Final Frontier

By F.J. Hansen

Earth Alliance Ship Frontier, Earth's first starship, is ready for launch. First Officer Kenneth McClance, longing to be out of his father's shadow, is determined to be successful as they embark on their maiden voyage. However, as they investigate a mysterious sector, the ship is thrown across space and time. Ken must face one life-threatening situation after another, facing off against out-of-control robots, dinosaurs, and a power-hungry ruler in attempting to get his crew back to their correct time and place.

• Language: English
• Publisher: F.J. Hansen
• Release date: Dec 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215054703

F.J. Hansen

Greetings. I am F.J. Hansen. I hail from Fremont, CA, where I was born, raised, and am currently living. I am the seventh of seven children, with three older brothers and three older sisters.I've been writing science fiction since 1999, though Draconia: Forging Trust was my first published book. Besides writing, I enjoy traveling and the abundant life of our home planet.

Book preview

FINAL FRONTIER

A NOVEL BY

F.J. HANSEN

Copyright 2023 F.J. Hansen

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Part I: One Giant Leap

Part II: Lost in Time

Part III: Things to Come

Part IV: Rendezvous

Epilogue

About the Author

PROLOGUE

Earth Calendar: 9 June 2072 A.D.

RAKAN GRIPPED her console with webbed fingers as the ship shook around her. Alarms blared and the deckplates beneath her feet vibrated with the hum from the ship’s engines. She glanced around the dimmed bridge. The chief engineer was feeding all available power into the engines in an effort to combat the effects of the gravity field. Was this what had happened to the eleven ships that had disappeared in this region over the last seventy years?

Is there any progress? Captain Shenkak asked.

We are still trapped in the gravity field, the helm officer said. We are slipping toward the source of gravity.

"Captain, we cannot maintain these power levels," came the urgent voice of the chief engineer over the intercom.

Shenkak looked up to meet Rakan’s eyes. Are we in position?

She quickly confirmed the readings on her screen. Affirmative. The message probe should now have a favorable return trajectory toward Earth.

They had spent nearly a year on the third planet of the nearby system, establishing a promising relationship with the dominant sentient species living upon it. Trennask, is the anomaly still interfering with communications?

It is. I cannot guarantee a clear signal to Earth.

Launch message probe. On the viewscreen a moment later, the probe shot away from them, trailing red. With the interstellar communication equipment they had given them, the Humans should be able to inform Perij of their fate.

"Captain, I must shut down the engines. The ship will crumble if I do not."

Shenkak turned back to the screen and sighed through his gills. Rakan understood the dilemma. If they continued resisting the gravitational force of the anomaly, they would die. If they did not resist, they could very well die anyway—though, admittedly, they did not know that for sure. All they knew was that the Republic had already lost eleven ships in this region, their ultimate fates still unknown. Very well. Shutdown engines. All hands, brace yourselves.

Shenkak tightened his grip on his armrests. Rakan did the same as the hum of the engines died. The vibrations in the deckplates continued, steadily growing in intensity. Then, the ship lurched, rattling her bones. She grimaced as light flooded the viewscreen, bleaching the command deck in a blinding white.

PART I:

ONE GIANT LEAP

CHAPTER 1

Earth Calendar: 5 March 2105 A.D.

"WE APPROACH a landmark day in the history of Humankind—the official launch of the Earth Alliance Ship Frontier. We remain on track following a successful test run around the inner planets almost a month ago. Earth’s first interstellar vessel, also the first space vessel commissioned under the joint venture of the Earth Alliance, is scheduled to launch at ten-thirty in the morning, Greenwich Mean Time, on the tenth of March with Captain Bryan Hamilton commanding and Lieutenant Commander Kenneth McClance as his executive officer. Shannon Casey is on Space Station Eternity’s Edge, documenting this historic occasion from there. We connect with her now. Miss Casey, you’re on."

Ken, sitting back on the sofa, crossed his arms and grimaced at hearing the news anchor for International Broadcast Network, Ian Brocksmith, mention his name. It wasn’t that he objected to the position. On the contrary, he was thrilled to receive such a coveted assignment—executive officer on Earth’s first interstellar spacecraft and a member of the first Human crew to venture beyond their solar system. He had put forth honest effort to qualify for the position. Despite that, Brocksmith’s implication was clear. He would only ever be the son of Aldwin McClance—the man who single-handedly saved the whales!

