He grinned. “I should have known you were a precocious kid.”
Before she could respond, Jon appeared at her side. “We’re ready to begin, Captain.”
“Thank you.” Roe looked delighted by the interruption. “Shall we?”
The conference room contained a small round table and eight chairs. Admiral Schreiber was already seated at the far side. Kire settled in on the Admiral’s left, next to Cardiff and Mya, while Jon and Roe sat to the Admiral’s right.
“Thank you for getting here on such short notice.” The Admiral clasped his hands in front of him. “I know your ship was not supposed to be put into service for another two weeks, but an hour ago we received a distress call from Gaia that requires an immediate response.”
“Gaia?” The concern in Mya’s voice was reflected on the faces of the rest of the crew.
Gaia was the first Earth colony, established in the mid twenty-second century. Kire knew the history by heart, as did every Academy graduate. Aggressive corporate monoculture crop production and rampant destruction of natural resources triggered the onset of a cascade failure in Earth’s ecosystem that had nearly made the planet uninhabitable. However, the dire situation accomplished what years of war and diplomacy had not, galvanizing the world’s governments and scientists into working together toward a common goal. It was the roots of what would eventually become the Galactic Council.
A three-pronged approach was launched. First, seeking solutions to correct the dramatic imbalances that had triggered the collapse, and the institution of eco-based agricultural production of edible plant life. Second, the development of a method for interstellar travel so that, if the worst happened, there would be somewhere for the human race to go. And third, the creation of a global communications network that broadcast a continuous call for assistance out into the void of space.
Without the crisis, it might have been centuries before humans would have developed the ability to travel through space. Their cooperation resulted in the successful completion of the first interstellar vessel, the Odyssey. It also caught the attention of the Kraed, who made contact with Earth’s leaders and offered their help. They located a suitable planet for human colonization, and the Odyssey transported the first settlers to what would become Gaia.
Thanks in large part to the scientific assistance provided by the Kraed, Gaia never had to become the human race’s new homeworld. Changes in ecological and agricultural management combined with the support and participation of the global community brought Earth back from the tipping point. The colony that had remained on Gaia was considered by most as part of Earth, a sister planet that had been a beacon of hope in a dark period.
“Gaia’s in trouble,” the Admiral said. “We need you to be ready to depart in twenty-four hours.”
Roe snapped to attention. “Twenty-four hours?”
“I know that’s asking a lot, Captain, but your crew’s expertise is exactly what we need in this situation.”
Roe loved a challenge. Her eyes revealed the steely determination Kire knew so well. “Then we’ll be ready.”
The Admiral’s lined cheeks crinkled in a brief smile. He tapped the table’s control console and an image of Gaia appeared above them, its lush green and blue surface so similar to Earth’s it could be mistaken for its twin. “The last census put the resident population at just under one million.” Yellow circles appeared on the image indicating the ten populated areas. “And ships traveling in the sector have always depended on Gaia as a safe food and water source. However, that may be about to change.”
His gaze settled on Roe for a moment before he continued. “About two weeks ago, one of the communities suffered massive, unexplainable plant destruction. They thought it was a blight, though the pattern of loss was unlike anything they had seen and their science teams were unable to find a cause. It was isolated to one community until yesterday, when the same destruction occurred in an area more than a thousand kilometers away. They’ve lost at least fifty percent of the food resources and native vegetation for the affected communities. If it continues to spread to the other inhabited areas, all of the planet’s agricultural resources could be wiped out in a matter of months.”
The image shifted, and Kire sucked in a breath.
“It looks burned.” The horror in Roe’s voice matched the look on her face.
The pictures showed a barren wasteland of blackened hills and valleys, with houses and other structures sticking up at odd intervals like some giant child’s grotesque sandbox creation. Only the roads and scattered groves of trees provided any break to the devastation.
Kire turned to the Admiral. “You said the plants died mysteriously. What about incendiary devices? It certainly looks like heat-induced destruction.”
The Admiral shook his head. “In all cases, the devastation occurred at night and there was no indication of smoke, light, or heat. No one even realized what had happened until they went out in the morning.”
“A foreign biological infestation?” Mya suggested.
“So far they have been unable to detect any life forms that are not indigenous to the planet, and there are no known creatures or entities capable of this type of rampant damage.”
“How about an outside pathogen?” Cardiff leaned forward, her dark eyes intent. “Perhaps brought in accidentally by a visiting ship?”
“Possibly, although the problem began in a region that is rarely visited by outsiders, three hundred kilometers from the nearest relay station. To reach that community, a visitor would have to pass through one of the larger towns and the relay first, yet neither have reported any destruction.”
Cardiff frowned, her gaze returning to the images.
The Admiral continued. “At this point, we don’t have a working hypothesis. The damage has affected all vegetation with the exception of wooded areas, but we can’t rule out the possibility that it could spread. Right now it’s hurting their agricultural viability, but if a solution isn’t found, it’s conceivable that the planet’s entire ecosystem could be wiped out.”
Which essentially meant the death of the planet. The room grew quiet as the significance of that statement soaked in.
