“As I was saying, the main purpose of the MRRs is to repel space debris. We’ll be clear for most of the trip, but the Perihelids can get pretty crowded. A majority of those asteroids are S-type, meaning they have high metal content such as iron and nickel and can be magnetically deflected around the fleet, as compared to taking straight impacts like the old plasma shields did.”

He explains some other functions of the station until we reach the top platform: General Orcher’s private level. Orcher himself is sitting at a desk that overlooks the entire Bridge and stands to greet us when he finishes reading on his holotab.

“Take the tour yet?” he asks.

“Just getting started, sir. Thought I’d bring them to see the departure.”

“Excellent. Miranda is finishing the checks right now, so we should—ah, here she is now.”

Orcher’s holotab beeps. He detaches it from his waist and holds it in front of him.

“Go for Orcher.” After a lengthy silence, he says, “Upload Larson’s final sequence, then depart on your command.”

Down in Station Control, Captain Fallsten points at a station pilot, who taps one of the screens. A countdown clock shimmers at the front of the Bridge, and Captain Fallsten’s voice echoes through the intercoms.

“Clearance granted. Sealing airlocks, generating shields.” She doesn’t speak again until all the operations are complete. Then, “Engaging engines.”

The floor shudders and a hum fills the walls.

“Standard departure in three, two, one.”

Movement.

The Ember detaches from the harbor bay, then backs away and swings to the right. Within minutes, the sun slides out of sight and the fleet crosses the border of darkness. The Drake flies above us and the Doppler and Blazar fly at our sides. The rest of Threshold’s space fleet stays behind, shrinking into tiny pricks of light until they disappear entirely.

And the journey begins.

“This is the fitness level,” Officer Remmit says when we reach Floor Four. “Each area has its own designation: cardio, strength, endurance, and flexibility. And over here—”

He takes us to the third window and Glacia’s mouth drops open.

“A pool?”

“Yep. Word of warning: if the gravity simulators fail, don’t come here. It’s a mess.”

We move farther down the hall. A running track is behind the next window and a room full of raised horizontal bars sits across the hall from it.

“Exercise a few times a week. Spaceflight wreaks havoc on the body—even with the gravity simulators.”

We reach another row of elevators and ride up one floor. The sign across the hall reads: Floor 5: Lower Deck Labs.

Officer Remmit points to the right. “I work in this hall. Most of the Ember’s technical operations are down here.”

He points to the left, where a green light shines above a wide door.