Something squeezed her heart, but she managed to find her voice. “Yeah, actually, I would.”
They moved through the busy ship’s corridors to what looked like a set of elevator doors. The “lift” took them up three levels to the bridge. She stepped off the lift, and there she stopped, captured by the image on the huge forward viewscreen.
Her mouth fell open, her breath hitched, and every preconceived notion of what it meant to be human fell away into space. Because there, hanging in the blackness of the void, lit by the rays of a congenial, yellow sun, was a beautiful, blue-green orb. Earth, home to billions of beings, including, until this moment, one Alana Matheson-Cruz. Tears stung her eyes.
Captain Murphy had settled into the center seat at the horseshoe-shaped equipment console that dominated the bridge. He busied himself with checking data on the computer screen at his station.
A woman at his left looked up from her readouts. “Ready to leave orbit when you are, Captain.”
“Very well, helm. Set course for Jump Node Alpha Ten and take us out at three-quarters ion drive.”
“Aye, sir. Setting course. Accelerating to three-quarters ID.”
Lana looked back at Gabriel. “Ion drive?”
“We use it within solar systems, for small runs. Longer distances need pulse drive and the use of the jump nodes . . . uh, something like wormholes.”
Rayna led the way to some empty seats above and well away from the main bridge stations. “Observation stations,” she explained. Lana found the tiny woman was mostly observing her. “You okay?”
Lana watched as the planet of her birth slipped away behind them. Then she looked up at Gabriel, his eyes full of love and sympathy. She nodded.
“I will be.”
Earth grew smaller and smaller as they cruised through the solar system, until it was just another dot in the black of space and the sun was just a bright, cold light on the far side of the system.
“Approaching Jump Node Alpha Ten in jump minus three minutes, Captain.”
“Thank you, helm. Prepare to engage pulse in J minus one point five.”
“Aye, sir. Pulse at J minus one point five.”
“Switch viewscreen.”
“Switching screen.”
Ahead, the screen showed a luminescent swirl of dust and gas spiraling toward a spot in space.
“Is that it? The jump node?”
Gabriel nodded. “It will take us 1.7 light-years to the crossroads in Alpha Darion, where we will transfer for the trip to Terrene.”
“But it’s so close to Earth! Why haven’t we seen it?”
“The screen is deceptive. The node is small—not much bigger than this ship. And the electromagnetic pulses it emits are of a type your scientists are still learning to interpret. There’s an echo effect that makes them seem like they come from much farther away. Of course, we contribute to that effect.”
“'We’?”
“Too complicated to explain. Trust me, it’s for your own good.”
“J minus one point five. Engaging pulse drive.”
Deep within the ship, a bone-shaking hum began. Lana’s heart pounded, in fear or in exhilaration, she wasn’t sure.
“Buckle up, querida.”
She reached for the straps that came down over both shoulders and across her thighs and secured the clasps with shaking hands. Then she reached for Gabriel.
“Pulse drive fully operational. All systems go for jump in thirty seconds and counting.”
“Acknowledged, helm. You are good to go for jump when ready.”
“Aye, sir. Jump in ten, nine, eight . . .”
Stay close to me, k’taama.
As close as your heart, k’taam.
“. . . six . . . five . . .”
Good. Because this is where the adventure really begins.
“. . . two . . . one . . . jump!”
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book would not have been possible without the expert background advice provided by former FBI Special Agent Robert Holman. Mr. Holman’s patient explanation of the FBI’s protocol in investigating kidnapping cases, drawn from his own personal experience in the field, gave Lana Matheson and her colleagues a grounding in real life. Any misinterpretations of FBI procedure are my own.
As always, thanks to my critique partner, Linda Thomas, for keeping me on the straight and narrow. Gabriel would not be the man he is without her!
A special shout out to my beta readers: Laurie A. Green, Petra Blazer, Jessie Wenger and Graeme Frelick.
Thank you to the amazing Deborah Kreiser for performing her editing magic.
And, finally, a heaping helping of gratitude to my agent Michelle Johnson, champion and cheerleader.
Trouble In Mind (Interstellar Rescue Series Book 2) Page 36