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Chapters 1

Sunrise painted the room in warm gold. Sarah woke up to the light on her face and the rich aroma of coffee brewing downstairs. She shuffled down, hair tousled, and house robe pulled tight, to find her husband already immersed in his newspaper, a cup of coffee in hand. Sarah grabbed her favorite mug and poured herself a cup. 

“Good morning, Hun,” Nathan said, lifting his head from the paper. 

She placed her free hand on his shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze before kissing his cheek. “Good morning. The new assignment should be coming in today; just waiting for confirmation from central command.” She paused, raising the mug to her lips. The first sip brought a small, satisfied smile to her face. “Anything interesting in there?” 

Nathan took a sip of his coffee, a chuckle rumbling in his chest. “Apparently, President Lenmark is calling a world summit to celebrate his 12th term. Guess it helps when you’re the first president to make world peace with every country.” 

In the hall leading to the office, Sarah paused. The walls were a gallery of their life: missions she ran solo, and missions she and Nathan flew after they married. She could barely remember a time they'd spent more than a couple of months on Earth before returning to orbit. Space has become normal. While she savored the terrestrial pleasures—the sun on her face, the salty air of the ocean—she knew her real home was among the stars. 

Months after graduating from top of her class at the academy, she was already on her first mission. Soon after, she was commanding her own ship. The photos chronicled her crew's growth over the years, a handpicked team she’d forged into the best. A swell of pride warmed her chest. Before entering the office, her eyes landed on one last picture: her old mentor, pinning on her commander’s insignia in front of her first ship. 

Setting her coffee on the desk, Sarah turned on some soft music and settled into her chair as she logged into the computer. After a hot shower, Sarah headed downstairs to find Nathan in the garage, cleaning his workshop. “Hey Hun. We must be at the base today for our briefing. Clean up and meet me there in an hour, and we can grab lunch.” 

Nathan smirked, throwing a towel over his shoulder before kissing her cheek. “Yes, ma’am,” he replied. Sarah climbed on her motorcycle, and with a roar of the ignition, headed down the driveway. 

An hour later, Nathan pulled his car into the parking bay at the base and spotted Sarah’s motorcycle. She was already inside, waiting for him. 

The lobby buzzed with the constant flow of uniformed personnel. The receptionist greeted him with a warm smile and asked for his credentials. After he signed in, she directed him down the corridor to the briefing room. “Major General Lockhart is already there,” she said. “Just present your ID badge to security at the door.” 

Nathan followed the holographic signs, his footsteps echoing on the slick floors. The hum of server banks grew louder as he passed a row of climate-controlled labs. The guards stationed outside the briefing room door raised their hands in unison. One asked for his ID badge and, after confirming his clearance, showed Nathan inside. Unsurprisingly, Sarah was already there, saving him a seat. He sat, and she gave him a smile brimming with eagerness. 

Several minutes later, an officer called, “Attention on deck!” 

Everyone stood and saluted as Major General Lockhart entered. He returned the salute crisply. “At ease.” 

Once they were seated, a guard scanned his badge. A click sounded from the wall, and the indicator light on the door flashed from green to red, signaling the room was secure. 

“Thank you for coming,” Major Lockhart began, his voice commanding. He looked toward the holographic projector on the wall. “Echo, pull up operation specs for mission Phoenix.” 

A synthetic voice responded from the room’s speakers. “Voice confirmed as Major General Lockhart. Accessing.” 

The projector hummed to life. Lines of code flickered across the wall before resolving into schematics and video fragments of a space station. 

“Alright, people,” the Major continued, “this mission is different. Normally, your objective is to test new stations before we hand them over to the government. This time, the station was built nearly two decades ago and was believed to have been decommissioned. It was rediscovered by accident, caught in the orbit of a Chinese satellite. It’s approximately one hundred kilometers out and closing. At its current trajectory, impact is in two months.” 

He paused, letting the weight of the words settle. “Your objective is to dock, get this station fully operational, and prevent it from colliding with that satellite. A collision would not only rain debris into Earth’s atmosphere but would be seen by China as an act of war.” 

A flurry of questions erupted from the team. Why hadn't the station been decommissioned properly? Who oversaw the original project? The Major deflected most of the questions with vague half-answers. 

As lead engineer, Nathan needed all the files he could get. “Sir, I’ll need complete schematics and structural integrity reports on the station.” 

A concerned, puzzled look crossed Sarah’s face. “Sir,” she asked, her lips pressed into a thin line, “once we have control of the station and have averted the collision, what is our objective?” 

