Star Ether

Two subraces of the AGES

Intelligent AGES

Outwardly, they are almost indistinguishable from people: the same posture, facial expressions, intonations, even small human habits. Sentient people are stronger than ordinary people. The main difference is hidden: from the upper back, sentients can grow six tentacles. They rarely use them—in combat, for complex interactions with organic or hybrid technologies, or in rituals. And they almost always keep this feature a secret, masking it under clothes or with the help of biocorrection.

The character of intelligent VECs also resembles that of humans: they have empathy, a sense of duty, personal attachments, but at the same time a different logic of priorities. For them, the survival of the race and the preservation of knowledge are more important than individual life. They are able to cooperate, but always pursue a long-term goal that they do not voice.

Unintelligent AGES

These are bodiless, almost amorphous creatures — rather clumps of biomass with a developed ability to infiltrate. They have no will of their own, only instincts and programmed patterns of behavior. Their goal is to capture the host's body.

The infection process looks like this:

• Penetration.<a i="1"> Most often through the respiratory tract.
• <a i="2">Capture.<a i="3"> The creature begins to rebuild key systems of the body, suppressing the nervous system of the host.
• <a i="4">Conflict.<a i="5"> In 98% of cases, the human body rejects the invader: the immune system enters into a desperate struggle, the organs cannot withstand the load, and the person dies.
• <a i="6">Symbiosis. In a rare 2%, the body and the parasite find a delicate balance. A person remains himself, but receives new abilities (increased regeneration, strength, heightened senses) and at the same time becomes a carrier and distributor of the AGE.

| Character | Role | Favorite Phrases | Habits |
| Eli Vasquez*| Scientist / Researcher | "An anomaly is a gift." "Give me five more minutes." "We don't know that — and that's the fun part." | He glues stickers directly on the glasses of test tubes so as not to lose the idea. He constantly twists a pen or a small stone in his fingers. He writes down ideas on anything: napkins, scraps of paper, report margins - then collects them in one folder. |

|*Lucy Sterling | Doctor | "Accuracy saves lives." "No guesswork. Only facts." "You are not alone. I'm here." | Before any procedure, he checks the labels on medicines three times. He keeps an old book on anatomy on the shelf in his office - he flips through it when he needs to distract himself from heavy thoughts. Always looks a person in the eye before saying something serious. |

| Character | Role | Favorite Phrases | Habits |
| Luca Martelli*| Archiver / Communication Officer / Crew Psychologist | "Sometimes the most important thing is just to listen." "Let's save it. Let them remember." "Silence can also be beneficial." | He keeps a paper diary, although everything on the ship is digital. Every evening he writes down one phrase that supported someone today. He likes to arrange things in pairs and symmetry - this way he feels calmer. |

|Hugo Westmore| Internal Medicine / Physician Assistant | "Breathe. Let's figure it out." "The main thing is not to panic." "Tell me everything, even the little things." | He carries a small box of mints in his pocket - he distributes them when someone is stressed. Before the inspection, he always quietly pronounces the checklist to himself so as not to miss anything. He likes to set a timer for 5 minutes and just look out the window to "reset his head". |

|*Max Jensen | Engineer | "The system either works or it doesn't." "Let's take it apart. We'll understand. We will fix it." "Don't skimp on safety." | Tapping his knuckles on the panels to "hear" the vibration. He keeps a model of a reactor made of parts on his desk, which he assembles and disassembles when he thinks. In moments of anger, he clenches and unclenches his fists - this is how he relieves tension. |

| Character | Role | Favorite Phrases | Habits |
| Ravi Kapoor*| Pilot / Navigator / Safety Officer | "Stay the course." "Calm down, I see everything." "It's going to be a cool turn!" | Before each maneuver, he taps his fingers on the steering wheel three times. He keeps a tiny figure of a space wolf in the cockpit - "for good luck". He likes to turn on old marches in his headphones when he leads the ship in a dense stream of debris. |

