Renegade Descent by J. N. Chaney

Author:J. N. Chaney [Chaney, J. N.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Variant Publications
Published: 2019-06-15T06:00:00+00:00

Fourteen

“Now leaving slipspace,” said Sigmond over the ship's central comm.

Abigail and I sat in the cockpit, eyes on the holo as the green lightning of slipspace disappeared and the black void of the great nothing took its place. That was a sight that never failed to stun and awe me. I wondered if the Sarkonian Emperor had ever been through slipspace. Probably not or those toys and artifacts that he found so fascinating wouldn’t delight him as much. I could picture the boy commanding his royal pilot to go back and forth through slipspace just for his amusement. The thought made me chuckle and Abigail glanced over at me with a question in her eyes. I shook my head, thinking I would share the joke later.

As we left the tunnel, dozens of ships appeared behind us. I grinned as I watched the massive fleet.

As we cut through the Sol system, finally headed home, my smile slowly fell. Even as more and more ships appeared, I had to admit there was a real concern this wasn't enough. That no matter how many ships we had, we didn't stand a chance against an enemy like the Celestials. They were too advanced, too powerful. After what we had experienced last time, I wondered if there were enough ships in the known galaxy to handle the threat this enemy posed.

Within seconds, Earth loomed closer on the holo, a great blue marble among the black and the vast nothing of the universe around it. I couldn’t wait to reach it, its beauty returning—oceans, forests, and mountain ranges, all of them slowly becoming what they once were, so many centuries ago. The terraforming process had come far since I first found this place, and I wondered what other surprises awaited us when the whole thing was said and done.

I leaned forward in my chair. All I could think of were all the people down there who needed this to work. I had to do right by them, by everyone the Celestials would eventually reach. I couldn't even count the number of people that had died at their hands to date.

Next to me, Abigail adjusted in her seat and set a hand on my leg. “Hey,” she said softly. “Gone away again, have you?”

“I was just thinking,” I said. “Nothing important.”

“It’s always important,” she corrected. “You don’t have time to think about anything else.”

I chuckled. “I guess that’s true.”

“Well, I’m going to get some tea. Want me to get you a cup of coffee?” she asked.

“You know me too well,” I said, winking at her.

As she left the cockpit, I pressed a small button on the dash to activate the microphone that would let my sultry voice float through every room on the ship.

“Attention, all of you,” I said in the most authoritative voice I could manage. “Would Lieutenant Rackham please get his ass up here so we can have a chat with his boss?”

“Beautiful announcement, sir,” said Sigmond. “Elegantly stated as always.”

“Thank you, Siggy,” I said, ignoring the sarcasm.

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