CHAPTER 7 – FIRST STEPS OF THE WAY

Name: Terra Para, Ascendancy System

Location: Sector Tau 42, Octant Lambda 3, Constellation Phyrro-3312, local coordinates 0/0 (Outer perimeter of known galactic space)

Orbital Distance: 1.8 AU / 1.5 AU

Orbital Period: 412 local days (1.02 standard years)

Radius: 9,009 km (perceived; see below) Day Length: 30 standard hours (1 standard day)

Atmospheric Pressure: 1.01 SA Atmospheric Composition: 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% neon, 0.1% other (high trace amount of exotic particles)

Surface Gravity: 0.99 G Surface Temperature (Median): -36 Celsius

Population: Unknown (estimated 1,500,000)

Travel Advisory: Terra Para is labeled as a paraworld. Extreme weather, spatial and/or temporal shifts, loss of reality elevation, and other critical existence anomalies may be present on the surface and in-system. Visits to the planet are strongly discouraged.

– Public Information Overview, Datalinks

Airo gazed silently at the scene before him.

The starship had crashed nose-first into the ground, leaving a long, jagged furrow across the plains. Its silvery hull was leaning on one side at a shallow angle, partially crumpled by the impact. The outer plating was frosted with ice, meaning its main defensive systems were non-functional.

"Wow!" Veralla said. "It is so large! What is it?"

Airo ignored her. He started walking toward the downed starship. The starship was small, about three times the size of an orbital shuttle. Airo guessed it was some kind of in-system patrol vessel, probably for scouting and light skirmishes. He reached the starship and approached the access hatch on the starboard side. He brought out his grid-caster, and powered the hatch's HHI. The interface bloomed in blue-orange hues, and Airo used the executive override he had been given from his mysterious employer.

The hatch swooshed. Airo stepped inside, Veralla at his heels, silent for once. The hatch closed automatically, startling the dragonet. The airlock cycled with a hissing sound, and the inner door opened, revealing the interior of the starship.

The nolreck was dominated by a small, cramped cargo hold. A retractable loading ramp compromised the back wall. Twin ladders at each side of the ramp led to the starship's engines. At the front was a trio of sliding doors, leading to the bridge and the other parts of the interior. Currently, the cargo hold was occupied by a light recon ATV. A man and a young woman in white-blue uniforms were by the ATV, the man's upper body stuck under the vehicle.

"You know, I could use a beer right about now," he said in a muffled voice.

"If we get out of this alive, I'm buying the first round," she said, looking at a diagnostic terminal. "Turn the bracing another two microdegrees."

"How I'm even supposed to do that?!" came the loud reply underneath the vehicle. A metallic clang rang out. "Ouch! You almost tore off my hand!"

"You're slow, gamebrain," the young woman snorted. "Makes me wonder if all those stories about your e-sports prowess are true."

Airo stepped out in the open and said, "Hello there."

His words brought instant reaction from the two of them. The young woman whipped around to face him, martial-like. The man sputtered and emerged from beneath the ATV, holding a multitool.

"Crap, who is that?!" he asked.

"He's Consortium, obviously, judging by the ID tags," she said, watching Airo warily. "Still: Who the void are you?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Airo paused to consider the situation. "I am a Consortium special agent," he said.

"Oh, wow!" the man said. "Really?"

The young woman snorted. "I find that hard to believe," she said, skeptical. "What the void is a Consortium Paladin doing on a friggin' backwater world like this?"

"I am looking for information on a specific individual," Airo said. However, his reply barely registered, as Veralla came forward, and the man and the young woman stared at the dragonet in utter awe.

"Is that a dragon?!" he burst out.

"So adorable!" she squeed.

"Hello!" Veralla said brightly, moving closer.

"Hey there, little one!" the young woman said in a friendly tone. "My name is Kiana. And this clumsy oaf here is Zuckeroff."

"Yo!" the man waved, and smiled awkwardly.

"I am Veralla!" the dragonet said. "I am happy to meet you!"

Kiana's eyes became comically large. "You're named after the great Goddess?!" she asked in shock.

"Cool!" Zuckeroff added.

"Airo gave me my name," Veralla said proudly. "It is very nice, yes?"

"Wait, you mean that guy over there gave you your name?"

Airo looked around the cargo hold. He tinkered with his grid-caster, examining data streams about the starship's capabilities and the crew manifest. The onboard system was giving him trouble, complaining about the outdated hardware he was using to access it. He ignored the warnings of the starship's integrated SAI, and used his override to demand data about the people before him.