Major Lockhart paused for a fraction of a second too long. “Those orders will be given once the international incident has been avoided.” 

The answer didn't sit right with Sarah. This wasn't normal protocol. Missions always had primary and secondary objectives fully outlined. Nathan started to speak up, but Sarah laid a hand on his, giving a slight shake of her head. 

After the Major dismissed them, they walked to the parking bay in silence. Nathan could see the unnerving look on Sarah’s face and took her hand. A small, grateful smile touched her lips as she looked at him. Reaching her motorcycle, she asked, “So, ready for lunch? I’m in the mood for a greasy burger from that old diner just outside the city.” 

Nathan laughed. “Wow, we haven’t eaten there in years. What made you think of that?” 

“I don’t know,” she said coyly. “Suddenly craving something real instead of base food.” She swung her leg over the motorcycle. “Last one there pays. And I’m getting a shake.” 

Before he could respond, her engine roared to life, and she sped out of the parking bay. 

Nathan pulled into the rundown parking lot of ‘Old Andy’s’ to see Sarah already there, leaning against her motorcycle with a victorious smirk. The old neon sign flickered, a relic in an age of AI-managed solar utilities. 

They slid into a booth by the window, the worn leather cool against Sarah’s hand. The feeling brought back a rush of memories: sitting in this very booth in high school, laughing with friends and… him. She blinked, pulling herself back to the present. 

Nathan was chuckling. “Where’d you go, babe?” 

“Oh, nowhere,” she said with a shy laugh. “It’s just… I can’t believe nothing’s changed.” 

A waitress with too much makeup and a chirpy smile hustled over. “Hi there, I’m Tess. What can I get for you, sweetie?” she asked, her focus on Nathan. 

He glanced at the chalkboard menu. “I’ll have the Mega Greaser, please. With everything on it.” 

“And for you, miss?” 

“The Mini Greaser, please,” Sarah said. “And a strawberry shake. The old-fashioned way.” 

“I’ll have a Coke,” Nathan added. 

They talked and laughed while they waited, reminiscing until their food arrived. The burgers were even better than they remembered, a welcome change from months of prepped meals in space. After they’d both cleaned their plates, Nathan reached across the table and took Sarah’s hand, a comfortable silence settling between them. It was as if they were having a whole conversation without a single word. 

Nathan finally broke the quiet. “Well, we better get home and enjoy our last night on Earth for a while.” 

As they parted ways in the parking lot, Sarah looked at Nathan with a playful glint in her eye. “Race you home? Think you can handle losing twice in one day?” 

Driving home on the interstate, Nathan watched the city lights flicker on, transforming the night. Holographic billboards slid across skyscrapers, illuminating the sleek electric vehicles on the road. Technology has come so far. 

When he pulled into the driveway, Sarah’s motorcycle was already in the garage. He laughed to himself. Inside, he found her curled in a chair by the fireplace, a glass of wine in one hand and a paperback in the other. 

He walked over and kissed her forehead, the heat from the flames warming his skin. Grabbing a beer from the fridge, he settled into the chair opposite her. They relaxed in the quiet crackle of the fire until Sarah finished her wine and closed her book. 

Nathan rose and rubbed her shoulders. “Time for bed,” he said softly. “We’ve got a long couple of days ahead of us.” 

Sunlight trickled through the blinds as Nathan woke, Sarah still sleeping peacefully against his chest. He lay motionless, listening to her calm breathing and the birds chirping outside. For what felt like moments but was several minutes. He held the love of his life, wrapped in blissful silence. 

Sarah’s eyes fluttered open. She took a deep breath, stretching as she sat up, then looked back at him. Nathan met her gaze with a soft smile. 

“Good morning, hon,” she said, her voice thick with sleep. 

He sat up, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her cheek. “Good morning, you.” He pulled her close, and they sat together as the sun climbed into the morning sky, brightening the room. 

The morning unfolded into their familiar routine. They needed to prepare for a two-day training course for their next mission. While Nathan cooked a simple but savory breakfast, Sarah finished signing mission files in the office. The smell of cooking food drew her downstairs, where Nathan had everything waiting on the dining table, the morning paper sitting on the corner. 

“Gosh, that was delicious. I’m so full,” Sarah exclaimed after they’d eaten. 

Nathan gathered the dishes, with a satisfied smile on his face. He glanced at her as she read the paper. “I’ll get these if you want to get our gear in the car.” 

 

Sarah agreed, and soon after packing, they pulled out of the driveway. 

