Chapter One

Chapter One

It was supposed to be one of the happiest days of his life, yet Jack Laurants could feel nothing but sadness as he prepared for the graduation ceremony that marked the end of his stay at the United Earth Alliance Military Academy. Once he graduated he would receive his orders, probably banishing him to the Deep Space Laboratory in orbit of Pluto. The only other option was, now that he had led the Academy hockey team to the Yzerman Cup for the second straight year, that he would be dishonorably discharged for what had occurred on the training mission. By no means was Laurants sorry about what he had done, but he knew that it had marked the end of his military career.

Unfortunately, the end of his career would have to wait at least two years. Upon graduation, all Academy cadets had to spend a mandatory two years in active Alliance military service before they could resign their commission or be honorably discharged. For Laurants, this rule meant that he would be forced to endure two years in some far-flung location before he could become a private citizen again.

After his two years of service were up, then what would he do? He had received numerous offers from professional hockey teams, all of whom were more than willing to wait two years for him to leave the service. Many a scout, general manager, or reporter had told Laurants that he had the talent to become the next “great” player, he could have a long, distinguished career playing professional hockey if that was what he wanted. The problem for Laurants was that for the last six years he had no idea what he wanted. He had joined the military to try to find some kind of guidance, some kind of purpose for his life, but after four years he still felt lost, as though he were drifting along like a feather in the wind. Maybe the next two years will give me some time to think, to sort things out, he thought.

Laurants sighed as he finished packing up his personal possessions. The puck that he had shot for his 200th career goal and a picture of his family were the last items to be packed, stored in a protective case so that neither could be damaged. They were his most valued possessions, the puck reminded Laurants of the team he had led for three wonderful years while the picture was the last taken of his entire family.

The door hissed open, stirring Laurants from his thoughts. He turned to see Karen Taylor standing nervously in the doorway, her face twitching as though she wanted to say something, but could not. “I just wanted to say good-bye,” Taylor began, the door closing behind her.

“I’m sure we’ll see each other after the ceremony…”

Taylor cut Laurants off, “I wanted to say it in private.”

Laurants raised an eyebrow, “The ceremony’s going to start in a few minutes, but I guess we have time.” Laurants sat down on a pile of boxes while Taylor remained standing.

“You know, I never really thanked you for saving my life on the Gibraltar. If it hadn’t been for you, we would have all been killed.”

“There’s no need to thank me, Karen, I couldn’t have done anything without your help.”

Taylor looked flustered, her mouth moving for a moment, but no sound came out. Finally, she said, “I don’t know where we’ll be assigned, I just wanted to thank you in private, away from everyone else.”

“I understand, but it’s not like we’ll never see each other. No matter where we’re assigned, I’m sure we’ll bump into each other some time. We can get a drink, catch up on old times.”

Taylor smiled, “Right. Thanks, Jack.” Taylor turned and slowly left, leaving Laurants to wonder if he had missed something. He considered pursuing Taylor to ask her if something was wrong, but before he could even get up, the door opened and Thornton came barreling into the room.

“Come on, it’s time to form up!” Thornton shouted, her expression shifting to a frown. “Did I interrupt something?”

“No, I was just packing up. I don’t want to hang around here too long after I get my orders,” Laurants replied, snapping shut the last case holding his personal belongings.

“You sound like you’re going to a firing squad, not a graduation,” Thornton said, sitting down on a standard-issue dormitory chair.

“Either way it’s the end of my life,” Laurants muttered as he checked the other cases to make sure all were securely fastened for shipping.

“The end of your old life, the start of a new, exciting life.”

Laurants spun around to angrily face Thornton. “A new and exiting life doing what? Cleaning the waste recyclers of some freighter? That’s about the only commission I could get.”

“A lot of us think you did the right thing, Jack. You saved lives out there when Anders froze up, why should you be punished for that?”

Laurants shook his head wearily. “Everyone keeps saying that, but I didn’t do the right thing. I struck a superior officer and took command, which is mutiny! Anyone else would have been expelled, or suspended for at least a year, but not me. Not the star of the Academy hockey team, I’m above the fucking law! They just gave me a slap on the wrist so I could win another fucking championship for them. That way they could have the victorious team captain tour all over Earth and the colonies to say what a nice fucking place this is.” Laurants’s voice dropped to a hoarse growl, “How am I supposed to live with that?”

