The Eagles Gather

A band of battle-worn mercenaries and stranded pilots gather at a ruined landing field after organized power collapses and the uranium that once fueled interplanetary wars has been exhausted. Around a bonfire they share meager food, trade bitter memories of former wealth and service, and argue over whether the old order can return. Personal tensions and faded pride surface amid scavenging and small acts of generosity, while conversations turn to responsibility for the devastation, the limits of technological dominance, and the slow work of rebuilding social institutions from the ruins.