After arriving at the base, they parked in the garage and grabbed their gear from the trunk. Nathan and Sarah flashed their ID badges at the front desk and headed to the lab’s locker rooms to change into their FDA-approved spacesuits before making their way to the training facility. 

Signs for the Environmental Training Facility led them to an entrance where an assistant to the Certified Environmental Specialist (CES) Officer stopped them. 

“A reminder,” the assistant said, his voice rote. “No outside food or drinks, no personal effects. To prevent anomalies during data analysis, remove anything that could interfere with the monitors and simulators.” 

This was standard procedure, so they walked straight inside. 

Dr. Marsh, the director of the Space Environmental Program, stood at her podium, a transparent data-tablet in one hand and a folder in the other. She looked up as Sarah and Nathan walked in, noticing the familiar smile on Sarah’s face—the one that always appeared when she was close to a mission. 

Dr. Marsh approached, greeting them with a nod. “I’d shake your hands, but mine are full. You’ve done this enough to skip the standard introduction. Let’s get you settled in your quarters and start the assessment.” She paused; her expression turned serious. “You have two days to complete your assessments. Normally this is a week-long process, but this mission is time sensitive. You have a week’s worth of evaluations to complete in forty-eight hours. Your records suggest you’re more than capable. Let’s get started.” 

Nathan gestured for Sarah to enter the controlled environment first, then followed her inside, sealing the airlock door behind them. As they entered the main corridor, lights flickered on with a low hum, and cool air began circulating from the ducts. 

Sarah immediately began her captain’s protocols, logging into the main terminals and running security diagnostics to check for equipment malfunctions. Meanwhile, Nathan headed for the engine room to bring the simulator’s core systems online and establish a comms link with both the captain’s quarters and Central Command. 

After a few minutes, Nathan got the comms link established. He moved on to performing a full diagnostic on the engines and mechanical systems. Once everything was accounted for and reading one hundred percent, he gave Sarah the green light to assume full command of the simulated station. 

Sarah entered the command room, her fingers flying across the consoles as she took control of the station’s systems. As captain, she rarely had to pilot, but government regulations required her to maintain qualifications in emergency maneuvering protocols. She rerouted auxiliary power, purged the secondary conduits, and calibrated the navigation array in half the time the simulation allotted, a testament to the skills that made her one of the best captains in the fleet. 

The first day went by in a flash. A high-pitched ping sounded over the intercom, followed by a voice from Central Command praising their excellent work and telling them to call it a night. 

Nathan headed to the sleeping quarters. Upon entering, the sleek shine of the new sleeping pods caught his eye—a definite upgrade from their last mission. A hiss of the door lock announced Sarah’s arrival. The pods were built for one, but their upright position allowed them to see each other as they settled in for the night. 

A low hum woke them as the pod doors slid open and the lights came on. “Time to wake up,” a voice announced over the intercom. “Day two begins now.” 

They were guided to the airlock room, where they helped each other suit up for the EVA simulation. Once their helmets were secured, Sarah initiated the sequence, and the room began to depressurize as the artificial gravity disengaged. When the console indicated a successful vacuum, Nathan hit the release on the outer hatch. They pulled themselves through the opening into the zero-gravity training area, a vast chamber designed to mimic the void of space. 

Sarah performed a perimeter check while Nathan ran external diagnostics on the simulator’s structural integrity. After an hour of running through various “what-if” scenarios, Central Command ordered them to return to the control room for further instructions. 

Floating back to the airlock, Sarah held the hatch open for Nathan before sealing it behind him and reactivating the pressurization system. A moment later, a beep signaled that the environment had stabilized as artificial oxygen pumped from the air ducts. 

They checked each other’s suits for any compromise before racking them and heading to the control room. As they entered, the intercom crackled to life. 

“Congratulations, team,” the voice from Central said.  

“You’ve performed above and beyond during this compressed evaluation. You’ve exceeded our expectations, and we see no need for further testing. Get some rest. Be ready for launch tomorrow at 0800 hours.” 

In the simulation building’s mess hall, Nathan and Sarah relaxed over dinner, recalling stories from old missions—the funny moments and the stressful ones. 

Meanwhile, in Central Command, Major General Lockhart monitored their conversation on a screen, his face a stern, unyielding mask. A security officer entered the room, saluted, and was waved to stand at ease. 

“Sir, if I may speak freely?” The officer dared to ask. 

Lockhart nodded. 

“Is it wise to send her on this mission? If she finds out about Project Astraea, it could compromise everything.” 

