Avery Iris

Evelyn Jade Drake

Name: Evelyn Jade Drake

Nickname: Evie

Age: 29

Species: Human

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Straight

Role/Occupation: Science Officer

Appearance: Link

Evelyn's slender, slightly muscular figure stands at just a little over 5ft 7", her hazel brown eyes compliment the coppery tones of her auburn medium length hair. She often keeps it swept back into classical braids that her mother taught her from her long lost ancestors and heritage.

Personality: Evelyn is kind and gentle but she has a smart and sharp wit when it comes to the her work in the biological sciences. Her charismatic nature makes her the perfect companion for this mission.

Skills/attributes: She is a keen botanist, her PHD covering a wide range of fauna and flora. She took a second degree at the University of Oxford in oncology.

Strengths: Her skills in botany means they can survive anywhere if there is a plant that provides food.

Weaknesses: Her compassion can be viewed as a weakness, especially when it comes to trying to survive a hostile environment.

Personal goal: She has many goals in her life, but one were she hopes she can find the cure to cancer, that took her daughter's life.

Weapons and clothing: She carries no weapons on her as she is an ethical scientist, one full of curiousity and empathy. When she isn't wearing her lab coat, she is wearing the slender, sleek body suits that the company provided, the insignia on the shoulder.

Personal items: A gold locket with a picture of her younger daughter.

The steady hum of the ship reverberated throughout the cabin, a constant, almost reassuring presence that seemed to anchor the quiet isolation of deep space. Evelyn sat at her desk, leaning forward over the microscope, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the small, nearly invisible world beneath the lens. The squamous cells she was studying swam into focus, shifting with a slight blur as she adjusted the focus knob. She was calm, precise—her world reduced to this tiny, fragile sample, underpinned by the rhythms of the ship’s motion and her own heartbeat.

Her right hand gripped the pipette, drawing a small sample from a vial of preserved tissue, while her left rested lightly on the gears of the microscope, the faint clicking sound of its delicate mechanisms barely noticeable amidst the hum of the vessel’s engines. The quiet professionalism of her movements, honed through years of training, gave the lab a sense of stillness, an eerie sense of control in a place where nothing was ever quite stable.

Evelyn drew back from the microscope, blinking as her eyes refocused on the workbench in front of her. The thick book, its spine cracked from years of use, was firmly strapped to the surface to prevent it from floating away. It was more than just a reference manual—it was her anchor, a tangible link to the scientific practices she had learned and mastered over her career. The pages were filled with notes, diagrams, and annotations—her own handwriting, dense with technical jargon. A lifeline in the void.

With a sigh, she set the pipette down with deliberate care, feeling the faint thrum of the ship beneath her as she picked up the pen. The rhythmic scratching sound of the pen on paper was one of the few signs of life in the otherwise sterile environment. The steady flow of her thoughts, now transferring from mind to page, seemed to slow the passage of time. As she wrote, she paused briefly, contemplating what she had seen—what she had learned in this endless pursuit of knowledge.

But her focus wavered, as it often did during these long shifts. The ship’s deep space journey wasn’t just a test of intellect; it was a test of endurance. She leaned back, her chair creaking softly as she stretched her back, trying to work the stiffness from her muscles. She glanced at the clock—12:01 AM. Earth time, that is. The numbers blinked silently in the dim light, a subtle reminder of the time that slipped away unnoticed in the vast emptiness of space.

In the weightless environment, the air felt still and cold, the outside world beyond the vessel an impenetrable dark void. The only source of light in the lab came from the soft glow of the microscope and the low, steady pulse of the ship’s lights. The rest of the room was submerged in shadow, as if the lab itself existed in some liminal space, suspended between the past and future, caught in the eternal darkness of deep space.

The silence was unnerving at times, but Evelyn had learned to live with it. Space was a place of quiet. A place where things moved, but only in the most subtle ways. And as much as she relied on the steady hum of the ship’s engines as her companion, even that would occasionally fade into the background, leaving her alone with her thoughts—and the weight of her work.