The Admiral ran his hand over his head, a gesture that probably dated back to a time when he had hair. “We’ve already sent a Rescue Corps team to begin setting up temporary quarantine and housing areas for the two affected communities. We’ll be delivering supplies and non-perishable goods via freighter over the next few days, which should cut down on the general sense of panic.”
He touched the console and the images disappeared. Confidence shone in his eyes. “You are some of the best scientific minds in the known galaxy. It’s your job to find a solution before the destruction ripples out any further.” He turned to Roe. “Any questions?”
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She glanced at Jon before replying. “The ship can be ready in time, but we have a problem. We don’t have a pilot.”
“Do you have any prospects?”
She nodded. “We’ve contacted someone, but right now she’s closer to Gaia than Earth.”
The Admiral steepled his fingers. “I have someone who could fill in, at least to get you to Gaia. He’s a talented navigator who works for the Rescue Corps. He’s scheduled to pilot one of the freighters to Gaia tomorrow, but I can assign someone to fill in for him. Would that be acceptable?”
Roe looked uneasy. “Has he ever been onboard a Kraed vessel?”
The Admiral seemed amused by her concern. “No. But he’s flown just about everything there is to fly. I’m sure he can handle it.”
She glanced at Kire, and he shrugged. What choice did they have?
“Then we’d be happy to have him onboard, Admiral.”
“Good. I’ll contact him with instructions. What time can you leave?”
Roe looked at Jon.
“The ship can be ready by nine hundred hours tomorrow,” he said.
Admiral Schreiber clapped his hands together. “Ver
y good. Unless you have any other questions, we’ll adjourn so you can get moving.” Everyone rose as the Admiral pushed back his chair and stood. “I’ll expect to hear from you when you reach Gaia.”
4
A steady flow of Fleet crewmembers and civilian passengers crowded the platform for the high-speed tramway that connected the Council building to the transport hanger. Aurora stepped quickly through the open tram doorway and chose a spot near the front window, even though at this late hour, there wouldn’t be much to see.
The doors to the small cabin closed and the tram surged forward. The walls of the tunnel flashed by until they gave way to the inky black of a moonless night. By day, the bright sunshine of southern California would have bathed the area in its warm glow, reflecting off the surface of the ocean to her left. Right now the only lights shone from the nearby buildings and the track markers up ahead.
Tapping her comband, she reread the most recent message from Admiral Schreiber.
I’ve spoken to the pilot and he’s agreed to fill in. It was an easy sell. Once I mentioned it was a Kraed vessel, he jumped at the chance. My assistant has sent his credentials to your security chief.
She should be thrilled, but she couldn’t shake a nagging feeling of apprehension. It wasn’t that she doubted the Admiral’s judgment—the pilot he’d recommended would certainly be capable. It just seemed wrong to have someone she’d never met piloting her ship. Especially on their first mission.
However, given the time constraints and the necessity of reaching Gaia as soon as possible, she didn’t have any other options. At least Celia would have a chance to familiarize herself with their temporary crewmember before departure. If there was anything Aurora needed to be aware of, Celia would alert her. Most people, especially men, tended to tell Celia anything she wanted to know.
After working together on the Argo for the past two years, Aurora had grown accustomed to the attention Celia drew when she walked into a room. Few people realized the sharp mind and lethal grace that hid behind the lovely exterior.
Not that Celia cared. Being underestimated was an advantage in her position. Only one thing mattered to her—protecting those around her. It was a point they’d bonded over. She’d originally sought Celia out shortly after joining the crew of the Argo. The ship’s captain, Admiral Schreiber’s son Knox, had mentioned that Celia was a master at hand-to-hand combat. Aurora hadn’t received much instruction on advanced fighting techniques at the Academy, since she’d focused her attention on leadership and cultural studies.
However, as commander of the Argo, she’d realized situations could arise on a mission where she needed to be able to defend herself without using her shielding abilities. So, she’d asked Celia to become her sparring partner.
Over the past two years Celia had taken great pleasure in knocking her flat on her butt every time they faced off. To date, she’d never bested her teacher, but she didn’t know anyone else, man or woman, who had either. That was another reason she’d been determined to convince Celia to leave the Argo. Since their future missions would involve the bizarre and unknown, she wanted someone by her side who could handle anything the galaxy might throw at them.
The tram slowed as the bulk of the transport hangar rose out of the darkness. The vehicle slid to a stop at the arrival platform and she joined the mass exodus, heading for the stairs that led to the main departure wing. Kire stood at the top landing, waiting for her.
He smiled as she approached. “Captain.”
She smiled back. “Commander.”
He fell into step beside her as they made their way through the crowd. “Mya and Jon are already onboard the shuttle, and Cardiff will be on the next tram. Unfortunately, the pilot was unable to join us in time for our shuttle, so he’ll take the next crew transport in a couple hours and report in at the station.”
So she’d have to wait a while longer to meet their mysterious crewmember. “What time will our supplies be ready for loading?”
He checked his comband. “The Admiral put a rush on our requests, so the ground crews estimate all items will be prepped by four hundred hours. That should give us a few hours after everything’s onboard to get settled in and familiarize ourselves with our stations before we depart.”