What's the matter, Ken?

Ken looked over his shoulder. Back in the kitchen, Claudia stood behind a counter, breaking lettuce into a salad bowl. What?

You're crossing your arms. You always cross your arms when something’s troubling you.

Ken separated his arms and broke out a grin. You know me too well.

Claudia broke the last of the lettuce and circled the counter to step down into the living room. As she stepped up behind the sofa, Ken glanced at her belly, just beginning to swell, before he looked up to meet her eyes. It’s known to happen between married couples, she said.

Ken turned back to the monitor mounted on the wall at the other end of the room, re-crossed his arms and sighed. It’s my dad’s shadow. It follows me into space.

On the monitor, a woman in a black suit with shoulder-length brown hair—Shannon Casey—had replaced the male anchor. She stood beside a viewport aboard the Alliance’s space station. "Thirty-four years ago, the U.S.S. Copernicus made contact with the Peridjinn Survey Ship Krask. Ten years later, Peridjinn engineers began working with an international group of Human engineers and scientists to develop warp drive. Finally, twenty-four years of perseverance have been rewarded."

Casey gestured toward the viewport. The camera panned to reveal the E.A.S. Frontier, in her drydock outside. The blue globe of Earth, its white, swirling clouds, formed a stunning backdrop. The view of the planet moved with the station’s orbit and rotation and the Earth's rotation. "Moored here is the Earth Alliance Ship Frontier, undergoing final preparations for the momentous occasion."

"Frontier! Frontier! a high-pitched voice cried, accompanying the patter of little feet on the wood floor. Edward ran into the room from the hall and jumped onto the sofa. Ken barely felt anything as the cushions absorbed the impact. Is that the Frontier?" Edward held wide eyes on the monitor, now showing various angles of the ship that Casey and her assistant had captured, presumably on their approach to the station.

Ken smiled and put an arm around his son. In his small hand, the boy clutched a miniature version of the ship. That’s her, Eddie.

The door chime sounded. Ken, rolling his eyes and repressing a sigh, withdrew his arm and came to his feet. He followed his wife up to the front door and braced himself against a blast of cold air when Claudia opened the door.

Claudia, dear! his mum cried with open arms as she stepped in, followed by his dad. She and Claudia hugged each other. Then, she moved towards him. Hello, Kenneth.

Hiya, Mum.

Grammy! Gramps! Edward ran up to his grandparents, cutting between Ken and Claudia.

Aldwin, with peppered hair, bent and opened his arms to the boy. Hey, Eddie! How’s my grandson, eh?

All the while, Ken watched him, his dad obviously trying to avoid his son’s eyes. Aldwin, are you forgetting someone? his mum asked, her tone rebuking. The evasion did not escape her notice either, evidently.

Aldwin looked up at her, then finally met Ken’s eyes. The smile vanished as he straightened. Hello, Kenneth.

Hello, Dad.

Go on, Eddie. I’ll be with you later.

So, Claudia, have you had any odd cravings lately? his mum asked, leading her off to the kitchen while Edward went back to his room.

Soon, Ken and Aldwin were alone. For what felt like minutes, neither said a word while the air between them thickened. On the monitor, Casey continued talking about the Frontier and her place in history. I hear you've been accepted for a position aboard the starship, Aldwin finally said.

That’s right. Ken swung back towards the monitor, just switching back to Brocksmith. Lieutenant Commander Kenneth McClance, son of Aldwin McClance—the man who single-handedly saved the whales!

Coming up next, the anchor said, we’ll speak with Professor Deshi Kwang of Harvard University regarding the incredible discovery recently made near Manu, Nigeria, which seems to indicate the existence of Humanoid life on Earth sixty-five million years ago.

Monitor off, Ken ordered.

Of course, I didn’t do it single-handedly, Aldwin said as the monitor obediently went blank. You know how much the media loves to exaggerate things.

