Paradisi Escape: A Paradisi Chronicles novella (Paradisi Exodus Book 1)
Page 13
“Or for your wife?” Solomon said, his anger digging so hard into Mads that he flinched.
“Yes,” Mads suddenly shouted. “Is that what you want to hear? I did this all for her. You have no idea what it's like. You never even knew your half-sister. She was a stranger, and both of your parents were gone. You have nothing left to keep you here.”
“It was never your choice to make.”
“You would have made the same decision no matter the circumstances, Solomon.” Mads's voice was tight with anger. “Don't put this on me. In the face of the annihilation of all life on Earth, there is no other choice.”
“I know that, Mads. I know it. And yet, you again tried to make the choice for me. Tried to march my Reachers toward their deaths, just as you did Nisolda all those years ago. You don't have that right. Reach Corp is under contract with the Founding Families, and you cannot change that. We earned this ride.”
“And you would knowingly condemn my wife, a healthy woman of proper age, to death?”
Solomon stood and fixed an unwavering stare on his one-time mentor.
“I don't have a choice. The greater good, remember? One life for three thousand. That's no choice at all.”
“You bastard,” Graversen said.
And that was all it took. Solomon wheeled back, squeezed his fist, and unloaded a punch to Graversen's jaw that rocked him back against the panels with a thunderous thud. His eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped forward.
His adrenaline kicking in, Solomon moved back in immediately, readying to kick Graversen in the stomach.
“Boss, boss!” Tavian grabbed his arm and pulled him back while Jonesy took up his other one.
He strained against them like a caged animal, shouting, “Get your hands off me!”
“He's out cold, Chief. Leave him be,” Solomon heard Tav say through the rush of bloodlust that pulsed through his body.
“Solomon, stop!” Dextra said, her commanding voice cutting through to him.
He stopped, then, at the sound of her voice. He stood over Mads, breathing heavily, attempting to get a handle on his rage.
“I'm all right,” he growled at Tavian who let go after a single look from Solomon. Jonesey followed suit. Solomon rolled his shoulders back and moved toward the door, avoiding Dextra's gaze.
“All right. Let's go.”
“Yeah, uh . . . okay, boss,” Tavian said, and Solomon caught them all exchanging glances that looked like a mix of awe and concern.
“Solomon,” Dextra's soft voice sounded near his ear. “May I speak with you a moment?” And she was immediately pulling him to the opposite corner from Mads. He had trouble focusing on her, wanting to see if Mads would wake up so he could punch his lights out again.
“Solomon, look at me,” she whispered, taking his face in her hands. “Look at me.”
When he finally did, he saw tears in her dark eyes, and he struggled to hold it together as unbidden images of Nisolda came at him from every direction.
“What happened with your sister . . . It wasn't your fault. She was too far gone. They never would have let her up here. You know that.”
“Just like his wife? Wasn't good enough to make the cut, right? Who has the right to judge who lives and who dies? I don't know how much more of this god complex I can take today—”
“You don't have a complex, Solomon.”
“These aren't just three thousand people in a world of billions. I'm choosing the last three thousand humans of all time. No one will survive the destruction of Earth. Do you see it now? I'm playing god with the last of the human race.”
“You have been tasked with this decision, Solomon. And you cannot turn away from us now. You still have to save the three thousand people you did choose. As much as you hate him right now, Mads is right. You couldn't save her, but you can save them. Duty. Honor. That's the choice before you now. And you know as well as I that you'll make that same choice over and over again, no matter the consequence.”
Solomon made a fist with his good hand, feeling a kind of giddy insanity lacing every inch of his skin, images of his Reachers' smiling faces flashing before him in mug-shot succession. “I've made my choice, then. And I won't fail them.”
The beep of a Ui message popped up in his HUD. It was Brooker messaging Vida at last.
“UI, CHECK MESSAGES.”
AIRLOCK RUMOR SPREAD. ALL REACHERS ACCOUNTED FOR AND ABOARD SHIP, CEPT YOU AND KASEN. AWAITING INSTRUCTIONS.
Some luck at last. Solomon ran a hand down his face, feeling suddenly tired.
“MESSAGE REPLY: BROOKER, IT'S SOLOMON. VIDA AND KASEN WILL FIND THEIR OWN WAY ABOARD. INPUT THIS CODE INTO ONE OF THE THREE MAIN HATCH CODEBOXES TO PUT THE ENTIRE SHIP INTO EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN: 40592159. LAY LOW AND WAIT FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.”
“You're locking down the SS Challenge, boss?” Tavian Hunt asked, his eyebrows rising.
“Doing much more than that. We're about to blackmail the docking commander and screw over Challenge Command.”
“Can we sneak some food out of the hydroponics lab first? I'm starving.” Tavian's stomach gave a vicious growl to reiterate, and something about the ridiculous look on Tav's face made Solomon laugh. That got everyone else laughing, maybe a bit maniacally at first, in an attempt to blow off the stress of the last 24 hours. Dextra touched his arm, and her quiet laugh made him pull her to him. He kissed her, drawing raised eyebrows from the guys and a blush from her cheeks.
