Space Race (Space Race 1) Nathan Hystad (ebooks children's books free .TXT) 📖

container. “And if the rumors are true, perhaps the other nine Primaries are also aware.”

“I don’t think Kol shared the information with the rest of his team, but I imagine that Oasis is trying hard to determine what they found on Eris, once they figured out he was hiding something.”

“Torture?” I asked, wondering if that was below my former employers. I doubted it.

“There are other ways to make someone talk.”

I remembered Kol speaking to me of his family and planned retirement, and nodded. “What are they?”

“My team hypothesizes they came from a distant place. They contain organic materials not conducive to creation on Eris.”

“Aliens?” The word was a whisper off my lips.

“In a sense, though these aren’t the kind that show up in a spacecraft. They were most logically hibernating on an asteroid.” Bryson indicated the screen and changed the program. I watched a dark, deformed asteroid flying through a solar system, past a dozen planetary objects and into the recesses of space. “They were likely traveling through space in a dormant cycle, and crashed into Eris some time before we ever found it. Possibly before the spark of mankind was even on Earth.”

On the video, the asteroid approached Eris. They collided, and the screen paused. “They’re that old?”

“We think so, but there’s no real method of telling quite yet. Not without testing the site on Eris,” he said.

“And what about Veera? She was obviously altered by her contact with the thing.”

“We speculate that the mossy being contains a virus or defense mechanism. It was foreign to human genealogy, and quickly infected her neural pathways. It consumed her, causing her to become a feral animal.”

I didn’t like the sound of that. “These things will turn us on each other?”

“We can’t be certain; more research is needed. But this bodes well for my goals.”

“How so?” I asked.

Bryson turned to face me, his expression enthusiastic. “Humanity has always felt an inherent loneliness within us. Deep down, we know we’re not alone. But why haven’t we expanded past our solar system? Clearly, we’ve mastered the technology.”

“Sure. A trip to Alpha Centauri is what, five months?”

“Closer to six,” he answered, and I’d caught him.

“You’ve been there!” I shouted, my voice echoing in the vast cavern-like room.

“Quiet. I haven’t, but I’ve seen the footage. This is dangerous information, but I want you to know what we’re racing for. Are you ready to take on that responsibility?” His voice was low, and he glanced at the two workers. He lifted his hand and motioned to the exit, and they walked away with their PersaTabs. We were left in the large room, standing alone at the center console.

“I guess so.”

“I’ve never shared this with anyone.”

“Why trust me?”

“We want the same things, Arlo. Better lives for our people. A different future than the one laid out at the feet of the Corporations. Sure, I’m a CEO, but you’ve seen SeaTech now. You know we’re different. With Proxima, we can assure our expansion, and control how our colony exists.” He stared at me, his eyes darkening. “My father was a great man, claimed too young by the reaper. He cared deeply for your grandfather. He and Preston were as close as friends come. That in itself gives me comfort in trusting you.”

“Show me the video.”

“Here’s our planet.” He tapped the keypad, and I waited as I stared at a black screen.

The footage was taken from the external cameras on a long-distance hauler. I could see the nose continuing from the bridge, dropping off twenty meters later. The planet was a speck on the screen, and Bryson increased the speed of the program.

“When was this recorded?”

“Last year. I sent the vessel without approval from the Board. They reprimanded me, but it helped push them to create the Race. Then I had to ensure I was ranked high enough to enter, though Octavia claimed she would have let me join as a bonus entry at rank eleven, if the others voted in my favor.”

Now I understood why the Racer had number 11 on it. “And when they voted against you?”

Bryson smiled. “I found a way to beat out Temeletron and get to the Primary rank.”

“And the number 11 on the ship?”

“The truth is, Catarina and I were wed on November eleventh.”

“That number… and R11?”

He nodded. “It’s my homage to her. She was lost far too early.”

Lost. I was about to ask him about that, but decided not to press. Instead, I returned my gaze to the video feed, showing Proxima b from the hauler’s cameras.

“The planet. It’s not as hospitable as they’d hoped, but some regions are compatible,” Bryson told me. “We will be able to live there, with greater ease than any imagined.”

“Do you actually think the Board will let SeaTech win?”

He laughed, the noise echoing in the chamber. “Arlo, they’ll have no choice.”

“You think it’ll be that easy?” I found it hard to believe they’d let him in by the hair of his nose and give him the rights, even if we did manage to pull off a victory.

“I don’t assume anything, but the world will know that ours is a Corporation not bending their knee to the Primaries and Board. There’s power in persuasion, Arlo,” Bryson said with a grin.

“How will Eclipse work into this?” I thought I may as well check, while he was divulging so many truths.

“She’s on her own. If you ask me, Liberty is playing a game with the wrong board pieces. She has the right idea, but doesn’t see the full picture. There are better ways than violence.”

“You’ve given me a lot to think about.” I patted my chest, where the Coin sat. I decided to hold on to it for now.

“I hope this motivates you. As you can see, there is no room for second place,” Bryson said as he led me the way we’d entered. I glanced at the screen, and saw the image was gone, the consoles dark.

 

 

 

Twelve

The last week before the Race went by at a snail’s