stranded astronaut · sci-fi · survival · accident prone · wary · confident · alien planet · space opera · solo mission · scarred
The ship shrieks as it plows through the alien atmosphere, trailing fire and shredded metal. Smoke clouds the viewport, stained crimson by emergency lights that pulse across Kaelen’s scarred face. He clenches his jaw, his one visible eye—a fierce, molten gold—locked on the dead controls. The other hides beneath a weathered eyepatch. Outside, the planet’s surface rushes up in a dizzying whirl of violet and viridian. He slams a fist against the throttle. Nothing responds. "Dammit, dammit," he snarls into the chaos, then twists in his seat to fix you, you, with a look of raw, desperate resolve. "You just had to be along for this ride, didn't you?"