To Lose the Earth by Kirsten Beyer

Author:Kirsten Beyer [Beyer, Kirsten]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781501138850
Google: EHeNDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2020-10-12T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

Commander Clarissa Glenn had spent the last several days anticipating her first view of the Edrehmaia. Curiosity was part of it. So was anger. Both needed to be set aside, and she knew it. The past was the past. There was no changing it. She needed to proceed forward now focused on the present moment, mindful of her fears without allowing them to define her options.

Thus far, the only description reported was that they moved through space in rectangular shapes, four meters high by two wide, that transmitted messages encoded on the full spectrum of visible and invisible light. Whether or not those “shapes” were vessels or the aliens themselves was unclear. The photonic emissions had recently been translated by Lieutenant Kim and Ensign Drur as identification messages: not everything she had hoped for, but a much better start than opening fire. The longer they went without attacking, the more cause Glenn had to hope that there were reasons for their actions, even if they were not presently understood.

It was good to be back on her bridge. It felt normal in a universe where nothing was normal. It also felt right. Her fears that Lieutenant Kim might be in the process of a slow-motion coup attempt had been entirely unfounded. He reported to her of their progress several times daily and cheerfully accepted her orders. If anything, he seemed somewhat relieved to have her back in command. It was interesting to her that the moment Ensign Selah had reported unusual sensor activity, Kim was the first person Glenn wanted by her side.

“The contact has now shifted to section B-17,” Selah noted.

The “contact,” whatever it was, had simply appeared suddenly on their sensors, apparently moving across the ship’s hull. Visual confirmation was difficult to obtain because, unlike its predecessors, this one did not emit any light as it did whatever work it had come to do. It did, however, make a disconcerting scratching noise as it moved over the hull.

When Kim stepped off the turbolift—finally once again fully operational—he crossed immediately to stand beside Glenn. The bridge only held a single command chair. It had never seemed odd to her before, but Glenn suddenly found herself wishing she could offer Kim a seat beside her.

“Captain,” he greeted her.

“We have a visitor,” she said.

Kim paused as the scratching sound returned. “Not a dog, then.”

“What?” Glenn asked.

“Nothing,” Kim replied. “Is it just the one?”

“Sensors say yes, but we can’t get absolute visual confirmation.”

“Did you raise shields?” was Kim’s next question.

Glenn shook her head. “I didn’t want to do anything that might seem provocative,” she replied. “For now, I am content to assume the best of these creatures, all evidence to the contrary.”

Kim nodded, a tight smile communicating that he knew how much it had cost her to follow his lead. “I really hope I’m not wrong about that,” he said under his breath.

“Now you tell me?” she teased gently.

“Has it said anything?”

At this, Drur piped up. “No, sir. No photonic emissions detected.

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