ATHANATOS

Skotadi

Months Later

Floating around in orbit around the sun in the darkest part of the Solar System was The Outer Rim. Up close it was a large number of planetoids with massive settlements on each one surrounding the entire system. As the Aurora approached, they looked like bright stars from its view. When they got closer, its main structures were revealed. The planetoids were more or less spherical and slightly larger than major cities. The colonies on them were technological marvels. Each of them was equipped with living compartments, defense systems and its own research and development centers. From the outside it looked like small cities curved along the surface of the planetoid it was on. Its crown jewel was the fusion reactor powered Capital.

The Aurora was within a day of reaching the Capital dwarf planet, the largest of the four Rim hubs, and massive cubes, settlements, and some bare land with streaks of black mining and drilling equipment running across like webs on a table.

On the inside, military reports were finalised, transmissions were sent, and the crew of the Aurora was cleared for entry. Its thrusters fired forwards, decelerating it to a stop. The rear thrusters took their first chance to cool down after three months of near-continuous work. Ryan, Zack, Sam and Alex, and Ethan packed up, and made sure nothing was left on board. They were pushed out of their personal quarters, and were sent into the main body of the ship. The habitation modules were cleaned and sealed off automatically, while the special sensor cubes were powered down. The crew gathered on the main body, and prepared to disembark. Moments later, the window was filled with the remainder of the transports from the original convoy. Exo classes tended to be a little faster. Finally an announcement came over the intercom.

All crew and passengers, prepare for landing. All crew roles except for engineering, navigation and communications are to step down. We have entered the Outer Rim's Strong Influence Space. Officers from planetside will be with us shortly to ensure everything is in order.

Nidhi's voice could easily be recognised. She sat down in her chair at the helm of the ship, and watched the people moving outside, on the main deck. On her screen was a group of soldiers, 25 of them, from different specialisations. Checking their faces closely, and recounting, she pressed a few buttons. The weaponry turned off, the kitchen began its auto-cleaning routine and the hangar was shut off until landing. Another group of people was also there. Four teenagers and two adults. Three of her family, and three of her family's new family. They were dressed in civilian clothes, holding backpacks and staring out of the large windows. She lost herself watching those six, excited and enchanted by the fancy technology of the Outer Rim.

A neutrino wave transmission five minutes later reminded her of who and where she was.

This is Capital Border Squad 3. Please confirm your credentials.

Nidhi sighed, and looked at communications. The man at the console gave her a nod and she started.

Meanwhile Ryan and Zack's eyes glazed and they both were incredibly bored. The inspection procedure was drab, long and tedious. Ten people in well pressed uniform walked around the ship, running through everything with a fine toothed comb. Nidhi stood up, patted down the creases and met them on the deck.

"Everything in order, I presume?"

"Nothing else expected from you."

"Good. So are we cleared for a landing? I've got people waiting on this ship and in the transports."

The squad captain smiled at Nidhi, shook her hand and walked off in the direction of the airlock, crew in tow.

Soon enough, four small carrier ships set off from the Aurora, descending onto the icy landscape of the dwarf planet, Skotadi. A maintenance crew flew up in the opposite direction, towards the empty Aurora, as the large habitation and passenger modules were disconnected and transported by tugs to an asteroid shipyard not far away. The passengers of the carriers were strapped onto the sides of the craft. Each craft had someone giving a briefing on how to walk on the dwarf planet.