Escape Velocity (The Black Star Chronicles Book 1)

by E. P. Wyck

“Yes, he said he’d find you when he was ready,” Nikon said.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Kali asked.

  “He isn’t ready to get to work right now. He is having a bit of a hard time with all of the death aboard the ship,” Nikon said.

  “He has a job to do. All of you made it out alright. He shouldn’t be bent out of shape about the others,” Kali said.

  “Nice to know you care so much, Commander,” Nova said glowering at Kali.

  “It’s not like that, Nova,” Kali said.

  “Then what is it like?” Nova said.

  “I mean, yes any loss of life is tragic but, he wasn’t emotionally attached to the lives lost. Is it heartbreaking of course? However, his crew is intact, and he should be preparing for his work,” Kali said.

  “Still not sure I agree with you, but I see your point. What did he say he was going to do Nikon?” Nova said.

  “For starters, he didn’t,” Nikon said.

  “Oh,” Kali said.

  “What are you going to do?” Nikon asked.

  “I am not sure,” Kali said.

  “Do you have any idea where he might have gone?” Nova said.

  “No. I don’t know the ship very well, and I don’t think he does either,” Nikon said.

  “I mean he was pretty distraught with the whole explosion and failed pods. Maybe he went back there to mourn,” Nova said.

  “Could be. I guess we should go check just to rule it out,” Kali said. They walked out of the berthing and made their way to the cargo hold to get to the stasis storage room.

  The closer they went toward the cargo room, the thicker the crowds became. Eventually, they had to wade through person by person. “What is going on?” Kali asked.

  “I think they’re trying to put everything in here,” Nova said

  “From the other ship?” Kali asked.

  “Yes,” Nova said.

  “Why is the crowd so thick? Shouldn’t they be dropping stuff off and going back to get more?” Kali asked.

  “You’d think. There must be something else going on,” Nova said.

  “Do you know what is going on?” Kali asked a woman next to her.

  “No, just that everybody is supposed to come down here,” she said.

  “Why?” Kali asked.

  “Something about the longer it takes to clear the other ship, the longer they’re going to let us live.”

  “What do you mean let you live?” Nova asked.

  “Didn’t you hear?” she said. “The Commander is going to kill everybody. She who is become death.”

  “That’s me you’re talking about,” Kali said.

  The woman scoffed, “I’ve seen birds bigger than you. How are you going to kill all of us?”

  “First, I am not going to kill any of you. Second, you all need to get back to work,” Kali said. She reversed her course and moved out into a wider hallway and started sending people away who didn’t have anything to store in the cargo hold.

  Eventually, she worked her way toward the cargo hold and finally cleared a path into the hold itself. She stood atop a crate and said, “Listen up. You all need to go back and finish clearing the other ship. Nobody is going to kill you, so don’t draw this out.”

  “Yeah, right. I know who the Commander of this ship is and she killed friends of mine on Trinity!”

  “Me too.”

  “Enough. I am Kali of House Altus and Commander of this ship. You will not be harmed while aboard this ship.”

  “I’ve heard that before.”

  “Trust me. She will keep her word,” Nova said. “I know for a fact she sees more value in handing you over to the TriMax than killing you. So, let’s get back to work, shall we?”

  “I am not going back there! They’ll kill us for sure!”

  “We’d be crazy to go back there!”

  “I suggest you enjoy the few months you have left then and get this cargo moved. It is at least seven months until you return to Trinity and who knows how long anything resembling a trial will take,” Kali said.

  Her words appeared to assuage the worries of the women for now, and they started to mull out of the cargo hold to retrieve more supplies from the other ship. Kali and Nova watched as they all left.

  “Looks like that is the last of them. Let’s go,” Kali said heading for the door to the stasis room. Nova followed.

  _ _ _

  Kali and Nova opened the door to the stasis storage room. They had no idea what to expect. However, they never imagined they’d see something this touching.

