Kanushin (Starweaver's Tapestry #1)

Chapter 8: Newton's Law

The Aurora Nova slipped into the hyperspace trail of Tovarro Station with a large shudder. The metal groaned vehemently from the change in pressure. It adjusted quickly and wobbled into the side, thrusters flaring red as it pushed forward. Inside, flight systems analyzed the best pathway to the Arrival Docks and flashed it across the windows.

Kirrik and Imi held their respective yokes tightly, intense vibrations hurting their hands. They followed the pathway laid out carefully and in intense focus. Tovarro was already difficult to dock into with a normal ship due to the speed that it moved and the amount of spiked protrusions jutting from the station's body, but the increase in security made things worse. Cannons tracked the Nova's every move, ready to fire at the slightest slip up.

Imi reached over and tapped a pad to her right. It beeped and whistled before turning green.

"License accepted. Class H docking available," a dronish voice sounded over the Nova's intercom system.

The cannons lowered and Kirrik let out a sigh of relief. He tilted his yoke to the left while Imi continued to press hers forward. The Nova tilted to a slight angle and floated up to the side of the station. A metal grate lifted to reveal a yellow force-fielded wall. Three small bars slid out past the field and under the Nova, locking against the bottom with loud clunks.

Kirrik and Imi let go of their yokes as the bars pulled the Nova inside Tovarro. Kirrik stood and gazed out the windows at the mass of wires, metal pillars and service parts that the Nova was squeezed past. Imi kicked her feet up and leaned back in her seat.

The bars clicked into a wheel-like structure that rotated the Nova around before rising to another level. Another set of gates opened and the ship lifted in a dome filled with other vehicles.

"Sure you're gonna be good?" Imi asked with her head tilted back and eyes closed.

Kirrik put his hands on the Nova's dash and leaned forward. He missed watching the docking sequence and thought about all the times he would sit in the Arrival Docks to watch ships enter. Images of Areshia flashed in his mind.

"Honestly? Probably not," He answered with a long pause. "But I'll try."

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Zaius slowly pushed the door to Gen's office, knowing he would have to address what was on the other side. He steeled his nerves, and his emotions, then took the final step in. His teeth clenched as his eyes fell on Gen's body lying peacefully amongst the debris.

He took five trembling steps toward Gen and collapsed on his knees next to the body. Zaius removed Gen's glasses, folded them and placed them on his chest. Zaius lifted Gen's arms and layered them across. He placed his hand on Gen's and said his goodbyes.

The moment of peace felt out of place in the context of the situation around them. Zaius knew that Areshia and her cronies could find them at any moment, or that the many denizens of the Underside could decide to swoop in and take what they could. This was his moment, though, and he wouldn't let anyone steal it away.

He looked down at the thin Zanathum band on Gen's right hand. It clung tightly to his ring finger. Zaius tapped it twice, watched it expand slightly, and pulled it off. He ran it around the palm of his hand, feeling the curvature of the jewelry.

Zaius remembered stowing away on a cargo ship bound for Tovarro when he had just turned twelve. His parents had originally left him behind in the care of a youth home on Trantokar for some unknown reason. The old couple in charge took care of him until he was seven, then passed from old age. He and the other eight children in their care had been shuffled around to other homes after that. Zaius had bounced from home to home, never finding a place to really call his own or anyone to love him like theirs. Eventually, resentment became the driving emotion in his life.