a shame that they were nowhere near Aturian space.
“What about you, Doug? Any plans for a little R and R—recreational release, that is?” Jace asked impishly as he skirted around their larger friend and swung his weapon over his shoulder once more.
Doug leveled him with a hard glare. “None of your damned business, fuckhead. Keep your mind on what you’re supposed to be doing. You can go waste brain cells later when you’re alone. We need to catch up to the group. The sector head isn’t going to like the fact that we’re lagging so far behind intentionally.” As if to lend weight to his words, a drone zipped overhead and circled low before heading back toward the colony.
Yeah, they had fucked around long enough.
Picking up their pace, they trod after the rest of the colonists, silence stretching out among them as they focused on their destination. It took all that Charlie had just to keep going. Gritting her teeth through the suffocating heat, she continued to put one foot in front of the other, her attention locked on the colony settlement. One foot in front of the other and eventually she would get there. It became her mantra. Even when sweat slicked her entire body and her breath came out in miserable pants, she forced herself to continue walking as she watched the settlement grow nearer.
At midday, when the sun beat down on them with a blistering, ceaseless heat and the horizon wavered in and out like a mirage, their group passed between two tall, rocky cliffs. The relief as they entered the shade was instant. Captivated by the rugged beauty of the cliffs, Charlie slowed her pace as she stared up at them, an awareness skittering over her that made her muscles tighten with apprehension. Small trees and brush bent as a hard wind blew through, beating at her helmet, and several loose stones tumbled down the side of one slope. Her mouth went dry as her gaze drifted over the incline.
She felt watched.
Her heart sped up as she slowed even more. Her head turning as she kept the cliff to her left in sight. What the fuck was out there?
Doug turned and glanced back at her. Hoisting his rifle onto his shoulder, he walked back to her side and nudged her gently with his elbow.
“You okay, kid?”
Charlie whipped her head around and swallowed. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just freaking out for a second. I could have sworn something was out there.”
Her friend narrowed his eyes as he looked at the same cliff she’d been staring at, his lips tightening. He shook his head slowly as he grabbed her arm, pulling her ahead of him. “Dunno. Let’s keep moving. We don’t have much further until we are at the settlement. Just stick by my side.”
Nodding, she dropped her head against another burst of wind, eager to get away from the cliff. Whatever was watching them had felt distinctly threatening, like a predator eyeing its next meal. Perhaps intelligent? She let out a humorless laugh as she clutched her rifle tighter.
Had all those years in the dark of the lower deck succeeded in fucking her head up? She must have been imagining it. Darvel Exploratory would have known if this world was inhabited, and they would have told Earth’s government. There was nothing to worry about.
Sighing, she focused on Doug’s steady, reassuring steps behind her as they breached the canyon and made their way over the flatter landscape that led to the settlement. Although the sun still beat down on them and the wind was sharper in their exposed location, the terrain was easier to walk over, and they made good progress. The dome loomed over them as they passed the large field droids grinding deep furrows into the soil, the blades of the dangerous machines whipping at high speeds. They gave them wide berth, none of them wanting to get too close to the machines and risk losing a limb—or worse—should they fall near one.
When at last they arrived at the entrance, Charlie sighed in relief. The guard peered at them disdainfully as they stumbled through the gates. She shifted her weight from foot to foot as the antechamber air was scrubbed. A green light flashed, and the gate opened, permitting them entrance to Delta Stargazer colony.
Charlie stared at the uniform gray buildings. Everything was cold, gray, and sterile… but, for better or worse, it was home.
A lone male glared from where he was crouched among the rocks, his