Thornton put a hand on his shoulder. “Just accept what happened and move on with your life. No matter what happens after today, you’ve done a lot of good things in your life. You saved the crew of that training ship, they owe you their lives for that. Star hockey player or not, there was no reason for anyone to punish you for being a hero.”

“Even heroes have to live within the rules,” Laurants grumbled bitterly. He sighed, looking around again at his empty dorm room. Everything he had tried to do and tried to be was over today. “We’d better get down to the parade grounds.” Thornton nodded, following Laurants out of the room and down to the lush green field where all of the graduates were gathering.

***

Laurants paid no attention to the graduation ceremony. He followed the other cadets, mimicking them as the graduates marched across the parade grounds to their seats. He feigned interest in the speakers, keeping a forced half-smile on his lips even though he took no joy in the ceremony. When his name was called he went onto the stage, shook hands with the Academy’s president, then took a compad from an Alliance captain that contained his orders. The file on the compad was time-sealed, not opening until after the ceremony was finished. Laurants sat anxiously for the rest of the ceremony, knowing that inside the circuits of the compad was his future. He absent-mindedly watched Thornton go up to the stage, feeling a small surge of happiness for his friend. Thornton was a bright student and a good officer; he knew she would get an assignment worthy of her talents.

After the long ceremony had finally concluded, Laurants went back to his dorm room to read his orders in private. He heard whoops and cheers from other cadets, signaling that those individuals had gotten the assignment they wanted. Slamming his door shut, Laurants sat down and activated the compad. The screen came to life, the single file on the compad opened and Laurants gasped in disbelief. No, it can’t be! He thought.

Laurants’s door flew open, Thornton stepping inside with a grin from ear to ear. “I got it! I got it!” She screamed.

“Got what?” Laurants asked, still in shock from the assignment he had received.

“The Explorer, I got assigned to the Explorer mission!” Six months ago Commander Arsa Veranda had arrived on the Academy campus, interviewing thirty cadets who were graduating after the next semester. Laurants had not been interviewed, but Thornton had, and it was all she had talked about since then. For that matter, it was all that most graduating cadets had been talking about. Adventurous cadets wanted to be on the Explorer to see parts of space no human had ever visited, while career-minded cadets wanted the assignment because they knew that having such a mission on their record would put them on the fast track for promotion. Less than half of those interviewed would be included on the mission roster, but it hadn’t stopped cadets like Thornton from hoping to make the cut.

“Really?”

“Yes, it’s right here! I made it!” Thornton stopped, her joyous mood turning somber. “What did you get, Jack?” Laurants was too surprised to speak, so he simply handed the compad to Thornton, whose eyes widened as she read. “Jack, this is wonderful!”

Laurants, even though he had not been interviewed, had somehow managed to be assigned to the Explorer mission. “This has to be a joke, or a mistake,” Laurants stammered. “I didn’t even interview with them!”

“I don’t know what to tell you, except congratulations.” Thornton hugged Laurants, who felt numb. Despite what he had done, he was being assigned to what many were already calling the most important mission in human history. Why? The question went through his head for hours that night, but he could find no answers. I guess I’ll have two years to figure it out, he thought gloomily.

***

The shuttle encountered the usual turbulence as it cleared the atmosphere, but within minutes Lisa Shaw was looking at the vast bulk of Sentinel Station, the headquarters for the Alliance’s orbital defenses. It was not visible from the outside, but Shaw knew that the Explorer was docked within the station, taking on supplies for its lengthy journey. She would have liked to dock directly with her ship, but the traffic around the Explorer was heavy enough without adding to it needlessly. Instead, the small shuttle landed outside the station on one of the many pads dedicated to small craft. A long gray tube extended from the station airlock, connecting with the shuttle’s airlock in order for Shaw to walk into Sentinel Station. After a short body scan to make sure that she was not carrying explosives or other hazardous devices, the door on the opposite end of the airlock opened. Two armed guards motioned her through after she flashed her military ID. The interior of the station was deceptively small, little more than one hundred yards across, most of the station’s space being dedicated to docking ports for large ships. On each level was an observation deck, allowing people to gaze out at the busy activity around each of the ships that were docked. Up to fifteen Alliance warships could be docked within the station on any given day, but today there were only two, the Explorer and a large freighter dubbed the Pioneer.