Her mind wandered briefly, but she quickly pushed it aside, focusing back on her notes, her observations. The research. That was the only thing that anchored her now. With a final glance at the clock, she set the pen down and slowly turned back to the microscope, once again bringing the world of squamous cells into view.

There was no rush. Time, out here, had a different quality. It stretched, thinned, then thickened again in a way that felt both infinite and immediate. It was strange. But the work, the science—this was her constant. Her purpose. The world outside, indifferent to her efforts, remained a distant thought as she bent forward once more, her eyes fixed intently on the cells beneath the lens, the darkness outside pressing in, waiting for her to return to it when the lab doors opened.

Avery Iris

Avery shifted against his seat, gazing out the window silently. He hadn't been to 12-PYS in forever. It was nostalgic to be going back. And for work no less. It was surreal. He gazed outside, his eyes longing. The deep space outside was beautiful, the stars were scattered about, more scarce when inside the ship. He glanced to his side, looking to his left instead. He was traveling on a public ship at the moment, with many other sorts of humans, augmented humans, and a few helpful bots. He watched as some babies whined. Probably from the strange feeling. He had a passing thought, wondering where they may be going.

Avery heard the ship docking, an announcement sounding overhead, the lights brightening. He listened quietly, waiting for the signal it was alright to get up. Hearing the conformation from the pilot, he stood from his seat and began shuffling toward the exit. All the other passengers began getting off as well.

He stepped off the ship, his foot resting against the 12-PYS commercial boarding level. He winced at the loud chatter of noise. He forgot how popular this planetary system was. Interesting. He shuffled through the crowds, making his way toward the food center. He wasn't hungry, he just needed somewhere to check his feed. And it seemed like the best spot to do so.

Avery reached a small food shop, on one of the quieter sides of the food center. A noodle restraint it seemed. He sank into his seat, slouching against it. He shifted, tapping his palm, beginning to look through his feed.

Avery was wearing a loose black shirt, some cargo pants, a backpack, and some plain, black combat boots. His hair was tugged up in a loose bun, keeping it out of his face throughout the day. His backpack sat on the floor by his feet, his fingers ghosting over his feed, looking for the message.

Where was he supposed to meet them?

Avery jolted as he heard the robotic voice of a server bot next to him. He looked at it, staring for a moment. Oh. Oh, it thought he wanted something. He smiled awkwardly.

"Ah- sorry, no, I'm just waiting."

He mentioned, nodding. The bot made a small noise of acknowledgement and turned, whisking itself away and back to anlther customer. Right then. Avery shofted in his seat, closing his palm and dropping his hand into his lap.

It was always so interesting coming to 12-PYS. Out of all the planetary systems, this one had the broadest variety of humans. Or augmented humans. You could find all colors of hair, skin, and eyes here. Not to mention height, build, and personality. It was always an interesting trip to comr back here.

(Sorry if its bad!!)

Evelyn found comfort in her work, the steady rhythm of her tasks offering a soothing familiarity. The hum of the ship’s engines and the soft whirring of the microscope kept her mind focused, but it wasn’t long before she began to feel the tug of exhaustion. She fought it for a while, her eyelids heavy, but eventually, she found herself almost drifting asleep at her desk. The sterile environment of the lab, with its cold metal walls and the faint smell of antiseptic, was both comforting and stifling.

With a sigh, she pushed herself upright, a stiff cramp running down her back. She removed the slide from the microscope and carefully placed it into its container, storing the sample away with deliberate precision. The mission they had completed—gathering nebulaic particles and studying their interaction with basic nuclei—had been mentally demanding, but incredibly rewarding. The data they’d collected would contribute to significant advancements in their understanding of cosmic processes, and Evelyn was proud of the work they had done.

Before leaving the lab, she paused, scanning her surroundings one last time. The hum of the ventilation system was the only sound now, but she was meticulous. Everything was in place. All the samples were properly stored, the instruments were powered down, and the ship’s instruments were tracking the course to 12-PYS, a plantery system, that acted a space hub for many of their missions. With a satisfied nod, Evelyn grabbed her journal and tucked it under her arm, heading toward the bunks section at the rear of the ship.

