Children of The Spheres

Chapter 19: Detour

I step off our shuttle, the plain walls of the Morningstar's docking bay welcoming me back. Transferring from Verdantia IV back to our frigate was an exercise in bureaucracy—strict Nexus Alliance protocols about armed ships near their capital meant transferring through a local transport hub. The usual hoops. Annoying.

Keira walks beside me, her eyes flickering as she scans the docking bay. I can tell she's glad to finally be back home. I am too.

A young man I don't recognize approaches—clean-cut, with short black hair and piercing red optics. Techlines trace his neck, vanishing beneath his collar, and his bionic arm, engraved with Gateworks Industries, reveals a skeletal structure and servomotors beneath the immaculate captain's uniform. He stops before us, offering a crisp nod.

"Captain Lance Okamoto," he introduces himself. "Temporary assignment to the Morningstar."

"Ander," I say, keeping it short. "This is Keira."

She gives a half-smile, her gaze sweeping over him. "So, you're the one filling in for Kassian?"

"That's right. On temporary assignment," he repeats. "What are your orders?"

I exchange a glance with Keira. "We tried contacting Nora and Kassian from Verdantia IV and the transport hub. No response. We'll need to try again using the Morningstar's long-range comms."

He nods sharply. "Understood. Shall we proceed to the bridge?"

"Lead the way."

We follow him through the corridors, the crew stepping aside as we pass. Okamoto moves with precise steps, every movement measured. Disciplined, methodical. I wonder where Evander found him.

On the bridge, the soft glow of consoles illuminates the room. Screens flicker with data streams, and the crew operates with quiet efficiency. It's strange seeing others in here with us—Kassian liked to do everything himself, even if it required that he always be connected to the ship by hardline.

Okamoto gestures to one of the consoles, and I step toward it. This ship's long-range system is old-fashioned, so it requires a direct hardline connection—something I'm not exactly fond of, but Keira doesn't know about that little quirk, and I'm not about to give her more ammunition to tease me with. So, I plug in without a word. The familiar surge hits, the ship's systems interfacing seamlessly with my processor.

Keira leans against a nearby console, arms crossed. "Think they'll pick up this time?"

"Only one way to find out."

I send out a hail to Nora and Kassian on Arkhona X. They're posing as members of RedLine Biotech—a tough cover considering their age. Still, with the Syndicate's corporate labyrinth, being a part of RedLine should give them enough pull to access private archives. At least that's what Evander thought, and he's rarely wrong.

Silence. Seconds stretch. No response.

I try again. Still nothing. My hand tightens around the edge of the console.

Keira shifts, sensing the tension. "That's not like them."

I think back to our previous missions—Nora and Kassian always checked in, even when things got rough. This silence feels different, like something is seriously wrong.

"No, it's not." I disconnect the hardline, and a knot tightens in my gut. "They should've at least acknowledged—sent a return ping."

Keira's brow furrows, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the grip of her pistol. "Could they be—"

"Compromised? Maybe. Or maybe it's just the nature of their mission. RedLine is a major company. I imagine all communications from employees at risk of spilling corporate secrets would be thoroughly screened."