9
Nineteen hours later, Cade Ellis couldn’t decide which he hated more—having to spend another moment tethered to the navigation console of the Starhawke, or having to leave and never setting foot on the ship again.
When the Admiral had informed him that he’d been assigned to a temporary post that would get him to Gaia sooner than originally planned, he’d been thrilled. Learning that the trip included the opportunity to work on a Kraed vessel that just happened to be under the command of Aurora Hawke had piqued his interest even more.
But as soon as he’d heard Jonarel Clarek’s voice over the comm, his attitude about this assignment had changed. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the oversized Kraed was the engineer on Aurora’s ship. In fact, given Clarek’s course of study at the Academy, there was a good chance he’d helped design and construct the damn thing.
Cade had wanted to dismiss the ship as a piece of space junk. But after a day at the helm, he couldn’t. Much to his dismay, the ship fascinated him. The design was nothing like the many Fleet ships he’d served on, with their sharp corners and utilitarian systems. Everything about the Starhawke flowed with a grace that delighted the eye without detracting one bit from the ship’s efficiency. In fact, he’d come across several modifications to traditional design concepts that could shoot the next generation of Fleet ships into a new class.
His interest in the ship had prompted him to remain at his post for eighteen of the twenty-two hours of the journey. He’d spent an hour of his off-duty time in his cabin going over the encrypted data the Admiral had given him to analyze in preparation for joining the rest of his team when he arrived at the Rescue Corps headquarters. He’d also taken a quick nap and eaten some of the emergency rations he always carried.
He’d been touched by Aurora’s offer of food, but it was unwise to interact with the rest of the crew any more than he had to. He might come face to face with the one person onboard he didn’t want to see. Getting into a brawl while on temporary assignment would earn him a sharp reprimand from the Admiral, but that would be a cakewalk compared to the reaction from the Starhawke’s captain.
And that was the real thorn in his side. Seeing Aurora again was a challenge. He’d anticipated a chilly reception, but true to her nature, she’d been a consummate professional, treating him with respect and even kindness. She could have pulled rank and made this trip a nightmare. She hadn’t.
However, hearing her words of gratitude over the intercom to the Kraed skulking down in engineering had been a different kind of challenge. Something about the way she’d said thank you when they’d left the space station had made Cade’s blood boil. He’d unwisely attempted to get a reaction from her when she’d returned to the bridge after her break. It hadn’t worked. In fact, he was pretty sure he’d only succeeded in irritating her.
What was going on between Aurora and Clarek? It seemed likely there was more to it than friendship. She was the captain on a Kraed vessel that bore her name. Jonarel Clarek was a Kraed and her engineer. They’d known each other since Aurora was sixteen. All signs pointed to a close relationship. And if he stayed onboard much longer, that hypothesis might be confirmed. He didn’t want it confirmed. For the sake of his mission and his sanity, he wanted off the ship.
“Time to destination, Mr. Ellis?”
An eternity. He tapped the console to check their progress before facing the object of his musings, who sat calmly in the captain’s chair. “Ten minutes until we enter the system. Another five to reach Gaia.”
Aurora’s eyes had taken on a focused gleam he knew well. She loved a challenge, especially when it involved helping those in need. This current crisis would have her itching to take action and make things right. And when Aurora Hawke set her mind to something, the universe tended to respond.
She turned her attention to Emoto. “Any communications from Gaia?”
“Bronwyn Kelly has arrived. The transport is in orbit and they’ll shuttle her over when we get there.”
Aurora glanced at Cade, the corners of her mouth tipping up. “Looks like your job is nearly finished, Mr. Ellis.”
Actually, it’s just beginning. But he couldn’t tell her that. In fact, there was an entire mountain of things he couldn’t tell her, so he kept his reply noncommittal. “So it would seem.”