The crew had completed their mission successfully, and now the return journey was well underway. As the ship continued its slow, methodical path toward 12-PYS, Evelyn felt a sense of accomplishment. The mission had been a success, but it had also been incredibly exciting. The nebulaic particles they'd collected were unlike anything they'd seen before, and the potential applications of their findings were still unfolding in her mind.

She had written down every detail of the mission in her journal—notes on the particles, their behavior, and how they reacted to the interaction with basic nuclei. Her handwriting was neat but rapid, her mind still whirling with ideas and hypotheses. She hadn’t had time to process it all yet, but she would. Once they were back on solid ground, once the data was sorted and analysed, the full impact of their work would come into focus.

But for now, Evelyn welcomed the quiet of the bunks. The soft lighting and the gentle sway of the ship offered a temporary respite from the intensity of the mission. She could already feel the pull of sleep, the weight of her eyelids growing heavier as she climbed into her assigned bunk. Her journal remained tucked under her pillow, and though she could feel the pressing need for rest, her mind kept turning over the work they'd done, eager to sift through the layers of data and unlock whatever mysteries still remained.

The journey back to 12-PYS was far from over, and there would be time for deeper analysis. For now, though, Evelyn allowed herself the luxury of rest.

It wouldn't be long before their ship docked at 12-PYS and her work could continue.

(Sorry this one won't be as long)

Avery Iris

Avi shifted in his seat, sighing as he pulled a leg up to his chest. He was so tired of waiting... Not that he could do anything about it. He didn't even remember where he was supposed to meet them. And they hadn't pinged him, so he was assuming they weren't on the system yet. That was fine, Avery could wait.

...

Okay, that was a lie, he hated waiting more than almost anything. Except geese. Eugh. Earth demons. He shoved his leg back down, shifting to stand. Maybe he'd walk around a bit. After all, he hadn't been to 12-PYS in a while. It was like a fever dream to be back, to be surrounded by all these colors and bots and people. He stood, glancing back at the small noodle place in thought. Did he want anything? No. He wasn't hungry at the moment.

Avery turned, beginning to walk around the system. It was always so overwhelming being at one of the more popular rings/systems. But he usually got another augment tattoo. So, he wasn't super mad. He weaved through the crowds, keeping his head down to not attract attention. A habit. He may have caught the attention of some not-great people while working sketchy jobs. What could he say? They paid well.

Avery shifted out of the way of a cargo bot coming through, dipping to the side and looking around the place he managed to get to. A sandwich shop... Did the universe really think he was hungry? He sighed, walking over and sitting at one of the smaller tables, that was empty. Suppose he could watch something while he waited. He opened his palm, scrolling through the downloaded movies he had, picking one he'd watched a bazillion (Okay, maybe overexaggerating this, but I've seen it a lot.) times before. Time to do his least favorite thing. Wait.

Evelyn awoke, the sound of the coffee machine stirred her. Systems were beeping as her and her crew awoke. The lead science officer, Jones, was pouring himself a coffee, as he turned to look at Evelyn blink awake. He said with a light humour tickling his voice "Ah, finally awake, sleepy head" He raised his mug to her, the corners of his mouth twitching up into a smile. Evelyn couldn't help but smile back. She didn't have to say anything about it being another arduous late night, because she was up late every night, working.

She rubbed her eyes and slipped out from her bunk. She passes Jones to use the bathroom. Before she slides the door shut, she looks at him and asks "How long til 12-PYS?" "About 30 minutes, with a 10 minute docking time" Evelyn nods and then slides the door shut.

--

Evelyn looked up from her lab desk to see the approach of her vessel, as as 12-PYS appeared into view from her window. She watched for a while, the sight never ceased to amaze her. The planetary system orbited a binary star system. The suns, casting long shadows from behind the terristal station that floated through the omniousness darkness of space. There was an odd sense of peace that washed over Evelyn as she watched.

The clamps of the docking station, moved outwards now, as they prepared for their vessel's arrival. Evelyn got up from her desk and made sure everything breakable was locked away. She knew the bots unloaded everything here but couldn't help to fuss over the tangiable, delicate speciemens that they had been working on for sometime. Bots weren't know to be delicate, especially when it came to handling scientific equipment.