You haven’t seemed to mind it.

I do, and I’ve tried to set it straight. That I could never have done it without my team or the efforts around the world. But when a story achieves the status of legend, details get twisted or lost. And when the world watches you and sees you in a certain way, you’re obligated to live up to it. I would’ve thought they understood that—Robert, Sam, and Nancy. I'm sure David would’ve.

Ken looked back at his dad, the weary eyes gazing into the past as he recalled his old friends and teammates. He remembered Robert Davis and Sam and Nancy Fisher—they used to come around often when he was a lad. That is, until Aldwin started welcoming the attention. Then, Robert and the Fishers distanced themselves, causing a stir in the media. David Vargas had been killed in the war, so Ken only knew of him through photos and what his dad and friends had shared about him.

You’re not the only one who’s got to live with it, Ken said. Aldwin looked up to meet his son’s eyes. Have you any idea what it’s been like to grow up in your shadow? I can’t do anything without being singled out as the ‘son of Aldwin McClance’. Don’t get me wrong. I appreciate what you’ve done. I admire it even. It’s just so frustrating to have my accomplishments paired right alongside yours. Ken glowered at his dad, then at the floor.

I hope deep space is the answer for you. Finally, Ken looked up to meet his dad’s gentle eyes.

At that moment, the enticing aroma of lasagna filled the flat, clearing the air. Dish up! Claudia announced from the kitchen.

*

Captain Bryan Hamilton gazed out the viewport at his ship, caged in her drydock. Initially, he was proud to have been chosen to command Humanity’s first interstellar vessel. But, because the E.A.S. Frontier was the first interstellar vessel, he would have to act as host to a reporter documenting the maiden voyage...and other passengers who, except for the Peridjinn, probably have never been in outer space before now. The frustration canceled out what pride he would have felt otherwise.

"Our next broadcast will be on the ninth, the night before the launch, from aboard the E.A.S. Frontier, the reporter said, standing in front of another viewport to his right, speaking to the camera headset that her assistant wore. Until then, this is Shannon Casey signing off."

Her assistant flicked a switch on his headset. We’re off, he said.

Thank you, Ward. Casey turned to the captain. Bryan met her eyes squarely. Well, Captain, any thoughts?

You're a promising reporter, Miss Casey, but that doesn’t change my mind about your presence on our maiden voyage.

Casey scoffed and rolled her eyes. "This is a historic event! As big as making first contact with the Peridjinn, the first colonies on the Moon and Mars, the first ion-driven spaceship, the moon race of the 1960s, and the launch of Sputnik."

Yes, I heard you say all that on your broadcast. And, if you don’t like my opinion, you shouldn’t have asked for it. He turned to leave the lounge.

Casey followed. Why shouldn’t we be aboard to document the maiden voyage of Humankind’s first interstellar spacecraft?

I don’t object to that, Miss Casey, Bryan said, keeping his voice calm. He stopped and turned back to her. I object to having individuals aboard who are untrained. Casey opened her mouth for a rebuttal. Bryan cut her off. If it makes you feel any better, yours isn’t the only presence I object to.

The station’s intercom whistled for attention. Captain Hamilton. Captain Hamilton. Admiral Maddox will see you now.

If you’ll excuse me. Bryan hastened his step, leaving Casey in the lounge, though lightly tapping footfalls on the deckplates told him the reporter followed. Bryan resisted the urge to look over his shoulder. Well, let her follow. This meeting was partly about her, anyway.

Yes, Hamilton, what did you want to see me about? the admiral asked the moment he entered her office, her eyes on the computer terminal, angled away from the door. Her short, red hair had just the slightest hint of gray in it.

I wish to file a protest, Admiral, he said, drawing her attention, "in regard to having this civilian aboard my ship."

And I must remind the admiral, Casey said as she entered the office, right on cue, that Alliance Command understood and agreed to the importance of having this achievement fully documented. Cooperation was ensured.

Maddox nodded her agreement. Yes, it was. Your protest is noted, Captain Hamilton. Anything else?

