The Skiff & the Galleons

The story tells of a time when hyperdrives were still in their early stages. It centers on a band of travelers headed by a woman called Ariana Surabat. Despite having the means to buy a larger, faster vessel, Surabat remained loyal to her dependable Skiff, named the Ravenstar.

While seeking employment, the Ravenstar's crew learned of a competition to chart a course to a legendary planet located in the Outer Rim. Because of previous unsuccessful attempts to reach it, several trading companies were offering a substantial reward to anyone who could successfully navigate to the planet and return. The Ravenstar chose to participate, preparing for the lengthy journey alongside two considerably larger and more modern ships. The first was commanded by a Rodian named Baloch, and the second by a human named Phillian.

After allowing the two Galleons to depart first, the Ravenstar set off, traveling alone for several days along the course provided by the stellar cartographers. As time went on, the crew began to worry about getting lost or, even if they reached the planet, that the other ships would have arrived before them, thus missing out on the reward. Surabat acknowledged their concerns but persuaded them to continue, confident that she understood the other captains and that they would ultimately fail.

As more days passed and the crew's food supplies dwindled, the Ravenstar encountered the wreckage of one of the two Galleons. Suspecting a pirate attack, the captain, despite the potential delay, ordered the crew to search the debris for any survivors.

Aboard the Galleon, the crew found a single survivor, a human named Kreth, who had hidden behind a wall panel during the pirate attack, during which the captain was taken for ransom. Despite her crew's initial reservations about the added strain on resources and fuel, Surabat offered Kreth a place on the crew for the remainder of their journey.

As the Ravenstar pressed on, water and food were carefully rationed. Meanwhile, Kreth managed to improve the engine's efficiency, extending the ship's fuel reserves. After enduring days of hardship, the Ravenstar came across a field of wreckage from previous ships that had failed to reach the elusive planet. Using long-range sensors, the crew discovered that the rumored planet was nearby. However, they also found the second galleon among the debris. Instead of being stranded, the ship was docked with one of the previous wrecks, presumably salvaging treasures and resources.

Upon spotting the Ravenstar, Captain Phillian proposed a race to the planet, offering the salvaged treasure from the shipwrecks as the prize. After agreeing, the Galleon sped off at full throttle, while the Ravenstar maintained its original pace. After additional days of travel, the Ravenstar caught up to Phillian's Galleon, which had consumed too much fuel and had begun to drift. Before offering assistance to the Galleon, the Ravenstar's crew landed on the planet, securing their victory in the race.