Mosar (Bright Horizons Book 3)

by Wilson Harp

  “Is Cindy excited?”

  “Oh yeah. She and Sara talk almost every day. Cindy would be here if she could, I know that. But she’s on assignment on Mars for the next couple of months.”

  “But she’ll make it in time for the wedding?”

  “Yes. Sara set the date for after Cindy’s assignment. She really wants her aunt here.”

  “What about your brother?”

  “Bill is Bill. He called and congratulated Sara when he got the news. Then he called me. He wanted to make sure I could put him and the family up. The successful stockbroker can’t spring for a hotel room.”

  Kitch laughed. “Sounds like eight years ago, Kyle. Cindy off in space. Bill making money in New York. Sara starting off on a new stage of life.”

  “And me at the tail end of a career.”

  “Maybe there’ll be new adventures for you.”

  “I don’t think so. I know I’ll be involved in establishing the colony. I don’t think I’ll have time for any escapades.”

  “I think you might be surprised, Ambassador.”

  “Maybe. I might have to find a way to keep myself from thinking about coming home again.”

  “I have a question about that. What is going to keep people from coming into the system?”

  “The Inado. They will set up a strict quarantine.”

  “Until we got the report from Cowboy, I had never heard of them. But you said they were involved in the terraforming of Lansiter and now they are going to maintain security around our system? Who are they?”

  “They sit on the Higher Council. They don’t have a lot of interactions, but they will secure the system. You’ll just have to trust me on that.”

  “Okay. By the way, Colonel Kiskaliski has been located. Seems he had taken an unplanned leave of absence and was up at a lake in Michigan doing some fishing for the last several months.”

  “I assume he has been disciplined for not filing the proper paperwork and getting clearance?”

  “Technically he was under the Command of General Mueller when he left. JAG has decided not to proceed with any further action, so I placed a letter of reprimand in his file.”

  “Where do you see his career going?”

  “I’ll leave him in charge of Special Operations. One reprimand won’t endanger his command.”

  Kyle nodded. “He must have caught you on a good day.”

  “Finished?”

  Kyle nodded as he looked over his list.

  “Yes,” he said. “I think that’s everything.”

  He turned to look at the holographic image of Alex Ramirez sitting at a desk.

  “Make sure you have warm enough clothes, it’s freezing here.”

  “You told me. I packed for a Russian winter,” Kyle said. “It’s a three week trip, though. By the time I get there, the temperatures may be warmer.”

  Alex shrugged. “Maybe. I think the weather data here is just as unreliable as it is on Earth. Manny says it’s the same thing on Iltia.”

  “A universal truth.”

  “So you have to head out to Kansas for the pickup? Why?” Alex asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Kyle said. “Kitch told me that was where the pickup was. She said it was centrally located.”

  Alex shook his head. “That’s messed up. But not as messed up as a weight limit on luggage. There are what? Four thousand, maybe five thousand who have to leave?”

  “Six thousand, three hundred, and eighteen after the final planetary scan.”

  “Okay. And you’re coming in an Iltia transport. That easily holds ten thousand troops. You should be able to pack up all of your belongings and bring it here.”

  “I’m not sure, Alex. I know there’s a big send off. Maybe that’s why we have to gather out there. The planet wants to say goodbye to its intrepid colonists.”

  “We’re colonists like the Australians were colonists,” Alex said. “Don’t think the English lined the docks to wave goodbye to the prisoners they were shipping half-way around the world.”

  Kyle laughed. “I prefer not to think of myself as a prisoner.”

  “Leper?”

  “Closer to the truth but still don’t like the analogy.”

  “Best leper colony you can find! Big houses, wide open spaces. And from what the Pelod crews here told me, they are building multiple housing areas around the planet. So we might even have regional ping-pong tournaments. Exciting, huh?”

  “If you had sent me a brochure, maybe I would have gotten there sooner,” Kyle said. “So the construction’s going well?”

