Bk 2 - Chapter 1 - Landfall

Cali drifted into view like a dream someone had rendered in code and then painted across the stars. Twin suns glared down from opposite angles, bathing the planet in a golden light that made the ice shimmer like chrome. From orbit, it was perfect. Elegant. Engineered. Mountain chains sliced through white tundra with fractal symmetry. Ocean veins, frozen mid-current, webbed the landscape in delicate lattices. I leaned closer to the viewport, jaw slack.

"That—" I whispered. "That isn't natural. No way. That's placed."

The ridge flow resembled a thermal diffusion pattern. Someone had designed that ice shelf, I was positive.

The entire planet pulsed with intention.

I couldn't stop staring. "The polar heat venting is routed into a tiered structure... geothermal harnessing? And those dome clusters? Are they habitat grids?" I pressed my fingers against the cold viewport glass. "Doli, are you seeing this?"

<<Captain, you know it's not real.>>

"You aren't any fun," I teased.

<<As you can see Cali is a fully constructed biome. Even cloud density and tectonic simulation have been engineered. The twin suns are orbital reflectors designed to provide uniform coverage. The surface patterns are aesthetic. Designed to deceive.>>

I blinked. "It's a lie?"

<< It's a masterpiece. But yes. A lie, nonetheless.>>

My fingers flew across the nearest console, triggering several spectral analysis. "The atmospheric tint is off, there's compensation for solar spread. That's artificial scatter mapping. Someone painted this planet with light." I was digging through satellite relays, searching for architect tags when—

"Piotr," Kerry snapped from behind me, her voice sharp enough to cut through my thoughts. "You're spiraling. Breathe. You can dissect the planet later, after we land. And after you've had something with electrolytes in it."

I turned toward her, still half in awe. "It's a work of art, Kerry. Someone didn't just terraform this world, they curated it."

"Great," she said, tossing me a hydration packet. "We'll send them flowers. Now sit down before you pass out and drool on the viewport."

I leaned back but couldn't tear my eyes away.

Whoever built this place didn't just hide the truth. They buried it under layers of brilliance, beauty, and perfect symmetry.

I was going to find out why.

The planet's true nature revealed itself as the Faulkner approached Cali's orbital range. What seemed like frozen oceans from a distance were vast archipelagos of lush green islands scattered across deep blue waters. The white structures I'd mistaken for ice were massive medical complexes gleaming against the natural landscape.

I watched our approach through tired eyes as our ship navigated through a constellation of smaller vessels, all orbiting Cali like mechanical moons.

"How are you holding up?" Kerry's voice came from behind me, professionally neutral but unable to fully mask her concern.

I didn't turn. "I'm fine," I said automatically. A lie, obviously.

Kerry moved beside me. Her medical scanner discreetly positioned to capture my vitals without drawing attention. The device's soft blue glow illuminated her focused expression. "Your neural patterns are showing increased agitation. I can administer—"

"No," I cut her off, my voice firm despite its weakness. "I need to be clear-headed when we arrive."

From the command center, Rob spoke clearly. "Port Authority, this is the Faulkner requesting docking clearance. Authorization code Tango-Victor-Nine-Four-Six." A brief pause. and the numbers flashed on my HUD.

36-Hour layover - ₵ 11 472 – No Quarantine.

"Cali makes you pay up front," Kerry said.

Rob whistled. "It's not cheap either."

"Even if your ship's on life-support." Sylvk added.

"You sure you can cover this?" I asked.

"I've got it," Rob said. Then back to Port Authority he said. "Yes, that's correct. Tell Viktor Markov that Rob Kessler is calling in that favor from Proxima."

I raised an eyebrow even though I knew they all had friends here. "An old friend, huh?"

Behind us, Sylvk methodically checked our belongings. Without looking up from his task, he commented, "Always good to have 'old friends' out in the dark."

His hands paused over a concealed compartment in his pack, ensuring our unauthorized weaponry remained undetectable.

"Necessity breeds extensive social networks, I'm pretty sure, you have connections yourself, right?" Rob's voice replied through the comm. "And I have docking privileges without the standard three-day quarantine period. We're cleared for immediate medical priority access."

<<I am detecting extensive medical networks in the Cali system.>> Doli said. I knew her body was tucked away in her specialized health pod, but the thought that station security could board us… worried me.

However, she wasn't, she sounded both excited and focused. <<The orbital station houses fourteen specialized neurological facilities, with the planet surface containing thirty-seven major medical centers. Initial data suggests technology is significantly beyond standard coalition protocols.>>

"Any mention of Academy personnel?" I asked, my lips barely moving.