Shaw watched dozens of small ships buzz around the Explorer and Pioneer, unloading personnel or supplies for the mission and could not help but feel excitement building within her. Soon she would be away from Earth, which meant a reprieve from Alliance Command, the Compound, and her mother’s insistence that Shaw take a job on Earth. She would have new troubles to worry about, but it would be far more exciting and challenging than writing committee reports for Command. Taking a last look at her ship, Shaw turned away from the observation deck. As she stepped off the raised observation platform, something crashed into her, knocking her hard to the station’s deck.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” A feminine voice burst out. Looking up, Shaw could see a dark-haired ensign standing over her. The ensign’s face turned several shades paler as the realization of what she had done set in. “Captain, I didn’t mean to run into you.”

“No harm done,” Shaw replied, slowly getting to her feet. Adjusting her uniform unconsciously, Shaw could see that the ensign was standing at full attention. “There’s no need for that, Ensign.”

The ensign visibly relaxed, bending down to resettle three storage cases on the hovercart. “I’m sorry, sir, I didn’t see you.”

Shaw waved the ensign’s concern away, “There’s no problem Ensign…”

“Thornton, sir. Ensign Laurie Thornton.”

“Good to meet you, Ensign Thornton. I’m Captain Lisa Shaw.”

Thornton’s jaw dropped, her face almost turning green. “Oh my. This wasn’t how I wanted to make my first impression.”

“I take it you’ve been assigned to the Explorer?”

“Yes, sir. I just arrived from Vancouver a few minutes ago. The shuttle was late, so I was in a hurry, I guess I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.”

Shaw chuckled, “No one’s going to put you in front of a firing squad if your shuttle was late. I’ll escort you aboard to make sure you don’t get in trouble if you like.”

“I’d like that very much, sir.” Another ensign came up behind Thornton, pushing a hovercart of his own.

Shaw recognized him right away, extending her hand in greeting, “Ensign Jack Laurants, I presume?”

“Yes, sir, but how do you know…”

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Ensign.” Laurants’s forehead wrinkled, but he said nothing. “Congratulations on your two championships. I never was a hockey fan myself, but I heard that your team was the best ever fielded by the Academy.”

Laurants’s face flushed at the compliment, Shaw could tell that he was uncomfortable with the topic. “Thank-you, sir. My team and I may not have been the best, but we played very well together.”

“I was going to escort Ensign Thornton to the ship, care to join us?”

“I’d be delighted, sir,” Laurants replied, his voice chilly. He silently followed behind Shaw and Thornton as they headed for the Explorer’s airlock.

“I can’t believe I was chosen for this mission,” Thornton said cheerfully.

“Don’t be, your credentials were excellent,” Shaw responded. “You have a bright future ahead of you, Ensign.”

“Thank-you, sir. When are we going to be leaving port?”

Shaw shrugged, “The scheduled time is eighteen hours from now, but the prelaunch ceremonies could drag on longer than that.”

“Ceremonies?” Thornton asked.

“Our launch will make headlines throughout the system, everyone wants a piece of the action.”

The trio reached the airlock, where four security guards were waiting, rifles on their shoulders. Shaw stepped forward, taking out her military ID card. She handed the card to one security guard while another took out a scanning tool, which he briefly ran over Shaw’s body, then checked a compad displaying the results. Both guards nodded to each other, then Shaw’s ID was returned to her. “Everything checks out, sir. Welcome aboard.” The airlock ground open slowly, revealing the boarding tube that ran to the Explorer.

“I’ll see you at the ceremony, Ensigns,” Shaw nodded to Laurants and Thornton before stepping through the airlock and walking to her office on the deck below the Explorer’s bridge

“So, how’s everything going?” Shaw asked Arsa Veranda as they went into Shaw’s office.

“Right on schedule. One or two crates were damaged on loading, but nothing serious,” Veranda replied, taking a seat across from Shaw’s desk.

“Good. How many of the crew have reported?” Shaw asked as she sat down. She could see a stack of compads on her desk, crying for attention, but had no desire to get started on the pile of work. She would have months to catch up on administrative duties.

“About two dozen so far,” Veranda answered. “I see you had a couple of ensigns tagging along with you.”

“Yes. I bumped into them on my way in. Ensign Thornton is a very nice girl, but I don’t think Laurants said more than five words the entire way.”

“I take it you’re going to want me to watch him for you.”