Bryan threw the reporter a quick glare, then returned his attention to the admiral. As a matter of fact, there is. He opened his mouth to continue but paused as he considered the reporter behind him. He swung back to her. If you don’t mind, I’d rather not have this shared with the inner system.

Casey crossed her arms. For a moment, Bryan thought she was about to refuse to leave. Finally, she stepped back, slowly and holding the captain’s eyes a moment longer before turning to storm out.

When he was sure she was gone, Bryan once again turned back to the admiral. While I’m at it, I also protest the presence of the Peridjinn and Soviet observers—especially the Soviets.

Maddox leaned back in her chair, her brow furrowed in puzzlement. "The Federation delegation I can understand, but why the Peridjinn? They’re the ones who gave us the warp technology. Their engineers spent the last twenty years working with our people—and with the Federation—to make ships like the Frontier a reality."

And I’m grateful for that, but is it necessary for them to hold our hands every step of the way?

"Their government extended the offer, in an effort to maintain strong relations between our worlds, to place observers aboard the Frontier for her maiden voyage. Alliance Command accepted. But again, the observers will only be aboard for the maiden voyage. After that, they’re off. Same goes for the Federation delegation—the maiden voyage is enough to satisfy our agreement with the Peridjinn Republic that the Soviet Federation be included in all matters relating to the warp technology."

Hamilton sighed his resignation. "Fine. As long as it’s clear that I'm the one in command. Do I have permission to lock them in their quarters if necessary?"

Granted, Maddox said slowly, then hardened her eyes, "but only if absolutely necessary. All three parties want a smooth voyage. Toward that end, you are ordered to extend every courtesy to the Peridjinn and Federation delegations, and to the reporters, short of jeopardizing the safety of the ship and those aboard. Is that understood?"

Perfectly. Do I have that in writing?

Yes. It’s in the orders I transmitted to your ship.

*

Sharesk inhaled. The cold winter air rushed into his gills and down his air passages into his lungs, warmed by his body along the way. Even after six years, it was still strange but curiously invigorating to feel the icy, oxygen-rich air chill his neck from the inside. The cold air did not affect him in any way tonight, however. He did not even feel it through his standard jacket.

He looked up at the crystalline night sky, alive with millions of twinkling stars and a waning crescent moon. He ignored all that as his thoughts dwelled on a world twenty-two light-years away.

Norcz. Thirty-six years ago, an exploratory mission to that world had made contact with the sentient natives there, the reptilian Norseen. Since then, they have been assisting the Norseen in achieving warp flight, just as they have been assisting the Humans. The Norseen had seemed cooperative. They were certainly more unified than the Humans. Why did they attack the embassy? And what has become of his mate, Fech? Everything had seemed fine just two weeks ago when he had gone to visit her.

Dear Fech… What had gone wrong on Norcz?

Sharesk approached the balcony overlooking the main courtyard and Lake Geneva beyond. Lights in each corner of the lower yard and the upper yard behind him lit up the night. Southward, a million-plus specks of light formed an outline around the dark, reflective expanse of the lake—more concentrated in certain areas than in others.

He bent his head and closed his eyes. Tears swelled. He clenched his fist and slammed the metal railing.

You have heard.

He whirled to find Krishnik standing behind him, bundled in a thick coat like the ones the local Humans wore, a fur-lined hood up. He carried another, which he offered Sharesk. Now noticing the cold piercing his bones, he accepted the coat, dipping his head in acknowledgment. Do we know the extent of the damage? he asked as he slipped on the jacket.

The Norseen have seized every bit of technology that is not integrated into the structure. They now occupy the building with thirty hostages—it is unknown if your mate is among them. The Norseen are threatening to kill them if Captain Jureskan fails to surrender her vessel. She is attempting to stall until reinforcements arrive.

I am tempted to back out of this observatory mission and join Captain Jureskan, though I know there is very little I could do to help the situation.

Krishnik fidgeted. I am surprised that you are still considering at all to proceed as planned.

Sharesk turned back to the city lights across the lake. Thousands of Humans—billions more around this world—going about their lives, oblivious to the crisis brewing twenty-two light-years away. Since news of the Norseen betrayal, he must have asked himself at least a dozen times about the wisdom of continuing their relationship with the Humans. What is to stop these Humans from betraying them as well? It was only a matter of time if their history was any indication.

