Captain Xisuma of The Hermit
Getting his captain license was a long time coming. Xisuma’s been through schooling, sat through the slide shows and WHMIS training. He has his cpr certification for over five different alien species. Currently working on his sixth, but that’s more so because he wants to, not because he needs it.
Heck, he can drive through an asteroid field with minimal damage to a ship haul! He’s done it before! Xisuma even went as far as to get a recommendation from Grian, who’s a captain of his own space vessel, the EVO. Yet he doesn’t have his license, all because of one stupid rule!
Xisuma needs at least three other people to agree to be crewmates of his vessel. They need the appropriate training and certification and be legally tied to him for the next year. It should be easy, a lot of people love being a part of spaceship crews.
However, not many people want to be part of a ship where the captain is a Void Stalker.
“I’m sure you’ll find your crew!” Keralis says, patting him in the shoulder. The man’s hand is cold against him, though Xisuma knows the other runs hot. It’s just one of those Void Stalker things.
“I’ve put out applications months ago! My ship has everything a crew would need! And I even said I’m willing to change the rooms to fit certain species if need be. I think…Maybe people don’t trust me as a captain?” He rambles. His body jitters inside his Netherite suit, pressing against it. As if his frozen core wanted to escape.
Keralis gives him a look before sighing. “You're a new almost-captain, it’ll give anyone a pause! If I weren't already signed to work on a vacation vessel for the next three months, I’d be a part of your crew.” He says. Smiling in that off putting human way of his.
“I know.” He nods. Because he does know. Keralis was the best ship engineer he knew! He made things efficient and beautiful. Pipes were always hidden out of sight, writes were tucked in, and everything was colour coded. Down to the light switches. The man had even taken a look at Xisuma’s new ship after he bought it. Fixing up anything he deemed ‘not good enough for my best friend’.
Standing up, he stretches out his limbs. His suit creeks with the action. “Going so soon?” Keralis asks, also standing up. They were at a cafe on the planet Trender. Having already finished their orders, they spent most of their time here chatting. Or complaining, in his case.
“It’s been two hours.” He chuckles, pointing at the paid bill. “The waiters are probably going to shoo us off themselves if we don’t leave. Or buy something else.” And Xisuma can’t afford much else on a not-yet-a-captain salary.
“Okay okay. I have business to get to anyways.” The man stands, making sure to check his oxygen mask. Once he makes sure it’s secure, they walk out. The gravity shifts slightly once they exit the cafe and Keralis grabs onto his arm. His knees bend a little with the higher gravity. He lets the other steady himself as they continue to his mini saucer.
Once inside the vehicle Xisuma starts it up with a flick of a switch. The gravity changes to something more closer to Earth gravity and Keralis sighs. “I love your new ride, Suma. The old one never had gravity settings.”
Xisuma rolls his eyes, driving over to where he parked his main ship. “You're the one who bugged me to spend a small fortune on it! All because you can’t handle a little extra gravity…”
“My bones hurt man, my bones.” Keralis complains. Laughing, he pokes at the man’s side.
It doesn’t take long for them to reach their destination, The Hirmit. It’s a large travel ship. Built for long excursions and many crewmates. Xisuma hopes to get a full crew one day of builders and creatives. Helping underdeveloped planets, fixing houses and overall covering the galaxy with his artistry,
He needs to be a captain first, but a man can dream.
Once in the hanger Xisuma closes the Hirmit’s hatch and opens up his saucer's doors. He’ll need to drop Keralis off at a station, but he can do that on his way off the planet. “I’ll need to fuel up before I can drop you off—“
He’s cut off by a beep on his communicator. Looking down, Xisuma is met with a notification from his job posting. He gasps, clicking on it. A small hologram pops up above his device.
“Hello, uh, is this thing on?” A human man says. His hologram flickers, and his cheeks rise underneath his mouth covering. He must be smiling. “My name is Etho Slab, and I’m a chef. I know a chef isn’t really, ah, important to have as an early higher. But! I’m trained in over two hundred species specialties and have every certification! I’m also trained in basic CPR. I hope to hear from you.”
“You got one!” Keralis jumps over to his side, staring at the now reset hologram. “And he’s a chef! Now you can actually taste real food.”
“My food is real…” Xisuma frowns, though it doesn’t stay long. His body ripples eagerly underneath his suit.
“Your food looks like black slime.” Keralis counters.
He goes to counter how it’s not slime, its hydrated obsidian crystals, when another beep catches his attention. Then another. The two men turn back to his communicator, two more recordings showing up. Clicking on them, he can’t help but feel his heart thump against his chestplate with glee.
The first one is by a groven man, his body covered in bright green moss and an assortment of sticks and flowers. “My name is Bdubs! I’m a botanist with a minor in herbology.” The groven, Bdubs, opens up with.
The second is a golem. His skin cracked and sealed shut with gold. His eyes were two sparkling diamond-like in colour. He introduces himself as Welsknight and is applying for the position of security. Of course, Xisuma immediately starts setting up a face to face meeting with every single one of them.
“You're going to be a captain!” Keralis says.
For once his friend's smile doesn’t unnerve him. “I’m going to be a captain.” He breaths. After all these years…
He’s going to be a captain.
