The Line of the Sol Empress

Chapter 26.2

[Celeste]

Waiting at the docking bay door, Moon shook his head. "I still don't like this. Can't Hope be interviewed remotely?"

"No," Celeste replied. "Remote would not be as credible. We just have to get in, do the interview, then get out, and nobody will even know we were there. I've used this place before for meetings."

Sighing, Moon nodded. "Alright, be careful and stay in constant contact." He pulled Celeste into an embrace, then hugged Gabriel and Hope. Into his daughter's ear he whispered, "I am proud of you. Do good."

To fit in, Hope, Gabriel, Eshe, and Celeste wore the loose coveralls in various colors typical of miners in the system. The side-arms that Eshe and Gabriel carried holstered at their waists were not uncommon for off-planet miners. They ducked through the docking bay passageway to a small non-descript mining shuttle piloted by two Free Dawn operatives. Coming into the Sion Outpost onboard the Firebird Rise was not an option, since the starship was on the watch-list of every Commonwealth world and outpost. Instead, it would remain safely hidden near a mined-out asteroid at the outer reaches of the solar system.

The operatives bowed low to Hope, each with a hand over their heart. One said, "Welcome aboard, Empress. It is our honor to serve."

Hope held her breath, apparently not expecting these gestures of devotion. But after a subtle nod from Celeste, she replied with a bow, "I thank you for that, gentlemen. Let's get underway."

While in route, Hope reached into a worn satchel and extracted a blue scarf and presented it to Celeste. "I believe this is yours."

"You still have it." Celeste smiled, stroking the soft material. Folding it, she then handed it back to Hope. "Empress Iona gave me this, but I think she would want her daughter to have it." Hope held the scarf in both hands, her eyes focused faraway. "What is it?" Celeste asked.

"It's just... I don't feel like Iona's daughter or the Empress heir." Hope turned up moistened eyes. "I am your daughter. I'm sorry I hadn't accepted that before."

Celeste drew Hope into an embrace and whispered, "I love you, Hope. I have from your very beginning." Separating, she said, "Bring the scarf along, we may need it to hide your face."

Within an hour, the Sion Outpost space station filled the forward display. The station was relatively small compared to most in the Commonwealth, serving as a base of operations for terraformers and asteroid miners. The lack of Commonwealth military presence and lax security had made it an ideal meeting place for Celeste in her previous role as Haven. Of more recent design, a dozen half dome habitat sections extended from a cylindrical core like mushrooms from a log.

The shuttle received permission to dock at one end of the cylinder section. Leaving one of the Free Dawn operatives behind on the ship, the others walked through the transit gate, the forged miner passes allowing them an easy pass. After doing so herself, Celeste showed Hope how to wrap a shemagh with the blue scarf, thus reducing the risk of identification by the station facial recognition system.

The station bustled with enough activity that few took notice of the group as they made way through the commons. Eshe walked close to Hope with a blank facial expression, continually moving her eyes back and forth. Celeste held back a satisfied grin. If these people only knew who walks among them.

Celeste led the others past a row of open-front shops that offered everything from mining supplies to flower arrangements. Several people browsed the offerings or haggled with the owners. They stopped in a wide lobby that overlooked a planet below. Scattered greens splotched the reddish-brown surface where terraforming work was ongoing.