“Not too closely, just make sure he gets settled in and doesn’t cause any trouble.”

“I’m telling you he’s going to be a problem.”

“We’ll see,” Shaw sighed. “Is everything ready for the ceremony?”

“I checked with the station, they say that everything is in place. Do you have your speech prepared?” Veranda asked sarcastically.

“It’s as good as I’m going to make it,” Shaw growled. She knew that it was necessary to have her make a speech before the ship left port, but she still did not like it. “I wish we didn’t have to make such a big deal about this mission.”

“You know as well as I do that the Alliance wants to use this to generate some goodwill from the public on Earth and the colonies. They still think the Alliance botched the situation on Mars.”

“I know, I know. I just don’t like the idea of turning this operation into a circus to benefit the Alliance’s marketers. No matter what they say, this is a military operation, not a pleasure cruise.”

“Don’t worry, none of this will matter once we’re in deep space.”

“I’m counting the days,” Shaw replied.

Veranda nodded then asked teasingly, “So, should I leave you alone to practice your speech?”

“I doubt it will help, but you may as well.” Veranda left silently, leaving Shaw alone to worry about the speech and the compads piled on her desk. Sighing, she activated the first pad and set to work.

***

Amanda Rosaro and her platoon had been waiting five hours to board the Explorer. Her weary troops had tried to trudge on board, but were informed that General Wallace was requesting that all Alliance ground troops remain aboard the station until Wallace arrived. The general had shown up an hour ago, but spent that time talking to the dozens of reporters that were clustered around him while his command anxiously waited to board the ship and stow their equipment. Wallace, dressed in a formal uniform that hid his potbelly and was decked with as many ribbons and medals as there was room for, broke away from the reporters and quieted the crowd. Rosaro ordered her troops to stand at attention while Wallace bellowed, “Our brave soldiers are going to this new world and risk there lives to create a new colony that will not only increase humanity’s presence in the universe, but will create economic prosperity for all citizens of the Alliance.”

“What a fucking blowhard,” Corporal Caustillo grumbled, the others snarling similar curses.

“Settle down guys, we’ve still got a mission,” Davis snapped. “Next one to utter a syllable is going to eat his teeth.” Knowing that Davis meant his threat, the platoon silently aligned themselves into two columns, each soldier carrying twice their own weight in supplies and equipment. Rosaro and Davis were at the head of the columns, wishing that the pomp and circumstance were over with.

“Forward, march!” Someone at the lead of the procession bellowed. Methodically, all of the foot soldiers moved out, Wallace in the lead, his smile never wavering as he passed the waiting reporters. Rosaro squinted as she went by, trying to block out the near-blinding light from the various holocameras. She opened her eyes when she entered the boarding tube, glad that the ordeal was finally over.

The platoon silently walked through the bland gray corridors of the Explorer to the barracks. Rosaro ordered her troops to begin transferring clothes and other supplies to the locker assigned to each soldier. It had been a long day and all Rosaro wanted to do was sleep, but she knew that she could not. The preflight ceremony would begin in about ten hours; she had a lot to do before then. She had to make sure her troops were squared away, and then report to Captain Monroe, her company commander. Monroe would give a briefing to all unit commanders about the training and drill schedules. After that, there would be enough time to shower, put on a fresh uniform and lead her platoon to the ceremony. She stowed her gear in her locker, then stretched the sore muscles of her back. It had been less than a day since the grueling exercises on the lunar colony had ended, exercises that had stressed Rosaro and her troops to the limit, but in the end the Fifth Platoon had outperformed every other unit.

“Feeling tired, boss?” Davis asked.

“Just a little sore. Keep everyone out of trouble while I’m at the briefing.”

“Can we at least rub it in that we beat all of the other platoons?” Davis teased.

“Not unless one of them starts something. They should know by now not to fuck with us.”

“All right, we won’t fire until fired upon. I’ll make sure they get some rest before the ceremony.”

“Good.” Rosaro checked all of her troops before heading to the briefing room. She hoped Wallace had enjoyed his media moment, after the launch ceremony he wouldn’t have another press opportunity for nearly two years. That thought cheered Rosaro as she stepped into the crowded briefing room.

