Page 3 of Kryxis

Don’t think about any of the dozen worst case scenarios you’ve heard of or witnessed,she thought.Everyone is going to be fine. You got this.

The ship made one last jolt as the rockets underneath ignited. Dust and smoke blanketed the windows.

When the ship finally grounded, it let out a slow hiss of decompressed air followed by a dull thud. A soft bell rang overhead as the main lights flashed on. That was everyone’s cue to unlatch from their seats.

Rising from her seat, Dani looked at the time on her garometer, set to the cruiser’s standards.6:00 AM.

They had twelve hours by shiptime to complete their task. As the dust settled and she looked out the window, she could see it was nighttime where they’d landed. X110, from what she learned, had an eighteen-hour cycle—or day by the old Earthen clock.

Confusing to be sure for those not used to being off the ship and working on different worlds constantly. But she’d grown accustomed to it.

“Fucking hell,” Myrell grumbled as she slowly got up from her seat. Even Dani heard her bones cracking in her knees and back. “I need my skeleton replaced stat.”

“You’re in luck,” Tom said as he readjusted the collar of his suit. “Marityne Industries used to make synthetic limbs and body parts for amputees and soldiers. Really good cybernetic enhancements using special metal alloy they mined here from the—”

“Save the speech, Tom.” Myrell sighed as she stretched, wagging her head as her graying silver hair got in her face. “I don’t want to hear it this early.”

Tom shrugged, his baby-blue eyes much more awake and excited than the rest. “Just thought you’d like to know. You might just find a spare cybernetic skeleton somewhere. I’d be happy to look for you.”

She snorted. “Sure. Thanks, Tom.”

Close to them, Sheek elbowed Lex to wake up. Lex’s snore turned into a snort and then a groan as Sheek attempted to place them upright before standing. Phen had finally focused away from the lights to pat Morse gently on the back as he hurled in a metal box found under his seat. Poor guy forgot to take his motion sickness meds again.

The soldiers at the back took up their helmets and guns and filed out toward the stairs to ground level. One caught her eye and winked before disappearing.

Dani cleared her throat and brought up her wrist, tapping on her garometer. They had already been debriefed on X110 about its atmosphere, weather patterns, and environment. But her garometer kept readings in real time in case of any changes.

Oxygen levels were stable, but there was a rolling smog that tended to come through every so often from some unknown source. And then there were the dust storms. Best to gear up.

Dani took a deep breath. All right, time to get this show going.

Taking out a pillbox from one pocket, she plucked out a little yellow pill. She waited for Morse to stop puking before handing him the pill along with his canteen which she slipped from his belt. Morse took them and popped the pill, chugging the water. She patted him on the back before turning to the others.

“Everyone else okay?” she asked.

“Yes,” most of them replied.

Lex was still snoring, now sitting upright with their head back, mouth wide open. Dani went over and shook them gently, then pinched them when they didn’t respond.

“Ow!” They jumped awake with a start.

“Time to go, Lex.”

“All right, all right.” They rubbed their head of short black hair.

The crew made their way down to storage and started preparing. The soldiers were already outside, scoping the area. A couple shots were heard, and a few of the group flinched as they were putting on their helmets.

Either the soldiers were target practicing or they found something already. That was enough to put them more on edge.

While the team geared up, Dani stared at herself in the small mirror stuck to her locker, helmet in her hands. Two dark-brown locks fell in waves on either side of her face while the rest was pinned up tight against her head. Honey-colored eyes stared back as she willed herself not to see the tension in them, only the determination. On her left breast wasAlveraz,her mother’s last name, not her father’s, even if he was a captain and everyone knew that she was his daughter.

Some might have wondered why she was placed with the orange suits instead of black. Why she wasn’t up in the ranks with her siblings. But those who knew understood.

A bastard child didn’t get the blessing of nepotism within Nexacor. Especially when one of the VPs was her father’s resentful wife.

Dani inhaled slowly. The science sector was the second highest rank. It was good enough for her. At least she could make it on her own unlike her half brothers and sister.

She slipped on the helmet and locked it into place. Little lights along the sides turned on, and fresh air seeped in from the small tanks connected to her suit.

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