  Someone moved the debris from the explosion and stacked it all out of the way. They made a makeshift morgue and honored the dead. Each pod emptied, and the occupant dressed and prepared. Nova and Kali walked slowly, looking around in awe.

  “I know so many of them,” Nova whispered to Kali. “It is so sad. I don’t know if I should cry for the loss of life or the care given to the dead.”

  “Both,” Kali whispered in return.

  Tiptoeing around a corner, Kali saw Ryn leaning against an empty stasis pod. He held his head in his hands. Just above a whisper he said, “I can’t believe all of these people died for this research. It is not worth it.”

  “Ryn, you didn’t have to do this,” Kali said.

  “No, that’s not true. I had to. They died because of me. I don’t believe they deserved to just be forgotten,” Ryn said looking up.

  Kali knelt in front of him. She said, “You’re a good man. I know Rory would be proud. Your heart is so big. I don’t know why you didn’t ask for help.”

  “They’re our crew,” Nova said, “we would have wanted to help to care for them one last time.”

  “I am done. I want to go home. I want to see my son and my wife. I am over this.” Ryn said.

  “I know you want to. I do too. But, we have research to do. I don’t want you to miss out on that. I know how important it is to not only you but the Triumvirs. They made it pretty clear this is a very high priority to them,” Kali said.

  “I am not doing it. You can’t make me. I am not ordering my crew to do it either,” Ryn said.

  “I am not trying to make you. I am trying to say we came all this way. Went through all of this, and now we give up?” Kali said.

  “Why shouldn’t I?” Ryn asked.

  “Because that is not who you are. You’re a man who does what he says and says what he means. You will get up and get on with life. We lost Keon and moved on. I know his loss still stings, however, we are managing and I’d say we need you just as much as you need us,” Kali said.

  “I don’t want it. Do you have any idea what it is like knowing the lives of so many have been lost because of you?” Ryn asked.

  “Yes, I do. I’ve been responsible for terrible things. I attacked a Razian ship, who knows how many that killed? I am going to send all of them to stand before the TriMax. They will all die. All because I decided,” Kali said.

  “That’s not the same thing. I didn’t choose this,” Ryn said.

  “Do you think I chose to be put in a place where an overthrown ship threatened my people?” Kali asked.

  “No,” Ryn said.

  “So, do you think that you expected for these people to be murdered?” Kali asked.

  “No,” Ryn said.

  “I’d say it is starting to look a lot alike to me,” Kali said.

  “It seems just like yesterday when I was talking you out of your mood, and here we are with the roles reversed,” Ryn said. “I don’t know what to think. Should I be impressed at how you’ve grown? Or should I be upset at how I’ve succumbed to such tragedy?”

  “Oh, trust me. I know tragedy, and it is nothing to be ashamed of,” Kali said.

  “I guess you’re right. I think it’ll take a little while for me to cheer up but I believe you’re right. We need to take care of our research and not waste this trip,” Ryn said.

  “That’s so good to hear,” Kali said, offering a hand to Ryn. He took it, and they stood up. �
��We should get the crew down here. I am sure they’d be moved by your work, Ryn.”

  “I know I am,” Nova said.

  “Thank you. I hoped to honor them well,” Ryn said.

  “You did,” Nova said.

  They started walking back to the cargo hold. On their way, they took extra care not to disturb the dead. Kali followed the path made by Ryn to the door and turned around to watch Nova and Ryn with interlocked arms make their way to her.

  “It is not every day you see Razian and Ascendant join arms,” Kali said.

  “I think we can make an exception today,” Nova said.

  _ _ _

  Kali, Novalie, and Ryn entered the bridge. “Navigation, do you still have the coordinates we sent the cargo train to?” Kali asked as she sat in the Commander’s chair.

  “Yes, Commander, they’re ready for us to go superluminal to retrieve them.”

  “Good. Helm, take us superluminal,” Kali ordered.

  “Going superluminal, Commander.”

  “With the Dawnbreaker leaving we need to get all of our stuff off of this ship and moved over to the cargo hauler,” Ryn said.