<<Scanning public records,>> Doli replied. <<Registration data shows seventeen individuals with Academy credentials currently registered in the system. None that we know.>> A pause. <<However, restricted medical files may contain additional data.>>

Hope and dread wrestled in my chest. Seventeen former Academy members.

The Faulkner shuddered slightly as Rob engaged the docking protocols. Through the viewport, I watched the docking clamps unfold from the station's inner ring, hexagonal tethers lined with smart-foam insulation and micro-bore latching systems. Every motion was clean, precise. No hydraulic lag. No vibrational drift. Whoever calibrated this system didn't just want a soft dock, they wanted elegance.

When I noticed Kerry staring, I mumbled. "Even the clamps are pure art."

<<Here,>> Doli said, and a schematic popped up on my HUD.

Now I could see the complex features of Cali's First Station, a huge wheel-like structure of shining metal and reinforced polymers, its upper tiers sparkling with the clinical blue-white lights of the advanced medical facilities. The lower parts shone with warmer amber tones, implying the lively markets and residential areas that supported the station's main purpose. Structural support beams created an organic lattice between these opposing areas, flowing and curved instead of sharply angular, a design concept that ran all across the station's building.

"Docking complete," Rob announced, "powering down the main thrusters."

I pushed myself away from the viewport, my legs trembling. When Kerry moved to assist me, I raised a hand. "I can walk." The words came out more harshly than I intended, softening my tone, I added, "At least for this part."

Kerry nodded, respecting my decision while positioning herself close enough to intervene if necessary. Her scanner remained active, monitoring my dangerous dance between determination and physical limitation.

<<Artificial gravity reads ninety-three percent of standard,>> Doli noted. << You'll feel lighter here, but not enough to fool your pain sensors. Medical districts maintain higher oxygen levels and regulated atmospherics designed to assist recovery. Your respiratory function should improve by approximately twelve percent upon entry.>>

"Good to know," I murmured.

Sylvk appeared at my side, offering not help but companionship as we moved toward the airlock. Our tagged 'security specialist's' eyes never stopped scanning our surroundings, his body perpetually positioned between potential threats and me. "Station security protocols suggest routine scans upon entry," Sylvk said quietly. "Our modified equipment should pass inspection, but prepare for questions."

"Let me handle the talking," Rob said, joining us at the airlock. "Just focus on looking appropriately unwell, Piotr."

A wry smile touched my lips. "Shouldn't be difficult."

I shut my eyes momentarily and collected my strength as the airlock cycled. I breathed my first Cali Station air when the doors slid open with a gentle pneumatic hiss. Recycled but expertly filtered, carrying hints of antiseptic sterility layered with delicate notes of exotic spices. The aroma set off an unanticipated reaction, a flash of memory from my earliest Academy days when the medical bay had employed comparable atmospheric purification techniques. The experience confused me briefly, a peculiar nostalgia for a location that had finally let us down.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

<<Your heartrate has increased by twenty-three percent,>> Doli noted with concern. <<Emotional response detected.>>

<<It's nothing,>> I replied. <<Just... remembering.>>

Designed with subtle aesthetic concerns, though clinical in its efficiency, the docking bay opened into a large receiving area. Curved walls in soothing hues of blue, gentle ambient lighting avoiding severe shadows, and carefully positioned holographic displays displaying calming natural scenes from Cali's surface all contributed to this effect. Medical staff moved purposefully, their uniforms a constant pale green hue contrasting with the blue-white environment.

Scanner in hand, a customs officer came. Rob moved forward with practiced ease before she could talk. "Medical priority clearance, Kessler-Nine-Four-Six authorization."

Recognition flickered across the official's face. "Rob Kessler?" A smile broke through her professional demeanor. "Didn't expect to see you back in this system."

Kessler? Fake name.

"Life's full of surprises, Talia," Rob replied casually. "My associates require discreet access to the neurological facilities. Our friend here"—he nodded toward me—" is experiencing complications from an experimental neural implant."

Talia's eyes assessed me with professional interest. "If you don't already know, Dr. Chen's team would be your best option. I can expedite your registration if you'd like."

"He's aware we're on our way."

"Then I won't keep you," Talia said.

"Chen has an outstanding career," Kerry gushed.

"Leading the field in neural reconstruction," she confirmed. Then, she tapped her datapad, processing our entry so fast that it suggested she was bypassing several standard protocols. Her gaze returned to me, softening slightly. "Welcome to Cali, where broken things come to be remade."

The words struck me with unexpected force. Broken things come to be remade. Was that what I was now? A broken thing seeking reconstruction? Or was I searching for another broken piece of myself, lost somewhere in this vast medical complex?

"Thank you," I managed, my voice steadier than expected.