As they continued through the busy port, she thanked her lucky stars that Kire had been willing to make this leap of faith with her. She couldn’t imagine anyone else stepping into the role of commander with such ease and efficiency, especially with only a few hours’ notice.
They reached the shuttle launch platform and crossed the elevated walkway to number four. Kire followed her up the ramp and into the main cabin. Mya and Jonarel were already seated in the second passenger row.
She and Kire took the two seats in front of them and reached for their safety harnesses. Snapping the broad straps into place, she turned to Mya. “Did you have time to gather all your medical supplies?”
“The supplies, yes, although I had to give up on my plan to bring a few potted medicinal plants. I had hoped to make a quick trip home next week to take some cuttings, but that will have to wait until later.”
“You should be able to make do with what we already have onboard, at least for now.” She caught Jonarel’s gaze and suppressed a smile. Mya would discover soon enough that more awaited her on the ship than she ever imagined. A lot more.
Celia appeared in the shuttle doorway, her gray Fleet uniform replaced by a dark brown tunic and legging combination that emphasized her athletic physique. She claimed a seat behind Mya near the window and clicked her harness into place. “All set.”
The shuttle pilot glanced over her shoulder into the main cabin. “Are we still waiting for one more?”
Aurora shook her head. “He’s catching the crew transport instead.”
“Then I’ll notify the tower we’re ready.”
As the pilot spoke to the ground personnel, the loading ramp retracted, sealing the outer door in place. Vibrations rumbled up through the floor as the launch sequence engaged and the thrusters built up a head of steam. The braces retracted and the shuttle shot along the channel and out the open hangar door, continuing along the inclined track for a few more seconds before breaking free of the runway.
Aurora’s breath caught as the engines engaged and the craft rocketed upwards. She’d made this type of shuttle jump dozens of times over the years, but this felt completely different. And no wonder. She wasn’t on her way to a Fleet ship—she was on her way to her ship.
As they escaped the grip of Earth’s atmosphere, emerging into the vast expanse of space, she glanced over her shoulder at the beautiful vista of green and blue. No matter how many times she saw this view, she never tired of it. From this perspective, it was hard to imagine that a hundred years ago, Earth had been on the brink of ecological collapse. And now they were tasked with preventing that same fate from befalling the planet that had been Earth’s beacon of hope.
She shifted her attention to the window on her left as they approached the busy space station. She’d specifically requested a shuttle with wide view panels along both sides. In a moment, her crew would know why.
The shuttle fell in line behind a patrol yacht and a freighter. The pilot’s voice drifted back from the cockpit. “We’ll be arriving at the L5 hanger in about five minutes. You should get a good view of the ship out the port windows as we pass.”
Aurora spotted the ship a moment later. “There. Just to the left of the freighter.”
Mya inhaled sharply and Kire whipped his head around to stare at Aurora. “That’s our ship?”
She smiled, enjoying the look of incredulity on his face. She knew the feeling. “Yep.”
The foundation of Kraed design was flowing beauty, so all Kraed ships were graceful. But what Jonarel had accomplished was beyond words. While Fleet ships were crafted in neutral metallic tones that stood out in sharp contrast to the blackness around them, Kraed vessels used a compound in the outer hull that allowed the ship to take on t
he look of whatever surrounded it, much like a chameleon. When the ship’s defenses were fully activated, the vessel became nearly invisible, even to scanners. At the moment, the ship was mimicking the star field, giving the hull the appearance of black velvet embedded with tiny diamonds.
The other enchanting quality was the complete lack of straight lines. Kraed favored curves, so every part of the ship flowed seamlessly together, like a cascade of water frozen in an instant. The only break in the fluidity was the windowed airlock on the cargo level that attached the ship to the space station.
“It’s beautiful.” Mya’s voice was reverent, a combination of awe and delight.
Just the reaction she’d hoped for.
As they drew alongside, Mya pointed to the elegant script underneath the ship’s bridge. “Starhawke?” She glanced at Aurora in surprise. “You named the ship after yourself?”
Jonarel replied before Aurora could. “I named her.”
“Why Starhawke?” Kire asked.
Jonarel held Aurora’s gaze as he answered. “All Kraed ships are named after the family that created them. Clarek would have been part of the ship’s designation, however, because this ship was a gift to Aurora, her family name was chosen instead. The second name identifies the essence of the ship. This would normally be a word in the Kraed language, but a word in Aurora’s native language seemed more appropriate.”
Everything he’d said was one hundred percent true, but as the crew would soon learn, there was a lot more to the name of the ship than he’d revealed. It was one reason she had carefully avoided telling anyone the ship’s name, even though she loved the imagery of Jonarel’s choice—a hawk in flight among the stars.
They left the ship behind as the shuttle glided through the hangar doorway and touched down on the landing platform. The airlock doors closed and the bay’s interior pressurized.
Aurora unsnapped her safety harness. “Thank you,” she called out to their pilot.
“Safe travels,” the pilot replied as Aurora and her crew headed down the loading ramp.
The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1) Page 4