Veil of Reality (Cadicle Vol. 2: An Epic Space Opera Series)

Chapter 2

Cris stepped out of the transport shuttle onto the cool metallic floor-plates of the spaceport anchored above the moon's surface. The normal serenity of space was overshadowed by Kate's sobs still echoing in his mind.

He wished he could join her in expressing the fear and anguish that threatened to bring him to his knees, but there was still a chance—slim, but a chance—that he could find their son alive. Though he could barely stand, he forced himself onward. There was no time to reflect. The Bakzen have Wil. He was targeted. It didn't seem real.

As Cris approached the entry gates, he caught sight of Scott pacing back and forth. His black overcoat billowed as he spun on his booted heel.

Scott looked up at the sound of Cris' approaching footsteps. "How are you holding up?"

"Well enough," he replied, even though it was anything but true. "Thanks for offering to come along."

"You know I never turn down a challenge," Scott said with a grin.

Cris couldn't bring himself to share the same enthusiasm. "Let's go." He gestured toward the entry gates.

They went through the automated security checkpoint with a palm scan and voice identification, then made their way toward the docking location for the Vanquish.

Cris' stomach knotted as they approached the ship. Don't think about where we're going. He turned to his friend. "You haven't been on the Vanquish for some time, have you?"

"No. Is she still the same beauty?"

"You know it." Though most Agents trained on the Command track didn't receive a starship without at least a decade of service, Cris had been assigned his first ship shortly after graduation. When he assumed the role of Lead Agent, he'd been transferred to the Vanquish. As the TSS flagship, the Vanquish played a key role whenever the TSS required an authoritative command presence. Though it lacked the intimidation factor of a full warship, Cris and his crew had taken part in the occasional battle and the Vanquish could hold its own against larger vessels. However, generally their objective was to diffuse a situation without it turning into a firefight. Over the twelve years the Vanquish had been under his command, Cris had been on more missions than he could count, most of them with Kate as his First Officer.

The two Primus Agents walked in silence down the long, glass-walled gangway leading to the Vanquish. The ship was always just as awe-inspiring as the first time Cris saw it, its seamless hull gleaming with blue-green iridescence under the lights from the spaceport. The sleek ship dominated the view to the right of the gangway, filling the window that curved from the floor up to a thin metal strip along the top. However, it was the star-speckled expanse of space beyond that captured Cris' attention. The vastness that normally called to him with the promise of excitement and adventure was now a dark and dangerous unknown. We've never heard back from anyone sent to Bakzeni Territory. He tried to push down the apprehension gripping in his chest. We'll have to change that.

The gangway led to the fifth deck of the Vanquish, near the Command Center in the core of the ship. The two men took a lift down one deck to the Senior Officers' quarters. "You can take the Delegate's Suite at the end of the hall," Cris told Scott as they parted. "Freshly remodeled."

Cris walked into the room he usually shared with Kate. It felt desolate without her. He yearned to be with her, to seek comfort in her companionship. But, he felt better knowing she was safe at home. Not that anywhere feels safe anymore. As much as he didn't want to think about it, there was something going on—a deception far greater than he ever suspected, and Wil was part of it. I need to figure out what.

His thoughts were interrupted by a buzz at the door. "Come in, Scott," he muttered. When he looked up, he was surprised to instead see a former Chief Engineer, Matt Nomalor, standing in the doorway. Cris hadn't seen him for years and it took a moment to register. "Matt? I thought you were testing prototypes over in the Kaldern System."