Lockhart’s gaze hardened as he stared at the monitor. “Don’t you think I know that soldier? I tried to recommend anyone else without raising suspicion. But this is a time-sensitive crisis, and we need the best. That’s her team.” He turned from the screen. “They may have forced my hand, but we’ll have a man on that ship to monitor the situation and ensure she stays focused on her orders.” 

The officer looked confused. “Who is going on the ship, sir?” 

Lockhart straightened his uniform and walked toward the door, placing his hat on his head. He paused and looked back, his expression like granite. 

“You.” 

Sarah and Nathan were laughing as they finished dinner when an automated message sounded. “The time is 2000 hours. Primary power cycling to sleep mode. Please return to your quarters.” After a long day, they were asleep almost as soon as they settled into their pods.

The room lit up as the station came to life. Mission day.

They dressed quickly, needing no instructions. The intercom crackled, and Central Control ordered them to the launch site. As they arrived, Sarah’s pilot, Jax, was the first to greet her.

“What’s up, Captain?” he boomed with a laugh. “Let’s get this show on the road! I’m ready to get high and cause some havoc in the atmosphere.”

In the locker room, surrounded by her team as they changed into their flight suits, Sarah felt a surge of pride. She had hand-picked each one of them over the years. They trusted her with their lives, and she trusted them with hers. She had the best crew in the fleet because space was a life-or-death reality, and there was no room for error.

The locker room Intercom crackled again, ordering everyone to the flight deck. Sarah led her team out onto the bustling tarmac, where military personnel and engineers swarmed around their ship as it was prepped for launch.

Major General Lockhart stood near the boarding ramp, a rolled-up document in his hand. His look told Sarah everything she needed to know.

“Report to your stations and prep for launch,” she ordered her team. As her second-in-command, Nathan remained by her side.

Sarah approached the general and shook his hand. “To what do I owe the pleasure, sir?”

Lockhart’s posture was rigid. He handed her the papers. “You’re adding two people to your crew for this mission, Captain.”

Sarah’s brow furrowed. “Sir, with all due respect, my crew is more than capable. We don’t need extra hands.”

His expression hardened. “This isn’t a debate. We’re adding a prisoner. She’s one of the best engineers in the service, and we’ve decided to give her a second chance rather than let her talents rot in a cell. She is sentenced to serve out her years on your ship.”

The word “prisoner” set Sarah on high alert. “Sir, I can’t have someone I can’t trust endangering my crew.”

Lockhart held up a hand, cutting her off. “She won’t be a concern. I’m assigning a security officer to escort her and keep her in line. This is an order, Captain. The conversation is over. Figure out where to put them and deal with it.”

Sarah gritted her teeth. “Yes, sir.”

The Major General lifted a comms device to his ear. “Bring her in.”

Nathan turned at the sound of footsteps. A young woman in high-tech cuffs was being escorted by three men. Lockhart stopped them a few feet away.

“Captain,” Lockhart said, nodding toward the prisoner. “This is Louise Wilson, former mechanical engineer for the US Army. She can build you anything you need.”

The woman, Louise, jerked her arm free from an officer’s grasp. “If you expect me to do anything,” she said, her eyes fixed on Lockhart, “you can start by taking these cuffs off.”

Lockhart gave a slight nod to the officer beside her. “Do it.”

With a soft swish, the light on her wrist cuffs blinked from red to green and they popped open. The officer bent down and repeated the process, releasing her ankles.

Louise rubbed her wrists, then her gaze found Sarah’s. “Let’s be clear. I may be forced to be here, but you have nothing to fear from me. Endangering a crew isn’t how I operate.”

Sarah stared, baffled. There was no way Louise could have overheard her protest to the General. Before Sarah could form a response, Louise started toward the ship, her security detail falling in behind her. She glanced back over her shoulder. “The name’s Lu, by the way. Only my mother calls me Louise.”

Lockhart shook the hand of the remaining officer—the one from the command center—and informed Sarah he was the man assigned to Lu. With a wave, he sent the officer toward the ship. He turned to Sarah one last time. “You have your orders, Captain. Good luck out there.” And with that, he was gone.

Nathan took Sarah’s hand as they walked up the ramp to the ship, pausing at the entrance.

“Ready for another adventure?” he asked.

A small smile touched her lips. “With you, every day is an adventure.”

They boarded, and Nathan sealed the hatch behind them.

When Sarah stepped onto the bridge, her first officer called out, “Captain on the bridge!” The crew stopped their work and saluted.