"Say, is it true dragons can get as big as starships?" Zuckeroff asked.

"Don't start on the ridiculous questions, gamebrain," Kiana said. "Would you like something to eat, Veralla?"

"Oh, yes, thank you!" the dragonet replied. "I am quite hungry."

"I'll get some prefabs right away."

"So," Zuckeroff began, "what about–"

"You can keep her."

Airo took no notice of the shocked silence his words brought to the room. He was reading their files. Kiana Kawanaga and St'aep'hon Zuckeroff. There was surprisingly little info beyond the names. She was listed as a starship pilot and a tech op, while he was an astrior – an elite cosmofighter, equally prepared to operate on planet, in orbit, or in deep space. Both of them had an officer rank in the Consortium. However, the files contained nothing more than these sparse resumes. Enigmas; Airo didn't like that.

"Also," he continued without looking up, "I am commandeering this vessel, and all of its equipment."

"Now wait a second!" Kiana said angrily. "This is our starship, and we're fucking military! What authority gives you the right to make such claims?"

Airo lifted his gaze. "As I said," he replied in a cool tone, "I am a special agent – a Paladin – of the Consortium, and I commandeer your resources in this capacity."

"All right, all right," Zuckeroff said, lifting his hands in a placating gesture. "Whatever you say, Boss."

"It's not all right, Zuckeroff!" Kiana snapped. "We have only his word on who he is. The fancy armor might be stolen, and the ID tags forged. He could be anyone." She turned back to Airo. "I'm not giving anything to you."

His temper flared, yet he kept his composure. "I suggest you do not try my patience," he warned.

"Um, Ki, listen to him," Zuckeroff said, worried. "He has a veronite-enhanced singularity blaster."

Airo hadn't examined the oversized sidearm holstered over his left hip very closely, having no reason thus far to use it. Yet he moved his hand over the weapon to emphasize the man's observation. Zuckeroff paled and swallowed, but Kiana only glared and said nothing. Airo saw in the corner of his vision the dragonet, who had curled up on the floor, her slit-pupiled eyes watching with wary curiosity. She didn't move a muscle, except for the tip of her tail which waved anxiously beside her head.

This was going nowhere.

"Let us begin again," he said flatly, pulling away his hand. "I am Commander Airo. And you are?"

The man saluted at once. "Officer St'aep'hon Zuckeroff, at your service, Boss!"

"You probably already saw our personnel files," the young woman said sullenly. "But be warned – I respond only to my first name, Commander," she added, drawling the last word in a sardonic tone.

Airo studied the two crewmembers. Zuckeroff was standing at attention apprehensively, while Kiana had crossed her arms, a rebellious gleam in her eye. He was a Corelander of average height and build, with cheerful blue eyes and sun-yellow hair, his face surrounded by a fuzzy beard. She was of mixed Islander-Mistlander descent, and had a slender frame, with dark blue hair and bright, lavender-colored eyes. They both seemed very young; Kiana practically looked like an adolescent. Airo wondered if this was the outward appearance of all immortal people in the far future.

"All right, we are presented now," he nodded tersely. "As to the matter of commandeering, I have been sent to this system to track down and eliminate a very powerful and dangerous individual. My mission... is of the utmost importance. So I am placing you under my direct command until further notice. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Zuckeroff replied. Kiana seemed like she wanted to argue yet only muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Airo demanded.

"You haven't shown any clearance," Kiana said. "There's still only your word on who you are. And Paladin or not, there's protocol to be followed."

"Right," Airo drawled. "Protocol." He glanced down at his grid-caster's display. Lacking a better idea, he called up the executive override and broadcast it. Across from him, Kiana gasped, though she had no visible devices on her person.

"Omega-level clearance," she said in a low voice.

Zuckeroff whistled. "What do you want us to do, Boss?" he asked, uncertainty plain on his face.

Airo began to respond, but Veralla piped up. "Are we going to fly now?" she asked with excitement. "I seem to remember starships can fly!"

"Unfortunately, we won't be flying today, whippersnapper," Kiana said, crouching down before the dragonet. "This ship is pretty much busted. Come now, let's get you something to eat."

She led the hatchling dragon toward the front of the nolreck. Airo stared after them, dark thoughts circling in his head.

Zuckeroff turned to him, expression brimming with curiosity. "So, Boss, where did you get a–"

"Shut up, Zuckeroff. Finish those repairs ASAP. The sooner I... we are on the move, the better."