  “Yeah, by the time the Inado got done poking me, prodding me, and testing me, I landed in what looked like a city of the future. Abandoned except for the workers, and not too many of those. Manny got here the next day, though. He brought my movie collection and a few other personal effects as well. Speaking of the Pelod, how did the negotiations go?”

  “Their reputation for being tough negotiators is well deserved, but seeing as how they really had no choice but to agree to the plan the Higher Council demanded, they were pretty happy at the end.”

  “We still have to send them some raw materials from the system?” Alex asked.

  “Yeah, several million tons over a ten year period.”

  “Man, I just realized I said ‘we’. It’s not we anymore, is it?”

  “You’re still part of Earth, Alex. We all are. We just won’t be living on Earth anymore.”

  “I wonder how many generations of humans will be born on the outside before they stop considering themselves part of Earth?”

  Kyle shook his head. “I don’t know. I think about that. I think about my grandkids. I’ll never get to touch them or hold them. I doubt even personal messages will be allowed in.”

  “Makes sense considering what we know about mosar. And trust me, six months on the Inado ship I learned a lot about mosar.”

  “I saw those reports the Inado sent us. Glad they decided you weren’t a threat.”

  “Me too. Man, I feel guilty for saying this, but I’m kind of glad I will get to see more people in a few weeks. I know it’s an exile and everything, and the quarantine will be in place two days after you leave, but it’s been over a year since I’ve seen a human face I didn’t know really, really well.”

  “I bet. I understand Kitch has made arrangements to have your Dad’s cabin disassembled and rebuilt on a lake up there.”

  Alex laughed. “Yeah, Manny told me! I can’t believe you convinced her.”

  “I didn’t. It was Manny. He told her since you couldn’t even visit Earth again after you were a big hero, the least Earth could do is send you your favorite place.”

  “I didn’t know that, I’ll have to thank him. It should arrive a couple of days after you guys get here. I’m assuming they will be sending your stuff at the same time.”

  “They’re packing everything I have in the next couple of days,” Kyle said. “Once that’s done, the Iltia’cor will make one more trip into the system, pick up all the packed containers full of our possessions and belongings, and leave the system in quarantine.”

  “Hey, if you have room in your carry-on bring some beef jerky, Kyle. And not that teriyaki style you like. And not turkey jerky.”

  “I know, I have five pounds in my pack along with a case of Dr Pepper,” Kyle said. “It’s on my list.”

  “Cool. I’ll pay you when you get here.”

  “Great. Forty bucks I can add to my bank account and I can spend on… nothing.”

  “It’s why I don’t mind paying you back.”

  “Anything else you miss from home?”

  “I miss my nieces like crazy. I never thought two Christmases ago would be the last time I would ever see them.”

  “It’s like being sentenced to a life term in a prison with no visitation.”

  Alex laughed. “No, man. It’s not prison. I was in Leavenworth for seven years. If Leavenworth was like this, you wouldn’t have got me on the shuttle.”

 
“I suppose you’re right.”

  “You know what is weird, don’t you? Of all of us on the Hedali mission, only two will still be on Earth in a few days. The tontine we set up will be won by one of them.”

  “Or we could have the cognac sent out to one of us if we win.”

  “Yeah,” Alex said. “That would work. I just don’t want K-Man to win it.”

  “Why?” asked Kyle.

  “You may call me your lucky charm, but that dude is far luckier than me.”

  Kyle smiled. “He may be, but I’ll feel safe with at least one of you on the same planet as me.”

  The doorbell rang and Kyle looked up. “Alex, my ride’s here. I’m going to have to take off now. I’ll see you when we get to Lansiter.”

  “Be safe, Kyle. I’ll show you the sights when you get here. Give Sara a hug for me and tell her I wish I could have been at the wedding. Give Kitch a hug too.”

  “I will,” said Kyle.

  Alex’s image blinked out and Kyle picked up the holographic disc. He would be leaving the position as Ambassador in a few days, but A’nacal gave him the communications device as a gift.

