DECK B · STARBOARD (DOUBLE BERTH)
The Shaman's Berth
Overview
Concord rated this berth for two human bodies. Talyra occupies it as one Karthun — nine feet, armor rack, workbench, and the right to duck through a raised doorframe the repair yard charged ₡1,800 to install. The bulkhead between the old twins is gone; what's left is a warrior-engineer's nest: Karthun cool-pelts on the deck and bunk — ice-republic bedding that wicks heat, not human blankets for warmth — dried herbs hanging from ceiling hooks, bone and skull curios that are ceremonial, not creepy (mostly).
Center frame: Karthun powered plate on a hydraulic maintenance rig — faceplate blue visor dark, servos under diagnostic. Holographic armor schematic floats above a pegboard of wrenches Talyra forged herself. This is not Karthunai hull geometry; it's human steel adapted until it stopped complaining.
The porthole shows open void — she likes the reminder that the garden below is the only fake sky they own. Stone mortar, green potted cutting, and cool-pelt rug by the rack: the shaman side of the same person who can punch through an airlock seal in exo. A vent bleed over the bunk is her one luxury — Concord air, but colder.
In the art
Left: cool-pelt layered low bunk, herbs and bundles hanging from ceiling, shelf with skulls/curios, small porthole to stars, vent bleed above bunk. Center: full power armor on mechanical rig, blue visor glow. Right: holographic armor schematic, tool pegboard, cyan diagnostic screens, cluttered workbench. Foreground: wood table, stone bowl/mortar, green plant, metal canisters. Cool-pelt rug on grate floor. Warm lantern light vs cool screen glow — she keeps the lantern low; heat rises.
What it's for
**Talyra's quarters, armor bay, and secondary workshop** — exo maintenance, herbal prep, sleep. Adjacent hatch to the mana-garden (shortest path on ship).
Weekly upkeep
₡180–₡350/week — armor rack power, servo lubricant, diagnostic cells, spare plate polish. Major armor damage from jobs bills to yard: (2d6)×₡200 minimum. Karthun plate is premium; counterfeit parts are a death sentence.
Operations
- Powered-armor **class permit** must stay current for legal wear in treaty space
- Rig draws **peak power** — don't run exo diagnostics during jump burn
- Herb drying lines share air with armor solvent — ventilation filter ₡80/month
- Bunk **vent bleed** tapped from exterior duct — Talyra's sleep temp fix on a human ship
- Doorframe mod is **non-standard** — impound inspections ask questions
- Armor stored charged **partial** — full combat ready in 90 seconds per Talyra's count
Crew on this deck
Talyra — sleeps under cool-pelts, suits up, maintains plate, brews; shortest path to garden when duty calls despite the heat. Elias — barred from the rig ("magnetic incident"). Ivan — respects the threshold, leaves bounty knives at the door, asks for armor checks before hot jobs.