After a short break with Orcher, I spend the next four hours with Captain Blitner, who talks about Belvun and its forests, rivers, mountains, and—apparently—smells. Of everyone I’ve met on the Ember, Captain Blitner is the only man whose mood has improved with time. Orcher was right: he just needed some company.

“Habitable planets are rare,” Captain Blitner tells me, his cheeks sagging. “Beautiful planets are even rarer. I like to say that Earth was both a blessing and a curse.”

“How so?” I ask.

“Earth was perfect, but its beauty set humanity’s standards too high.” He rubs his knee, flexing his frail fingers. “Why else do you think we would go around terraforming every dead planet?”

Orcher calls us to the Bridge at six-fifty. It’s buzzing with commotion. Officers run up the ramps, video chatting with other officers in the station or tossing data orbs to other platforms.

“Keep watching, kids,” Victoria says when Glacia and I reach the top level. “This is the exciting part.”

She points at the clock above Station Control, which reads 4:02 and is ticking down the seconds.

“When that hits zero, we blast off.”

Orcher walks out of his private office and joins us at the railing. “You see it?” he asks.

I follow his gaze and see what he means: like they did before we entered the Perihelids, scattered stars litter the black veil of space, and cloudy patches of gas stretch from the galaxy’s center. We’ve reached the other edge.

“Larson will be giving Miranda the all-clear any minute now.”

With 1:36 left on the timer, Officer Remmit’s voice comes over the intercoms. “Coordinates confirmed. The Hyper Drive systems are functioning normally and the engines are running tight.”

Now Captain Fallsten’s voice echoes through the Bridge. “Pilots, on my order.”

The clock reaches zero at the same time the fleet passes beyond the edge of the asteroids. One last boulder arcs overhead, and then we’re clear. I turn around and stare at the wall of rock. We survived the Perihelids. Now only one thing remains.

“Engage thrusters,” Captain Fallsten orders. The pilots adjust the power outputs and the fleet accelerates. “Steady…steady. On my mark.”

A green light flashes in Station Control, the signal Captain Fallsten was waiting for.

“Activate Hyper Drives.”

No sound, no warning. One second, asteroids drift behind us—but then they’re gone. An aurora sweeps over the Bridge and blankets the Ember, rippling along its length. When the colors fade, stars dazzle my eyes. One of them shines on Ladia. One of them is my beacon.

So we fly. But as we fly, part of me wonders if I have already flown far enough.

Part 3

The Story

Chapter Twenty-Two

June 12

Belvish Time

Standard Year 4319