Ravana's Shadow (23) (Patreon)

"Clear that screen," Kit said, gesturing forcefully at the display. "Get all that Ravana stuff off there. I don't think we'll be hearing from Garrick again today." 

Every word twisted a little deeper into her gut. Sure, that man didn't care about the one chance he had for survival! What about his friends, did rescuing them not matter either? Apparently not. One glance around the room was all it took to see that those words had a painful impact on her crew. Mara's mission was self-interested, but they were also trying to help someone. What could they do if the one they'd come for didn't want help?

The display filled with several different images of the test rocket, towering above the domes. The primary camera came from near the launch tower, angled up to capture the entire vehicle.

At this stage, constructing the pad was no less critical than the ship itself. Ravana's icy foundation would turn into a crater and collapse under the launch vehicle, unless they had some means to protect it. 

Hence the towering concrete platform, with substantial channels to funnel hot gas back up and far away from the Institute. Behind the rocket, Kit could just make out the massive coolant tanks, almost as large as the rocket itself. 

All were lit by spotlights, illuminating the site brighter than anything on Mara's surface ever had been.

"Broadcast is beginning now," Sam said. He stood up from his seat, settling a Steadicam gently over his shoulder. The gyroscope beneath would keep their footage nice and flat during filming. "Your show."

He circled around Kit. Fine—she wasn't going to be making any important technical decisions in the next few minutes. Her only role here was to keep her team moving—and to pull the plug if her assessment of risk was too different from theirs.

She faced the camera, resting both hands in her lap. 

From outside the camera's view, Jay stood up, turning his tablet around to face her. There were the bullet points she'd decided to use for this moment.

Whatever tiny, absurd body they stuck her in, Kit Red Squirrel was ready for this, just as Katlin Rowe had been the last time. "Citizens of Mara. People of the Institute of Perpetual Luminescence. My friends. Wherever you're watching, whatever templates you're wearing right now, listen.

"A long time ago, so long some of you are still arguing about it—I climbed into a rocket a little like the one you're looking at. That one was called the Aether, maybe you've seen it. Your ancestors decided they were done living in the cradle, and they were ready to look past Sol's light. You know by now that Surya is not as kind to us as the home we came from. It shines only in the infrared, and our home is a lifeless, frozen husk.

"Every one of you were chosen for the Institute because you can see past the reality of how it is to how it could be. Everything you've built over these centuries—every new invention, every discovery, every optimization—every one of you helped bring us here. Every performer who kept us motivated, every artist who painted the murals or composed the music. Every chef who cooked our meals and every counselor who talked to us when we were afraid.”

She stood up, walking past the rows of seats. She kept her tail down, so the camera would have an uninterrupted view of the rest of the team. Let the Institute see just how many of them were working together on this. This wasn't just her project, it belonged to everyone.

"This is not escape from Mara, yet. This is only a test, designed to keep your friends and I safe when we build the Neophyte and climb inside in a few months. It may fail. Even if it succeeds, it will not change anything about your lives. Actually, things will only get harder.”

She stopped just beside the screen, showing the heavy vapor emerging from the sides of the first stage. "No matter what happens today, this is our victory. This is our proof to the galaxy that the Institute works. Surya is filled with human colonies that tried and failed. Only one succeeded. You." She stepped aside, her signal to Sam to cut his angle on her. 

He panned away, moving to the front of the room to show each of the other members of her control team. Many stations had two chairs—one with members of her senior staff, and the second with the kid who would replace them if they were part of the Ravana mission.

"Go for pre-check," Maddie said. "Final call for launch."

"Active cooling systems go," Kaden said.

"Ignition go," Rich said. He perched high on his seat, knees resting on the chair so he could reach any part of the screen at once. Unlike many others, Rich had no assistant. He wasn't going with them to Ravana.

"Secondary ring go," said Haley, a horse girl on the second row.

"Primary ring go," Maddie said. "Director, Test vehicle Acheron is go."

“He’ll love that,” Morgan muttered, not transmitting. Kit wasn’t sure how many of the other kids had heard, but she did.