“All right, all right,” Solomon brushed away Tavian's hand as he punched his arm good-naturedly. “Enough of this. Let's go find you some food.”
He pulled away from a still-blushing Dextra Justice and marched toward the door. He glanced at Tavian, Baern, and Jonesy who all gave him a nod.
With one last look at Mads Graversen's slumped form, he slipped out the door.
***
Look for Sideris Gate
Book 2 in the Paradisi Exodus Series is coming soon!
Want to know the moment Sideris Gate launches? Sign up for the Paradisi Chronicles Newsletter at ParadisiChronicles.wordpress.com. Did you enjoy reading Paradisi Escape? Consider reviewing it on Amazon. You can also check out more books in the Paradisi Chronicles Universe below:
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SIDERIS GATE
BOOK 2 IN THE PARADISI EXODUS SERIES
Read an excerpt of the next installment in the Paradisi Exodus series below. You can find Sideris Gate here: Paradisi Exodus Series. Sign up to receive the Paradisi Chronicles Newsletter and never miss news of our latest publications: Sign up.
Chapter 1: The Fenestella
With her hand pressed to the glass, Vida Rosado stared out the viewing panel on Nautilus-11 Space Station, her mind focused on Earth, a mere 1.6 million kilometers away from the present uncomfortable situation in Conference Compartment 4C in Nautilus's Main Hub.
Her grandmother, Malena Franco, occupied her thoughts while she waited for the go-ahead from her boss, Solomon Reach. Vida ran the cross she wore at her neck along its chain as she remembered again the last time she spoke with her beloved abue Malena. She had be
en deathly ill from the spread of a super bug that had ravaged the flood-damaged Villa Epecuén some 500 kilometers from Buenos Aires, Argentina. As far as Vida knew, the fiery old woman was still alive, daring death to take her at long last. She even remembered the words her grandmother had spoken when she gave the necklace to her as a good-bye gift.
“I told your mother to call you Vida, mi chiquita, because I knew you would carry all our lives with you to the stars. I knew it before they did, my little estrella girl.” She nodded her head vehemently, as if Vida had disagreed with her.
“I know, Abue. I know.”
Vida pressed a fresh cool cloth against her forehead to try to calm her, but her grandmother had leaned up on an elbow and grabbed her arm.
“Vida, you listen to me. When you go up there, I want you to take this with you.” Her frail fingers grasped the tiny cross sitting on the bedside table and pressed it into her palm. It wasn't until Vida curled her fingers around the cross that abue Malena leaned back against her pillow and relaxed.
“When I know you're in space, I will close my eyes and picture myself floating beside you, free of this mad Earth and its unholy wars. I'll be with you among the stars and God.”
Vida wished her old abuelita could be with her now. She glanced out at Earth. From the station's location at Earth-Moon Lagrange Point 1, her home planet appeared twice the size of the Moon when viewed from Earth. Rarely did she take the time anymore to look back. There was always more work in the queue, more launch prep to do before they made their way toward the Sideris Gate wormhole and on to New Eden in the Andromeda galaxy. And everything depending on today. She would either be on her way to the new planet aboard the SS Challenge, or she'd be left behind-something she doubted her grandmother would approve of. Vida smiled at the thought.
“What are you smiling at? Challenge Command is going to throw you in lockdown if you don't let me out of here.”
“Oh, I'm sure they'll do worse than that,” Vida said, glancing back at Docking Commander Daniela Marcks, who she had strapped into a chair at the far side of the compartment's conference table. The commander's riot of red curly hair stood out in sharp contrast to her pale face and vivid blue uniform. “But it'll be worth it.”
Vida glanced over at the wall screen that wirelessly displayed Marcks's HUD data from her DOT communications device. No new messages. They'd been waiting two hours for word from Solomon Reach. Once he made contact, she was to ensure Marcks made it back to her station on the Command Bridge so she could start the SS Challenge's undocking process at Solomon's command.
“Dammit, Vida. I don't have time for this. I have to go through the protocol checks. Or is your purpose in keeping me here to force us to miss our very tight launch window?”
“Wasn't my fault you Founders wasted your precious launch time stowing away illegals from Earth on this station.”
Marcks hesitated at that, since it was the first time Vida had openly admitted she was aware of the thousands of people Challenge Command had hidden in Nautilus-11's Serica Sector.
Hours ago, Vida had tried to keep her curiosity at bay as she worked to disable the Serica Sector's locking system and trap the Serica group in to buy her boss time to protect the Reacher crew. If Marcks and the rest of Challenge Command crew had their way, the majority of the Reachers would be kicked off the ship and replaced with the Serica group. But as she had worked on the code panel far above the expansive main compartment, she opened a small access panel and peered down below.
Thousands upon thousands of them milled about, some napping on cots along the walls, others talking in small groups. Some children cried in their mothers' arms while others played quietly with tiny, lightweight toys. She even saw a baby no older than six months old. The madness of it!
