A good admiral will never abandon their ship, no matter what the circumstances.

Stranded on a hostile planet? They’re sticking with the ship.

Can’t send a distress signal off-world? They’re sticking with the ship.

Out of food and water? They’re sticking with the ship.

Entire crew passed away? They’re sticking with the ship.

They themself have passed away? You’d better believe they’re sticking with the ship.

So, the question isn’t whether or not the ghostly Admiral Paik will walk away from their ship, the Sejong-Daewang. The question is, will anyone ever discover what happened to the long-lost dreadnought?

And if so, will Paik and crew finally be able to rest? Do they even want to? Or does their service with the Space Forces continue for eternity?

Weather or Nought

What? You’re not familiar with the legend of the Sejong-Daewang? Well, long ago, a dreadnought with superweapon capabilities crashed on the hostile planet, Jasujeong. And ever since, Admiral Paik and their ghostly crew have been on standby.

Recovery of the Sejong-Daewang has been impossible due to the political situation between the Thousand Worlds and the Sun Clans. Both parties lay claim to the territory it’s in, and the leaders on each side have very different ideas on the best course of action to take.

The Space Forces minister of defense believes the dreadnought has much to offer as a historical artifact. The Sejong-Daewang is packed with lost and forgotten technologies that could benefit the Thousand Worlds. But the Sun Clans would rather destroy the ship in order to prevent either side from tipping the balance of power between them.

While the Sejong-Daewang technically does belong to the Space Forces, so much time has passed that they’ve probably lost their initial warranty on the thing. No matter what happens, we’re just glad we’re not the ones who have to tell Admiral Paik that the battle they were fighting thousands of years ago still isn’t over. That, and most of their favorite holo shows have probably been cancelled by now.

Best Laid Planets

Jasujeong is classified as a Yellow Three planet, which means it has a hostile climate and many natural hazards, like poisonous plants and wild animals.

So, if you’re planning to visit, we recommend packing heavy. Bring many changes of clothes, enough food and water to last for weeks, and—if you can secure one—an ancient artifact capable of terraforming planets.

You may also want to hire a competent travel guide to accompany you, in case you happen to run into Admiral Paik and their crew. Someone who can speak to them on their level and help negotiate peace in case they feel territorial. Ideally, this guide would be a high-ranking officer in the Space Forces. Or maybe even someone who was alive at the same time as Paik.

We’ve heard rumors of people with supernatural heritage who are capable of surviving for centuries. Is it really be so hard to believe that there’s still someone out there who was once on a first-name basis with Admiral Paik?

Would that person still remember Admiral Paik after all this time? And if so, why? Unfortunately, in a harsh, war-torn galaxy such as this one, what’s more believable: a love lasting thousands of years or a vendetta lasting for thousands of years?

Spirit Week

But if a lunatic stalker really wants to travel all the way to Jasujeong just to enact their vengeance on a person who is already dead, that’s their problem. Paik has no regrets over what happened in the past. They’re more interested in making the most out of the afterlife.

You can only float around and play poker with your fellow poltergeists for so long before you start feeling the itch to move on. We’re sure that Paik and the crew of the Sejong-Daewang would rather find some way to take off and travel the stars once more. But in order to do so, they’d need to find a new group of intrepid adventurers worthy of their final sacrifice. People who don’t just blindly follow the political machinations of either the Thousand Worlds or the Sun Clans. People who want to work toward advancing universal peace, liberation, and equity throughout the galaxy.

And most critically, people who won’t put their feet up on the dashboard.

Get to know Admiral Paik and their crew in Fox Snare: A Thousand Worlds Novel by New York Times best-selling author, Yoon Ha Lee. On sale now!