  “Yes, and we’ll need to move quickly. I am sure the prospect of getting off of the Dawnbreaker will cause some of the prisoners to attempt to escape,” Kali said.

  “Exactly. I can’t have them aboard the cargo hauler lurking about,” Ryn said.

  “So, we planned to use some of the extra hands aboard the Dawnbreaker to maneuver our gravitational projectors into position. What is your plan without them?” Kali asked.

  “We are just going to have to get it done without them. We have three haulers. We can use two at a time to position the projectors. We’ll need the third as a command center,” Ryn said.

  “How many projectors do we have to position?” Kali asked.

  “It depends. We really won’t know until we’ve had a chance to measure the actual gravity of the black hole. I requested more projectors than our estimate in case the gravity is stronger than anticipated,” Ryn explained.

  “Good thinking. So, we’re going to be busy for the next several days,” Kali asked.

  “Several days? More like several months. But the good news is that we have time on our side,” Ryn said.

  “Oh, I get it,” Kali said shaking her head, “It is terrible, but you made a joke.”

  “Oh, come on, it wasn’t that bad,” Ryn said.

  “It was plenty bad. Trust me.”

  “So, we should probably go pack and start getting ready,” Ryn said.

  “I guess so,” Kali said. “I need to talk with Aleksandra first, though. I’ll be along in a bit.”

  “Ok, see you soon,” Ryn said, leaving the bridge.

  Kali motioned to Nova from the command chair. She got up and came over to her. “Yes, Commander,” Nova said formally.

  “Oh, knock that off. I am not going to be commanding this ship much longer,” Kali said.

  “That’s all the more reason for me call you Commander, Commander,” Nova said grinning.

  “So anyway, I wanted to know that you will help keep things in control over here. There are a lot of them and not so many of us. If they get out, it could be over for you guys. I don’t want to lose a friend,” Kali said.

  “A friend?” Nova asked.

  “I don’t have but one,” Kali said, looking at Nova.

  “They must be quite a person.”

  “She is.”

  “Oh, I’d like to meet her one day.”

  “You’ve met. I am sure of it.”

  “Well, in that case, maybe they aren’t so special because I can’t recall,” Nova said.

  “Will you stop it? I am trying to be civil here, and you’re impossible,” Kali said.

  “Oh, fine. I am honored to be your friend. Truly.”

  “I wish I could be there to see the look on the face of Attor when you guys turn in all of these gendercide fanatics. I just can’t stand him.”

  “I can see that. Some say he shouldn’t be Triumvir. I heard the only reason he made it was because your father ‘betrayed’ the Razian Nation.”

  “I’ve heard that too. I don’t know how much I believe it, though.”

  “Well the way Aleksandra has talked about him, I’d believe it. She is a hard one to impress,” Nova said.

  “I know. I don’t know if she is actually on my side or playing me. She is too good at this,” Kali said.

  “You should ask her. It isn’t like you’re going to be around her for a while. What will it hurt?”

  “Nothing, I guess. Maybe I will. I have to go talk to her anyway about command.”

  “Hop to it then,” Nova said.

  _ _ _

  Kali entered the room where Aleksandra watched the prisoners and said, “You ready to take her back, Commander?”

  “Not hardly. It has been a nice break actually,” Aleksandra said.

  “Well, you could always appoint another commander in your stead. But, I have to give it up and get to this whole research stuff. Not going to lie. I am kind of looking forward to seeing what happens.”

  “Well, that makes one of us. That was never my thing. I suppose you can relinquish command now if you’re ready.”

  “I am happy to. The Dawnbreaker is yours, Commander,” Kali said.

  “You don’t have to call me that. Aleks is still fine. You’ve earned it.”

  “You sure? Cause I don’t mind. You’re an impressive commander, and I wouldn’t assume that level of familiarity.”

  “Trust me, little bird, you’ve earned it. What you have done, I don’t know if I could have. I plan to set the record straight on Trinity.”

  “What record is that?”

