Astral Express Trio

"You decide to first listen to March 7th and Dan Heng, who had just left. At least they don't look like bad people."

- Trailblazer's Inner Monologue "Eye of the Storm"

Astral Express Trio is the poly ship between Dan Heng, and March 7th and the Trailblazer (Stelle / Caelus) from the Honkai: Star Rail fandom.

Canon
All three characters are members of the Astral Express - with Dan Heng being the earliest to join, then March and finally the Trailblazer (being Stelle or Caelus depending on player choice). The trio is popular (though mostly platonic) due to their frequent interactions and being amongst the main characters in the franchise. Aswell as the fact that Dan Heng and March are two of the first people the Trailblazer meets, making them very comfortable around the two, they also all have the common trait of forgotten pasts - something they might be able to relate to each other with.

The three met in the Herta Space Station at the start of the game, shortly after Kafka and Silver Wolf's infiltration in order to steal Herta's Stellaron - which the Trailblazer was used as a receptacle to hold. Dan Heng and March find the Trailblazer unconscious within the space station, their dialogue being the first thing the Trailblazer hears after being first awakened and then having their memories erased by Kafka. Upon realising the Trailblazer's heartbeat and pulse being weak Dan Heng is quick to tell March to perform CPR - March panicking over not knowing CPR and instead telling Dan Heng to do it himself.

Just as Dan Heng begins leaning in to perform CPR, the Trailblazer gains full consciousness and March pushes him away, asking the Trailblazer if they're okay and if they remember anything. March is visibly saddened when the Trailblazer states that they don't remember anything, but with a little pushing the Trailblazer is able to remember their name (the name displayed in game varies depending on player choice) and Dan Heng introduces himself and March in response. He also explains that the space station was attacked by the Antimatter Legion and that they came to assist with rescue at the request of Asta, the Lead Researcher of said station. He tells Stelle to head to the master control zone, where the researchers on board are all gathering and March assures the Trailblazer that the two of them will protect her from the monsters that attacked.

Upon wrapping up the situation at Herta Space Station, the Trailblazer is invited to join the Astral Express who are experts at handling Stellarons and the destruction they often bring. The Trailblazer accepts the offer and thus kicks off the main story with their next (unintentional) stop and the Trailblazer's first proper mission at Jarilo-VI where the trio are put on a team together to go investigate the planet and potential Stellaron after it causes interference with the Express' travel. They land on the ice covered planet and begin searching for civilization, stumbling upon a man named Sampo who was hiding in the snow - upon realising the trio aren't Guards he offers to walk them to Belobog which is the planet's main city. A short while after meeting Sampo they're ambushed by the aforementioned guards who reveal Sampo to be a criminal. The man immediately runs away leaving the Trailblazer, March and Dan Heng to handle the situation themselves. After some confusion with the Silvermane Guards leading to the three fighting together and almost being arrested they're able to clear up confusions with the Captain of the guards, Gepard, and meet with the leader of the main city on Jarilo-VI about the Stellaron they suspect is harming the planet. Cocolia, the Supreme Guardian and said leader, agrees to allow the three to inspect the possible Stellaron and seal it away and sets them up with hotel rooms for the night and the rest of their stay on the planet.

However, upon awakening the next morning the three are surrounded by Silvermane Guards lead by commander Bronya who attempts to arrest them for "plotting to incite rebellion", March begins rambling confused since this was contradictory to what they discussed with Cocolia yesterday and Dan Heng points out that it's clearly and orchestrated betrayal. Whilst Bronya continues to explain the framed crime and their arrest March points out a sealed off alleyway to Dan Heng who tells the two to get ready for an escape and begins counting down. On one ("Ace" since Dan Heng used card terms when counting down} Dan Heng grabs the back of March's head, the both of them ducking as the Trailblazer swings their bat at the surrounding guards followed by Dan Heng using his spear to trip multiple of the other guards up. March begins running for the alleyway, followed by the Trailblazer and Dan Heng who stayed at the back to ensure the other two made it ahead unharmed. The remaining guards attempt to shoot at the three of them but are unable due to March using ice the freeze the barrels of their guns and the trio successfully escape in the alleyway and the fragmentum beyond it.

Fanon
Most fans tend to ship DanCaeMarch aswell as DanStarch, seeing as Stelle and Caelus are very similar characters and counterparts of one another. Some might prefer one over the other depending on which of the two counterparts they chose at the start of the game. The ship currently has 20+ romantic works and 150+ platonic works on AO3. It's mainly rivalled by the more popular non-poly ships such as RenHeng, Dancae and Starch.

Fans enjoy how they all weigh eachother out personality wise, Dan Heng being serious whilst March takes things lightly and the Trailblazer often shifting between both of those roles.

Fandom

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Trivia

 * Dan Heng, March 7th and Stelle feature in the official promotional video "Space Comedy" together.

Variations

 * CaeMarch refers to the ship between Caelus and March 7th.
 * CaeStelle refers to the ship between Caelus and Stelle.
 * DanCae refers to the ship between Dan Heng and Caelus.
 * DanMarch refers to the ship between Dan Heng and March 7th.
 * DanStelle refers to the ship between Dan Heng and Stelle.
 * Starch refers to the ship between Stelle and March 7th.
 * Astral Express Family refers to the ship between the Trailblazer, March 7th, Dan Heng, Welt Yang, Himeko, and Pom-Pom