"Dr. Chen's been busy," Talia said, handing Rob a data chip. "Temporary residency authorizations, priority medical classification. Access to levels one through seven. Accommodations arranged in the medical district, section four."

Rob thanked her with a nod and guided our small group beyond the checkpoint. The moment we cleared customs, I felt the full burden of my physical weakness descend. I stumbled slightly, but this time, I didn't resist when Kerry took my arm to steady me.

"Neural stability at thirty-eight percent and declining," she murmured, reading her scanner. "We need to get you settled soon. Let's grab a transport."

"First, I want to see the station."

Kerry exchanged a concerned glance with Rob, who nodded reluctantly. "We'll see enough before we catch a transport."

Our group moved into the station proper, entering a vast central promenade that served as the primary artery between the station's various sections. Above us, the curved ceiling rose over sixty meters, presenting a holographic display of Cali's sky. It currently showed late afternoon with scattered clouds drifting across an azure backdrop. The promenade itself bustled with activity, medical personnel in various colored uniforms indicating their specializations, patients in different stages of recovery, and service workers maintaining the station's immaculate appearance.

As we walked, Doli continuously processed the flood of information, filtering relevant data directly to my consciousness. <<Medical advertisements indicate specialized treatment for neural degradation similar to your symptoms. Additionally, I am detecting significant research activity related to prototype neural interfaces.>>

A public announcement echoed through the promenade: "Attention passengers and residents. Level Nine research sectors remain restricted to authorized personnel only. Shuttle departures to planetary surface medical facilities will resume at 18:00 station time. Thank you for your cooperation."

"Planetary surface facilities might be worth investigating," Rob noted quietly. "Often less scrutiny than station operations."

I nodded, my attention caught by a large holographic advertisement hovering near a medical center entrance: "Sensory Enhancement Therapy—Restore What Was Lost." The image showed a woman with a neural interface similar to mine, her expression transforming from pain to peaceful relief.

Kerry followed my gaze. "Promising," she commented, "but we should verify their success rates before committing to any weird procedures."

Weird, is that what it had come down to, too? Full-on medical testing, weird procedures, anything goes?

We continued through the promenade, eventually reaching an observation deck that offered a stunning view of the station's outer rings and the planet below. Cali itself was primarily oceanic, with scattered archipelagos of lush green islands. Even from orbit, the planet's specialized nature was evident, the largest landmasses housed massive medical complexes, their white structures gleaming against the natural landscape.

I groaned, and Kerry tightened her grip. "I've got you," she said.

I glanced at her. She really had 'got me' with Rob leading, Sylvk on one side, Kerry on the other.

I felt everything.

<<Captain, are you all right?>>

"We need to have a chat," I said aloud.

Rob turned to me, "Oh? Right now?"

I stopped walking. "Right now," I said.

Sylvk moved us closer to a barrier out of the way of passing traffic. I stood at the railing, looking out at the sprawl of life clinging to cold systems, its beauty, and the quiet hum of order in the void. Something about this place resonated with me on a level I couldn't articulate, as though the atmosphere carried particles of possibility I hadn't dared feel since watching the Academy explosion on the news.

<<Listen to me Doli,>> I said. <<Link us all in.>>

<<Of course,>> came her reply.

I spoke low, "I can't have Doli calling me Captain anymore."

<<What?>>

"Doli," I said. "I'm officially giving Rob the role on the Faulkner as Captain."

"Bu—" he started.

"No, you're our Captain. Understand?"

Rob dipped his head. "You want me in charge? Officially?"

"Yes, I do. That means Doli needs to answer to you."

<<Captain, I…>>

"Doli this is an order, Rob knows best out here, do you understand that?"

<<I understand,>> she replied. <<But I am yours. I do not belong to Rob.>>

I laughed a little. "I can accept that, will you just call me Piotr?"

"Piotr, the ship is yours," Rob said.

"I know," I replied. "But everything I know out here is superficial. You all have experience I don't."

"How about Doli sticks to calling you Captain, and I take Commander?"

<<I can accept that,>> Doli immediately chimed in.

I held up my hands, relenting. "Okay, okay…"

Trait Progression: Crisis Command Authority – 89% ↑

Trigger: Voluntary delegation of tactical command while retaining strategic authority Function: Effective leadership through distributed responsibility rather than micromanagement Risk: Team dependency; effectiveness limited by crew capabilities

Rob moved away to a portable terminal, and we fell into silence, looking out at the bustle of the station. "Pretty, isn't it?" Kerry said.

"It is," I said. "I always wanted this." I hesitated, feeling the weight behind the awe. "Why do I feel sad now?"

Kerry put a hand on my arm. "Sad is okay, we're all sad."

