It took a full week to find the exit out of hyperspace.

In the end, wed managed to

map out the polynomial curve and plotted our way to our destination. Only a nine-
degree variation in our course was required to hit the exit squarelybut after
travelling a billion kilometers, such a small variance made a great deal of
difference.

Steady on, I ordered. Helmsman, youre speeding up. I ordered no acceleration on

the final approach.

Sorry sir, Rumbold replied. I must have missed that point in the briefing.

Frowning, I looked at him in surprise. Rumbold? How did you get back into that
chair? Wheres my pilot? Did you do away with her?

I was simply next on the roster, sir, he said without looking over his shoulder
at me. She must have stepped out and called for a replacement. Perhaps shes not
feeling well. Hyperspace can do that to peopleor so Ive heard.

Hmm, I said thoughtfully. Once had been a coincidence. Twice Rumbold must have
pulled something to get his rump back into the pilots seat on both the entry and
the exit from hyperspace.

Slightly annoyed, I considered ordering him below decks and summoning my regular
pilot. After a moments further consideration however, I dropped the idea. After
all, hed done well when wed entered the bridge initially. Technically, that made
him the most experienced living pilot in Star Guard when it came to steering a
vessel through the dangerous transition into hyperspace.

What concerned me now, however, was our successful exit from the ER bridge. We had
no idea where wed end up. If rapid course adjustments were to become suddenly
necessary

All right, I said. You can stay in the pilots chair today. But if any more
roster changes are made on future occasions, Ill bust you down to swabbing decks
with a power-mop.

Understood, Captain, he said with visible relief.

Time, Yamada?

Displaying it now. Our calculations should be correct to within a two-second

span.

One of the alarming things about hyperspace was the tendency of the entry and exit
points to shift during flight. They were hard to find in the first placeand they
were moving targets.

We watched as the timer ticked down. Now and then it froze for two or three
seconds, recalculating. At other times it jumped forward a few heartbeats. It was
disconcerting.

Requesting permission to increase speed by five percent, Captain, Rumbold said.

Were going fast enough to puncture the barrier, but weve got very little margin.
If it shifts away just as we reach the point of no return

Permission denied, I said smoothly. I want to be able to maneuver when we come

out if we have to evade something.

Understood, sir.
After watching Rumbold for a few moments thoughtfully, I looked over at Zye.
Lieutenant, I want you to keep an eye on our pilot. If he fails to perform in some
way, you have my permission to intercede and take over his station.

A wise precaution, she said.

Rumbold muttered something I didnt catch. He kept his hands on the controls and
his eyes on the screens.

Then suddenly, the clock surged forward. It went from forty seconds to seven.
Everyone on the command deck gasped.

There! Rumbold shouted. A huge shift!

Yesbut the exit moved closer to us, Zye said. So far every shift has brought it
closer.

You cant count on that he muttered.

There was no more time for talk. We hit the barrier a few moments later and broke
through into normal space.

The process of exiting hyperspace was somewhat more jarring than what one
experiences when entering. I think it was mostly a psychological thing. Going from
a universe full of stars to a dark vacant place was less alarming than switching
from blankness and quiet into the swirling maelstrom of our home universe.

What riveted the attention of everyone on the deck was the looming presence of a
vast, orange-colored star. It was closetoo close.

Prepare for evasive action, I said.

Which way, sir? Rumbold asked.

My crew was already trying to come up with answers in this regard.

Durris, give him a course, I said, trying to sound calm. The gamma radiation
readings were already on the rise. The star would cook us if we got too close.

My XO had the in-flight duty of operating tactical navigation. That meant he was in
charge of deciding our short-term flight path. He worked with his screen making
rapid calculations.

The stars corona is venting from the northern pole, Yamada said from the sensor
boards, Id recommend we dive south.

Sir, theres a planet-sized body in that direction, Durris said. It appears to

be artificial in nature.

They all looked at me. Already, I could feel a gravitational tug. We were within
the stars reach. Soon, that would make maneuvering more difficult.

Dive south, I ordered Rumbold. Head for the artificial construct. Its probably
located there for a good reason.

The ship swooped sickeningly. Rumbold wasnt sparing any power. Fortunately,
Defiant had plenty of it.
The next half-hour was harrowing, but we managed to get ourselves onto a stable
flight path. We skirted the star, decelerating continuously. Our target was the
strange structure that sat locked in a synchronous orbit below the stars southern
pole.

By the time we felt our situation was no longer immediately dangerous, wed made a
series of discoveries about the alien system.

There are no records of this star system in our Earth documents, Yamada said with
certainty. To our knowledge no one from Earth has ever been here before.

How far are we from the Solar System? I asked.