Kit backed into her seat but didn't sit. She wrapped her tail around herself—then thought that would look a little silly, so held onto Jay's arm instead. The mouse didn't seem to mind. "Forerunner, countdown."

"T-minus 2 minutes," Forerunner said, flat and robotic. Then he spoke only from their station speakers, much quieter. "I do not know how many of you are concerned with my feelings," he said. "If any are, know that I'm proud of you. Oh, and… T-minus 90 seconds.”

Kit wasn't the only one on the edge of her seat. Maddie was now standing on her own, which dropped as far as it could to keep her level with the display. It almost worked, though she still used her knee on the desk to keep herself balanced. "All systems nominal. Proceeding with terminal count."

The raccoon next to her kept one hand hovering just above her back, ready to grab her and keep her from falling if the need arose.

"Fuel pressurization initiated," Rich said.

"Deluge pumps energized," Kaden added. "Green flow."

The lower section of the screen filled with a billowing cloud of white, as coolant began to coat the pad, the ground, and everything around it. The liquid began to boil instantly on contact with vacuum, expanding into a vaporous cloud in all directions. How far would it go before it diffused to nothing on Mara's lifeless surface?

"T-minus 60 seconds," Forerunner said.

"Ignition primed on secondary engine ring," Haley said. "I'm seeing a spike in... no, we're back within expected parameters."

"I'm seeing fluctuations in the flow rate," Rich said. "Whose pump design was this again? System is adjusting, I think. We’ll see if we stay in tolerances."

Kit spun to stare, watching Rich's desperate fingers on his touchscreen. Even from a distance, she could make out the bright red lights. 

Jay whimpered, twisting his arm to try and free it. "D-Director, you're—"

She released him, nodding apologetically. "Sorry."

"Not a toy," he grumbled, rocking nervously back and forth. His tail struck against her leg, not hard.

"Talk to me, Rich," Maddie demanded, glaring at him. "Do we have—"

"There!" He leaned back, grinning. "Oxidizer is green.”

"T-minus 45 seconds," Forerunner said.

"Switching to internal power," Abel said. "Fuel cells nominal. Hypercapacitors charged."

"Launchpad thermal readings are stable," Kaden said. "Coolant flow within calculated margins."

Maddie's head shot sideways, glaring at Kit. It wasn't just her eyes then—her implant lit up, sending a wave of Maddie's nervous energy and desperate fear. "We doing this, Director?"

Kit only had a split second to decide. Any longer, and the fuel coursing through their test vehicle would turn it into a bomb on their own doorstep. All that oxidizer and all that fuel were going to come together one way or another.

She settled forcefully into her chair, so hard her tail smashed painfully into the plastic. Kit whimpered, but that sound was far too faint to make out over the flurry of voices and activity in her control room. Only Jay noticed. "We're go for launch. Proceed with countdown."

"Primary engine ring confirmed," Maddie said.

"T-minus fifteen seconds," Forerunner said. "Firing chain is armed. Switching to automated launch protocol."

"Go for main engine start," Maddie said. 

Rich smashed something on his display, then settled heavily back into the chair. "Ignition system start!"

The result was immediate—a sudden brilliant spray of sparks, cutting through the haze at the bottom of their video feed. Several other angles on the test vehicle showed only a gentle white light from beneath.

"Insulation system is green," Kaden said. "Pressure holding. We're as cold as we're going to get, Director."

"T-minus 10, 9, 8, 7..."

Maddie reached forward, pressing one hand forcefully onto her display. "Main engine start!"

First came the flash, a sudden burst of light from beneath the rocket. It flared up along the sides, before stabilizing into a cone that vanished through the insulation shield and down into the concrete funnel. An enormous cloud of vapor followed, briefly obscuring the test vehicle from view.

It couldn't cover the sound, though. Mara's airless void could carry none of that explosion—but vibration through the ground sure did. Maybe Forerunner was making his own creative contribution to the launch, translating some of that vibration into sound from the speakers.

