Chapter 1: Departure Day Part 2
In this episode, the Ambassador finishes getting ready and leaves for the orbiting space station to meet the Magellan. She is surprised by Commander Brandon telling her that the Magellan has a new Captain. She meets Captain Alexander Logan, tests him, and uses the Ancient Arts to look into his heart. If she has to trust him with the lives of her team, she’s not going to waste time with small talk, She likes what she sees. She introduces the Captain to her team. N’amani, the Doctor, Beth, and Kell. The Captain is surprised to meet Kell.
Departing Transport Stations and Terminals
Several public transport stations were located just outside the North Gate. The stations were small, open-air buildings with entrances and exits on all four sides. The Ambassador walked into the station. An array of different-sized platforms took up the center of the floor. It was early and not crowded. Two other travelers were leaving. Three had just arrived.
The Ambassador stepped onto one of the platforms. “Planetary departures,” she said. She instantly arrived on a similar platform, this time inside a two-story departure hall. It had wide windows along one wall and shops along another. A few of the shops were open. Travelers went in and out. A young man was sweeping the floor. An older woman was opening one of the shop doors.
The Ambassador stepped off the platform, took her credentials out of her pocket, and walked across a wide floor to the Diplomatic Departures Channel.
The guard looked up from his desk and saw the First Contact pin on her collar. He sat up a little straighter. “May I see your documents, Ambassador?”
The Ambassador presented her personal identification and health certifications.
“Thank you, Ambassador Lawrence. Your delegation has already been cleared. Good Luck.” He handed her documents back to her.
“Thank you,” the Ambassador replied, bowing a little as she took the documents from him.
She turned around to look back one more time, as if to record an image of the departure hall in her mind. She hoped things would go well and she’d be coming home in a few weeks. But there was no way to know until she got there. She shook her head, took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, and walked down a short hallway to the transport platform. ‘It’s going to be another adventure,’ she thought smiling. ‘It’s always an adventure.’
Arriving Space Station Arrivals
The Ambassador stepped off the platform on the space station. The transport area on the space station was secure and well lit. It was surrounded by thick glass walls. Only cleared arrivals were allowed. She went to the Diplomatic Arrivals lane and handed her identification to the guard.
“Welcome to Dagon 7, Ambassador Lawrence. Will you be staying with us?” the guard asked.
“No. I’m in transit, thank you,” the Ambassador replied. “I was told my delegation had already been cleared. We’re boarding the Magellan and will be departing the station as soon as our supplies are loaded.”
“Yes, Ambassador. Your delegation has arrived on the station. Good luck Ambassador,” he said as he handed her credentials back to her.
“Thank you,” the Ambassador said taking them and putting them back in her pocket.
She stepped into the entry scanner and waited for the full-body scan. It only took a second.
She left the arrivals area and walked down a long, carpeted, glass-walled corridor to the departure hall. The space station was much busier than the ground station. Passengers and crews were preparing to leave and others were just arriving. Several ships were docked.
She looked up through the three-story windows. The Magellan was tethered to a docking pylon just outside. Her clean, classic lines were part of her beauty. The Magellan was designed for speed and agility with considerable visible and not so visible firepower. She was a warship; one of only five Lewis-class interstellar ships with both light drive and star drive capabilities. It was fine to spend a few weeks on a ship at light speed, but there were times when being able to skip across a few parsecs in short order was very, very useful. The Ambassador had been on the Magellan for several missions. The Magellan was one of the best ships in the fleet. She was very happy it was going to be her transport. She smiled a little more remembering that N’amani had managed to get everything she asked for.
A small group in the uniforms of the Magellan were standing off to one side below the windows.
She walked over to them. “Good Morning, I’m Ambassador Lawrence. I was told that Captain Sorrensen wanted to see me. Could one of you let her know I’m here?”
Everyone in the group turned to face her. “Good Morning Ambassador,” they said in unison.
A tall, slightly heavy young woman with pixie cut brown hair was standing just behind the others looking at a small screen. She stepped forward and smiled warmly. “It’s good to see you again, Ambassador.”
“It’s good to see you too, Commander Brandon.”
Commander Brandon shifted her weight to one side, swallowed, and took a deep breath. “Captain Sorrensen was promoted and reassigned. Captain Alexander Logan has been given command of the Magellan. He’s waiting for you on the Observation Deck. Up those stairs, second floor, turn right.” She pointed towards an alcove with a stairway on the other side of the departure hall.
The Ambassador tried not to let her surprise show. This was unexpected. “Thank you, Commander.” She took a deep breath. ‘Not having to deal with Sorrensen could be a good thing,’ she thought. She’d heard good things about Logan. He was well-regarded and capable. But this would be their first meeting and their first mission. ‘Not my preference. Not for this one,’ she thought, realizing she would need to use the Ancient Arts to find out who he was. She didn’t like doing it, but she was being asked to trust him with this mission and the lives of her team. She needed to know more than small talk would reveal.
She went up a short flight of stairs to a landing. She took off her First Contact pin and put it in her pocket. Then, she continued up the second flight.