Sarah took her command chair, her hands running over the familiar worn leather. So many memories were tied to this spot, commanding her ship: the FSF Nautilus I. She gripped the armrests as the intercom hummed to life, the signal panel showing a full charge. Clearing her throat, she hit the broadcast button on her console.

“Welcome back, crew. This is your Captain. We are launching for orbit in T-minus five minutes. All hands to stations, prepare for launch.”

Sarah deactivated the broadcast and looked toward the cockpit. “Jax, set a course for the rogue station at Bravo Point.”

She tapped her console, opening a channel to Engineering. “Chief, have your team fire up the pulse thrusters.” She closed the channel and opened another. “Navigation, have you run a final diagnostics check on our route for orbital debris?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the navigation lead responded instantly. “We have a clear path to the station.”

Sarah straightened in her chair, opening one last channel. “Central Control, Nautilus is ready for launch. Do you copy?”

Static gave way to a clear voice. “Copy that, Nautilus. We read you loud and clear. You are clear for launch.”

A deep vibration ran through the deck as the ship came to life. It was time. Sarah glanced at her pilot. “Alright, Jax. She’s all yours. Take us up.”

His fingers danced across a holographic dashboard, swiping commands into place. “Launch in T-minus ten… nine… eight…”

As the countdown hit one, Jax gripped the controls. The Nautilus lifted, hovering for a heartbeat above the flight deck. Sarah gripped her armrests, a smirk of confidence on her face.

A deafening BOOM shook the ship as the main thrusters ignited, pressing everyone back into their seats. The roar grew into a sustained, overwhelming scream as they tore through the sky, the blue of the atmosphere giving way to the black of orbit, leaving the Earth to shrink into a blue marble behind them.

After a few moments of heavy turbulence, the ship broke free of the atmosphere. Silence descended. Before them, the galaxy glittered in all its glory. A sense of peace washed over Sarah as she eased back in her chair.

Jax tapped his console a final time, then glanced back. “Good to be back in your turf, ain’t it, Captain?”

Sarah simply smiled and nodded. She was home.

 

 

 

Chapter 2

An hour into the mission, Sarah couldn't hold in her excitement. She was ecstatic, radiating a joy that came from being exactly where she belonged: outer space. She looked at Jax and asked for a status report.

Another puff of smoke escaped Jax's lips as he took a drag from the small blunt tucked behind his ear. “Yeah, I got you, Captain.” He tapped several places on the dashboard's monitors and then swiped his hand across the entire screen. 

“Thrusters are reduced to 60 percent to preserve fuel. The bridge reports no external structural damage from the launch to orbit. Our spaceship's internal integrity is at 100 percent. We are fully operational and have a clear path to the station.”

Sarah stood from her chair and told everyone, “At ease,” before they could stand at attention. She walked toward the corridor and pressed the hand scanner on the wall; the doors swished open. Sarah walked the halls, occasionally glancing into the different rooms and admiring her spaceship. She could hear the constant humming of the ship itself, but also the sounds of personnel, the chime of the intercom, voices making announcements, and others asking for reports as doors swished back and forth. Her walk was enjoyable, and she came to a stop at a viewport looking out at Earth. It was hard to believe they were down there just an hour ago. Now, she was staring into the vastness of space, planets glimmering in the distance.

Nathan appeared beside Sarah, startling her for a moment, but she smiled as he took her hand in his. “Admiring the view, are we?” he asked in a hushed chuckle. She laid her head on his shoulder, sighed softly, and continued watching in silence. She was home, and she was with the person she loved.

They stood there in their own little bubble for several minutes, not needing to say anything, just enjoying the moment together. The intercom crackled with static before a voice came on, saying, “Chief of Engineers, please report to the engine room.” The message repeated twice more before falling silent. He looked at Sarah as she lifted her head. He kissed her lips gently before saying, “Work never stops for us, I guess.”

She smiled. “I guess not. Hurry back to me,” she responded simply and softly.

Nathan hurried to the engine room. Upon the sound of the doors swishing open, he heard arguing, followed by a socket wrench flying across the room. Nathan found a woman yelling at another mechanic and intervened. “Hey, what’s going on here, Louise?”

She whirled on Nathan, her frustration palpable. “My name isn't Louise, you moron! It's Lu.” As she spoke, she raised her hand to throw another tool, but Nathan held up his hands to calm her down.

 

She hesitated, then breathed in deeply when she saw his genuine concern. Nathan lowered his hands, trying again. 