Whatever the cause, Kit was suddenly blasted by an incredible wall of force, so loud her ears pressed flat into her head. Several other colonists did likewise—at least the ones whose ears could move. 

"...6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

"Liftoff!" Maddie yelled, pointing eagerly at her screen. Few could see it of course, but they didn't have to. The screen showed what they would've been seeing if they were on the pad—the Acheron test vehicle, no longer supported by any metal gantries. Pipes and stabilizing arms fell away, and only a brilliant white light kept it upright.

Kit gasped, holding weakly to her chair. Now it was Jay's turn to hold close to her, hiding his face in her chest.

Cheering shook through the room. Not just them—the whole Institute overflowed with it, shaking their feet almost as much as the launch. Kids were probably yelling all the way down in Remedial. 

"We have liftoff!" Rich said. "Thrust nominal."

"Clear of the tower," Kaden said. "Thermal readings green."

"Secondary engines start!" Haley said. Another explosion joined the first, a brighter cone of light that enveloped the initial flash. Their camera angle changed, now looking up from one of the Institute's transmission towers, along with a smaller view from the rocket itself.

Sure enough, it was already above the tower, accelerating with every passing moment.

"Thrust falling. 98% of expected output," Rich said. "Those pumps again."

"Keep an eye on it," Kit said. "Altitude?"

"Passing 1,000 meters," Forerunner said. "Velocity increasing as expected."

"Thermal spike in aft section," Kaden said. "Still within tolerances."

"Draw from the secondary ring is increasing," Haley said. “System is adjusting.”

"Approaching max Q," Maddie said. "Prepare for throttle down."

"T-plus sixty seconds. Performance stable."

"Throttle down," Rich and Haley said together. 

"Trajectory on target," Maddie said. "Passing through max Q."

Kit could only watch as the distant rocket rumbled and shook. Whatever it was doing was outside her power to influence now. "Hard to believe this is real," she whispered. Jay would hear her, but the others probably wouldn't. Not with so much noise still shaking the Institute. "Less than three months since we started, and you all did this. You're every bit as smart as you say."

Jay finally looked up, peering at the distant rocket. He released her, standing up next to her chair. "If you doubted, we probably shouldn't be trying."

"Never doubted." Just that we would do it in time.

"Throttle up," Rich said. "Wait. I'm getting... pressure readings are unstable. That's not right."

His screen lit up red again. Seconds later, several others did as well.

Kit stood up again, jerking out of her seat to stare. Forerunner's zoomed in camera showed her another view of what the screens already did—the outer engines spluttered, then went out, little spots of white light vanishing on the bottom of the Acheron.

"Secondary engines failure!" Haley yelled, urgent. "System cycle not responding!"

"Negative on oxidizer pressure!" Rich said. "I'm still reading drops in the main tank! That 02 is going somewhere!"

"Main engine failure!" Maddie said. She dropped sharply back into her seat, ears folding sideways. "Abort. Director, we need to abort, now!"

Kit stood up. "Abel, send the emergency abort, now." Better to detonate the test vehicle far above their heads than anywhere near the surface. The more control they lost over the vehicle, the less certain they could be of where it landed. How much fuel would be left in those tanks if it fell now?

The rabbit made a few quick swipes on his screen. "No response on emergency charges. Detonators did not engage."

Kit swore under her breath, both hands squeezing to fists. "Forerunner?"

Morgan walked over to Jay, then snatched the pad from his hand. She said nothing, ears pointed sharply forward and tail limp.

If it wasn't for Forerunner, they wouldn't know what was happening. The persona was a little more talkative, thankfully. "Anti-collision constellation engaged. Redirecting all power, stand by."

The lights dimmed; the big display switched off. Only the little screens at each station remained, and the glow coming from various tablets and other portable devices.

Kit hurried around Morgan, watching her work from her shoulder. Most of the control crew were no longer doing much, sitting back and watching red replace green on each view.

It wasn't just their room that had gone dark, judging by the gasps and screams echoing through the building below them. This wasn't supposed to happen, and everyone knew it.