About thirty-five light-years, Durris answered for the navigational team. As far
as we can tell, this is Gliese-32, a star system marked for exploration, but which
was never definitively scouted before the Cataclysm.

Well, start recording people, I said. Sensors, what do we have?

Its an odd system by any measure, Yamada said. There are apparently no large
planets. There are only asteroids and planetoids. The star itself is mildly
unstable. Its ejecting gas in regular intervalsserious flares.

That concerned me. It was a storm of flares that had jumbled our network of ER
bridges more than a century back in our star system. If this star was unstable,
wouldnt it possibly disrupt the local bridges in this region of space? The most
alarming thing about that possibility was the thought that we might be trapped
here, unable to backtrack through the same route to Earth.

I mentioned none of this to the crew. They were smart people, and they could
interpret the data as well as I could.

I assume the artificial planet is built in that location for a reason? I asked.

Yes, Yamada answered. Its in the Goldilocks zone, well-placed for liquid water
to form on the surface. Even more significantly, it seems like the flares never
travel in that direction.

Nodding thoughtfully, I got out of my seat and began to pace. Makes sense. They
came here and found a dangerous star. With nowhere to land, they built their own
home in the one spot thats calm within this stormy system. The question is: why
didnt they keep traveling? Surely, there must be better systems than this one to
colonize.

Sir? Yamada asked me, Ive got the standard greeting file queued-up. Should I
begin broadcasting to the artificial satellite?

My lips compressed tightly. This was a big decision. Im going to have to ask you
to hold that option for now. I think we should know more before

Youll do no such thing, Sparhawk! shouted a voice from the rear of the command
deck.

Everyone looked. It was Lady Grantholm, and she was almost trembling with rage.

I thought we had an agreement, she said loudly. You fly the ship, and you let me
handle the diplomacy. I think no one can argue that thus far, Ive upheld my end of
the bargain.
This isnt about a bargain, Ambassador, I said. Were talking about the safety
of this ship and crew. We dont know anything about these locals. They could be
aliens. They could be hostile

They most certainly will be if you dont broadcast our peaceful intentions! she
said. Imagine this situation from their point of view. An unknown ship has just
appeared in their system. Without a moments hesitation, this ship targets their
meager satellite and heads directly toward it. Worse, we havent said a word in
greeting.

Shed made good points, but my instincts told me to proceed with caution.

Madam, I said, let me investigate further. If we see no sign of hostilitythen

Captain, I would like to see you privately, she demanded.

With a sigh, I followed her into the adjacent ready-room. We sat across from one
another.

Heres what Im willing to do, she said when we were alone. Im going to allow
you to save facethis time. But dont test me again.

Blinking, I offered her a drink. Allow me? Do I have to remind you whos in
command of this ship, Lady?

She smiled wickedly. The ship, yesbut not the mission. Here are my orders Our
orders.

She handed me a computer scroll which I took dubiously. I read for a few moments,
and I felt a chill settle in my guts.

I see, I said.

You read it all?

Just the pertinent parts.

Im authorized to take direct command of this mission, in every detail, if there

is a diplomatic crisis brewing.

Theres no diplomatic anything yet, I said. We havent even determined if

theres anyone alive on that station. Theyve made no transmissions, no attempts to
talk to us.

As the interloper, thats our obligation, not theirs, she said. As to the
definition of a diplomatic crisis, the person whos tasked with making that
determination is me.

Yes as I said, I read it.

You accept my authority in this situation?

It seems I have no choice. But let me ask you: how did you get such an order
authorized and approved without my knowing about it?

That was part of the conditions by which I agreed to go on this suicidal mission,
she explained. You didnt seriously think I was going to play the elderly aunt in
the back room while my nephew ran the show, did you?
Now that you mention it, that sort of role did seem out of place for you.

She nodded. I see we understand one another at last. Now, let me explain to you
how were going to proceed. Youll go back onto the command deck alone and order
Yamada to start transmitting the diplomatic greeting. Ill exit through the other
door and move back to my quarters. If the natives in this system respond, Ill
return.

How does this sequence of events improve the situation? I asked.

She shrugged. Your crew will see you giving orders. Ill have vanished. Dont you
think thats better than having me standing there like a harpy, looking over your
shoulder to make sure youre doing it right?

I had to admit, she had a point there. I accepted her conditions as I had no other
easy options.

Returning to the command deck alone, I gave the orders. The transmission began. It
left me with a hollow, worried feeling in the pit of my stomach.

If Id had a leg to stand on, Id have defied her no matter what the orders from
Earth said. As Defiants Captain, I had the right to safeguard her crew and her
hull.

The trouble was, the local population had shown no sign of hostility as of yet. I
was therefore honor-bound to follow Grantholms orders.

As soon as the situation changed, however, I vowed to realign the rules more to my
liking.