***

Initially, the launch ceremony had been planned to take place near the airlock to the Explorer, but as the guest list had swelled, planners had been forced to move the event to a larger area. Instead, the station’s gymnasium, the only room large enough for the purpose, was cleared of all equipment and turned into an impromptu auditorium. Initially, the mission commanders and assorted dignitaries would have made their speeches from the same location, then those attached to the mission would board the ship, but the change of setting had dictated a change in plans. Instead, the commanders and dignitaries were on the stage of the Explorer’s briefing room, where their speeches would be broadcast to the station’s gym for the audience to watch. Shaw, feeling uncomfortable in her white dress uniform, sat nervously on a chair to the right of the podium that had been placed in the center of the stage. A video screen showed the gym, where the most powerful people in the Alliance occupied rows of chairs. Despite the social standing of the occupants, the setting reminded Shaw more of a graduation ceremony than anything else.

Shaw, her mother, General Wallace, General Harry York, and Alliance president Thomas Fujimoto sat in the first row of chairs to the right of the podium while the row behind them was occupied by a pair of senators and three Alliance officers who would make very small contributions to the ceremony. One of those officers took the podium first, mumbling something about why everyone had gathered today.

Shaw’s mind turned from the ceremony to her own speech. She knew that the text she had written was already in the prompter to the right of the video screen showing the gym, that would help her keep her place, but she was unsure if she had chosen the right words. Turning her thoughts back to the ceremony, she saw President Fujimoto take the podium. As he spoke, Shaw noticed that it really was true that he never used a prompter for any speech, due to his photographic memory. While the president spoke, Shaw thought over again what she would say when it was her time to speak.

After Fujimoto’s speech, the bulk of which praised the pioneering spirit of humanity, Shaw’s mother gave a short lecture on the personnel, resources, and money invested in the Explorer and Pioneer’s mission. Shaw’s mother then introduced General Wallace, who made a long, boisterous speech about the courage and heroism it had taken to undertake the mission. Once he was finished, General Harry York, commander of the two fighter squadrons aboard the Explorer, rambled for nearly ten minutes about various places he had served and people he had known. When he was through, it was Shaw’s turn to speak.

Shaw took the podium, her cheeks flushing red as she realized that all eyes were suddenly fixed upon her. Shaw usually had no problems with speaking in public, but never had she spoken before such a large audience, especially an audience filled with such important people. For a sickening moment she merely stood at the podium, staring at the video screen, then cleared her throat and looked over at the prompter. She forced calm into her voice as she began her speech.

“Since the time that humans first walked Earth, the universe has been created and recreated an almost infinite number of times. Primitive tribes would encounter other tribes, casting aside the universe that had existed to the tribe only hours before. When explorers like Columbus or Magellan set out they created a new universe. Each time we, as humans, reach out into the unknown we create a new universe. Today, as the Explorer sets out, another new universe will be created. Once we have launched, nothing will ever be the same again. The universe that previously existed for all of us will seem completely different. It will seem smaller and less threatening.”

Shaw could see looks of confusion on the faces of those on the video screen, but pressed on. “Once humans were bound to one city, then one nation, then one planet, and finally one star system. Now all of that will change. Humanity is leaving behind the warm cradle of the Solar System, taking its first steps into another system with another star. With those steps we leave behind all of our old notions of the universe and our place in it. As we set out today, humankind will take a new place in the universe. Like a child leaving the cradle, we will no longer fear the darkness all around us, but instead recognize the opportunities that await us within that darkness. Today we will not only begin a journey to expand human knowledge, but to expand what it means to be human.” There was thunderous applause as Shaw sheepishly returned to her seat. She wiped sweat from her forehead and tried to work moisture back into her parched throat as her mother took the podium once again to conclude the ceremony.

“No one can deny that the mission undertaken today is the most important in all of history. These three brave warriors have been charged with leading our men and women to a planet untouched by humans.” Shaw’s mother turned towards Shaw, Wallace, and York, smiling broadly. “Good luck and Godspeed to you.” Shaw’s mother shook hands with Wallace and York, then stopped as she reached her daughter, tears coming to her eyes. “I’m going to miss you, Lisa. Be careful.”

“Thank-you, Mother. I’ll come back, I promise,” Shaw whispered, then shook her mother’s hand. Applause erupted once again, as Shaw, Wallace, and York hurried off of the stage to take their positions on the Explorer. The feed to the station’s gymnasium was cut; the dignitaries began dismounting the stage to board a small transport that would whisk them back to the station.