As he recalled, there had indeed been some outright hostility from certain Human groups when the embassy was first established. Other Humans, however, have managed to keep them contained, particularly the local government, which held a reputation of neutrality in Human conflicts for over five hundred years. In the six that he had been on Earth, he had seen honest friendships develop between Humans and Peridjinn. He had even experienced it himself.

But were they honest? It could all be a deception, an attempt to lull the Peridjinn into dropping their guard.

He returned his attention to Krishnik and explained his dilemma. The Humans had nothing to do with the Norseen betrayal. I will not make them the recipients of undeserved suspicion. We have, after all, had no trouble from the Malcons.

Beyond their demands for isolation, Krishnik said. We should still take precautions.

Indeed we will. Should we fail to return, the Republic will bear down on the Humans.

CHAPTER 2

Earth Calendar: 998,368 B.C.

GOVKOR CLUNG to the docking interface near the port side airlock, shaping his body to grip the latch and mimicking the metallic hull of his scout ship. Immersed in the complete silence of space as the ship approached an orifice of a spherical starbase.

He had emerged from foldspace at the edge of the sector and waited for the Zirquin patrol ship. He did not have to wait long; the Zirquin came promptly. After scanning the vessel, during which Govkor temporarily froze all his life functions, one of the mechanoids boarded his ship and took control while the other ship continued its patrol.

The Zirquin pilot fired forward thrusters, sending vibrations through the hull, slowing forward momentum as the hatch opened to receive them. Over a half-dozen ships were moored in the hangar bay—many like his own, others of different configurations. Some were undergoing maintenance. While his ship approached an empty berth, Govkor pulled himself out of the docking port and along the ship's hull toward the airlock.

Vibrations rung through the hull as the clamps locked. Govkor stretched, extending himself away from the ship while returning to his natural, gaseous state. He pushed off the hull with the last bit of him holding the metallic state. He floated free while a gangway extended toward the ship. He followed it to the door that accessed the rest of the station.

The door opened just as Govkor reached it. He flattened himself against a nearby bulkhead, morphing back to imitate a metallic surface. No sooner was he in position than a Zirquin entered the hangar bay, moving upon a pair of limbs. A second pair were attached just below an inverted triangular head, each ending in a hand with five smaller appendages—two of them, on either side of the hand, with opposable joints. Two inward-slanting visual sensors in the head glowed white. The bipedal form was an efficient design, a template that the Sagans had used in creating a large percentage of sentient life in the Universe.

Govkor slid along the bulkhead, returning to his gaseous state before slipping through the door. On the other side of the bulkhead, he expanded and shaped himself into a Zirquin. With the transformation complete, he looked up and down the corridor, imitating a Zirquin’s mechanical movements. So far, his presence had gone unnoticed. Now to find a dataport…

He chose a direction and followed the corridor. He passed a Zirquin, then another—both ignored him. To them, and to any other Zirquin he would come across, he was just another unit going about fulfilling its function. If they scanned him, they would know otherwise, but they would have no need to scan him as long as he moved and behaved like one of them.

He arrived at a control interface located in an alcove off the main corridor. He found the interface port. The port allowed a Zirquin unit to link with the station’s central computer. It could also establish a link with other ships and stations throughout the galaxy and, provided the connecting unit was authorized, to the Central Processing Unit on the Command World. Unfortunately, he had been unable to make direct contact with a command unit to form a memory of the notches and ridges on its middle fingers. The moment he attempted to link with the Central Processing Unit, the system would detect an unauthorized intrusion. He had only moments to find what he was after before the system traced the intrusion back to him.

Govkor leveled his arm with the interface port and inserted both middle fingers.

He, or rather his mind, entered a conduit of reds and blues, slowly swirling around him in fluidly. The conduit seemed to run off into eternity. Pulses of light rushed past him and through the smaller conduits that intersected or branched from this one—Zirquin on this station and throughout the galaxy, plugged into the network with him. Govkor willed himself forward. This was the main conduit; following it should lead him to the Command World.

