This is the first installment in my newly launched “Era of the Ash Sea” universe series!

The model is very simple; assembly requires only glue. Please refer to the last two images in the model’s gallery for assembly instructions.

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Story 1

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At noon, when the sun is at its fiercest—exactly twelve o’clock—a man in a trench coat hurried into a convenience store.

“Two vials of nano-repair agent—how much?”

His words carried the dry, arid tone of the desert.

The clerk glanced dubiously at the man’s heavy trench coat and his stubbly chin. In such sweltering weather, wearing such thick outerwear was unusual.

“Two… two thousand energy credits…”

The clerk replied instinctively, then suddenly remembered that the Starstack High Council had recently issued a new directive: no repair agents were to be sold to individuals without a valid navigation‑channel registration certificate.

“I’m sorry, sir—could you please show me your registration certificate?”

“Navigation‑channel registration certificate…” The man in the trench coat snorted. “Here, take it—go fetch what you need.”

As he spoke, his hand slipped into his pocket.

A piercing alarm blared abruptly from the store’s fixed communication system.

The clerk held the repair agent in one hand while pressing the answer button with the other.

“This is the Starstack Comprehensive Anti‑Smuggling Bureau. Follow my orders: seal the entrance immediately—the man inside is a wanted criminal!”

“Repeat: the man inside is a wanted criminal!”

“Repeat: the man inside is a wanted criminal!”

The clerk froze, utterly bewildered. “What?!”

Before he could react, the next second saw the nano‑repair agent already in the man’s hands, accompanied by a shrill alarm that echoed throughout the shop. With lightning speed, the man in the trench coat dashed out of the store.

“Hey! You haven’t paid yet!”

Coming back to his senses, the clerk shouted desperately toward the door—and caught sight of two transaction chips lying on the counter.

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Starstack Civilization Profile
Full name: Starstack United Trade Body
Abbreviation: Starstack
Summary: “Want to travel the trade routes? Good prices!”

Brief description:
Starstack resides on the wild fringe of the Milky Way, its territory limited to a single star system.

Descendants of early interstellar pioneers, after settling here they leveraged the region’s unique iridium resources and extensive network of navigable channels to gradually evolve into an independent civilization. They strive to build their world into a peaceful, prosperous trading hub. Like most similar civilizations, there seems to be little of particular interest to see here.

The civilization maintains absolute neutrality, resolving all disputes through negotiation and mediation. Its earliest settlers originated from an eastern country on ancient Earth, and Chinese is the official language.

Star region location:
Farshore Star Region / End of the Southern Cross Arm
(locally nicknamed “the far corners”)

Star system: Yima Star System
A stable, burning K-type main-sequence star (an orange dwarf), affectionately called “Old Stove” by locals.

Classifiable habitable planet: Wuyuan Star
Approximately 1.1 times Earth’s size, its surface covered by vast shallow seas and scattered archipelagos, with a warm, humid climate. No towering skyscrapers—only countless low‑rise building clusters spread across the islands, connected by seaplanes and near‑orbit ferries.