|Wei Zhou| Cook / Food Unit Technician | "First the purity, then the taste." "Try it. Tell me what is missing." "Food is caring." | Before starting cooking, standing at the sink for exactly a minute and washing your hands, even if they are clean - a ritual of calmness. He keeps a "diary of tastes": he writes down the combinations that the team liked. Always leaves a small flower or sprig of greenery on the tray as a final touch. |

|*Lars Bjørnsen | Mechanical Technician / Flight Engineer | "Metal doesn't lie." "If it makes noise, it means it speaks." "I'll do it. Without further ado." | Checks each bolt twice, and the important ones three times. He carries one old wrench with him as a talisman. In moments of stress, he quietly hums the same melody without words - this helps him concentrate. |

| Character | Role | Favorite Phrases | Habits |
| Amai Hiro*| Captain | "Order begins with small things." "Safety first, then everything else." "Report clearly: what is, what is not, what is needed." | Every morning he makes a round of key compartments before the planning meeting. He keeps a small souvenir crystal from his home station on the table - he turns it in his fingers when he thinks about a difficult decision. Before an important order, he closes his eyes for a second to cut off emotions. |

|Petra(deceased) | Former Head of Communications | "Let's put it on the shelves." "I hear you. Tell me more." "Calm down. We will cope." | I always left a sticker on the panel with good wishes for the next shift. I collected short voice notes from the crew ("funny moments of the day") and once a week made a mini-digest out of them. I liked to put the mug exactly in the center of the stand. |

|*Micah Torren | Life Support Specialist / Botanist | "If the leaves wither, it means that the ship is not well either." "I'll check it again. It's better to be safe." "It doesn't smell like that here." | Every two hours he walks around the greenhouse and talks quietly to the plants. He carries a small notebook in his pocket for quick notes and three different markers for different types of indicators. Before going to bed, he writes down one good observation of the day in the journal. |

| Character | Role | Appearance | Personality | What He Likes | What He Doesn't Like | Taste preferences /
| Lucy Sterling | Doctor | Tall, stately, with blonde hair gathered back and a piercing gaze. In movements - accuracy and confidence. | Cold-blooded, sarcastic, but deeply devoted to her work. He does not lose his head even in the most difficult situations. | An operating room, where everything is sterile and in its place; clear protocols and clear diagnoses. | Incompetence and when emotions interfere with decision-making. | Light soups, salads, green tea. He prefers simple but high-quality food. |

| Character | Role | Appearance | Personality | What He Likes | What He Doesn't Like | Taste preferences /
| Micah Torren*| Life Support Specialist / Botanist | Petite, with freckles and bright red hair tied up in a careless ponytail; On the wrist there is a thin bracelet-humidity sensor. Often in a light protective cape and gloves. | She is energetic, observant, a little anxious, but this is what makes her an excellent specialist. Quickly notices the slightest deviations in indicators. | Fresh greenery straight from the garden, the smell of moist soil, quiet evenings in the greenhouse, when the lamps give a soft pink light. | Sudden changes in temperature in the compartments, mold and any signs of infection of the systems. | Microgreen salads, vegetable smoothies, crispy avocado toast.|

|*Ravi Kapoor | Pilot / Navigator / Safety Officer | Strong build, with short hair and light stubble; He wears a uniform vest with many pockets, and a thin chain with a miniature compass around his neck. | Sharp-tongued, daring, but reliable. He likes to defuse the situation with a joke, but at a critical moment he becomes extremely collected. | Speed and maneuvers, double-strength coffee, old space movies with bad graphics. | Boredom and routine, when everything is "too smooth" and there is nothing to do. | Spicy dishes, curry, crispy snacks, dark chocolate with chili peppers. |