  Kyle looked out across the vast Kansas prairie. He imagined he could almost see Leavenworth in the distance.

  The loud rush of wind died down behind him, and he turned to look at the gathered crowds. Tens of thousands of people had made their way to this vast expanse of open space to witness the exile of just over six thousand of their fellow humans.

  “When do I board?” Kyle asked Kitch.

  Diane looked at her tablet. “You aren’t scheduled until 4 p.m.,” she said. “You will be on the last ship as requested.”

  “That’s over six hours from now. Why so long?”

  “Are you in a hurry, Dad?” Sara asked as she approached.

  Kyle took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

  “No sweetie, I’m not in a hurry. I’m just used to keeping an eye on schedules.”

  “Good, because I want to take my time.”

  Kyle pulled his daughter into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “Me too, sweetie. I’m going to miss you so much.”

  Sara pulled back and smiled at her dad. “Miss me? You aren’t going to miss me. We’re coming with you.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She means you will have more company than you were expecting, Ambassador,” Kitch said. “It wasn’t easy, but I’ve worked hard to keep you in the dark. We all have. It was A’nacal and Salazar who thought of it as a surprise for you. There will be others joining you on Lansiter. Many others.”

  “Others?” Kyle asked. “What others? I thought we had identified all of those who might pose a risk.”

  “Volunteers, Kyle. Once news got out Earth was going to be in quarantine and there would be an Earth colony established, we started receiving thousands of messages an hour from people all over Earth.”

  “We?”

  “Earth Forces, the United Nations, individual governments.”

  “And these people want to be exiled from their own planet?”

  “They don’t view it as exile, Kyle. They see it as an adventure. These people view themselves as pioneers, willing to leave their home behind and help humanity spread through the rest of the galaxy. Once we set up the quarantine, those who remain will be locked in. No way to experience what thousands already have: to head out beyond our own solar system. And from now on, if someone does head out, they can’t come back again.”

  Kitch smiled at Kyle. His jaw moved and tears formed in his eyes.

  “You couldn’t really imagine,” she continued “there wouldn’t be large numbers of people who want to be among the first colonists, could you? Some want to go for the sense of adventure. Some want to go for a fresh start and a new chance at a better life.”

  Kitch looked over at Sara. “And some want to go because of personal reasons.”

  “Dad, Geoff and I talked it over and we want to go. I’ll get to be with you and we’ll get to see things we couldn’t imagine here on Earth.”

  “Why wasn’t I told there would be more exiles?” Kyle asked Kitch.

  “Because, Ambassador, it wasn’t anything you should worry about. The planet the council has chosen for our people will support millions. We will be sending more than enough supplies and comforts from home for the new settlers and most, like yourself, have asked their belongings be sent to them once they become settled.”

  “How many will be joining the exiles?”

  “Close to fifty thousand humans will be in the first wave.”

  “Fifty thousand?” Kyle went pale. “What do you mean first wave?”

  “We have over two-hundred and fifty thousand who have signed up for the trip, Ambassador. And we anticipate more in the years to come. New colonists will be taken by Earth transport to the edge of the system. The Inado have agreed to ferry those who wish to leave across the quarantine zone to Iltia’cor transports. It’s a one way door, but we anticipate several large migrations a year.”

  “It will be okay, Dad,” Sara said as she held on to Kyle. “Instead of a small group of exiles, we will be establishing new colonies all over Lansiter. A new world for humanity to discover, and all of that.”

  Kyle looked up and tried to count the landing craft of the Iltia’cor as they filled the sky. He had seen these same ships land in the Iltia’cor invasion eight years ago, now they were landing to gather up the brave colonists for humanities launch beyond their own safe solar system.

  “How many ships will we be on?” he asked.

  “The Iltia’cor will divide the colonist up amongst six of their transport ships.”

  Kyle shook his head. “When A’nacal first mentioned the idea of exile, I was stunned. Somehow I knew it was the wisest course of action, but I couldn’t imagine leaving Earth forever. When we got word the mission had failed, I was broken. Not only had we lost some of our finest men, but I knew there was no other option but exile.”