He gained speed. The reds and blues swirled with greater speed until they merged in a purplish hue. In moments, the color faded to a deep red—like the light from a red super giant star. The Zirquin were aware of an unauthorized presence. He pressed on, following the conduit, curving left, circling right, dipping, rising. He finally came to a set of coordinates on the opposite side of the galaxy, near the galactic core.

Sector 1002-300. A binary star system containing three planets orbiting a light blue star and a white dwarf—three natural planets, that is. There was a fourth—an artificial planet. As Govkor studied the coordinates, he noticed a faint, pulsing ring, steadily growing in pitch. But there was another tone, more level than the ringing. He followed it into another conduit while the pulsing ring increased in volume and frequency. By now, the walls of the conduit glowed a deep violet.

He followed the conduit back across the galaxy to a sector in his current quadrant. Sector 3800-256—Epitara, the last holdout of the Darkkon Imperium in the galaxy. The Zirquin were poised to attack.

Govkor turned into another deep violet conduit and brought himself back to Sector 3815-459 and the Zirquin Sphere he was currently on—just as the pulsing ring was becoming a flat tone. He disconnected himself from the interface.

He was back in the control alcove—a high-pitched alarm screaming at him. He turned from the alcove and started back through the corridor toward the hangar bay. With each step, the deck seemed to become unstable. The deck was fine. His shape, however, was losing cohesion. He fought to stay calm and hold his shape. His steps surer, he continued at a quicker pace that he hoped would not draw the attention of actual Zirquin units.

He was nearly at the hangar bay when two security units, the two slanted visual sensors in their triangular head glowing red, rounded a bend and closed on him from the opposite direction. He reached the hangar bay first. The door remained closed. He lifted his right arm to the nearby control panel.

HOLD POSITION!

The command came in over the receiver he had formed along with the Zirquin shape. Struggling to maintain his composure, he froze his right arm and turned his head to the approaching security units. Their left arms were up, hands folded inward, wrist-mounted disruptors extended. Clanking, metal-on-metal footfalls behind him announced the approach of more Zirquin units—probably additional security.

Govkor folded his left hand as he swung it toward the two security units, disruptor extended and blazing, and smashed the control with his right. The first two security units were down by the time the door was open. He rushed through. A maintenance unit attending his ship turned glowing yellow visual sensors on his approach. Govkor trained his disruptor and fired. While the unit crumbled, Govkor leaped and dissolved back into his gaseous state. He flowed as fast as he could toward the boarding hatch. He held the shape of his disruptor hand just long enough to destroy the moorings.

The ship drifted from the gangway as Govkor passed through the opened hatch. He floated up to the cockpit and tied his mind to the ship’s computer and thought, Engines. He activated forward starboard and aft thrusters, orienting the ship toward the space hatch, then activated the sublight engines. The ship shook under light disruptor fire. Additional security units had arrived at the hatch. Govkor connected with the weapons systems: aft disruptors, target the gangway, and fire. A chain of explosions took out the gangway and a portion of the corridor he had been in a moment ago.

Govkor turned his attention to the forward weapons, setting the main disruptor cannon to a focused beam, target the space hatch, and fire.

CHAPTER 3

Earth Calendar: 9 March 2105 A.D.

I HOPE you find what you long for out there, Kenneth, Aldwin said, holding out his hand. Ken tried to keep his expression firm, but his dad’s beseeching eyes tugged at his heart. He sighed and accepted the hand.

Thanks, Dad.

I love you, son.

Ken spread his lips in a shy smile and nodded his acknowledgment. Then, he moved to exchange hugs with his mum. You’re about to go further from home than anyone has ever gone before, she said.

Well, me and about fifty others, Ken said with a crooked smile, attempting to lighten the mood.

Be safe out there.

Not to worry, Ken said as he broke away from her and turned to Claudia. I’ll be back in plenty of time to see the birth of our new son. He placed a hand on her swollen belly and felt a slight vibration under the skin.

He’ll hold you to it, Claudia said, wrapping her arms around him. Ken returned the hug. And so will I. They held each other like that for several long minutes before Ken reluctantly pulled away and knelt to his older son.

