Ambassador of War

Chapter 10

Cobalt floated through the empty corridors of the Exodus, drying her face with the sleeve of her tunic. She might have been among only trusted members of her military, but a year after her space-borne coronation, she was determined to present an image of calm when in official conferences. She could shed a tear in private – she had shed many tears, in her quarters, in Vicss', her only childhood friend who was awake – but when deciding their next course of action, something that had kept evolving from the moment her arteries had recovered from freezing, she had to remain composed. If the Queen fell apart, what would happen to the people?

It should have been her, she thought for the thousandth time.

Coming at last to the door leading into the conference room, she took a moment to breath, to compose herself. Then, she pulled open the door, floating inside.

The men and women around the table stood up and saluted, and she quickly waved them down, still uncomfortable with the formality. She avoided her father's eyes, though she knew they were proud – if she saw the sadness that had taken him, she would lose control of her own. As she took her place, she looked instead at the chart projected on the table, a map of the stars.

"That one's changed," she noticed, pointing to a spot that was ahead of the arrow that marked their position. Specifically, the ring of tiny specks that surrounded it.

"Yes," the Exodus' navigator confirmed. "Salvasar-66. We detected planets around that one; so far we've found six, but there could be as many as ten. What is interesting is how similar one of those planets is to ours, atmosphere wise. Similar elements."

"So we can breathe?"

"Almost certainly."

"It is a bit smaller than our home," one of the scientists added. "You'll feel lighter. Also, we think it rotates once every twenty-four hours – three times as fast as ours. However, it is a viable candidate for a base."

"Which one is it?"

"The third. Salvasar-66c."

"What makes it even more convenient," Zion cut in, "is where it is."

"Right in our path."

"We're lucky to have found it."

"Assuming it is what we see," the scientist warned. "We're seeing it as it was a few centuries ago. Many things could have changed."

"It's your call, Cobalt." Zion sat back. "The scientist is right, though."

"If we're only just finding it, it will take the Protectorate just as long to locate," Cobalt mused. "If it is as we think it is, we won't be confined to our ship, without protection that is. Lower gravity can be dealt with."

"If we're wrong, we won't be able to rectify. We only have enough carconium for one deceleration, no more – this ship isn't designed to take off again, and if we had spare fuel on impact..."

She decided.

"Unless we find another candidate in the next year, we'll go there. Take the chance. And pray to the gods it pays off."

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

The End