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the signature set of features Aimee was beginning to identify with everyone on the Horus...everyone but Zak that was. This woman had long, sandy blonde hair and soft green eyes. Her countenance was pleasant and her voice matched the kindness.
    "I am Raja," she introduced herself. "One of the junior scientists here. We'll find some place comfortable for you to wait out this—" she glanced up at the arched ceiling, "—storm."
    Zak gave a brief nod and turned to leave.
    No! Aimee hastened after him, grabbing his arm. Beneath her fingers a muscle pumped. She dropped her hand.
    "Take me with you," she pleaded. "You are going out there. You can—" she hesitated, "—fly me home."
    There was no pity in his eyes. There was no impatience. To her dismay there was only resolve.
    "That's not possible," he vowed.
    Another rumble shook the floor. Zak was already backing away. Irrationally, she wanted to ask him if he was going to be safe, but Raja appeared at her side with another benevolent smile. "Come. Zak needs to go."
    Aimee watched him turn, and this time she predicted the spot on the wall he was going to wave at. Even though it was not marked, she could now discern the outline of the door. It was a small triumph, but it kept the cloud of mystery from overwhelming her. When his tall body disappeared she felt displaced and anxious. She glanced around her.
    "Don't worry," Raja read her expression. "You will be safe here. The Bio Ward was built directly at the center of the Horus to keep it structurally impenetrable."
    Yeah, well, if the whole damn ship blew up it didn't matter where the core was, now did it?
    Aimee gave a courteous nod and trailed behind Raja as she marched down the aisle of glass beds. Passing an occupied bed, she saw a middle-aged man deep asleep with a glowing patch over his right eye. He looked like a stellar pirate.
    "What is that on his eye?" she asked as they continued past.
    "He was blinded during the first strike today. The Korons possess solar rays that will destroy the naked eye. That is their plan. Blind their foes first, and then annihilate them."
    "Annihilate?" Aimee's voice caught.
    Raja turned around and offered a feeble smile that faltered when the next rumble filled the chamber. "Well, they intend to annihilate, but they never succeed. Our warriors are too cunning, and they wear shields over their eyes."
    "He didn't."
    "The first strike caught some of our watchers off guard. That's mostly who you see in here right now. Watchers." Raja's hand waved at the sparse inhabitants. "It's when the warriors return that this place will get busy." Worry lines poked at the corners of her glossy lips.
    "Zak," Aimee hesitated, "he's a warrior?"
    "One of our best." Raja nodded, continuing to amble through the empty beds. There had to be hundreds of them.
    "Will he be—" The floor jerked. Aimee grabbed onto an elevated cot for support. When the tremor stopped, she repeated, "Will he be okay?"
    "He usually is," Raja assured. "That's why he's one of our best."
    They stopped before a bank of flat-topped chairs with spherical foundations. A tablet floated before each seat. The tablets looked like bobbing iPads. "You can stay here for now. Use one of the JOH's if you would like."
    "JOH's?"
    Raja reached for one of the hovering monitors and drew it close. She tapped on the screen and it came to life. A face stared up at her. Not human, but a synthetic representation of a face. An animation, almost like a cartoon character made from a mosaic of azure glowing crystals. Black cavities in the crystal orb depicted eyes and a mouth. That onyx mouth spread into a smile. "Hello Raja. I am experiencing some intermittent time-outs due to the solar interference from the Koron’s ship."
    "I understand." Raja pushed the monitor through the air so that it hovered before Aimee. "JOH, this is—" she arched an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, we didn't even have the time to be properly introduced."
    "Aimee," she quickly injected.
    "JOH, this is