Kate learned of Yori’s demise the moment she landed at Shackleton Base. She wasn’t sure if the nausea was from the low gravity sickness or the news from the compound, but everything inside was hurting.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way. This should have been a time to celebrate being away from the family, but instead all she could think of was returning. Sun had already sent word for Kate to continue with her mission. She was not to come home. Kate wanted to, partly because she wanted to mourn with her family and partly because she wanted to take over the library, but either way she knew that the family’s next move sent a message to the attackers.
A group of officers stood waiting outside the arrival gates to escort Kate to her room. Base security was not taking any chances. Some were in plain clothes, others in uniform, but all considered her high risk after the attack.
They led her through the corridors of Shackleton Base. As she passed strangers, she actually started to feel better. She couldn’t help but smile at them. Of course, everyone knew who she was and no one looked surprised to see her. Word spreads fast on the moon colonies.
Kate had planned on spending time around the base, meeting new people. Instead, she would be under lock and key until they left for Jupiter Station in a couple of weeks.
The group then reached the main corridor where large windows stretched across the entire northern face of the building, offering passersby a stunning view of Malapert Mountain
The base was built on the rim of a twenty-one kilometer wide crater. It’s location near the South Pole allowed for continual exposure to the sun and access to a wealth of resources trapped at its base. Malapert crater, however, was almost seventy kilometers wide and its mountain stretched five kilometers above the moon’s surface.
It was the sight of the first radio transmitters astronauts used to communicate with Earth.
Kate didn’t even realize she had stopped walking when Omari touched her arm and motioned for her to continue. When the group arrived at her room, he stepped inside to check it. He did not even look at her, but instead kept his eyes moving as he told her to stay inside at all times. He would be outside for a while confirming plans with base security. Then he asked Eric to wait with her.
As the door closed behind them, Kate walked up to Eric, took his cheeks and kissed him.
So many frustrations flushed across her mind and she let a single tear fall down her cheek. Eric felt it touch his. He pulled back to look her in the eyes, then held her tight and let her weep. For just a moment.
•••
Sun stood motionless on the chamber balcony, overlooking the grounds of the Alexander compound. Everything was in place and untouched. The library was on the backside, so she could not see the damage. But, it never left her mind.
William stepped out onto the balcony, walked up behind her, lightly placed his hands on her arms and squeezed. She lowered her chin for a moment and closed her eyes.
Quickly, though, she straightened her posture and raised her head again.
“I love you,” he told her.
She placed her hand on his. “I love you, too.”
Both of them knew how many steps away Sun was from being caught in the blast. Yori was standing with the professor in the atrium when the bomb exploded. Sun was only steps away inside the library, hurrying to join them.
“No one will get inside those gates again without my approval,” he told her.
“I know you will find out what happened,” Sun said.
“I will,” William responded.
It could have been an attack planned for Yori or Sun. Or, it could have simply been an attack planned not on one person, but on the entire family.
She turned around to William, “I would like you to take over The Library.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Who will command the military?” he asked.
“I’m considering James,” Sun said.
“Really?”
“I know I haven’t always spoken well of him, but he has trained his entire life to take over,” she told him. “Perhaps it is the right time.”
“I fear his confidence was shaken when he lost to Kate,” William stated. “I’m not sure he’s ready.”
“You lost to me several times, and you did not always take it well,” she reminded him.
“This is true,” he said.
Her duty was to choose another librarian as quickly as possible. Yori was a reliable and trusted friend. He could not be replaced, but someone had to watch over the box.
“I believe it is the right choice,” she said. “I’ll announce it tomorrow. Send for James now, I’ll inform him first.”
“I will,” he said.
William kissed his wife, then left the balcony and headed for the training room.
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