Her focus sharpened and he instantly regretted his choice of words. As she continued to hold his gaze, he got the distinct impression she was trying to read his mind. That was one skill she didn’t possess, but he’d learned long ago not to underestimate her empathic ability to pick up on subtle clues that most people missed.
Keeping his emotions in check and his expression blank, he turned back to the console. Only fifteen minutes to go.
10
Cade was hiding something.
Aurora couldn’t put her finger on it, but it was more than unresolved issues from their shared past. He seemed concerned that she might see through his façade and uncover his secret. She wasn’t sure whether she should be flattered or alarmed.
Wasn’t it odd that the one person the Admiral had recommended to fill in as the navigator on her ship wasn’t even a member of the Fleet? Cade was with the Rescue Corps—working as a freighter pilot, of all things. But the man she knew didn’t fit the job description of an RC pilot. He took charge and made things happen. Picturing him at the controls of a ponderous transport hauling supplies, even for the Rescue Corps, was like picturing a Tyrannosaurus Rex attending a tea party. It just didn’t work.
By the Admiral’s admission, Cade could pilot almost any craft, so why was he working for the Rescue Corps instead of navigating one of the newer Fleet vessels? And if she was right, what the hell was his purpose in coming to Gaia? The Admiral obviously trusted him, so Aurora had to believe Cade’s intentions were good. But why hadn’t the Admiral trusted her with the truth?
The star field appeared on the bridgescreen as the main engines took over from the interstellar drive.
“We’ve reached the system,” Cade said.
Kire pivoted to face her. “I’ve alerted the Chancellor to our arrival.”
“Do we have visual on the planet yet?”
“Bringing it up now.”
The image of Gaia filled the bridgescreen and she sucked in a breath. The planet was beautiful, a vision of how Earth might have looked five hundred years ago before technology lit up the night side. She’d read about the Gaian colony in her history classes, and she admired the brave women and men who had agreed to risk their lives on a largely unknown world to save those they had left behind.
Cade’s hands moved confidently over the controls as he guided the ship into orbit. The task was simplified by a complete lack of cross-traffic. With the quarantine in place for the past forty-eight hours, no ships were allowed on or off the planet without Council approval. The only other vessel in orbit was the small passenger transport that awaited them. Cade maneuvered the Starhawke into position, nose to tail with the much smaller craft.
“Standard orbit established.”
Kire glanced over at her. “All crewmembers have been cleared by Gaian security for access to the planet. A shuttle has been dispatched by the Rescue Corps to pick up Mr. Ellis.”
She stood. “Thank you. Tell Celia to report to bay one and direct Mr. Ellis’s shuttle to meet her there. Ms. Kelly’s transport can be routed to shuttle bay two. Escort her to the conference room as soon as she arrives. I’ll join you in a moment.”
“Yes, Captain.” Kire headed for the lift.
Cade rose and she moved to intercept him. “May I speak with you?”
He paused. “Of course.”
She tipped her head up so she could hold his gaze. He really was taller than she remembered. “I wanted to thank you for your assistance in getting us here so quickly. The Admiral’s faith in your abilities is well deserved.”
His eyebrows rose at the compliment, and the corners of his mouth softened. “It was my pleasure.” A spark of emotion fla
shed briefly in his eyes. “You have a beautiful ship.”
“Thank you.” There was something funny about the way he said it though, as if the comment cost him. Being under her command might have been harder for him than he’d indicated. But he seemed sincere.
Maybe if she pushed a little, she could extract information regarding his plans after leaving the ship. “Will you be staying at the Rescue Corps headquarters until the freighter you were scheduled to pilot arrives?”
Her question seemed to amuse him. “Were you hoping to see me again?”
His non-answer caught her off guard. She hadn’t stopped to think how he might interpret her interest in his whereabouts. She shook her head firmly. “No, that’s not why I asked.”
“Then why did you?”