  “The one about you being a loose cannon. You’re a mature Seraphim who demands those beneath her fall in line and do as ordered. You took a little time finding the right path, but once you did, you kept us all safe.”

  “Not all of us,” Kali said, thinking of the dead in the stasis storage chamber. “Speaking of, I need to show you something. I don’t think we had a chance to share yet.”

  “Ok…” Aleksandra said, looking at Kali with caution.

  “Follow me. I think you’ll be pleased,” Kali said, leading her down to the makeshift morgue set up by Ryn.

  When they arrived Kali said, “Ryn did this, by himself.”

  “Oh,” Aleksandra said. She made her way to each of the dead, giving them each a brief moment of silence before moving on.

  “I hope he did it the right way,” Kali said.

  “It is perfect, little bird. Come here,” Aleksandra said.

  Kali walked over and looked into her eyes, “What is it?”

  “This act of kindness is more than we deserve. We didn’t exactly welcome you all with open arms.”

  “Before you go too far, I think you should share your thoughts with Ryn,” Kali said.

  “Good idea,” Aleksandra said. She finished paying her respects and made her way to the berthing that housed the research crew.

  When they walked in they stayed by the door for a few moments and watched everyone working on getting ready to change ships.

  “Ryn. Commander Aleksandra would like a word,” Kali said.

  Ryn walked over and said, “Oh, Commander Aleksandra again.” He turned and looked at Kali before saying, “You gave up the Dawnbreaker?”

  “Yes, it is time for us to move on and she has to get her ship ready to go to Trinity,” Kali said.

  “I understand. I didn’t know you’d do it so soon,” Ryn said.

  “Ryn. I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for what you did for our dead. The level of kindness shown to us is beyond anything we could expect,” Aleksandra said.

  “I just hope I did right by them, Commander,” Ryn said.

  “You did. I will ensure they receive proper honors from here. Does your crew need anything before transferring ships?” Aleksandra asked.

  “I am not sure. I think we’re going to have enough
food and provision aboard the cargo train. I think you should be well-provisioned too. What are you going to do with the prisoners?” Ryn asked.

  “We’re going to keep them sequestered and turn them over to the TriMax,” Aleksandra said.

  “I hope they get what they deserve,” Ryn said.

  “They will. I am going to see to it,” Aleksandra said. “Trust me.”

  “I do. I hope this reverses the momentum of the gendercide and we can get our society back on track,” Ryn said.

  “Me, too. Me, too,” Aleksandra said. “If you don’t need anything, I have a ship to command. Thank you again, and I’ll see you before you disembark.” She turned and left.

  “You did good, little bird,” Ryn said.

  “Oh, not you too,”

  “It really does suit you. I think you should accept it.”

  “Me too,” Nikon added.

  “Definitely,” Lia said.

  “Oh, come on guys. I am not that little!” Kali said.

  “Still so cute when she gets angry,” Nikon said.

  “I am not cute!” Kali said.

  “If you say so,” Nikon said.

  “That’s not what I meant!” Kali said.

  They all laughed and enjoyed the moment of levity. They continued packing and getting ready to disembark the Dawnbreaker.

  Chapter 37

  Aleksandra sat in the Commander’s chair on the bridge and sighed settling into the familiar feeling of commanding her ship. “Time to destination, helm?”

  “About five minutes, Commander, good to have you back.”

  “Thank you. Glad to be back. Let’s ensure we have a smooth transfer of people and cargo. I don’t need any more issues on this trip. I am sure you can all agree,” Aleksandra said.

  “Definitely,” Nova said. “Commander, a word?”

  “Of course, Nova. What is it?” Aleksandra said.

  She walked over, “I want to go with the research crew,” Nova said.

  “I can’t let you do that. I need you aboard the Dawnbreaker.”

  “Why not, Commander?”

  “I need a communications operator, and you’re the best aboard. I don’t trust anyone else.”

  “I don’t think you need one. I mean for seven months you’ll be superluminal, not talking to anybody.”