The Pilgrimage-chapter 2- -0.2 — Alpha- -messman- -best |link|

He reached the head of the table where the Chief sat, eyes bloodshot from a double shift. Elias set the mug down. The aroma—earthy, burnt, and precious—filled the small gap between them. For a moment, the humming of the ship felt less like a death rattle and more like a song. "We’re still moving, Elias?" the Chief whispered.

Kaelen didn't look up. He knew the tone. It belonged to Jax, a junior navigator who wore his uniform like it was forged from starlight rather than cheap polyester. Jax slammed an empty tray onto the table. The Pilgrimage-Chapter 2- -0.2 Alpha- -Messman- -BEST

The lights flickered from sterile white to a sickly, pulsing amber. The intercom crackled, but instead of the Captain’s voice, there was only a high-pitched, melodic whistling. He reached the head of the table where