Why indeed? Not only was he not answering her question, he was cornering her. She couldn’t provide the real answer—that she was fishing for information—so she came up with a plausible alternative. “Curiosity. I don’t know much about how the Rescue Corps operates, but I have trouble picturing the pilots sitting around when they aren’t transporting the freighters.”
“They don’t. Most pilots shuttle Corps members and supplies to the various staging points after the freighters are secured.”
That made sense. But he still hadn’t specified what he would be doing after he left the ship. Interesting. Her instincts told her he was up to something. However, she couldn’t pursue the matter without tipping her hand. Maybe the Admiral could provide some insight. For now, she’d just have to live with the mystery.
“I see. Well, then I won’t keep you any longer.” She held out her hand. “Safe travels.”
He stared at her, his expression growing serious as he clasped her hand. When their palms touched, the strangest thought popped into her head. Cade was worried about leaving her. Not sad. Not glad. Worried. As though he feared for her safety.
“Take care.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before releasing his grip and heading toward the lift. As he stepped inside, he glanced back with a cocky grin. “Try not to miss me.” He winked as the doors closed.
She rolled her eyes. He always liked to have the last word.
She could live with that. It was the uncertainty regarding his reasons for being here, and his inexplicable concern for her safety that puzzled her. She crossed her arms and she stared at the closed lift doors. “What are you up to, Cade?”
11
The sleek shuttle glided past the wide valleys and steep mountains of Gaia’s equatorial zone, skimming over swaths of lush vegetation that spread out to the horizon.
From his seat behind the cockpit, Kire watched Bronwyn Kelly at the controls. She was as cool as a cat, even with Roe sitting next to her, observing her every move. She’d shown the same composure during her interview. They’d discussed her navigation experience, beginning with her first job as a space station shuttle pilot, but Roe hadn’t been interested in a list of facts. Instead, she’d delved into what had driven Kelly to become a pilot in the first place. Kire had been curious as well.
Her mother had been a navigator in the Fleet, a very talented one by all accounts, who had met Kelly’s father, a pub owner, while she was visiting her parents in Dublin. Even though he wasn’t fond of space travel, he’d agreed to join the crew of the Fleet ship she was assigned to, where he’d worked as a bartender in the crew lounge. Kelly had been born a few years later, and had spent her early childhood onboard the ship.
She’d inherited her mother’s talent and passion for flying, and by the time she was eleven years old, she’d been able to detail every aspect of the starship’s navigation system and plot a course better than some of the officers. However, not long after her twelfth birthday, her mother and six other crewmembers were killed while transporting supplies to a colony that had suffered a Setarip attack. Three Setarip destroyers had returned and attempted to capture the shuttle. During the ensuing conflict, the smaller craft was destroyed.
Kelly’s father had been devastated. He’d insisted that they return to Earth. He’d also made her promise that she would never join the Fleet, and that she would remain in Ireland as long as he lived.
He’d died before she reached adulthood. Officially, he’d drowned in the lake behind their house after falling out of a rowboat. But his blood alcohol level had been off the charts, a condition that had become common in the last years of his life.
Her promise had kept her from applying to the Academy, so she’d sought work where she could make use of the navigation skills she already possessed. Her abilities, combined with her willingness to go anywhere, had earned her steady promotions and job offers.
It was a tragic story, but Kelly delivered it with unflappable stoicism. Roe had listened quietly, and then she’d taken Kelly to the bridge so the young pilot could check out the navigation system. She’d also offered her the opportunity to pilot the shuttle for their visit to the Rescue Corps headquarters. So far, Kelly seemed to be handling the ship effortlessly.
Kire and Cardiff were in charge of directing the shuttle’s cameras, gathering images of the countryside for Jon and Star to analyze back on the ship. Mya had also stayed behind to run baseline tests on the healthy crop samples the Rescue Corps had sent when they’d picked up Ellis.
The shuttle crested a mountain, revealing a sea of black that stretched fifteen kilometers to the southeast. Kire’s breath caught. It looked like the remains of a giant’s funeral pyre.
