Ardent

Chapter 3

Aliyn tapped her fingers on the console on the bridge of the Ardent. She squinted at the information on the screen, rubbing her temples while letting out a long sigh. A day had passed, and the crew, small but efficient, prepared to leave Europa's orbit and head into deep space. The new part of the Ardent's air system had arrived this morning, and Alex and his crew were working on its installation.

The SS Lunar had been inviting, but its sterile white halls had taken their toll on Aliyn's nerves. No matter how the advertisements portrayed the space station as a place to stop, rest, and resupply, the astringent smell and look of a research vessel never quite dissipated. It was a quiet reminder of the past, and how far humanity had come.

The Lunar's docking arms contained a variety of ships, most of them piloted by humans. Some alien races opted to visit Earth's solar system, but they never stayed long as the novelty wore off quickly. Earth was a rare stop for most travellers. It was located a great distance away from the larger galactic civilizations, and most vessels would have to veer off course to visit. Despite its distance, Earth's reputation as a retirement destination had been increasing over the years.

"Captain?" The urgent tone of Corin's voice caused Aliyn to look up from her work.

"What is it?" She replied, shutting the computer and sliding off her seat. She tugged her black jacket into a smooth line at her hips and gave the Ardent's pilot her full attention.

Corin shook his head, his vivid blue eyes betraying his annoyance. He was tall and muscular, towering over most men, with warm, sun-kissed skin that resembled smooth sand. He kept his shoulder-length flaxen hair tied in a neat ponytail at the back of his head, causing the features of his angular face to stand out.

"There is a situation in engineering," he spoke, his voice terse. "Lillian is already on her way, and she requests your presence."

"If it's something Lillian can't handle—" Aliyn exhaled, finished her sentence with a frustrated sigh. There wasn't much that the Chief of Security needed help with; she was very self-sufficient. "Come on." She gestured towards the doors, and headed off in a light jog, Corin close behind her.

As they neared engineering, the sound of raised voices became increasingly clear, echoing down the long hallway. Something was wrong.

"Lillian, I saw him messing with the components of the communication device!" It was Alex's voice.

Aliyn frowned as she and Corin burst into the room, almost too fast for the automatic sliding door that brushed their shoulders as they squeezed through simultaneously.

As they came to a halt, a man pushed past and almost knocked Aliyn off her feet. Corin reached out and steadied her, grabbing her forearm.

"Go after him!" Lillian ordered, and her gloved hand reached for the sleek black pistol at her waist. There wasn't even time to blink before Lillian pushed through the doors and followed the fleeing man. Alex was right behind her, his face contorted.

Aliyn fell into step beside Alex, looking over at him. "What the hell is going on?"

"One of the new recruits was tampering with the engineering communication port. I caught him installing something. When I called him on it, he denied it. Lillian came down right away at my request, and as she was questioning him, he took off, right when you two came through." Alex huffed as they tore through the hallways of the ship, sidestepping to avoid anyone moving in the opposite direction.

"Don't let him out!" Lillian's voice carried over the commotion, but it was too late. The man had bolted through the doors and down the corridor, vanishing into the crowd that filtered around the anchorage. She skidded to a halt.