Page 1 of Atlas: Colony: Nyx #5(Intergalactic Dating Agency)
ONE
This was it. The one. Atlas sucked in a deep breath, barely able to believe it. In a matter of hours, when he headed back to Alba, he'd have finally done it. He'd have officially discovered the first known comet to orbit a red dwarf star, and he'd have the pictures to prove it.
It only took a moment for his excitement to curdle into dread.
He didn't know what to name it.
He'd have to send the footage with a name attached, or by the time he arrived on Alba, someone else would have named it. They'd name it after him, or worse, his ship. He supposed calling a comet Atlas wasn't too bad for the comet, but it did sound cringeworthy on his part. Of all the names in all the universe he could give this unique astral body and he named it after himself?
No, he had to really think about this one. Maybe even have a list of names ready, to pick the one that suited the comet perfectly.
Because if there was one thing he knew for certain, it's that he'd be the one to name this comet. So he'd better make it a good one.
He sat down at the nearest console, pulling up a search window as he waited for it to connect to the Central Intelligence. He rather liked the name Altan, but he couldn't remember where he'd seen it before. If it was already in use for some star or planet or something, he'd be forced to add a string of numbers to the end of it, and it would lose all the elegance of a simple name.
Now if the search page would only load...
His comm chimed, signalling a proximity warning. Atlas sighed and pulled up the ship's external displays. He was out on the edge of the asteroid belt, so it was possible some asteroid he hadn't charted was creeping up on him, but the screen clearly showed a courier ship entering the open docking bay doors.
Atlas surged to his feet. Only Hera or one of her most trusted minions had the access codes to this ship, seeing as she owned it, and the sooner he found out what they wanted, the sooner he could see them on their way so he could go back to his comet.
His comet. He liked the sound of that.
He slid down the ladder to the lowest level, dashing down the passage to the docking bay, but his visitor was faster still – already out of the sleek courier ship, and on his way to meet him.
Atlas let out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, he was so relieved. "Hercules!" he wheezed.
Hera's stepson grinned. "Atlas, my man. Hera sent me to get her apples."
"Of course, of course. I'll pick her a basket right now. If you want to head up to the galley, I think we still have some of the good coffee left. Do you still remember how to work an espresso machine?"
Hercules' eyes lit up. "You've got real coffee? I haven't had a cup all day – the replicator in the yacht is on the fritz. I've had nothing but nutrient mush since I left Tito." He scrambled up the ladder before Atlas could respond.
Not that he needed to. He had just enough time to pick a basket of apples for Hera before the comet was in visual range.
His breath blew out in a cloud of condensation as he entered the orchard, which took up an entire level of the ship. Like him, Hera's apple trees preferred the cold. It was a very narrow band of temperatures at which the trees could bear both flowers and fruit, so Hera could have apples all year round. And very special apples they were. apple could provide all a man's nutrients for an entire day, as he could attest.
Perhaps he'd celebrate his discovery with an apple, after the comet was out of range and the data on his discovery was on its way to Alba. Technically, all the apples belonged to Hera and Hera alone, but she wouldn't miss one. He knew for a fact that the orchard on his ship had a much higher yield than any of the ones planetside. He suspected it was because he kept the whole ship at a constant temperature so they'd thrive, unlike the variable conditions they had to endure on a planet's surface.
And...the basket was full. Good. Now he just had to give the apples to Hercules, send him on his way, then get back up to the console on the viewing deck before the comet came close enough to capture.
But when Atlas reached the galley, it was empty, but for the lingering scent of coffee that said Hercules had been here, but he and his cup were gone.
Atlas followed the smell all the way to the cockpit. What he saw there made his stomach drop all the way back down the ladder to the docking bay. Maybe even out the bay doors.
"What are you doing?" he cried. He could feel his eyes actually tearing up.
"Saving your life. Did you know there's a comet headed straight for you? You're lucky I was here, or you, Hera's apple trees and this whole ship would be nothing more than a dark smear on the side of that big hunk of ice. Instead, you're getting a first class ticket out of the system on the Titanic ." Hercules grinned.
Atlas opened his mouth, but no sound came out. The comet. His comet. The discovery of a lifetime!
"We have to go back," Atlas croaked.
"No can do, my man. Hera showed me the newsfeeds from Tito. Everything's going to shit on the surface, and anyone who can is fleeing the system. The Central Intelligence has gone mad, and no one's safe. Robots assassinated the president. As the keeper of the only offplanet orchard of Hera's apple trees, you are officially on her list of key personnel to save. The Titanic won't leave until we're both aboard. That's why she sent me to get you."
"Then we have time to go back. To take pictures of the comet!" Atlas grabbed Hercules' arm in both hands. "Please. This is my life's work. Just a few more hours and we'll be on our way, with evidence that proves comets can orbit a red dwarf. Hera will never know."
Hercules just shook his head. "I can't. I've already commed her to tell her we're on our way, and she sent through the flight path to feed into the autopilot to see us safely to Tito. If we don't use her flight path, we'll have to fly the whole way on manual controls. How good are you at navigating the asteroid field? Because I know I can't do it. Can you?"
Atlas swallowed. "I'm willing to try." For the comet, he'd risk anything.
"Yeah, no, man. You might be willing to die for a hunk of ice, but I have plans. Hera's promised me that one day, I'll be able to open a pub and settle down to a nice normal job. Fetching you and your apples is one more task to tick off on my way to that future." Hercules patted Atlas's hand. "Tell you what, man. When all this craziness is over and I have my pub, we can sit down together and have a drink. My shout. Maybe you'll even find a new comet in the new system. I'll even help you take a picture of it, and show it to everyone."
Atlas couldn't take his eyes off the display, where the comet was already sliding off the side of the view window. Which actually meant they were turning away from it, not the other way around, and leaving it behind.
"If I ever find another comet, I'll hold you to that," Atlas swore as the culmination of his life's work vanished from sight.