Into The Unknown And Back (Opus X: Fleet of One Book 3) by Michael Anderle

Author:Michael Anderle [Anderle, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: LMBPN Publishing
Published: 2022-04-07T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

December 22, 2233, Liu 108, aka Treasure System, Deep Space, Aboard the Argo

Cyrus would never get used to the sensation of jumping. While the experience wasn’t that different from a regular HTP transit in what it did to the body, his mind reminded him after every jump that another would be coming soon, unlike with HTPs, which might involve days and weeks or additional travel between.

As they finished their latest jump, he didn’t care about the residual disorientation or the fact that his breakfast wanted to leap out of his stomach and all over the control panel. He stared at a navigational display in the data window as it updated based on the position of the local stars.

“Confirm our location, Jade,” Cyrus whispered from the pilot’s seat after glancing at a pale Kat. “Tell me we’re there.”

“Coordinates confirmed,” Jade reported. “We have entered the treasure system. Per our discussion before my plotting, I jumped several hours from the planet.”

Kat pinched the bridge of her nose. “Blackwell and Lin didn’t grow a third arm after all their jumping around, did they?”

Cyrus laughed. “You’d know better than I would.” He brought up sensor readouts. “Nothing nearby. No significant debris. No asteroids. No comets. No unusual energy readings.”

He held his breath, brought up a camera feed, and magnified the image of the treasure planet. Dark continents filled the green-blue world. The jagged and irregular geography registered as alien, even to a colony brat like Cyrus. No matter what, humans would compare every green-blue planet to Earth, consciously or subconsciously.

“Now that we’re closer,” Jade noted, “spectroscopic analysis is viable. Although we’d need direct samples for confirmation, the summary version shows a harsh and unbreathable atmosphere for you unfortunate lung users, though nothing that should significantly challenge your vehicles. I’d recommend not taking major damage to your pressure suits.”

Kat shrugged. “That makes it the same as almost every planet we haven’t terraformed. We’re not here to set up a colony. We’ll live.”

“Or not.” Jade chuckled. “Rough size is close to Earth but slightly larger. Density could be far higher than expected, but at this distance, it’s hard to tell. Initial gravimetric readings are consistently stable.”

Cyrus released his seat harness and stood. This moment demanded full appreciation.

“Who cares?” he whispered.

“I’d think you would,” Jade responded in an annoyed tone. “It’s not as if I need oxygen or water. You could toss my core matrix into deep space, and I could survive decades if not centuries if I activated my hibernation mode.”

“There are tactical considerations, Doc,” Kat observed. “You know that. You’ve fought outside domes.”

“I get that.” Cyrus stared at the planet. “The point is, we’re here. There’s no fleet of alien ships surrounding the planet. We’re close enough that we’d spot them.”

Kat frowned. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. They could be on the far side of the planet.”

“There are no space stations.” Cyrus pumped his fist. “The Aldrans haven’t colonized the system. Damned perfect. We did it!”

Kat smiled. “I’m glad you’re excited, but we need to remember they still might show up.

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