Calhoon
Calhoon is one of two protagonists of the story "Gruesome Endings, New Beginnings."
Reading this article may spoil some elements of the story. Read at your own risk.
Calhoon is a GearHeart Wayship pilot and engineer working in ship scavenging under his Federation of Free Planets overseer, Rufus. Born to a family of junkyard workers on a Federation Dump Field, Calhoon knew his way around ships and mechanical parts since he was strong enough hold a wrench.
Now, he is alone in the universe with nothing but his tools and the FWV Small Fry. He currently runs jobs scouting out new wrecks for potential money to be made. The pay is horrid, the food is gross, and the solitude is torture.
His latest assignment from Rufus brings him to the SWV Resolute Roar, a goldmine of a find that ticks all those 'Too Good to be True' boxes. But with his livelihood on the line, Calhoon can't afford to be picky.
Calhoon yearns to see the universe at large, and especially to step foot on the hubworlds. With many of his recent years spent alone in space, solid earth sounds like a small slice of heaven.
Swiping his cup from the ship dash, he took the short jaunt from the bridge into the 'captain’s quarters.' The small room was dominated by a worn-in bed that certainly didn't look captain-like. The suggestive holograms of half-nude Sazashi, empty packets of stim cigs, and crumpled bedsheets didn't add to his image as a 'captain' either.
"Never ends." Calhoon ignored the mess and waved at his sink to initiate his mirror hologram. Deep emerald green eyes stared back at him. The human looked as much a mess as his quarters. At least he could still see the tell-tale Gearheart geometric lines on his light skin, even through the smudgy mess of oils he had been working with trying to keep the engine running smooth. He settled his unruly hair in place with his fingers, toying with the mess of silver locks.
- An Excerpt from Gruesome Gruesome Endings, New Beginnings
Silvery hair
Blade
Calhoon carries a Shrieker blade.
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Born In the Stars
Calhoon's first cries echoed through the cold hull of a medical ship orbiting the Federation junkyard his parents worked at for the past two decades. To celebrate their newborn, their boss gave them a month off at half-salary.
Born to Parents already working off debt, Calhoon learned to work from the moment he could carry a wrench. Homeschooled by his Gearheart parents, he learned the best he could, but all of his knowledge had at least some use in taking down an old mothball ship.
Each day, the family woke up in their ship, ate their breakfast and set a course for the yard to begin scrapping and salvaging. The work was easy enough but lacked any sort of reward, nothing to work for but the idea that a better future waited. Each year that passed, Calhoon sunk into despair that his existence had been defined before he was even a thought.
Calhoon cherised and aspired for his parents stories of living on a planet. Solid ground beneath the feet, food that never had seen a freezer, plants that grew without having to add nitrate powder every other day. He heard tales of the hub worlds, where billions live in massive cities, vowing to himself that he would see one one day. That day never came, and only twice did he even get to step foot in a space station above a planet. Once for his Wayship license, and once to say goodbye to his parents.
Sold to the Highest Bidder
At the age of 18, The owner of the junkyard, Rufus, sold the debt of his Parents to another physical labor company. None of the protests of the family were heard, Rufus shuttled his parents to a spacestation, and gave Calhoon an hour to say goodbye.
When asked why Rufus kept Calhoon, it was stated that he was a better earner than his parents. As recompense for the 'inconvience' of losing his mom and dad, Calhoon was given the FWV Small Fry to do forward scouting of wrecks for the Junkyard. He at least got to leave the junkyard, but now he was completely alone except for the one time a month that he can talk to his parents.
I still have to reach for the stress ball everytime I think about my parents being sold at the whim of that snakey little bastard. Someday, he'll get what is coming to him, at least that's what I hold hope on.
Fighting to Survive
His change of position did not make his work any easier, especially now that he had to do it alone. Calhoon takes jobs on the demand of Rufus, who sents out his entire fleet to grab as much junk as they can. Sometimes this requires doing things that might not be legal to other Banners.
Calhoon has had to outsmart Jhoutigari and Syndicate patrols during his own jobs, relying on his wit and smarts to get him out of a jam.
He managed for a couple years, but now his luck is running dry, unable to find any good wreckage to help pay off the inherited portion of his debt. Without a break soon, he might suffer the same fate as his parents.
I stopped at the spoiler warning, but between the profile image and the opening paragraphs I was HOOKED. Great work!
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