Unauthorized ship arriving at Bay 30.
Ako sat straighter. The ship’s origin was Tremulos, a system inhabited by clonal aliens. His pin badge collection hung on the wall beside him, one for each port he’d visited; he hadn’t been to Tremulos yet. He hoped to get that promotion soon and visit systems farther out, like Tremulos, while he trained other spaceport controllers.
“What’s the deal?” Cara asked beside him.
“Dunno,” Ako said. He opened comms with the ship. “Identify yourself, Tremulos origin.”
Nothing.
Alarming scenarios rushed into Ako’s mind and he notified security as he kept trying to raise the pilot.
Security swarmed Bay 30, weapons ready. When the ship docked but didn’t open or respond to security’s commands, Ako sent a hangar robot to open the door, and security entered the ship. Ako sat forward, staring at the gaping ship door, hardly breathing.
“Ever seen a Tremulo?” Cara asked.
“Never,” Ako said. “You?”
“Once. You know how aspen groves look like individual trees but are really one organism?”
... continue reading