the sight.
- "Father…"
- "I see them," Jonas said, already on guard. "Get ready to run if I say so."
They aimed their lights down the dark corridor, illuminating first one, then two, then a dozen pairs of gleaming yellow eyes in the shadows. An entire pack of Scavengers stood before them, advancing slowly, their long, metallic teeth glinting under the beam.
Jonas took a cautious step back, gripping Arthur's arm.
- "They're not going to let us leave without a fight this time…"
The pack moved suddenly, the creatures snarling with renewed aggression, their dark, matted fur bristling in rage. Arthur's heart pounded violently in his chest as he frantically searched for something—anything—to defend himself.
Jonas reached into his coat, pulling out a strange, compact object with a metallic grip and a transparent chamber at the back that held a softly glowing blue crystal.
- "Father, what is that?" Arthur asked, startled.
- "A flux pistol!" Jonas replied quickly, flicking it on. A slight hum emanated from the weapon as the crystal inside flared brighter, casting a faint blue glow.
- "I found it years ago in another wreck," he explained, his voice tense, "and I never thought I'd have to use it…"
The first creature lunged at them, and Jonas snapped the weapon into position. He squeezed the trigger, and a thin, steady beam of blue energy shot out from the barrel, bathing the room in an eerie light. The beam didn't just burn—it seemed to freeze the material it touched, disintegrating it gradually. It tore through the creature, which let out a shrill cry before collapsing, lifeless.
- "Stay behind me, Arthur!" Jonas shouted, stepping back slowly while keeping the pistol trained on the pack. The Scavengers hesitated, uncertain after seeing one of their own fall so quickly.
Arthur stood frozen for a moment, both awed and terrified by the weapon his father wielded. But he quickly realized they were far from safe. Despite their momentary fear, the creatures were creeping forward again, cautiously spreading out to encircle them.
- "There are too many of them!" Arthur shouted in panic. "We can't fight them all off!"Jonas fired another shot, taking down one more Scavenger, but the creatures seemed undeterred, now determined to throw themselves at the pair no matter the cost.Realizing the urgency, Jonas yelled, "We have to run! Now!"
Arthur spun around, grabbing his bag in one swift motion, and took off after his father as the Scavengers clambered after them in a cacophony of claws and snapping jaws.They raced through dark corridors and shadowy chambers, their flashlight beams bouncing wildly with every frantic step. Behind them, the ominous clamor of the creatures echoed relentlessly, closing the distance.
- "There!" Jonas shouted, pointing toward a partially open metal door.They dove through, Jonas throwing his weight against the door to shut it while Arthur, panting heavily, managed to wedge a rusty metal bar into place to lock it.They collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath, their hearts pounding as the creatures slammed against the thick door. But the solid, reinforced barrier held.- -
- "That was way too close," Jonas muttered, still catching his breath, his flux pistol's barrel faintly smoking in his hand.Arthur slowly looked up at the weapon, his gaze filled with wonder.
- "Why didn't you ever show me that before?"Jonas shook his head solemnly, his expression grave.- "I honestly thought I'd never need to use it. It's a dangerous weapon, Arthur. While it's the basic standard and among the weaker types out there, the fact that this ship even has it speaks volumes."
Arthur nodded slowly, his eyes locked on the glowing blue crystal, mesmerized by its faint, pulsing light.