Veranda met Shaw just outside of the briefing room, smiling. “That was a good speech. Maybe a little melodramatic, but very effective.”

“That’s all I was hoping for,” Shaw replied. “Now, let’s get the hell out of here.”

The bridge of the Explorer was a standard Alliance cruiser layout. There were three compartments: the forward compartment contained the helm, navigation, and command stations; the middle compartment was dominated by a holographic projector used for strategic planning but also contained the offensive and defensive system stations; and the rear compartment was composed of the communications and sensor stations. The lift door was located in the rear compartment, allowing Shaw to take note of the readiness of the entire bridge as she walked to her chair in the center of the forward compartment. Shaw’s command station contained a console that provided information on all ship functions and allowed her to contact any part of the ship. Veranda was seated against the wall to Shaw’s right, her station of a similar design.

The Explorer’s briefing room had been cleared out, all dignitaries safely aboard Sentinel Station so that the launch could finally begin. “Status of the Pioneer?” Shaw called out to Veranda.

“They’re ready to launch as soon as we clear the station,” Veranda replied, checking her console.

“Good, then let’s get out of their way,” Shaw punched the intercom to the communications station. “Lieutenant, tell Control that we are ready to launch.”

“Aye sir,” Lieutenant Darryl Sims responded.

“All boarding tubes are being released, airlocks are sealed,” Veranda stated.

“Excellent. Begin to move us out of here, Lieutenant Macias. Thrusters only,” Shaw ordered.

“Yes, sir, thrusters only,” Lieutenant John Macias replied. Slowly the Explorer began to move forward, although it was nearly undetectable from where Shaw was sitting. Even so, the Explorer was clearing the dock that had held it captive for months, heading for the entry gate that had already been opened. It would take several minutes for the ship to clear the station, but the Explorer’s main drive could not be used in the station without causing serious damage to the station and the Pioneer. Looking around the bridge, Shaw could see everyone staring out the forward screen, except for Macias, who was diligently working to ease the Explorer out of Sentinel Station.

It took nearly five minutes for the Explorer to finally slip through the entry gate and out into open space. “We’ve cleared the station, sir,” Macias reported.

“Very well, activate the main drive and take us to the holding point. We’ll stay there until the Pioneer has caught up,” Shaw commanded.

“Aye, sir,” Macias acknowledged. The Explorer’s main engines came to life, glowing blue-white as they pushed the warship towards a point just outside of the lunar colony in order to be free of the Earth’s gravitational field. Once the slower Pioneer came to the holding point, both ships would be able to go to hyperspace.

Shaw’s console came to life, the intercom with the communications station activating. “Sir, we’re receiving a message from Sentinel Station,” Sims reported.

“Let’s have it.”

The message came from Shaw’s mother, “Congratulations, Explorer. We will look forward to seeing you upon your return.” As was her mother’s style, the message was very succinct and to the point. Sighing, Shaw knew that there was now nothing else to do but wait for the Pioneer to catch up.

It took two hours for the slow freighter to finally clear the lunar colony and drift up next to the Explorer. “We’re ready to head on outta here,” the Pioneer’s captain drawled.

“Acknowledged, Pioneer.” Shaw looked over to Macias, who was waiting for her command. “On my mark, activate the hyperdrive. Ready…mark!” The two ships seemed split into dozens, blurring together until both the Explorer and Pioneer disappeared in a burst of light. Hyperspace maneuvering was relatively new; the pilots of both ships had trained for weeks in a simulator before the launch.

“Looks like we’re in business,” Veranda said, expressing the relief everyone on the bridge felt.

“It certainly does,” Shaw replied. It would take over thirty hours for the two ships to pass Pluto, after that it would be empty space until the Explorer and Pioneer reached the new colony. On her console, Shaw keyed up an image of Earth that had been taken just before the Explorer had gone into hyperspace, knowing that it would be two years before she saw her home planet again. Staring at the image, Shaw could feel nothing but excitement. At last, she was away from Alliance Command with its bureaucracy and paperwork. For the next two years she would be out in space, in unfamiliar territory with her ship and crew. It was a challenge she had been dreaming about ever since that day in her mother’s office, now it was finally here. Smiling, Shaw turned off the image on the console, then decided to head down to her office to start on the work that was piled on her desk. Yet even as she headed to the lift door, there was a spring in her step. For whatever reason, the pile of work on her desk didn’t seem to bother her anymore.