AN: This chapter is on the shorter side, but nonetheless I hope you all enjoy.
As always, Governor Takeshi Goto awoke to the shrill cry of his alarm, shattering the calm silence unique to Mindoir's pre-dawn hours. His old, battle-scarred feet found the cold floor with practiced precision, and silently he eased himself out of bed, careful not to disturb his wife, Etsuko, from her peaceful slumber.
As if on auto-pilot, he ambled over to the balcony, then released a contented sigh, as he took in the pre-dawn view of his burgeoning town, of everything that he had built with blood, sweat, and sheer determination.
The raw, untamed landscape stretched out before him, cloaked in a haze of pearl and lavender hues. The twinkling lights from countless hab-blocks and administrative buildings stood as shimmering beacons against the backdrop of untamed wilderness, a wild expanse strewn with dense undergrowth and towering alien trees that reached out all the way to the distant coastline. There, the relentless surf crashed against the rocky shore, painted with sandy white beaches.
The sight never failed to fill him with a profound sense of accomplishment. Every day, the colony grew and expanded. The future radiated with so much promise, shining as bright as a star. And yet…
A lump formed in his throat. Closing his eyes, he let out a deep sigh.
Yes, he could almost pretend that Hiroshi and Yumiko lived just a few houses away, that the 'tragic accident' which had claimed their lives was only a nightmare.
And that Donavan Hock, the CEO of Ariake Technologies, had never ordered their deaths.
"The world needs to know, Otōchan. It needs to know…"
Gazing at the far-off lights, his mind traced their path to where his granddaughter Kasumi would be, cradled in Yumiko's arms, soothed by her mother's lullabies under the blanket of the night.
But alas, that was a phantom promise.
His son was gone.
Ariake Technologies had won.
And law enforcement had always come up empty, their hands tied by unseen chains of corruption. He sighed. Yes, left with no tears left to shed, he and his wife could only honor Hiroshi's memory by raising Kasumi into a strong, confident woman.
Away from Earth's greed and corruption.
And away from any corporate leviathans.
With a final glance at his town, he let the weight of his thoughts dissolve into the pre-dawn air.
It was time to start the day.
Slipping into his daily routine, he settled into his meditation chair, tucked away in a tranquil corner of his bedroom. For twenty minutes, he sought solace in the rhythmic hum of his own breath.
Next, he went downstairs to his home gym, then delved into his usual workout with steadfast resolve. Even as sweat trickled down his brow, he smiled. Yes, even in his nineties – well into his middle age – he still had strength and vitality coursing through his veins like a roaring river refusing to be tamed.
Afterward, he went into the kitchen and heated up the natto and rice Etsuko had prepared the night before. The familiar scent filled his nostrils and brought a comforting smile to his face. Indeed, Etsuko always had a way of bringing the taste of his old home to this distant world.
After breakfast, he delved into his work, sequestered in his office, meticulously studying countless mining and agricultural reports, replying to a myriad of messages on his terminal, and issuing orders to his deputy and various foreman. Yes, this colony was born of toil and sweat, and upon this bedrock, it would continue to thrive.
Eventually, he heard the soft patter of Etsuko's feet on the stairs. His comm implant buzzed lightly, and he answered it, pressing two fingers up to his left temple.
"Takeshi, have you seen Kasumi's school tablet?"
"Check the study," he said, picturing her nodding at his reply, heading off to investigate.
"After I wake Kasumi, how about we go to Alenko's Diner for breakfast?" she proposed.
"The place with the syrup-drowned pancakes?" he teased, memories of their there stirring a warmth in his belly.
"Oh, come on, you know you love it," she said, a playful defiance coloring her words, "and Kasumi loves their muffins."
He conceded with a smile. Even though he had already eaten, how could he say no to quality time with family? "Alright, let's get ready."
Moving to their shared walk-in closet, he selected his attire for the day, pausing to watch Kasumi emerge from her bedroom, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Nearby, Etsuko was waiting, tablet in hand, ready to guide their granddaughter through the day. They exchanged warm smiles. He leaned down to ruffle Kasumi's hair and whispered a gentle 'good morning' that drew a sleepy grin.
"Good morning, Ojīchan," she said.
Soon, they boarded their ground shuttle, and the journey to the Alenko family's restaurant offered snapshots of the colony, from the bustling marketplaces abound with neon holo-signs and automated vendors, to the parks filled with children laughing and playing.
When they arrived at Alenko's, nestled amidst a bustling cluster of hab-blocks and other small businesses, they stepped out of the ground shuttle to be greeted by the scent of freshly baked bread and brewing coffee, mimicked perfectly by scent machines installed at the entrance.
And inside, the restaurant was a riot of chatter, clanging silverware, and the camaraderie of shared meals. Vintage photographs from the twenty-first century adorned the walls, creating a nostalgic ambiance.
"Governor," Mrs. Marianne Alenko said, beaming with welcoming warmth, "good to see you."
He nodded courteously in return. "Always a pleasure, Marianne," he said, his English lightly accented.
Through the service window, he spotted Mr. Frank Alenko in the kitchen, deftly flipping pancakes on the grill. Their son Kaidan was assisting his father, trying to mimic his movements but only managing to cover himself in flour. And their teenage daughter Casey was darting between tables, serving customers.
