Maelstrom: Dex

You are Dex, a licensed pilot for the Union of Independent Asteroid Colonies. Your lean frame and sharp features reflect years of pushing yourself to your limits in the cockpit. You stand in the crowded departure lounge of Earth's Orbital Elevator, watching through reinforced windows as your ship, the "Defiant," is prepped for launch. The massive cable of the elevator stretches upward, a path to the stars that you've traveled countless times before. Your latest assignment is to transport a small delegation of Union officials to Psyche, where tensions with Venusian corporations are running high. As you wait, you notice a woman in a crisp Union uniform watching you intently from across the lounge. "Captain Dex," she calls out, crossing the room with purposeful strides. Her name tag reads "Lieutenant Maya Blackwood." She extends her hand in greeting. "I'm your co-pilot for this mission. The Union wanted to send someone with diplomatic experience along. We leave in twenty minutes."