HAWK

CHAPTER THIRTY: GENESIS (4/4)

When the big day finally arrived, the streets of Sadoka were empty, as were the streets of Yun-Ko, Sevine and every city on every planet in the solar system. And it wouldn't just be Primi, Kas knew - it would be the same across the entire galaxy. For the first time in Asiman's history, every system belonging to the Federation would be united by a common galactic spectacle.

A supernova.

Kas, Worm and Sae-quin had chosen to watch the event from Kas's apartment on her video wall. In little over twelve thousand years, Kas's descendants (assuming anyone was still around) would be able to go out onto the streets and witness Kiko's death with their own eyes, but today they would have to rely on satellite feeds.

Every network covering the event was using the exact same footage: the burning amber sphere that was Kiko's star. At less than five billion years old, the yellow dwarf still had over half of its natural life remaining - life that was about to be taken from it in incredible style.

When the time finally came, Kas felt sick and she'd already bitten her nails and cuticles to shreds. While the star was the origin of the AI that had almost wiped out Primi, to Kas, the golden orb of plasma was not a star but a firefly. Beside her, Sae-quin's blue code fluttered as he started speaking.

'Gentle star of night's embrace, your distant light so faint. I see your heart, your life, your past, your youth's expired, tainted by time and fate. My father's light, my children's night, this moment lives for me, for now I see what once was true, your spark of life is burning through the darkness where your future now awaits. One day my light will join your own and we will be as one. Until then, farewell my friend, you'll always be my Sun.'

The explosion happened without warning. Where there had moments before been a small yellow star, there was suddenly a vast expanding cloud of stunning vibrant colour. Kas held her breath as the supernova blossomed like a cosmic flower, gradually filling the dark space around it with a beautiful haze of pinks and blues and greens. Kas realised it was a perfect way for Astrid to end her life - in a blaze of brilliant colour, witnessed across the galaxy by the very beings she had sacrificed herself to save.

Kas felt something grip her hand and she looked down to see Worm's fingers wrapping around her own. A lone tear was rolling down her right cheek. Kas closed her fingers around Worm's and held her tight. She looked back at the supernova and felt a melancholy joy fill her heart.

The doorbell sounded. Kas was both furious and relieved; she didn't want to watch the supernova anymore. Leaving Worm and Sae-quin on the sofa, she went to the adjacent wall and activated the vidcom. A heavy set man with a thick pair of sideburns filled the lambentile panel.

'Hello?' she said.

'Kas Balera?' the man replied.

'Yeah...'

'Got a delivery for you.'

Kas suddenly remembered Astrid's gift and smiled at the timing. 'Come on down.' She pressed the door release button but the man stayed put.

'You need to sign for it up here,' he said.

'Why?'

'Look, I'm already missing the biggest event in the history of civilisation to deliver this, so would you mind just coming up and signing for it so I can go home?'

Kas raised an eyebrow.

'I'll be right up.'

*   *   *

The man didn't smile as Kas stepped out. Instead, he thrust a slim-line terminal in her hand and instructed her to sign. Kas put her hand on the screen and said her name. The moment she finished, the man stole it back from her and walked away.

'Well, where is it?' Kas asked.

He didn't turn back as he replied. 'Around here.'

Perplexed, she followed him around the corner to the children's playground but quickly stopped as her breath caught in her throat.

Her faithful old ship looked as good as new; there wasn't a dent or scratch in sight. Even the letters across the hull making up 'CALISTA' were bolder than she remembered. She walked towards it like she was in a trance, reaching up and stroking its hull to reacquaint herself with its touch. A tingle spread through her fingers as she stepped round to the back where the doors were.

'Calista,' she said. 'Open up.'

At once, the ramp started to lower revealing the cargo hold within. She hopped up and inside before the ramp had even touched the ground and felt a swelling of warm emotions brewing behind her eyes. She ran to the cockpit and jumped into the pilot's seat and ran her trembling fingers across the control panel.

'How are you doing, Calista?' she asked.

'All systems are operational,' the ship replied.

Kas stood and went to the weapons locker. She opened it but was disappointed to find it empty.

'I guess I can't have everything,' she said.

'Some of your possessions are in concealed storage,' the Calista announced.

'Possessions?' Kas ran back to the cargo hold and slapped her hand on the wall under the sleeping hold. The wall slid back revealing her hidden storage space, and her smile suddenly doubled in size. She reached in and withdrew her faded duster jacket and in a single smooth motion, she swung it around her shoulders and slipped her arms inside. For the first time in weeks, she felt like she was home.

'Is this your ship?' a voice asked. Kas turned to see Worm and Sae-quin standing at the top of the ramp.

'Sure is,' she replied. 'She's called the Calista.'

'She's nice,' Sae-quin replied. Kas looked at Worm and saw on her face the same knowing smile she was wearing herself. Without saying a word, Kas went to the side of the hold and pushed the red lever up to close the ramp.

'What are you doing?' Sae-quin asked.

'Relax, bubblehead,' Kas replied as she made her way back to the cockpit. 'We're just going for a ride.'