ADVANCED SEARCH  

Support WWEnd

Synopsis

Perihelion and its crew embark on a dangerous new mission at a corporate-controlled station in the throes of a hostile takeover...

Excerpt

They were still three hours out when Perihelion picked up the first clean images of the station. Iris didn't groan under her breath; the mission team was in the ship's conference room with her and Tarik, and she didn't want to alarm them. But this was not going to be the easy slip-in-and-out job that they had hoped.

"This could be difficult," Martyn said, which was a mild way to put it. The station's feed showed multiple corporate transports in dock, as well as armed ships, their sensor images highlighted in red.

Standing on the other side of the conference room, Tarik rolled his eyes at the understatement. Iris caught his gaze and lifted a brow. He folded his arms, his attention back on the display, but she could tell he was a little embarrassed. That was the kind of back-and-forth that was fine when it was just crew, but it wasn't for outsiders or students. She said, "It depends on the situation onboard the corporate station."

The schematics on the floating display above the table showed the corporate-controlled station was a large one, in the shape of three connected spheres, which meant it had probably been built incrementally over time, with sections being added as the population grew. And the docking ring was on one end. At the other end was their goal, a Pre-Corporation Rim habitation.

The shape of it was mostly obscured in the sensor image by the bulk of the corporate station. Though the schematic projection showed it was irregular, like a lumpy asteroid, they knew it was an entirely built structure, not something based on a naturally occurring body.

"You mean there isn't a way we can approach from the outside without being caught," Dr. Mauriq said. She was mission team leader, but her experience with this kind of thing was limited. Iris could tell she was a little nervous and trying to hide it.

There is a way.

Iris knew that tone. She used the private crew channel in the ship's feed to say warningly, Peri.

Dr. Mauriq frowned at the compartment ceiling. "Yes?" Peri's voice didn't have a direction, but new people always looked at the ceiling.

Martyn took in a breath to intervene, but it was already too late. Another diagram popped up and superimposed itself over the corporate station schematic, with proposed targets and calculations for the potential results. Iris grimaced. On crew-private again, she said, Peri, you promised to be nice in front of the new people.

She asked. At least Peri used crew-private to reply.

Dr. Mauriq took it calmly, glancing at Martyn for reassurance, but Dr. Ladsen was clearly agitated. He said, "That... You're suggesting we destroy the corporate station." The diagram, now with a helpful animated image, was demonstrating how the proposed targeting solution would break the corporate station into pieces with a 47 percent estimated casualty rate.

On crew-private, Tarik said, You manipulated her into asking.

That was not manipulation. Peri hesitated for the perfect beat. It was far too easy for that.

Tarik sighed audibly.

Martyn rubbed his forehead like he was nursing a headache already. From the bridge, via the feed, Seth said, "Peri, stop. We're not blowing up the corporate station."

The mission team nervously eyed the animation, which was now showing how the tractor could be used to slice what was left of the corporate station off the Pre-CR hulk.

The first thing Iris always told new mission team members was, "Don't let it intimidate you. Because it will try." Shehonestly didn't know whether it helped or if it just scared them and encouraged Peri to live up to its reputation. She used her personal channel, the one nobody else could hear, and said, Peri, stop it, you'll upset Dad and Dad.

The animation stopped and the schematic disappeared. Peri replied, If the mission team is unable to cope with me, they are unable to face hostile corporates.

It had a point, though Iris didn't want to admit it. Hopefully they won't have to face them, she told it. Aloud, she said, "We'll have to dock at the station and then make our way through to the Pre-CR structure. Our contact aboard said there are access points, multiple ones. We were hoping to be able to avoid that, but it was always a possibility, so we have a plan in place."

Iris, how is that not facing the corporates? Peri said, mercifully on private.

Because we'll just be another group of travelers. There's no facing involved, she told it, aware it sounded like a bad rationalization.

You and I are defining facing in entirely different ways.

Peri was also having separate conversations with Seth, Martyn, and Tarik on the crew channel, and also Karime down in Medical, and Kaede, Matteo, and Turi in the engineering pod. Iris missed most of it except for Martyn saying, What is wrong? Why are you in such a bad mood?

Peri declined to answer that one.

Dr. Mauriq cleared her throat. "You all went quiet. Are you speaking to... it?"

From the bridge comm, Seth said, "Yes, sorry. Perihelion provides mission tactical support and has some logistical concerns."

On crew-private, Seth said, Peri, can you hold off on the vaguely threatening interjections, at least until we get these people off the ship?

Very well. I'll save them for our long walk through the corporate station, which is still in the throes of a hostile takeover, shall I?

That would be great, Seth told it.

Iris folded her arms and let out her breath. This was going to be one of those missions, she could already tell.

Copyright © 2025 by Martha Wells

Reviews

There are currently no reviews for this novel. Be the first to submit one! You must be logged in to submit a review in the BookTrackr section above.

Images

No alternate cover images currently exist for this novel.