| Character | Role | Appearance | Personality | What He Likes | What He Doesn't Like | Taste preferences /
| Max Jensen*| Engineer | Thickly built, with dark tousled hair and attentive gray eyes. He often wears a work jacket with patches of energy services. | Straightforward, passionate, sometimes hot-tempered. He is not afraid to take responsibility and take risks if it is necessary to save the ship. | Solve complex technical puzzles, see how the system comes to life after repairs. He loves the feeling when everything works like clockwork. | Bureaucracy and when security is sacrificed for the sake of economy. He can't stand it when someone underestimates the threat. | Medium-rare steaks, French fries, strong coffee. |

|*Eli Vasquez | Scientist / Researcher | Thin, a little stooped, with disheveled hair and glasses on a chain. In the pockets there are test tubes, stickers, pieces of minerals. | Enthusiastic, eccentric, sometimes maniacally persistent. He sees the world as a set of riddles that need to be solved at all costs. | New samples, unexpected anomalies, long nightly studies when no one interferes. | Routine and when he is told "it doesn't matter". He can't stand it when science is put in second place after safety. | Energy bars, nuts, bitter coffee, sour lollipops (to "clear your head"). |

| Character | Role | Appearance | Personality | What He Likes | What He Doesn't Like | Taste preferences /
| Luca Martelli*| Archiver / Communication Officer / Crew Psychologist | Thin, with soft features and large, attentive eyes; He wears thin-rimmed glasses and always carries a small notebook with him. | Sensitive, delicate, knows how to listen. A little shy, but opens up when it comes to memories or how to support people. | Old paper books, warm blankets, quiet conversations in the semi-darkness, when everyone is already asleep. | Conflicts and when people hide their feelings, thinking that this is "right". | Warm cocoa, apple strudel, sandwiches with soft cheese and honey. |

|*Hugo Westmore | Physician / Physician Assistant | He was of medium height, with a neat beard and a tired but kind look; Something is always ringing in the pockets of the dressing gown - ampoules, tools. | Calm, reasonable, a little ironic. He knows how to talk about serious things in such a way that anxiety recedes. | Walks along the technical corridors (for warming up), watching the stars through the windows, listening to the noise of ventilation - for him it is almost like white noise. | Panic and when patients hide symptoms "so as not to interfere". | Oatmeal, bananas, herbal tea, dark chocolate. |

| Character | Role | Appearance | Personality | What He Likes | What He Doesn't Like | Taste preferences /
| Amai Hiro*| Captain | Tall, slender, with dark hair gathered in a tight low bun; on the uniform tunic there are rank signs and a thin silver brooch in the form of a comet. The gaze is calm, but tenacious. | She is restrained, strong-willed, knows how to listen and make difficult decisions. He does not show emotions, but acutely feels the state of the team. Responsible to the point of self-denial. | Order and clear plans, morning rounds of the ship, when the corridors are still empty; ozone smell after compartment maintenance. | Uncertainty and lies, when important details are hidden "so as not to worry". He hates missed deadlines and violation of protocols for no good reason. | Simple but hearty dishes: rice porridge with soy sauce, stewed fish with spices, strong black tea without sugar. |

|*Petra (deceased) | Former Head of Communications | Of medium height, with shoulder-length wavy brown hair and warm brown eyes; I wore comfortable overalls and many small pin badges with symbols of different stations. | Open, empathic, she knew how to turn chaos into understandable instructions. She easily found a common language even with the most introverted ones. | Listen to other people's stories, collect postcards from different colonies, hot chocolate with cinnamon. | Bureaucratic red tape and when people shout instead of negotiating. | Warm desserts: apple pie, banana bread, cocoa with marshmallows. |

| Character | Role | Main Duties and Responsibilities |
| Eli Vasquez*| Scientist / Researcher | Studies anomalies, the eyelid parasite and any new phenomena; collects samples, records behavior and reactions, builds hypotheses; writes scientific reports and recommendations for the mission; proposes experiments (sometimes controversial) and substantiates their scientific value; advises the team on biological and physical risks; In a crisis, he is looking for a way to understand the threat in order to predict its development. |