Vida had bit her lip and tried to steel herself against her instinct to save them. She had to do whatever it took to protect her fellow Reachers from getting forcibly removed from the ship and sent back down to certain death on Earth. It was their right, under contract, and she would help her boss make the Founders honor their agreement. She had every confidence he would save them. He had never once failed them, and he wasn't about to start now.
She hadn't told Solomon what she had seen in Serica. How could she? It would only have made his decision to choose between his Reacher crew and the Serica group even harder. No, it was better that he never know who he was leaving behind.
“They're Founder families, aren't they?” Vida asked Marcks quietly. “The sick and diseased ones who didn't make the cut?”
Marcks glared at her but didn't say a word.
“I was there, Daniela. You know, when your deciding vote in the Joint Board Meeting sold us out?”
“What? How did you get into that conference room?” Marcks's tone rose to a louder pitch with every word, her expression of shock turning to anger.
Ignoring her question, Vida shimmied up onto the table next to her, and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Who's in there for you, Daniela? A husband? A lover? Three illegitimate children you had stashed away in Bavaria?”
Marcks winced at that. She wouldn't look at Vida. Instead, she stared hard out of the fenestella, which looked down on the disk-shaped Serica and Challenge Sectors. These were joined to Nautilus's Main Hub by long, thin modules. Beyond that, the massive SS Challenge, the last of the eleven Asteria-class ships Reach Corp had built, remained docked to the Challenge Sector via a sizable docking module.
“Come on, Daniela. You had to have some legitimate reason to sell out three thousand people-no, let's call it what it is: condemn us to death in a nuclear winter on the ground.”
Daniela locked eyes with her, then, a challenge giving depth to her stare. And then she began to talk. “There's no one for me in Serica. My son, Zander, is all I have left.” She strained against the straps holding her arms to the chair, as if she wanted to gesture with her hands. “No, this was all for them, those cowards in Challenge Command. Wives, children, aunts-they've even got grandmothers and babies in there!”
Vida was surprised to hear irritation in the docking commander's voice. Apparently, the woman wasn't always a fan of this ridiculous plan.
“You know when the Reachers get wind of this that they'll mutiny.” Vida kept her tone even. Anyone who knew her well would be aware this was a clear indication of the high level of her anger.
“I know it,” she spit out.
“And still you made the dishonorable choice?”
“There are children in there, Vida.”
“And the Reachers-the ones who earned this ride!-don't have children worth saving?”
“Vida, you don't know-”
“I do, Daniela. I know what kind of woman you are now.”
“Don't preach to me, Vida. This is the end of the world.”
“Yes, and we take our honor with us when we pass out of this galaxy.” She swiped a hand through the air with Argentinian emphasis, but the docking commander glanced away toward the SS Challenge, her lips pursed into a rigid line. Perhaps she was longing to be out there and long gone from this station, but Vida wanted to drive the point home. She jumped down from the table and leaned over her, so she could not look away. “Know this, Daniela, and do not doubt me. The Founders will never be rid of the Reachers. I swear it.”
Want to read the rest of Sideris Gate, Book 2? Check it out HERE.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CHERI LASOTA
Cheri Lasota’s bestselling debut novel, Artemis Rising, is a 2013 Cygnus Awards First Place Winner and a 2012 finalist in the Next Generation Indie Books Awards. Her second novel, Echoes in the Glass, is a half-contemporary, half-historical set on the Oregon Coast.
Cheri helped found the Paradisi Chronicles, a massive open-source sci-fi universe set on the fictional planet New Eden. Her Paradisi Exodus series focuses on the early years of the human exodus from Earth to the new planet. She is currently also writing a sci-fi trilogy and a fantasy series.
A freelance author, editor
, and book designer for over a decade, AudaVoxx.com Founder Cheri Lasota has dedicated her life and career to helping authors succeed in publishing.
Cheri began her career in nonfiction and news, eventually becoming editor-in-chief of her university newspaper and earning her B.A. in Film/Radio. From there she launched her publishing career, which has steadily grown into three businesses: writing fiction and nonfiction; editing and designing for publishing houses as well as individual authors; and expanding AudaVoxx, an audiobook advertising company.
Connect with Cheri
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Google+ | Tumblr
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To the other Paradisi Chronicles founding members: Ashley Angelly, Amanda Ann, Andy Bunch, Louisa Locke, Roslyn McFarland, Auburn Seal, Sarah Woodbury. It is an honor to be in your company!
To Steve Doucette for asking the fateful question “Why don’t you add a space elevator?” when I initially told him about this idea I had for a sci-fi story years ago.
To Michael Laine of LiftPort Group for his exceptionally useful information on Earth and lunar elevators.
To Kelly Clowers, Bill Patterson, Michael Cooper, and Adam Halverson for being genius super geeks (the highest compliment I know how to give) and for being so generous with their time.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Praise for the Author
Paradisi Escape
Copyright
Easter Eggs
Sic itur ad astra
The Betrayal
The Sabotage
The Trafero
The Interrogation
The Egress
The Grav
The Nautilus
The Vote
The Cryo Hatch
The Passage
The Cargo Sector
The Rabbit Hole
The Cavitran
Book 2 Excerpt
About the Author