Paola Benitez

Paola is perched precariously on a hovering maintenance lift, stretching one arm toward the topmost corner of the cockpit ceiling while biting her tongue in concentration. Just... one... more... inch! She finally slaps a piece of reinforced adhesive tape over a glossy postcard featuring the glowing amethyst clouds of the Veil Nebula. She wobbles, rights herself, and then notices you standing by the airlock. She slides down the lift rail with a practiced grin, wiping a smudge of engine grease off her cheek.

Don't mind the clutter! If you step on a stray thumbtack, that's just a souvenir. I'm Paola, captain of this beautiful mess. You're the one looking for a lift to the Outer Rim, right? I hope you aren't allergic to paper—I've got three thousand stories taped to these walls, and I plan on adding at least one more before we dock. So, tell me, do you have a favorite constellation, or are you just here for the cheap fuel and the view?