“Alright, Lu. What’s going on here?”

She straightened, lowering her arm. She glanced at Nathan and then back at the other mechanic. “This guy was touching my stuff after I told him not to,” she said, pointing at him.

Nathan looked at the mechanic. “Explain yourself.”

The man stood straight. “Sir, this criminal doesn't have ‘stuff.’ Everything she is claiming is hers belongs to the Federal Space Union.”

Nathan’s irritation flared at the man's judgment. He snapped, his expression stern, “You are an officer and a mechanic on this ship, not a judge or a corrections officer.” Nathan paused for a moment before continuing, “When someone is under my command, you will show them respect. She may have made bad choices before today, but she is now a member of this crew and your superior officer while aboard this vessel. Is that understood?”

Confusion and fear washed over the mechanic's face. He started to retaliate but, seeing the look on Nathan's face, quickly replied, “Yes, sir. Apologies, sir.”

 

Nathan stood his ground. “Dismissed.” He then turned his focus to Lu.

Lu looked surprised but kept her guard up. Nathan cleared his throat. “Now, when you're on this ship, you will abide by our rules and act like an officer of the Space Force.”

Lu started to speak, but Nathan held up a hand, stopping her. “I’m not finished. I don’t care what you did on Earth. We are not on Earth. As of now, you are a new person, and you must decide if you want to be a part of this team or go back to your old life.” Nathan lowered his hand and nodded for her to respond. Lu's face was difficult to read, but he hoped he had gotten through to her.

She looked at him for a moment and then said, “The only team I’m on is my own. I didn't ask to be here, but I am. So, if I’m here, I’ll do what I must do. But just know, when I fix something, don’t touch it.” She paused and sighed. “I do know you're right, though. I don't want to go back to my old life.”

Nathan felt a wave of relief. As he started to head for the corridor, he spotted the socket wrench he’d seen thrown earlier. Picking it up, he turned back to Lu and tossed it to her. “You dropped this.”

As she caught it, she chuckled a little. “Oh, jeez. You're going to be one of those people.”

 

Confused, Nathan asked, “What kind of people?”

She looked at him, her guard seemingly gone for a moment. 

“The kind that actually cares what happens to people.”

He smiled, knowing he’d reached her, and walked out of the engine room as the doors swished closed behind him.

Sarah was doing her rounds when she noticed a crew member from the engine room walking past her in a hurry, an irritated look on his face as he mumbled under his breath. She wondered what Nathan had done to upset the man. Nathan was a humble guy; if he had to put his foot down, the mechanic probably deserved it, she mused.

The intercom turned on. “Captain, please report to the navigation room.”

Sarah made her way to the room. Everyone stopped and saluted, and she told them to return to their work. A very shy woman with glasses at the maps table waved at her. 

“Captain, Captain, over here.”

Sarah smiled and walked over. “What is it, Miss Li Yung?” The woman was fresh out of the academy and shy as a mouse, but she had been one of the best in her class for astrogation and navigation.

 

As Sarah approached, Miss Li Yung pushed her glasses up her nose and looked down at the holographic table. “So, we’ve just come into range of the space station, approximately 1,000 kilometers out. At our current rate of speed, we should arrive in 32 minutes.”

Sarah looked over the charts and then back at her. “Have you looked over the station's blueprints? What's the best approach?”

Li Yung swiped her hand over the table's screen and pulled up the station's blueprints. She clicked on an image before she stopped and looked up at Sarah. “The best approach is on the southeast side, coming in from the north. We'll need to drop our thrusters to 20 percent to give us a smoother connection at the docking bay.”

Sarah pondered the mapping and the reasoning behind the woman's decision. She nodded and looked up. “Excellent work, Li Yung. I’ll inform our pilot and prepare for docking.”

The young navigator smiled proudly at the praise from her captain and returned to her work as Sarah left.

Returning to the bridge, Sarah sat in her command chair and tapped on her monitor. She swiped and tapped, then cleared her throat before speaking. “Central Command, this is the Captain of the Nautilus. Do you read me?”

Static crackled over the intercom, and then a voice responded. “We copy you loud and clear, Nautilus. Status report?”

Sarah sat up straighter. “Copy that. We are T-minus 20 minutes from the space station. Do we still have a green light to move forward with the mission?”

Static rippled through for a moment, then the voice came back. “Confirmed. You are a go for approaching the station. Good luck, Captain.”

Sarah tapped her monitor, turning off linked comms, and looked over at Jax. “Alright, you heard them. Let’s get ready for final approach.”

