Under a New Star by Leo d'Entremont

Author:Leo d'Entremont [d'Entremont, Leo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Published: 2014-11-29T21:00:00+00:00

“COMPUTER, RECORD official log.”

“Recording.”

Michael leaned forward on the surface of his workstation, trying not to groan at the headache pulsing behind his eyes. All other arguments aside, he really was a lightweight. Damned vodka.

“December 22nd, 2557. Science Officer Lieutenant Michael Lopez aboard the colony research vessel DaVinci reporting. All major equipment under my section of the Project has been packed and secured for the drop out of warp. There is some concern from Ensign Pierce that the planned packing configuration for some of the construction equipment is inadequate, but that’s not my section. I haven’t yet addressed the issue with Adrian.”

He felt the muscles in his shoulders clench with nerves and forced himself to take a slow breath. “The drop from warp is scheduled to take place tomorrow at 1900 hours. I’ve never experienced it, but reports from the crews of other FTL ships say that as space around the ship reverts to its normal configuration, personnel aboard experience gravitational shifts that can’t be compensated by inertial dampeners. Some members of the Project are anxious, but I admit… I’m actually curious and a bit excited to see how it works.”

Michael rubbed the bridge of his nose. Sure, he was excited about experiencing the drop out of warp travel, but at the moment he’d be far more interested in a dark room and a headache pill. Playing professional avoidance all day with Adrian hadn’t helped.

“We’ll start the workday at 1200 hours tomorrow because we’ll be up late to start loading the shuttles after the drop. So… that’s it. Reports are done. Training Projects have all been completed. All that’s left is loading the shuttles and landing.” Despite the headache, he felt a bit of awe at the thought. “I can’t believe we’re really here.

“Computer, conclude log and end recording.”

“Recording complete.”

Michael leaned back in his chair and took a long look around the workstation room. It had certainly been one hell of a journey, and now he was about to do the riskiest thing he’d done since he’d come aboard.

Bracing himself, he stood and walked to the office door at the far end of the room, then hit the chime.

The door slid open to reveal Xiao sitting at his desk. He looked up from a datapad and smiled. “Lopez, why are you still here? You’re done for the day.”

“I had something I needed to talk to you about, sir. That is, if you’ve got a minute.”

Xiao looked at him curiously and put the datapad aside, then gestured toward the chair opposite his desk. “For you? I’ve got as many minutes as you need. And by the way, have you talked to Adrian about that issue?”

“Actually… that’s what I need to talk to you about.”

Xiao’s expression clouded over. “Oh?”

Feeling unusually self-conscious about every movement, Michael stepped around the chair and sat down facing Xiao. “I’d like to submit a formal request to switch Partners.”

Xiao considered him for a moment in silence, then asked, “Why?”

“I told him we needed to start keeping professional distance, and he didn’t take it well.

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