Sideris Gate: A Paradisi Chronicles novella (Paradisi Exodus Book 2) by Cheri Lasota

Author:Cheri Lasota
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: alien, First Contact, Spaceship, Near-Future Scifi
Publisher: Ever-Sea Press
Published: 2016-08-03T06:00:00+00:00

Solomon yanked Zander through the hatch and motioned him to strap into a grav seat along the wall. The boy glared at him but did as he was told. Solomon strapped into a seat along the opposite bulkhead, which seemed prudent.

Solomon punched the seldom-used inner grav switch. Under usual circumstances the technicians in the lab’s command compartment would handle that for the astronauts. In this case, Solomon glanced up through the fenestella leading into the suit up compartment, and saw a lot of angry faces peering in at him. He knew it was inevitable, but it still came as a shock regardless. He hadn’t thought past blackmailing Docking Commander Marcks, but he supposed it didn’t matter what happened to him now. He had done his level best to keep his Reachers safe, and he had to get used to the idea he’d likely be out of commission for quite some time if not forever after this.

While he and Zander waited for the gravitation and oxygen levels to stabilize, Solomon studied the people outside the window. It looked to be a mix of blue-uniformed Founders and Janus Security Corp guards in their signature bland grey uniforms as always.

He was curious to know if Edge and Justice were milling around out there, too, waiting to pounce. He supposed some of Challenge Command and Joint Board members might even still be on the Nautilus. He had done what he could for them, but a pang of worry hit his stomach. He wondered again if Vida and Kasen were spacewalking right now even as he sat here waiting.

A loud alarm resounded in his ears telling him it was safe to remove his helmet. Zander ripped his off and threw it to the ground while Solomon carefully removed his and set it on the chair next to him.

“What was that all about, man? What the hell did I ever do to you?”

“I’m sorry, Zander. This wasn’t about you. I don’t have time to explain what’s really going on. The main thing you need to worry about is your mother.”

“What? I saw her up at her command module on Nautilus. Is she not there now? What happened?”

“Long story short, the SS Challenge is going to take off in less than an hour. Nothing can stop it now. An emergency protocol has been initiated, and we are leaving. Your mother is still on Nautilus, but I told her to drop everything and get over here. So you need to focus on your mother, and nothing else.”

“Man, you better tell me what’s going on. I have to report this. You could’ve killed me.”

“It doesn’t matter now. Look through the window.”

Zander unbuckled himself from the seat, and stood to glance out the window at all the angry faces. “What are they all doing here?”

“They’re here for me.”

While they talked, Solomon moved toward the suit expander panel and hooked his suit in. He flipped the switch and waited for the expander to do its magic. Once the suit was loosened, he wriggled out of it and stretched.

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