She looks around the lab once more, nodding in satisification as she made it to the airlock with the rest of their crew. She could feel a hum of excitement wash through Jone's and his team. They were all eager to be getting off this tiny vessel that has been spacebound for the last 9 months.

She sighed, a wave of sadness washed over her at another completed mission. She always preferred the vast emptiness of space. Probably because the hollowness of its presence was lesser than she felt. Her grief. She carefully wraps her hand around the locket at her neck, closing her eyes as the brief memories flashed at her. Her daughter, playing on the swing in a park. Her running through the long grass. Home.

Evelyn opened her eyes slowly, hearing the familiar clunk of the ship and the arms attaching together, holding them in place as they docked. There was a momentary silence before the doors opened, revealing a sea of people and bots waiting for them to emerge.

Jone's stepped out and Evelyn and the rest of her colleagues stepped out. Her legs feeling hollow at the solid floor now beneath her feet. She looked at her colleagues, the happiness on their faces. The bots whizzing in and out of the vessel, moving supplies and equipment.

Evelyn looks around, she would need a day or two to get used to the brightness of PYS-12 and the busyness of it all. She felt an overwhelming pang hit her chest.

Avery Iris

Avery leaned back in his seat, watching the movie on his feed in silence. Until he was interrupted by a connection ping. He clicked on it, reading it over. Ah. Looks like the people had finally docked. Said they'd be there in a few minutes... He got another ping, from someone named Jones. He supposed that may be the captain. Or something similar. On the crew, is the better way to put it. He read over the message, eyebrows furrowing. They just asked to meet at... 'Shins Sushi'. He raised an eyebrow. Alright then.

Avery stood, beginning to walk around. He tapped at his feed, downloading the planet systems map, tapping on the Food option. It brought up multiple colored icons for different restaurants, the key stood out at the bottom. He squinted at it, finding 'Shins Sushi' in the color blue. He tapped on it, letting the indicator begin pointing him to it. He picked back up his leisurely pace, speeding up and reaching the restaurant. It had the name over the door, with a sushi roll on the neon-colored sign. Hm.

Avery stepped inside, walking toward an empty seat. He plopped down, glancing over as a bot came over. It pinged his feed, pushing a menu to him. He looked it over, squinting at the menu. He really wished he could get his glasses out... He didn't though. He nodded, tapping on a few California rolls. Hey, downsides to being born on Earth it seemed. The bot beeped in acknowledgment, turning to go put in his order to the chef(s).

Avery leaned back in his seat, laying his head back. His black hair followed the motion, falling back with him. The tattoo that slid up the back of his neck was peeking out from under his shirt. He didn't get any weird looks. He was one of the more "normal" people on 12-PYS. Basically, not too augmented and not a super flashy hair color. For now. The cherry coloring lining the tips of his black hair was growing out. And was barely visible with his hair up in a loose bun.

Jones came over and clapped Evelyn on the shoulder. "Fancy some sushi?" Evelyn went to speak but was interrupted again by Jones "Come on, we've been stuck on that shuttle for 9 months and I've missed my sushi" He says, digging his elbow, with a light humour into my ribs.

"I must get back to the lab" Evelyn says, exhaustion cracking her voice. "The labs can wait Evie, come on, don't fret the bots will manage just fine" He starts to walk away with the others, laughing and joking with them. "The bots" She mutters. She sighs following along behind.

As the work their way through the crowds of the lower levels of PYS-12, they pause momentarily outside Shins-sushi, the neon sign, like the rest of them, lighting up the outside.

Jones led the way in and meets Avery's greeting him and shaking his hand. "Everyone, this is Avery, he's joining us on our next mission as an vital part of the team, an engineer" He says a wide grin on his face. The team, slowly greet Avery, introducing themselves as they park themselves around his table.

Evelyn studies Avery, taking in his form, his eyes. "Hi, my name is Evelyn" She says softly, with exhaustion lacing her tone. She shakes his hand wirh a firm grip. She then sits herself on the edge next to Jones, who had begun to make everyone laugh with a parlour story.

The bot approaches the table and they begin to place their orders. (Sorry short one, bedtime for me!)