Inktober 2026 5
Inktober 2026 5, The Smack
Log entry, Day 5
Captain’s log. Day 5 out.
Space is empty. That’s the whole point of it, and I’d got used to it. Four days of nothing on the scope, and the crew had started saying the odds were with us.
At 02:14 ship time, they ran out.
It was a hard knock, felt through the deck plates, then the alarm. Something small and fast hit the port nacelle housing and went through the outer skin. The scope shows a vapour trail where it came in. We’re venting coolant from the damage.
Chief’s on his way down with a patch kit and a very short temper. The cactus fell off its shelf. It’s fine.
The odds didn’t change. We just stopped getting lucky. Four days to the first burn, and I’d rather not do it on a leaking nacelle.
Fineliner, brush pen and ink wash.