|*Lucy Sterling | Doctor | Makes diagnoses, prescribes treatment, performs surgeries and emergency procedures; manages the pharmacy and medicines stocks; oversees quarantine protocols and biosecurity measures; gives final conclusions on the health of the crew and permissible loads; Keeps panic at bay by keeping your cool even in the most difficult situations. |

| Character | Role | Main Duties and Responsibilities |
| Luca Martelli*| Archiver / Communication Officer / Crew Psychologist | Maintains an archive of missions, logs, and private messages; helps to recover lost data and synchronize backups; as a psychologist – notices changes in the mood of the crew, conducts short private conversations, helps to cope with stress; Stores and organizes personal items and memorabilia (such as photos of Petra) to maintain a sense of community. In crises, it helps to formulate clear messages for the captain and avoid rumors. |

|Hugo Westmore| Physician / Assistant Physician / Crew Monitoring Specialist | Conducts regular medical examinations, measures blood pressure, pulse, saturation and other indicators; monitors the dynamics of chronic conditions and stress reactions; analyzes data from wearable crew sensors (pulse, sleep, activity) and warns of overloads; prepares first aid kits and consumables; advises on nutrition and exercise; in case of emergency, first assesses health risks and offers isolation and treatment protocols. |

|*Max Jensen | Engineer | Responsible for the power system, reactor, ventilation systems, and the main circuits of the ship; plans and manages repairs, allocates resources and people to work; the first to propose radical measures in case of a threat (such as dismantling the ship into parts to search for a parasite); maintains a log of failures and statistics on the wear of components; coordinates minor work with Lars and with Ravi the effect of repairs on maneuverability. |

| Character | Role | Main Duties and Responsibilities |
| Ravi Kapoor*| Pilot / Navigator / Safety Officer | Controls the course and maneuvers of the ship, calculates trajectories and docking windows; maintains a flight log and fuel consumption reports; as a security officer - checks access logs to compartments, monitors compliance with protocols, responds to alarms and organizes patrols; In stressful situations, it is the first to record anomalies in system logs and suspicious behavior of the crew. |

|**Wei Zhou<*a i="3"> | Cook / Food Unit Technician | Plans menus taking into account the supplies, calorie intake, and dietary restrictions of the crew; prepares and distributes food, monitors sanitary standards and shelf life; maintains kitchen equipment and refrigerators, cleans filters and water supply pipes; keeps records of food consumption and makes requests for replenishment of pantries; in an emergency, he is the first to check the integrity of the food circuit and the absence of traces of the parasite on surfaces and in the water. |

| Lars Bjørnsen | Mechanical Technician / Flight Engineer (Second Echelon) | Maintains mechanical components, pumps, valves and pipelines; performs scheduled inspections and minor repairs on request; assists Max in major jobs, but more often works alone in the technical bays; maintains maintenance and filter replacement logs; Responds quickly to signals of pressure drops or leaks Because of his taciturnity, he is appreciated for doing his job without further ado and not creating panic. |

| Character | Role | Main Duties and Responsibilities |
<a i="0">Amai Hiro<a i="1"> | Captain | Makes final decisions on the ship's course and safety; conducts meetings and assigns tasks; monitors mission progress and crew morale; coordinates departmental actions in crises (such as infection with the WJC parasite); approves Max's compartment dismantling plans and Eli's research proposals; is responsible to the command for all team actions. |

| Peter*| Former Head of Communications (deceased) | Previously, she was responsible for communication with the base and other ships, coordination of inter-compartment communications and backup channels; kept a log of communication sessions and minutes of conversations; maintained an archive of voice and text messages; She was the "emotional center" of the department - smoothed out conflicts and helped new employees adapt. |

|*Micah Torren | Life Support Specialist / Botanist (Hydroponics) | Checks the hydroponics parameters daily: temperature, humidity, lighting, nutrient solution composition and CO₂ level; monitors the growth of crops and transplants plants on time; detects diseases and pests at an early stage; calculates water and fertilizer consumption rates; forms weekly forecasts for food stocks and reports to the captain on the risks of shortages; In a crisis, the first thing he does is assess whether the tanks and pipes are affected by the parasite. |