I rubbed a hand over my face. "What the hell have I gotten you guys into?"

"Stop worrying," Sylvk leaned in, "This is nothing we can't handle." His eyes tracked a station security patrol passing nearby.

"Why?"

It was the same question I'd asked almost daily since we'd left Earth.

Kerry just rubbed my arm sympathetically, but didn't answer.

Rob rejoined our group. "Our lodgings are in Medical Residential Block Seven. Private quarters, medical monitoring capabilities, and close proximity to Dr. Chen's clinic." He studied me with experienced eyes. "Time to rest now. This won't matter if your body fails before we find answers."

I nodded reluctantly, the excitement of arrival giving way to profound fatigue that pressed against my very bones. We caught a transport and made our way to the residential section. I found myself leaning more heavily on Kerry with each passing minute, my vision occasionally blurring at the edges.

Our temporary quarters occupied a small but efficiently designed space overlooking one of the station's internal gardens. The main room featured a medical-grade bed with monitoring systems that Kerry immediately began configuring, a compact living area with comfortable seating, and a kitchenette stocked with basic supplies. Large windows provided natural light from the station's day/night simulation system, which was currently transitioning toward evening hues.

"Home sweet temporary home," Rob commented, setting down our few belongings. "Systems stocked with your nutritional requirements and medical supplies. Security protocols are active." He glanced at Sylvk, who was already inspecting the quarters, checking for surveillance devices and structural vulnerabilities.

Doli tallied that for me.

<<₵ 8 600 per day, plus a ₵ 2 000 security bond I just saw Sylvk slip the concierge.>>

"Clear," Sylvk confirmed after several minutes. Standard monitoring in medical areas only. Can be bypassed if necessary."

<<Already bypassed.>> Doli confirmed. <<No one can see or hear inside this room.>>

<< You're already inside the station's systems?>>

<<Would you expect anything less?>>

Sylvk with his head cocked to one side, was shaking his head. "She's good."

<<I have to be, to help protect all of you.>>

"Especially Piotr?"

<<Especially Piotr,>> she replied.

I lowered myself carefully onto the edge of the bed, allowing Kerry to attach monitoring sensors to my temples. "How long until we can meet with Dr. Chen?"

"Appointment confirmed for 09:00 tomorrow," Rob replied. "Used some old credentials to bump us up the priority list."

"You seem to have quite the history here," I observed.

A shadow of something unreadable crossed Rob's features. "Everyone has places that meant something once." He gestured around us. "Cali's not bad, at least as far as stations go. Planet's beautiful too, if you can visit the surface. Some of the most advanced medical technology in known space, without the corporate stranglehold you find in the central systems."

Kerry completed the setup of the monitoring system. "Your neural stability has dropped another three percent since arrival," she reported. "Rest is non-negotiable now."

I wanted to argue but found I lacked the strength. Instead, I nodded, allowing her to help me into a reclined position. "Wake me if there's any news. Anything at all related to the Academy or survivors."

"Of course," she promised, though her expression suggested she prioritized my recovery over my investigation.

As the others withdrew to give me privacy, I found myself alone with the medical equipment's quiet hum and monitoring displays' soft blue glow.

DISTRIBUTED FAMILY NETWORK [ENHANCED]:

Piotr-Rob Command Trust: 94% [DELEGATION SUCCESSFUL]

Kerry-Piotr Medical Bond: 95% [LIFE DEBT + PROFESSIONAL RESPECT]

Sylvk-Piotr Protection: 92% [TACTICAL GUARDIAN INSTINCTS]

Doli-Piotr Neural Partnership: 98% [PREPARING FOR RECONSTRUCTION TOGETHER]

Outside my window, the station's artificial evening descended, the holographic sky transitioning to deep indigo, scattered with stars. Beyond that simulation, the real Cali turned below, a world of medical marvels and, potentially, answers.

<<I am continuing to analyze available information,>> Doli said, her presence a comforting constant. <<Current search parameters include all references to Razor Academy personnel, experimental neural interfaces, and regenerative therapies.>>

"Focus on getting better," I soothed myself silently. "I can do this."

<<You can,>> Doli agreed. <<Would you like me to read to you?>>

"Yes, please," I said. "Would you tell me everything about Cali? Dig up all the recent politics and dirt. I want to know everything that's going on here."

<<Both on and off the record?>>

"Yes, everything."

As fatigue claimed me more fully, I turned to gaze out at the station and the planet beyond. The lights of arriving medical ships created slow-moving constellations against the darkness. Each light represented someone seeking healing, reconstruction, rebirth. How many were like me, broken and coming to be remade?

If I'm going to be remade, I thought as consciousness began to slip, let it become something no one can ever hurt again.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.