To the west the landscape shifted back to lush green, a jarring juxtaposition to the desolation. What could possibly cause this kind of rampant destruction without leaving any trace?
Kelly took them on several passes over the affected areas while Kire and Cardiff recorded the images and sent them to the Starhawke. When they finished, the shuttle banked, leaving the barren wasteland behind. A few minutes later, the large collection of beige tents and scattered permanent structures that comprised the temporary Rescue Corps headquarters appeared in the distance.
The majority of the Gaian residents made their living from farming or the distribution of crops to supply ships, so very few other industries had developed. As a result, they didn’t have large metropolitan areas. The Rescue Corps had converted a site that normally functioned as a warehousing center for the crops that were exported to other locales or off-planet.
Kelly opened the communication channel. “Starhawke shuttle to Rescue Corps command. We’re approaching RC headquarters. Requesting permission to land.” Her lilting Irish voice seemed fitting for their surroundings, her accent softening her vowels so that to sounded more like tuh.
“Starhawke shuttle, you are cleared for landing.”
“Beginning our approach.”
The landing pad came into view as the shuttle descended. Within moments Kelly had settled the shuttle onto the platform with nary a bump. Impressive.
Kire glanced at Roe. She met his gaze, the corner of her mouth tilting up as she gave a subtle nod. They had found their navigator.
The shuttle door slid open. He followed Cardiff as they headed down the ramp, with Roe and Kelly joining them a moment later. A man approached from the main building and Roe stepped forward to greet him.
“Captain Hawke, I presume.” He extended his hand.
Roe shook it. “Thank you for meeting with us Chancellor.”
The Chancellor shook his head. “I’m the one who’s grateful for your assistance.”
Introductions continued all around, then the Chancellor led them to a security station just inside the building where a Corps guard scanned each member of their party.
“This way.” The Chancellor gestured to the corridor to their left. “I’ll introduce you to the Corps Director first. She controls all operations here and at the station for the other community that was affected. She can put you in touch with Corps members who can assist you in your investigation.”
“So your own people won’t be working with us?” Cardiff asked.
He glanced back at he
r. “No. While we’re well known for our agricultural skills, most of that knowledge is from practical, hands-on experience, not scientific study.” His expression looked strained. “What we’re seeing now is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. We’re at a wall. That’s why we contacted the Council, and why they sent you. This is beyond our ability to analyze or investigate.”
“Do you think it’s a natural occurrence, a mutation or infection that’s native to the planet?” Roe asked.
The Chancellor stopped and faced her. “Captain, I’m not certain what’s happening here could be labeled a natural occurrence anywhere.”
Roe’s eyebrows lifted and Cardiff stiffened, but neither said anything more as the Chancellor continued down the hallway. They passed through another security checkpoint that opened onto the temporary command center.
“The Director is meeting us in tent twelve. We’ve gathered a few families who are willing to talk to you about their experiences.” The Chancellor nodded to several Corps members as their group crossed to a doorway on the far side that took them out of the building. A collection of tents had been set up in long rows in the clearing.
“How well are the residents coping with the losses?” Roe asked as they walked down the packed dirt path that led between two rows of tents.
The Chancellor sighed. “As well as can be expected. The hardest part is not knowing what’s causing the destruction. We have no way to prepare for it or prevent it from spreading.”
The refugees stared at them as they passed, but no one smiled or acknowledged them in any way. Every face had a nearly identical look of bleak sadness. It was like walking through a warzone, although it wasn’t only the people who were struggling for survival—it was their planet, too.
The Chancellor ducked under the flap of a larger tent near the end of the row and ushered them inside. The space contained a collection of chairs and tables set at intervals, with about twenty adults and small children seated around one of the larger tables. The soft murmur of conversation cut off as the refugees turned to face them, their expressions filled with a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.
The Dark of Light (Starhawke Rising Book 1) Page 7
