The Celestial Way

Chapter 7 - First Steps of the Way

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.