Wei's food unit is compact, but thought out to the smallest detail: a stove, refrigerators, shelves with supplies and a separate corner for preparations. It is always clean, the surfaces are polished to a shine, and knives with perfectly sharpened blades hang on the hooks.

Lucy's medical compartment is sterile white, with cold metal surfaces and strict rows of medicine lockers. In the center there is a diagnostic capsule that can take all body indicators in minutes. Nearby is a quarantine zone with hermetic doors and a separate ventilation system: this is where people lead at the slightest suspicion of infection.

Eli's labs look different: it's a creative mess. The tables are littered with test tubes, plates, mineral samples, and pieces of plating, which he examines under a microscope. On the walls there are diagrams, graphs and printed pictures of anomalies; There is a faint smell of alcohol and ozone in the air.

The hangar at the bottom of the ship is a spacious room with a high ceiling and a solid floor designed to support the weight of shuttles. The hangar gates are massive leaves that can withstand a meteorite impact; Next to it are the atmosphere control panels: before opening the airlock, the pressure and composition of the air are equalized to safe values.

The living deck is simpler and cozier: narrow corridors, small cabins with folding tables and built-in wardrobes, common recreation areas with low sofas and screens, where you can watch a recording from a distant planet or just listen to the noise of ventilation, similar to a steady surf. There are intentionally few bright lights in these areas: here the crew should rest, not stay awake.

The heart of the ship is the engineering compartment in the very middle. A reactor hums there, surrounded by protective screens and rows of diagnostic panels. Thick highways stretch from here to life support systems, engines and ventilation. This compartment is always a little warmer than the others, and the air smells of ozone and hot metal. Nearby is a workshop and a spare parts warehouse: racks up to the ceiling, boxes with markings, workbenches, where Lars and Max spend most of their time.

Mickey's Greenhouse is a separate module placed closer to the center of the ship so that temperature fluctuations are minimal. It is an elongated cylinder with transparent panels, behind which rows of plants grow under the pinkish-violet light of lamps. Inside it is quiet, humid and smells of earth and greenery; Hydroponics tubes curl along the walls, and sensors on each tier monitor each bush.

From the outside, it looks like an elongated drop of dark gray alloy, streaked with thin luminous lines - these are the contours of force fields and docking ports. The bow is slightly pointed, as if the ship is constantly cutting through the invisible environment; Rows of portholes stretch along the sides, shimmering with a dim amber light even in complete darkness. Massive engine nozzles are piled up in the stern, black with faint ripples of thermal tremors, as if the metal still remembers the heat of each launch. Antennas and sensors that look like thin needles are fixed around the perimeter of the case; They turn slowly, scanning the space.

Inside, the Aether is arranged as a vertical labyrinth of compartments connected by wide corridors with a corrugated coating so that even in conditions of weak gravity or shaking, no one slips. The walls are lined with muted blue panels with warm yellow accents at the doors and consoles: this contrast was specially selected so as not to tire the eyes during long shifts. Rows of pipes and cables stretch along the corridors, hidden in transparent casings, glowing with a soft, pulsating light, showing that the systems are alive and working.

The captain's bridge is at the top of the ship. This is a semicircular hall with a panoramic screen that shows a star map at normal times, and sensor data and compartment diagrams in anxious moments. In the center there is a captain's chair on a hill, and around it are the workplaces of the navigator, pilot, signalman and tactical officer. The panels here are not overloaded with unnecessary details: each indicator is in its place, each button is signed concisely, without unnecessary words.