Jax nodded. “I got you, Captain. Reconfiguring for final position now.” With that, he swiped a couple of times over his dashboard monitor and grabbed the controls, taking the ship out of autopilot.

In the vast distance, a small object appeared, growing larger as they moved closer. The darkness had cloaked its size, but as the sun crested the curve of the Earth, its massive form was revealed. This station was beyond anything Sarah had ever seen. At first glance, it had to be at least six times the size of the International Space Station.

Sarah turned on the intercom to contact navigation. “Li Yung, run a diagnostic check on the docking bay and the external structure of the station.”

After a minute, Li Yung responded, “Yes, ma’am. I’ve run the test and I’m sending you the results.” Almost immediately, a file appeared on Sarah’s monitor. Li Yung continued, 

“According to our systems, the docking bay appears to be fully intact, though I would still use caution since it hasn't been used in over a decade. Also, the station's structural integrity is at 83 percent, most likely due to the pressure of outer space and solar radiation over the last decade.”

Sarah figured as much. She began to respond when Li Yung’s voice came back over the comms. “Captain, the strange thing is, our monitors are picking up massive heat signatures inside the station.”

Sarah knew that couldn't be possible. This station had been decommissioned for 17 years. She immediately turned off comms with navigation and sent a link to Central Command.

“Come on, Central Command, do you copy?” A few moments went by before Central finally responded.

“We copy, Nautilus. What's going on?”

Sarah took a breath. “We are getting heat signatures inside the space station. We were told this facility was decommissioned.”

Another minute of silence passed before Central responded again. “Captain, we aren't picking up any heat signatures on our end. Please reset your monitors and proceed with the mission. Over and out.”

 

Before Sarah could get another word in, the comms link was closed.

“Alright, Jax, bring us in from the north and drop your thruster output to 20 percent.” Jax nodded and got to work. Sarah swiped her screen and broadcast a message across the ship. “All personnel, we will be docking soon. Be ready to board the station.”

After restarting the monitors, Sarah asked the navigation team for an update. “Captain, I’m not sure what happened, but our systems are now showing no heat signatures.” Sarah was just as confused as Li Yung; she had seen the readings with her own eyes.

The ship came in from the north on the southeast side of the station as planned, and they had a visual of the docking bay. Jax cut the thrusters completely, bringing them into a hover as he glided the ship onto the landing zone and gently set it down, swiping at his dashboard to power down systems and switch others to idle.

Sarah broadcast on the intercoms, “Expedition team, make your way to the airlock for breaching protocol. All other personnel, please remain at your stations until further instruction is given.”

When she made it to the airlock, Nathan was already there, suiting up the team and giving them instructions. Sarah sometimes forgot that he was just as much a leader as she was. He had given up being captain of his own ship to be by her side, just one of the thousands of reasons she loved him.

The expedition team was all present and suited up, ready to move into the station. Sarah moved in front of the hatch, stood straight, and asked if everyone was ready. A booming unison replied, “Yes, Captain!”

She hit the lever. The hatch alarm blared as the door lowered, and the only thing between them and the vacuum of space was their suits. Sarah stepped out onto the docking bay. “Eyes up. Let’s move out, people.”

They spacewalked over to the entrance, which had zero power. Nathan stepped in, connecting a small energy source to the outlet connectors. He sent a signal into the doorframe's monitors and handed the controls to Sarah, who hacked into the system's protocols, allowing her access. She hit the latch, and with a pop of pressure, the door opened, releasing a decade of stale air.

They slowly gathered inside, cautious as they entered a station, they knew almost nothing about. As the door closed and sealed behind them, Sarah immediately realized the station seemed to be on backup power, which shouldn’t have been the case. She had her specialist run a diagnostic check to confirm her suspicions.

“According to my systems, Captain, the backup power is in effect but only designated to roughly 20 percent of the station's systems, which is why we couldn't get a reading from the ship. It appears to be going to oxygen and water reclamation, and at least a few rooms on the west side of the station, ma’am.”

After making a risky decision, Nathan decided to test the air levels for himself. Before Sarah could stop him, he quickly unlatched his helmet, took it off, and inhaled a small breath. He exhaled and stood there for a moment before saying, 

“The air is thick and old, but breathable.”

Sarah’s body had tensed in panic as she watched him. It was a horrible feeling, but her nerves slowly calmed. Now the concerning question remained: why was the backup power on after all this time, and were they alone?