Can’t I come with you? Edward asked with begging, brown eyes. "Just to see the Frontier?"

I’m sorry, Eddie, not this time. Edward’s eyes fell. But I promise you… That’s the first thing we do when I get back, alright?

Edward gave a slight, sorrowful nod. Okay.

Come now. Give me a hug. Ken wrapped his arms around his son. Edward returned the hug. You’re the man of the house until I get back. Be good for your mum, he pulled away and looked into his son’s eyes, managing an encouraging smile, and if we land on any planets, I’ll be sure to bring back an alien rock for you. Sound good?

A smile crept onto Edward’s face, and he nodded.

Claudia’s entreating eyes and Edward’s hopeful smile remained in Ken’s mind as he gazed out the window at the buildings and leaf-less trees that whipped by, his right arm supporting his head. The train was traveling northeast, rumbling smoothly along the rails at a moderate clip. They had left St. Denys Station and were now rejoining the path of a river, but only for a moment before the river forked away once more. The PA rang for attention, announcing their arrival at Swaythling as the train slowed.

Then, there was the slight kick little David had given him. He felt his insides turning into knots. He was going to be four light-years—over forty trillion kilometers—from his family. It was only for a two-month survey of the Alpha Centauri System, and all previous tests with the warp drive were successful. So, why was he feeling uneasy?

Passengers around him shuffled and moved toward the doors as they pulled into the station. After an exchange of passengers, the doors closed, and the train pulled out of the station. His stop was next—Southampton Shuttleport. From there, he would transfer to a shuttle bound for Eternity’s Edge.

Is this seat available? a feminine voice asked with a New England accent. Ken looked up to see an older woman, seeming to be in her seventies or late sixties, peppered hair framing her gentle face.

I’m getting off at the next stop actually, Ken said, standing up and stepping out into the aisle.

Oh, thank you. The woman sat down and slid toward the window. Ken started for the door when she continued, I couldn’t help thinking your face looked familiar.

Ken rolled his eyes. So far on his trip out from Bristol, his fellow passengers had failed to take notice of him—or, at least they gave him no more than a glance. A cocked eyebrow perhaps. He put on a polite smile and turned back to the woman. I must have a doppelganger walking about.

No, you’re Aldwin’s boy—Kenneth, isn’t it? Ken furrowed his brow, searching his memory. Could this person be more than just another individual who followed the news? The lady’s grin broadened. I’m Nancy—Nancy Fisher. You were just a child the last time we met.

Ken cocked his eyebrows. Nancy Fisher—one of his dad’s old friends and teammates, who worked with him in their civilian life and fought together during the War. But he thought she and her husband had moved back to Maine. So, you’re an officer in the new Earth Alliance Space Force, she said.

Ken looked down at his black uniform and the blue emblem of Earth overlayed with a rocket on his left breast. Below the emblem, two gold bars and one black, signifying his rank of lieutenant commander. He nodded and sat down beside the woman. "That’s right, and about to head out—literally—aboard the Frontier."

Your father must be proud.

The PA rang once again. Now approaching Southampton Shuttleport.

I’ll certainly be if I can escape his shadow.

Don’t you pay any attention to that fuss the media makes. The important thing is the achievement. Regardless of how your father handled the attention he was given, we—Robert, Sam, and me—we continued to appreciate him for taking the lead and accomplishing what we did together. Saving a group of magnificent creatures from being wiped out entirely.

Ken smiled and, meeting her eyes, nodded. Yes, I know. So do I, honestly. Through the window behind her, he noticed the train slowing and the space shuttle platform beyond the terminal. Excusing himself, he stood again and made his way to the door.

A space shuttle was on the rails when he arrived on the platform.

McClance.

He found Captain Bryan Hamilton approaching. Ken moved to meet him, nodding his acknowledgment. Captain.

At ease, Commander. Ken was about to salute, but his arm had barely twitched before the captain spoke. How’s your family?

They’re well, sir. Are we supposed to meet the representatives here?

Hamilton shook his head. We’re to meet them on the station, at the airlock to the ship. You’re missing something on your uniform. He indicated his own