Chapter 1 part 8

Engineer Commander Havoc

I turned the slender device over in my gloved hand, studying its smooth, glass-like surface. "So this is the latest invention? A data stylus?" I smirked. "Looks like a fancy glowstick to me."

Zoro straightened, his pride unmistakable. "This, my friend, is Commander Havoc’s newest creation—a tool for the masses. The tip is made of specially grown crystal that reacts to energy pulses, letting you write or input commands just by touching it. The expensive versions use flawless, lab-grown crystal that responds instantly, but these? These are for the rest of us. Works just fine, even if it’s not top-tier. Don’t knock the depot’s hottest seller, Narwhal."

"How generous of you, Zoro. Selling ‘affordable’ tools to the working spacer. But calling it a quantum stylus is pushing it when it’s not even made of the real premium stuff the actual quantum crystal"

I’d come to the station’s supply depot for plasma coolant—the kind used to keep overheating machinery from melting down. But when I spotted Zoro behind the counter (a rare sight), I couldn’t resist teasing him about his latest merchandise. That’s when the so-called quantum stylus caught my attention.

At a glance, it resembled the high-end models used by corporate elites—sleek, translucent, and finely balanced. But the material was different. Instead of the flawless, lab-grown crystal found in luxury models, this one had a slightly clouded finish, like frosted glass. Still, the way it responded to touch was impressive—clever engineering, really. It deserved its own name, something honest. Crystal stylus, maybe. Not quantum. But then, that wouldn’t sell as well.

"Only the big-shot execs get the pure crystal ones," Zoro said with a shrug. "And the name? That’s Commander Havoc’s call. Got a problem? Take it up with them."

"Ah, the legendary Engineer Commander Havoc."

The name carried weight across the sector. For cycles beyond counting, Commander Havoc had been the unseen hand behind countless innovations—tools for growing food in deep space, life-support systems, even handheld repair kits. If it kept people alive and made life easier out here in the void, chances were Commander Havoc had a hand in designing it.

What set them apart wasn’t just their inventions, but their philosophy. No patents. No corporate ownership. Just open designs, transmitted freely across the comm networks, letting anyone—big trade hubs or small-time merchants like Zoro—build and sell them. In a sector where greed fueled wars and corporations hoarded knowledge like treasure, that kind of generosity was unheard of.

That’s Commander Havoc for you. Or rather, me. Because I’m Commander Havoc.

"An engineer who sends blueprints into the void, lifting entire businesses with a single transmission," Zoro mused. "This depot? We were barely scraping by before their designs hit the market. Now? I’ve got employees, stockpiles, more business than I know what to do with. Pretty incredible, huh?"

"And yet here you are, running the counter yourself," I said dryly.

Zoro waved a hand. "Droids can’t haggle like I can. Anyway, you remember the Alviss Trade Corporation? Back in the day, they owned this station. Charged whatever they wanted, crushed competition. No one thought they’d ever fall."

I remembered. Alviss had been ruthless, squeezing every credit they could from station residents. Then I stepped in. As Commander Havoc, I flooded the market with schematics—cheaper, better versions of Alviss’s most profitable goods. Within cycles, their empire crumbled.

I play it off as an old story now, but the truth was messier. Corporate wars. Sabotage. People died before Alviss finally collapsed. Zoro, cheerful as he was now, had lived through that bloodshed. The void might be cold, but commerce out here? It’s brutal.

And while I prefer to stay anonymous, seeing my designs out there, helping people, makes it worth it. Sure, there are downsides—more people means more strain on the station’s systems, more waste to recycle, more headaches for me to fix. But anonymity keeps me free. No politics, no assassins, no corporate games. Just the tech, spreading where it’s needed. And when it suits me, using it myself.

"Alright," I said, tossing the stylus onto the counter. "I’ll take one. Call it a souvenir. Put it on my tab, Zoro."

"Knew you’d come around. You’re a loyal customer, Narwhal. Anything else?"

"Right. The plasma coolant. That’s what I came for."

"Got it. But heads up—price went up a bit."

"Why?"

"Higher energy demand. All these styluses need power to manufacture. If you’ve got complaints, take it up with Commander Havoc."

A burst of static crackled in my helmet as I sighed. "You’re insufferable. Fine, I’ll pay."

"Pleasure doing business!"

Engineer Commander Havoc. A name whispered across the stars, a ghost of progress no one’s ever seen. Some say they’re a corporate defector with a heart. Others think they’re an AI or a secret guild of engineers. Nobody would ever guess the truth—that they’re just a wandering mercenary like me.

Author's Note:

Ah, welcome back, dear reader! I see you've survived another round of cosmic chaos and corporate shenanigans. Let's dive right into the latest escapades of our beloved Engineer Commander Havoc—aka Narwhal, the man who can turn a supply depot into a battleground of wits faster than you can say "quantum stylus."

First off, let me just say, if you thought playing dress-up as a galactic tyrant was easy, try haggling with Zoro over a fancy glowstick. That man has more pride in his merchandise than a peacock in a room full of mirrors. But hey, all's well that ends with a new gadget in hand, right?

And let's talk about the legendary Commander Havoc—the unseen hand behind countless innovations, the Robin Hood of the void, flooding the market with schematics and watching corporate empires crumble. If you ever need a reminder of what true ingenuity looks like, just watch them turn the tables on the Alviss Trade Corporation. Spoiler alert: it's a messier tale than you'd think.

But amidst all the chaos and corporate warfare, there's a sobering truth. Life out here in the void isn't easy. It's a constant battle against greed, politics, and the cold, unfeeling expanse of space. Yet, these folks keep going, day after day, with a resilience that would put a black hole to shame.

So here's to the engineers, the merchants, the dreamers, and everyone in between. May your styluses be responsive, your plasma coolant affordable, and your corporate battles ever in your favor.

And remember, if you ever find yourself in need of a good laugh or a heartwarming tale of triumph against the odds, just tune in to the next chapter of "Engineer Commander Havoc." Trust me, it's going to be out of this world.

Until next time, stay snarky and keep reaching for the stars!