Chapter 2: Aries
Aboard the Severance: in Transit to Yarrow 2
Despite the groups' clear dysfunction, they quickly and obediently settled into their accommodations with minimal complaining after a brief tour of the Severance.

The onyx ship was long with a fairly slender interior. It was in the heavy gunner class and of the retaliator type. Anyone with a sharp eye for ships would also notice that it was far from standard, sporting non-standard interdiction and stealth capabilities while lacking the equipment for bombing runs. Once inside, it became obvious that this ship, which normally had a max capacity of seven, had had its living quarters remodeled to allow one fur, Aries, to live comfortably and only contained three passenger wall bunks directly across the main hall from the captain’s quarters.

The entrance ramp, which was on the underside of the back half of the ship, led into a dimly lit, dark gray hallway that stretched the ship's length ending at the deck on the nose of the ship. Flanking the entrance ramp were two walkways leading to the engine room at the very back of the ship, behind the entrance. The hallway down the center of the ship was dimly lit, adorned with deep gray metals and low pulsing lights. The hallway directly to the left of the entrance opened into a small nook for the kitchen, consisting of a recess for a few feet of countertop, a small two burner stove, and a divided sink. Across from the kitchen, to the right of the entrance sat two doors, one to the toilet and the other to a two-person shower. 

After the kitchen, the dim hallway narrowed. On the right side of the hallway, just past the shower, were three privacy bunks recessed into the wall for passengers. Directly across from the passenger bunks on the left, loomed the captain's private quarters. After the sleeping quarters, the hallway opened beyond the bunks to expose a curved bench and table on the right. To the average person the wall directly across the seating area merely appeared to be a wall of complex-looking computer equipment just beyond the captain’s quarters. At the very front of the ship was the deck, which boasted the captain's helm in the center with two ancillary chairs just ahead in front of the weapons and communications systems, all of which looked out through a sizable forward-facing window.

While the academics did what they could to get comfortable, bickering with one another as they did so, Aries handled take-off, charting the trip, and jumping to hyperspace. While he would normally let Navir handle such monotonous tasks, he took the opportunity to busy himself and distance himself from the passengers. He had little interest in interacting with the group at large, outside of what was absolutely necessary. Overhearing their loud discordant banter from down the main hallway was more than enough interaction for the stallion. 

Once he could no longer excuse his absence via flight duties, he briefed the group on the length of hyperspace travel and hesitantly encouraged them to "make themselves at home" before heading to his quarters for the sleep cycle.

Those who lived planetside would refer to Aries as a night owl. In his past life, there were seldom opportunities where he felt comfortable enough to sleep for a typical eight-hour stretch. Eventually, he formed a habit of sleeping for four hours and taking a daily stim to supplement the rest. This sleep cycle was no different. The ship's lighting shifted to the green hue, merely reminding him to take his stim. An hour or so into the transition, a familiar buzz chimed in his earpiece, followed by the appearance of a holo-display showing the camera feed to the kitchen. The sharp tongued lynx was at the stove.

"Looks like your favorite of the group is having trouble sleeping; you should help her along, my lord,” Navir’s robotic voice chirped. Aries could feel the nonexistent smirk in the AI’s delivery.

Aires rolled his eyes with a scoff. "I am ever reminded why you were the cheapest vessel AI I could buy despite your very high duty aptitude." The stallion snapped before standing up from his seat. 

For all of his training, overly logical disposition, and cold exterior, it was the presence of others that most acutely reminded him of the lonely life he lived. He stood in place briefly, a barrage of conflicting thoughts causing him to hesitate before he eventually relented. He silently slipped from the door to his quarters into the main hall.