“Alright, listen up. We need to be on alert, and no one goes anywhere alone. We're splitting into two teams. Jax, Li Yung, you're with me. We need to get to the command center and establish comms with Central. Nathan, you'll take Lu and Officer Wilson to the engineering bay and try to get the main power back on so we can see what's going on.”

Right before they parted ways, Sarah grabbed Nathan's hand, her expression full of worry. This mission felt wrong. Nathan noticed her concern, squeezed her hand gently, and said, “Hey, it's okay. I’ll be back before you know it.”

Li Yung sent the schematics for the engineering bay to Nathan and then pulled up the path to the command center, informing Sarah that it was in the northeast sector. Li Yung led the way.

“Alright, guys,” Nathan said to his team. “Li Yung just sent me the schematics for our engine room. We’ve got a walk ahead of us. According to this map, it will be in the lower section of the station. The access point should be in the mess hall.”

After several minutes of walking the halls, guided only by the emergency lights on the floor and the beams from their suits, Nathan's team reached the mess hall. He had an unsettling feeling about the whole station. A facility of this magnitude didn't make any sense. His team reached the entrance to the engineering room and descended to assess the damage.

Nathan grabbed Lumina-Burst Grenades (L-30s) from his vest, tossing them into different corners of the room to illuminate the space. He activated his Holo-Manus Interface (HMI) and sent out a recorded message to the other team, avoiding a live link in case of hostile listeners. “Team one, this is team two. We’ve found our objective and will begin work on the systems. I repeat, team one, this is team two. We’ve found our objective and will begin work on the systems.” Nathan quickly turned off his mic and told his team to get to work.

Back with Sarah's team, the air seemed to grow thicker the farther they walked, forcing them to pace their movements and approach each hallway carefully. It wasn’t long before they arrived in what looked like an office area, which didn't seem right. Li Yung shined her light on a sign above one of the corridors. “Captain, over here. I need help getting this door open.”

Once they got closer, she continued, “I can’t override this door with just backup power; it will have to be opened manually.”

Jax put down the equipment cases he was carrying and got on one side of the door as Sarah and Li Yung took the other. After several attempts, the door finally popped and slid open, granting them access to the command room.

Just as the door was pried open, Sarah received the message from Nathan. She pulled up her Holo-Manus Interface (HMI) gauntlet and hit play. When the message finished, she looked at Jax. “Alright, Jax, light us up.”

Jax grabbed two L-30 grenades and tossed them into the unsealed room, making it as bright as daytime on Earth.

Jax took point, entering the room first. Li Yung followed, and Sarah took the rear as they breached and secured the command room. Once inside, they started setting up the equipment. Sarah looked over at Li Yung. “Have everything ready to establish comms with the ship and Central Command once Nathan has the main power core up and running.”

Nathan was looking over the engine monitors, running a diagnostic to determine the best approach to restoring power. In his testing, he noticed that most of the systems seemed pristine, despite not being touched for so long. He moved over to the override panel. Unfortunately, it appeared that parts were missing from the engine, which could make starting it up harder than he’d thought. Nathan called over Lu and asked for her assessment.

Lu laughed at the challenge. After a quick look at the machines, she glanced up at Nathan. “Oh, please. This is nothing. I’ll have this ready in less than ten minutes, tops.” 

She quickly got to work with her portable welding kit. After a flurry of banging and flying sparks, she was done.

This gave Nathan time to run through the startup instructions. When Lu lifted her visor, Nathan said, 

“Diagnostics show it’s a two-person manual flip-switch.” He gestured toward two levers roughly six feet apart. “Lu, grab that lever, and on three, pull it down.”

Nathan gripped his lever, and Lu grabbed hers. He started counting. “One… two… three… PULL!”

A roaring sound, like the engine of a jet, erupted as lights flickered on the machines and monitors. The room’s power awakened after a decade of hibernation. Overhead lights beamed on, and just like that, the station was coming to life. Sector by sector, they could hear an endless echo of machines, monitors, and lights popping with static and then settling into a solid, steady hum.

“Great work, everyone. Now let’s get back to the others.”

As Nathan and his team ascended the ladder back to the mess hall, an immediate sense of unease settled over them. Nathan could see it on Lu's face. “What’s wrong, Lu?” he asked.

But as he looked around the mess hall himself, he knew something was deeply wrong. This wasn't an ordinary mess hall. There were bars over the kitchen area. There were chain brackets on the floors at each table. Lu had a disgusted look on her face as she looked up at Nathan.

“This isn't a space station,” she said, her voice grim. “It's a prison.”