Word travels fast in the vacuum of space. Kate called for a shuttle after her battle with James, but before she even set foot on Shackleton Base everyone knew what had happened.
Omari and Io were waiting for her in the arrival bay, and William was expecting her communication as soon as she arrived. Kate did not change out of the Lab Reclamations uniform she stole for her escape. Nor did she attempt to wipe the blood away. She quickly returned to quarters and contacted her father.
“You are being recalled to Earth,” he told her.
“Did you help him escape?” she asked.
“Yes.”
William waited for a response, but Kate did not say a word. Nor did she change her facial expression. She knew the answer and did not have to fight off surprise.
“We are sending Io and Omari as our representatives to Jupiter Station. We need you to come back and help.” William paused. “We need you to help rebuild here.”
“Very well,” she said, then immediately ended the communication and began packing.
Kate moved quickly around the room. Still her face did not change. Somewhere inside the emotions were brewing, but they were weeks, perhaps even months away from surfacing.
She took the first shuttle back to Earth with a small security force. She no longer needed a large contingent. Her reputation around the system had already changed.
Kate was now the fighter. She could not kill her brother, which meant she had heart, but she defeated him. She found a way to escape her own forces and leave the leader of the Alexander military lying on the floor like a wounded animal. Weeks ago when she gave a touching eulogy for Yori, she was the darling of the system. Now the people saw her as something else. She was too bloody to be adorable.
Io was told to stay on the moon until she was acclimated enough for deep space travel. Then, she and Omari were going to Jupiter Station for the arrival of the Odyssey, if it was going to arrive at all.
As for James, the family decided not to pursue him for the time being. They chose to meet later and decide what to do about the “exile,” as they called him.
Some people throughout the system decided he had run away to the slums on Mars. Others thought he joined one of the political enemies of the Alexanders on Earth. There were even rumors he was working with members of the Machinists who went underground after Io’s parents were assassinated. He was said to be trying to return them to some kind of former glory.
Most people knew if someone wanted to hide out, Earth was not the place to do it.
Neither was the moon. It was home to the first extraterrestrial colony, but the plan was to construct it as a launching point for other bases across the system.
Mars followed soon after and became the most popular destination. After all, it was the first planet humans colonized. People waited for years for a trip to the Martian colonies.
Then came Jupiter Station.
Once humans made it past the asteroid belt, Mars lost its draw. Everyone interested in venturing beyond their home planet wanted to go as far as possible. Several of the remote Martian colonies deteriorated and fell into ruin. It became a place for those looking to hide, like James.
Kate did not think of James, or talk about the fight between them. When someone asked she would only say, “He got away.”
She thought when she arrived on Earth; James would be the first thing discussed. But, no one asked her about it. She was brought to the council chamber where new appointments were made to the council. A meeting was planned for the following day, and she was sent off to settle in and get something to eat. Walking down the hallway to her quarters, she started to feel a flicker of warmth in her stomach.
She was the new Curator of the Library, something she had wanted her whole life. Of course, this was not the way she wanted it, but a small piece of happiness started to grow inside anyway.
William returned to his former post as the Commander of the military, and Maria’s son Fernando became the new Administrator. Like his mother, Fernando was an attractive and social creature. He understood people, and was very clever.
After a good meal and long bath, Kate decided to head for the Curator’s office in the depths of the Library.
William was waiting for her in the vestibule. “I knew you would visit the office first,” he said.
“What do you want, father?”
“I know I have lost some of your trust because I helped James,” he told her. With that, she turned away and looked at the tree engraved on the wall. He asked her to go with him to the vault, while she pretended not to listen and scanned the room around her.
Unknowingly, her eyes glossed over the family tree and landed on Yori’s name. She had not been in that room since his death date was added. She looked back at her father.
“Why should I take you to the vault?” she demanded.
“You were the one who discovered the problem with the Odyssey’s logs. It signals a larger threat that can only be understood through the box.”
“You know why the logs were tampered with?” she asked.
“I believe I do,” he said. “And I know why we were given the box all those years ago.”
“Why?”
“It’s best if you and I visit the vault together. You turn it on, and I’ll ask the question.”
Kate started to walk towards the library, “Then let’s go.”
“I must warn you,” he said. “The truth is not easy to live with.”
“Remember that when you look at Yori’s family.” She walked past him and into the library.
The two headed downstairs, crossed the atrium where Yori was killed and entered the vault.
Once inside, Kate placed her hand on the table in the center of the room and the box rose up. She put her hand on the top, and the hieroglyphics began to glow. William put his hand inside and closed his eyes. It took only moments for the answer to his question to flow through Kate and into William.
She stepped back, almost falling back into one of the seats encircling the wall of the room, and looked up at her father.
“It can’t be,” she said.
“It is.” He walked over and took the seat beside her. He lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, fearing she would toss it away. But she did nothing.
“Why didn’t they just tell us about the Nekuia?”
“How would we have handled that news hundreds of years ago?” he said. “We might have killed ourselves with panic. Instead, we have been able to use the information in the box to slowly prepare for our defense. We just might have a chance.”
“Do you think the Odyssey has already been destroyed?”
“I do.”
“Then why send Io and Omari to greet her?”
“Nobody else knows, and it is best to keep it that way,” he said. “For the time being.”
“Who does know?”
“You, me and your mother. Io knows some of the story, but not everything.”
“Did James know?”
“He only knew there was a problem with the Odyssey, but he did not know about the Nekuia.”
“Do you have a plan?”
“Not yet.”
William and Kate left the vault with heavier hearts than they had entered it with. The Alexander family would have to try and heal from the events of the past few months, while preparing for the road ahead.
Something dark was stirring in the far reaches of the galaxy and it was headed their way.
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