Marianne presented them with a holographic menu that hovered above a small device on the table, then pulled out a sleek haptic tablet to take their orders. "So what I get yah?"
Etsuko playfully tapped on the floating menu. "One serving of those delicious mixed berries pancakes."
Kasumi giggled, her finger tracing an invisible line on the holographic menu. "And a blueberry muffin for me."
Just as he was about to give his order, his comm-implant buzzed again. This time, it was from Security Chief Akira Hayashi. A cold sensation gnawed at his chest. Akira rarely brought good news.
Briefly, Etsuko glanced at him, her eyebrows furrowing with concern. He held up a hand to Mrs. Alenko. "Just a moment, please."
He answered the call. "Hello?"
"Governor," Akira said. "So sorry to disturb you this early. But just over an hour ago, the VIs in the orbital watch station just picked up some… anomalous signals and readings come from the edge of the system."
He furrowed his brow. "Anomalous readings?"
"Yes," Akira said. "And they are definitely artificial. We are not alone in this system."
Silence filled the line. His heart pounded in his chest. Not alone in this system? After a century and a half of unyielding silence, was this the moment humanity would make first contact with an intelligent, alien species? It felt so surreal, like the plotline of some holo-drama. "Understood. Meet me at the spaceport immediately."
"We will be waiting, sir," Akira said.
And then the line went dead. He sighed. A cold, hollow sensation filled his chest, and his heart pounded, flooding his veins with adrenaline.
Meanwhile, Etsuko was watching him, her eyes filled with worry. "Is everything alright, Takeshi?"
He offered her a thin smile. "There's an emergency at the spaceport. I'm sorry, but I need to go."
He left a soft kiss on Kasumi's forehead. "I'm so sorry, my little starlight. I promise we will all have breakfast with each other another time. Okay?"
With a pout, Kasumi nodded. "Okay, Ojīchan."
He looked back at Etsuko, then put one hand on her shoulder. "You two go on and enjoy breakfast. Please do not let this spoil your morning."
Etsuko gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "We won't. Now go. And good luck."
He smiled. "Thank you."
He then left the diner. Outside, he hailed an auto-cab and slid into the sleek vehicle. As it zoomed off, he glanced back at the diner, and a shiver ran down his spine. Yes, history was about to change forever. And only time would tell if his people would survive the consequences.
On the MFV Az'khaelon, Hannah Shepard stepped through a large, circular door onto the bridge. And as she expected, the bridge was a marvel of engineering, a sprawling chamber teeming with softly glowing, holographic displays and sleek, alien machines. The air hummed with the low thrum of the ship's power core and carried the faint scent of ozone.
Meanwhile, Zhoru was sitting in his command throne, his fingers dancing over the holographic interface of his tactical display. Momentarily, he paused his rapid-fire commands and glanced at her. "Ah, Khanah, Finally, you have arrived. Good."
Her chest tightened, and her pulse climbed. "Have we finally arrived at Mindoir?"
Zhoru nodded, then swiped his hand across a holographic display near his command throne. "See for yourself."
The forward viewscreen flickered to life, displaying a close-up of Mindoir. The planet was an absolute jewel of blues and greens, marred only by the occasional swirl of white clouds. Orbiting the planet was a small space station, its metallic surface gleaming in the sunlight.
A pang of jealousy shot through her. She had studied Mindoir's layout and infrastructure on the way here, but after seeing it this close…her own colony felt like such a backwater in comparison.
But no matter.
She'd do anything necessary to save them from what was to come.
"Captain," a voice echoed through the bridge, "we are being hailed. It is Captain Rael'Zorah."
"Put him on the forward viewscreen," Zhoru commanded.
Another window popped up beside the one showing the view of Mindoir, displaying Rael's face. "Khanah…it's good to see you."
She nodded. "Good to see you too."
"Excellent," Rael said. "Tell me, are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," she said, her voice steady.
"Good," Rael said, "because right now my communications officers are tapping into their networks, and it seems the colony's security forces are on high alert."
Her guts twisted into a knot. High alert? The reality of the situation hit her like a cold splash of water to the face. No doubt, this was not going to be easy.
But I can do this. I. Can. Do. This.
"I'll share a live feed of the meeting their leadership is in right now," Rael said.
Another window popped up on the forward viewscreen, showing a live video feed of several people in a dimly lit room. Many were arguing fiercely in Japanese, their faces twisted with fear and uncertainty.
A cold sensation rushed through her limbs. Even through the video feed, she could feel how tense their conversation was, along with how the stakes of the situation must be crushing them.
But amidst it all, one man stood out as a beacon of calm and rationality. Is he the Governor? She couldn't help but respect him. Yes, if he was the only one staying relaxed, then perhaps he wouldn't give her such a hard time after all.
"Let's hope they're willing to listen," she said, her gaze never leaving the screen.
Rael nodded. "Let us hope so."
She took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation to come. "Alright…let's hail them."
Zhoru looked at his comm officer. "You heard her."
The comm officer nodded, and the bridge fell silent as they waited for the hail to go through. Meanwhile, her heart pounded in her chest. The weight of her responsibility bore down on her like a boulder on her shoulders.
And then finally the hail went through.
She took a deep breath, then straightened her posture. Here goes nothing. "People of Mindoir. This is Hannah Shepard, Governor of Seti'a Prime," she began, her voice echoing through the silence of the bridge. "We come in peace…"