Maddie alone remained at her station and kept to their mission protocol as though there had been no interruption. "Velocity is dropping rapidly. Projected impact—" 

"Firing!" Forerunner called, interrupting her. "Contact with mission vehicle. Ignition."

There were no simulated sound effects this time, or rumble through the Institute's foundation for her to feel. On a dozen little screens, Kit saw a flash of white light, as the Acheron test vehicle detonated.

For a few terrible seconds there was total silence. No screams, no machinery, not even the hum of the air recyclers. Kit's body went cold, with only the steady rhythm of her mechanical hearts to keep her company. She didn't even breathe.

"Interceptors read debris trajectory into red airspace," Forerunner continued. Lights switched suddenly back on, brilliant red. "All citizens, evacuate."

The control room door swung open of its own accord, and several drones rushed in. They cared little about personal space, or protecting any illusion that the population had any control over themselves.

They lifted everyone up one at a time, grabbing people right out of their chairs, and ran.

Alarms blared, mingling with the screaming of terrified citizens. Over it all was Forerunner's voice, steady and apparently unmoved by the terror. "Please do not be alarmed. This evacuation is only precautionary. No damage to the Institute is expected. Remain calm."

The drones rushed past Kit, scooping Maddie from her seat with a squeal, then Abel on her other side. One came for her.

Kit fixed it with a fierce glare, holding her hand flat. "No, Forerunner. Someone else. I'm staying here."

Did her office as Director mean anything? Kit braced for disobedience, preparing to get grabbed—but the drone went for Jay instead. He yelled, reaching for her, but was out the door before Kit could react.

Kit sunk back into her seat, settling her head in her hands. More footsteps pounded past her. Sam shouted something angry about his camera, only for it to clatter to the ground anyway. Rich tried to run on his own, but the drones grabbed him too.

Kit closed her eyes, curling her tail all the way around herself. Footsteps rushed down nearby hallways; half heard through her powerful animal hearing. Then they fell silent. Screams faded from her hearing, as one by one her colonists were shuffled away to parts unknown.

"Impact in thirty seconds," Forerunner said. "Debris projection within red airspace. Impacts likely."

The door behind her slammed closed, then hissed. Kit would probably have sat there feeling sorry for herself, if something didn't yank on her shoulder.

Morgan was standing over her, holding something in her other hand. "Uniform off, suit on. Now."

Morgan was already wearing hers. Bits of her uniform were scattered on the floor, trampled along with people's tablets, mission papers, and snacks. She wore only the inner layer, with a thin clear helmet covering her face. Emergency shell.

Kit stood to obey, turning her back on Morgan. "How badly did I screw this up?"

"Don't know yet," she answered, voice flat. "We'll get the first report in a moment. Fallout could still be coming in for the next few weeks, maybe months."

Kit could get in and out of a uniform pretty fast—but these suits had to interface with her body. It took a little time to get those connectors on, particularly where mistakes were so painful.

She wasn't fast enough for the impact. The ground shook, as several heavy objects battered against the Institute. Something groaned loudly, filling the air with a harsh metal squealing. It crashed down a second later, loud enough to make Kit gasp.

"That was the antenna, wasn't it?"

Morgan dropped down to her knees beside Kit, fingers on the zipper. "Yeah, probably. Hold still."

She zipped the suit up Kit's chest, securing the Velcro over her collar. 

"Pressure fluctuations detected in several sections," Forerunner said. "Sealing. Evacuation is nearly complete."

"Evacuation to where?" Kit asked. She stood up, barely even thinking as Morgan worked. The ermine fussed with her tail, wrapping it securely in the cloth sleeve, before tucking it into the suit. The seals engaged, then something clicked near Kit's neck. A fabric helmet, with clear plastic on the front. 

Kit pulled it down over herself. She'd only practiced with this emergency system. The inner layer lacked the hardware or insulation to work on the surface, even for a short time. But sheltered inside a structure, it could at least keep its wearer breathing.

Magnets clicked into place, then air rushed past her. The bubble inflated, expanding into a slightly wrinkled helmet. 

"Damage assessment in progress," Forerunner said. "No further impacts expected."