The Phoenix from the Scrapyard
Template:Short description Template:Infobox book
SS Scavenger DX-1017: The Phoenix from the Scrapyard is the **first story** in the *SS Scavenger Universe*, detailing Captain **Elan Drex** assembling a starship from salvage, installing an experimental **Phase Drive**, and stumbling into a fraught “first contact” with **phase-borne intelligences** while evading **Tonan** interference. The ending points directly into the humanitarian arc of The Healing Stars, which functions as its immediate continuation. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Timeline position
- Official placement: **Story #1** in the *SS Scavenger Universe* timeline. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
Overview
After reuniting with engineer **Vek Tollin**, Drex acquires surplus Phase Drive components and splices two wrecks into the **SS Scavenger (DX-1017)**. Their first contract at **Nevek** (Ross 882) exposes a buried Alliance phase project, a Tonan ambush, and “echo” entities that sense the Drive’s harmonics. The crew improvise counter-harmonics (“silencing the bell”), fend off a Tonan lancer, salvage key research, and return to **Prose** to formalize **Scavenger Base**—culminating in a high-level briefing on **Kastan** and deployment of spiral shielding that nullifies a **Tonan Phase Disruptor**. The final pages launch the medical relief mission of The Healing Stars. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
Structure
The manuscript is arranged in acts with named chapters. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
Act I – Sparks from Ashes
- Ch 1 – The Tavern on Prose: Drex recruits Vek; the “ship with a soul” idea begins.
- Ch 2 – The Scrapyard: Phase Core ring revealed; plan to graft scout hull to freighter frame.
- Ch 3 – Building Dreams: Auction buys; garage pod; partial lease on a derelict station → future **Scavenger Base**.
- Ch 4 – Tinwing & the Registry: The **Tinwing** shuttle refit; registry **DX-1017** confirmed.
- Ch 5 – Mission: Nevek (Ross 882): First op; the “Venture Rose” decoy; Tonan contact.
Act II – Echo Fields
- Ch 6 – Behind the Shadow of Nevek: Boarding a hidden derelict; recovery of **Dr. Ilan Meras** (Alliance Phase Division).
- Ch 7 – Echoes of the Drive: Meras explains “ringing the bell” draws phase-borne beings.
- Ch 8 – The Bell and the Silence: Kessa’s harmonic work; Vek dampens resonance leakage; base anomalies.
- Ch 9 – The Salvage Mission: Nevek facility salvage; betrayal in logs; phase-marked warning discovered.
- Ch 10 – The Long Way Home: Echo-induced dreams; **Jalen Locke** inspires spiral “radio-era” cancellation fix.
Act III – The Deal and the Disruptor
- Ch 11 – Home at Last: Bartered Alliance data; Scavenger Base automated; station paid off.
- Ch 12 – Moonlight on Deck: Discovery of a smuggled **Tonan Phase Disruptor** among crates.
- Ch 13 – The Council on Kastan: Alliance briefing; Scavenger’s **spiral shielding** counters the disruptor.
- Ch 14 – The Quiet Before: Thorium reactor gifted to Base; **Barnard 3** emergency → sets up The Healing Stars.
Synopsis
- Drex*, disillusioned ex-Alliance captain, and *Vek* rebuild a ship around a surplus **Phase Drive**. Their first mission draws Tonan fire and reveals that the Drive’s harmonics act like a *beacon* to **phase intelligences**. With **Kessa** translating patterns as language, the crew learns to damp, then tune, harmonics—avoiding harm and earning wary non-hostile contact. Salvage at **Nevek** exposes a traitor who courted Tonans with phase indices. Back on **Prose**, Alliance leaders learn Scavenger’s **counter-harmonic shielding** blocks the disruptor’s cognitive scramble. The story closes as the crew reconfigure for a medical relief run to **Barnard 3**, continued in The Healing Stars. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Major characters
| Character | Role / Dept. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elan Drex | Captain | Ex-Alliance; vision for a civilian rescue/salvage ship with a “soul.” |
| Vek Tollin | Chief Engineer | Phase Core integrator; designs resonance dampening. |
| Kessa | Navigation / Harmonics | Half-Prosian; leads pattern-language approach to phase contact. |
| Jalen Locke | Navigation | Vintage-tech thinker; inspires spiral cancellation (“old radio” trick). |
| Trask | Defense Officer | Deck guns & tactical ops at Nevek engagement. |
| Dr. Ilan Meras | Alliance Science | Survivor of Echo Field Project; whistleblower on “ringing the bell.” |
| Nurse Eva Smith | Medical | Cryo-thaw and stabilization of Meras. |
| Mouse Kazin | Chief Rigger | EVA and salvage operations at Nevek facility. |
Vessels & technology
- **SS Scavenger (DX-1017)** – Hybrid hull (scout + freighter), experimental **Phase Drive** integration.
- **Tinwing** – Rebuilt shuttle used for recon/boarding.
- **Phase Drive** – Spacetime phase resonance with harmonic “leakage” that attracts phase-bound entities; later tuned/dampened.
- **Spiral Counter-Harmonics** – Magnetic wrap nullifying echo bleed and blocking **Tonan Phase Disruptor** effects.
- **Scavenger Base** – Derelict station restored; receives **Thorium reactor** and automation upgrades.
- **Tonan Phase Disruptor** – Cognitive scramble weapon; countered by Scavenger’s shielding. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Locations
- **Prose / Prosiana** – Home setting; recruitment, scrapyards, alliance contact.
- **Nevek (Ross 882)** – Derelict site, hidden lab, Tonan ambush.
- **Kastan (moon)** – Alliance council/briefing where shielding is shared.
- **Barnard 3** – Destination for the ensuing medical relief mission in The Healing Stars. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Themes
- **Rebirth from ruin** – “Two wrecks → one living ship” frames the phoenix motif.
- **Ethics of innovation** – Power vs. responsibility in deploying phase tech.
- **Listening before speaking** – Treating phase intelligences as patterned minds, not monsters.
- **Found-family professionalism** – Civilian crew as capable as fleets, without the politics.
Continuity & canon notes
- This story is **canon Story #1** and directly **continues into** The Healing Stars (same crew and mission thread).
- Establishes **Scavenger Base** as the franchise’s home hub and the alliance relationship terms.
- Introduces the **spiral shielding** that becomes standard (“Scavenger-Frequency Tuning”) in later entries. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
Appearances
- SS Scavenger DX-1017: The Phoenix from the Scrapyard (primary)
- The Healing Stars (direct continuation; novella-sized arc) :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}