  “It’s not exile, Dad. It’s adventure and daring,” Sara said.

  “She’s right, Kyle. This is the chance to be a part of history. To be part of the first Earth colony,” Kitch said.

  “The first? Do you think there will be more?”

  “I’m sure of it. Once the colony expands in a couple of generations, you know the wanderlust of young people will kick in. They will want to experience what their parents and grandparents did.”

  Kyle nodded. “The struggle of establishing a foothold on a new planet.”

  “A’nacal is both excited and afraid of that. He told me no other race had dreams as big as humans. No other race was excited to face the unknown. I think he and the rest of the Higher Council is still afraid of humans to a point,” Kitch said.

  “And yet they need us to defeat mosar,” Kyle muttered.

  “Exactly. This exile, this quarantine, is for that purpose. Earth must focus its efforts on finding a way to stop mosar. We have about ten thousand years. By that time, I figure humanity will be spread throughout the galaxy. And if we are successful…”

  “We can all come home again.”

  “Those are worries for other people in another time, Dad. The transports will be boarding soon and I don’t want to miss it. We are going to be pioneers.”

  Geoffrey hugged his new wife and smiled at his father-in-law. “It’s an exciting day, Kyle.”

  Kyle smiled at his new son-in-law. “It is now, Geoff.”

  “Hey Kyle,” a voice behind him said.

  Kyle smiled as he saw his brother come over to him. “Bill, glad you could make it!”

  “Me too.”

  Kyle noticed he was carrying a large duffle bag.

  “Are you going—”, Kyle started to ask.

  “No!” said Bill. “I can barely stand to fly commercial. This is Cindy’s. She made me carry it for her. She’s going. Sorry I didn’t tell you anything about this, she told me she’d kill me if I did.”

  “And I would have, Bill,” Cindy said as she
approached.

  “I’m going to miss you big brother,” she said as she hugged Bill.

  “I’m going to miss you too, sis. It seems like we just got you back and now I’m losing you again.”

  He looked at Kyle. “I’m losing both of you.”

  “I know, Bill. But Kyle has to go because of the war and I have to go because it’s who I am.”

  Kyle wiped tears from his eyes as his brother said goodbye to his family for the last time. Kyle had assumed, even an hour ago, it would be himself that would be the one to be separated from those he held dear.

  “Hold it together, General,” a voice in his ear said.

  Kyle turned to see Kiskaliski standing behind him.

  “Colonel Kiskaliski. K-Man. So nice to see you.”

  “Good to see you again, General.”

  “Not General anymore. Not even Ambassador as of this morning.”

  K-man shook Kyle’s hand. “It’s always been a pleasure to serve under you. It won’t be the same system with you light years away.”

  “I agree. Thanks for being my guardian angel.”

  “Don’t mention it. Seriously, don’t mention it.”

  Kyle smiled at the deadliest man he had ever had the pleasure of knowing.

  “Giving advice to my soon to be Commander?” Salazar said. “Once A’nacal formally installs Kitch as Ambassador, I’ll have to settle for Kiskaliski as Commander, I guess.”

  “If you have to,” Kyle said.

  The three men laughed as the first landing craft full of new colonists lifted over the Kansas fields and into the bright blue sky.

  Kyle looked around at his friends and family who surrounded him. He had thought this would be a day of goodbyes, tears, and sorrows. But instead the tears which hung in his eyes were a mix of sadness and joy. He thought he could hear Sandy whisper to him that all of life was made of the same. A closing chapter is an opportunity for a new beginning.

  Kyle knew his life would never be the same. Earth would never be the same. He smiled as he thought of what the future would hold.

  The End.

  A Word From the Author

  Thank you for reading the Bright Horizons series. Bright Horizons was my first novel and this series has been an absolute pleasure to write. In the last several years, I have had encouragement from all over the world as people have discovered my books. I am proud to have entertained you and look forward to giving you hours and hours of more great adventures.