Ardent

Chapter 1

Although the pay is too good to refuse, I'm not sure how I feel about working for the government. I suppose it is what it is.

The book is peculiar, and it was strange to run my fingers over the paper. It's been so long since I touched the texture of a page. They somehow give the words life that the screen is lacking, a tangible window into what was written. I found nothing close to a language I recognize within its pages, but I suppose that will come with time.

The ship is a step up from what we had before. If you're going to fly into the dark, dangerous, and unnerving areas of space, it's best to go in style.

End of log.

***

"Well," a female voice echoed. "How do you feel, Captain Flynn?"

Aliyn Flynn pivoted from the window of the Ardent, leaving the endless clear azure skies of Earth behind her. She inhaled, the smell of the steaming mug of coffee on her desk wafting up to her nose. "Lill, you know I hate it when you guys call me that."

Lillian laughed, reaching a gloved hand outwards to pull a chair out from beneath the desk. She flopped down and crossed one leg over the other. "Well, since we seem to be working our way up in the world, you may need to get used to more formality."

Aliyn studied Lillian's bright face for a moment. The woman's fiery red hair was tied back in a short ponytail that stuck out playfully at the back of her head. A multitude of freckles covered her pale skin, and her face carried its usual devil-may-care expression. Bright green eyes twinkled as she watched Aliyn with amusement, and after a moment, she let out a chuckle.

"We're all equal in the dead of space, Lill." Aliyn offered her a small smile. "If we need to act formally when we come back to Earth, then we will. Although," she paused for a moment, raising a brow, "someone may have to give Corin a lesson or two."

"You can give Corin all the lessons in the world and it will do you no good. We can dress him up, but we can't take him out, so to speak. Well, we can take him out, but we'd have to tape his mouth shut." Lillian tugged on the zipper of her jacket. "So, where are we headed, Cap't?"

"Stop calling me that." Aliyn snorted, pulling a strange leather book from a drawer in the desk. She slid it across the chrome surface towards Lillian, who grabbed it in her gloved hands. "We're headed back to the Reso system."

"What?" Lillian clutched the book, her eyes darting up to Aliyn. "We almost didn't make it out of there alive, Aliyn, and we're supposed to go back?"

"It wasn't that bad, Lill. Corin's a good pilot. That mess was nothing more than a game to him."

Lillian grunted as she opened the book and gazed down onto its pages. "It was only a game to him because he's lost his flipping mind. What is all this anyway?"

"They found it at the other end of the Reso system, aboard another derelict vessel. No one can tell me how old it is," Aliyn mused, pressing the palms of her hand onto the cold surface of the desk.

"It's old." Lillian sighed, flipping through the brittle pages. "I don't remember the last time I touched paper in a book, maybe when I was a kid. Can you read it? It all looks like scribbles."

"No, I can't." Aliyn shook her head. "I suppose before we get too deep into this, we need to find out what the book says and where it came from."

"Sounds dangerous." Lillian uncrossed her legs and leaned forward to rest her elbows on her knees. An excited smile brightened her face. "Well, at least you won't worry about going grey over it." The redhead smirked, directing her gaze to Aliyn's hair.

Aliyn touched the bun of white hair that rested on the skin of her neck. Of her entire head of hair, only one black streak remained above her right eye, the rest had faded into white many years ago. Her eyes were almost as light as her hair, only touched with the briefest hint of ice blue and grey.

"Are you ever going to tell us why it went white at such a young age?" Lillian probed, watching Aliyn.

"I've told you a million times." Aliyn frowned, folding her hands in front of her. "No, I won't."

"It is what it is, I suppose." Lillian sat upright, pushing herself from the chair and sliding it back to its place beneath the desk. She tossed the book on the surface of the desk and zipped up her black jacket. "Well, I best stop procrastinating on what I need to get done. We've only got a few days left in port before the launch, and I have a bottle of a nice Earth red with my name on it."

"Yes, you best. I'm not sure when we'll return." Aliyn watched her, tapping the pads of her fingers on the desk.

"Catch you later." Lillian exhaled, raising both eyebrows and turned, exiting through the mechanical door that opened as she approached. "Have a glass or two, Flynn. You need to lighten up."

As the door slid shut, Aliyn reached out for the book, focusing her gaze on the gem embedded in its leather surface. She ran a finger over it, her eyes studying the opalescent veins in the crystal with interest.

What on earth are we getting into?