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T he observation loop was a wide pathway that went around the entirety of Deck 39. The center, which normally had two long rows of padded seating that faced the windows, had been transformed into a dining area with a hundred or so tables, each set up to accommodate six people.

Holographic centerpieces of blue and clear mercury glass spheres, hovering over a ring of light, accented the general color scheme of white, blue, and silver that was carried out in the place settings and table linens as well.

Above those tables was the second-story balcony, where a bar had been added. From the edges of the balcony hung tiny, shimmering icicle-like lights giving off a soft blue-white glow. The other lighting had been changed to blue or blue-white, all of it dim, as was typical for the observation loop.

The windows were currently showing a bland view of space. Not that space was ever really bland, but what we were seeing was not the nebula that was undoubtedly outside those windows at this very moment. But the view wouldn’t change until the time was right for the big reveal.

I didn’t mind. It was what we were here for, after all.

The place looked great. A string quartet was playing softly on the stage, where I assumed Ayronina would perform later. Everyone was dressed to the nines. Service staff were in sleek black jumpsuits, making them easy to pick out of the crowd. I scanned the faces around us but couldn’t spot Vashti.

I did see a lot of people I recognized, including Claire Weatherall and Kent Murakami, the anchors of the Morning News Report . They seemed to be doing little on-the-spot interviews. Probably for a segment for tomorrow’s news.

“You want a drink?” Frank asked. “Maybe an iced tea? Or something more dangerous?”

“Sure. Let’s see what this young man has to offer.”

A server was headed in our direction with a tray of angular flutes of crystalline liquid. He stopped and presented them to us. “Loessa sparkling mineral water?”

“Perfect,” I said, helping myself to a glass. I wasn’t much of a drinker.

Frank took one, too, and the server moved on. Frank lifted his glass toward mine. “Here’s to a nice evening.”

I clinked my glass to his, and we both drank. The water was crisp with an almost citrusy hint. I liked it. “I guess we should find our table.”

Frank nodded. “Good idea. There’s a seating chart next to where we came in.”

I turned. “I didn’t even notice that.”

But I did spot Hazel. She was in her mess dress uniform and looked every inch the vice-admiral. I smiled. “Let’s go say hello to Hazel, then we can find our table.”

“Lead the way,” Frank said.

I took his hand, and we walked over together. “Hi, honey.”

Hazel gave us a smile and a nod. “Hi, Mom. Frank. Mom, that dress! You both look great.”

“So do you,” I said. “Really fantastic. And the deck looks wonderful.”

She nodded. “The staff did a good job of turning it out.” She exhaled. Almost like she was nervous.

Maybe she was. This wasn’t just a gala; it was an official diplomatic function. If things went well, it was my understanding that Premier Hanth was going to ally with the Federation of Allied Nations and potentially share the planet’s nebulite technology.

FAN was the organization that had built this starliner and made everything possible. The Federation was also Hazel’s boss. As alternative fuel sources went, nebulite was one of the best. Being able to study and utilize that technology would be a real coup.

For Hazel’s sake, I hoped tonight was epic. “We’ll talk to you later, Hazel.”

“Okay, Mom. Have a good night.”

“You, too.” Frank and I headed for the seating chart.

“Ellis!”

I knew that voice. I smiled as I turned to greet Kaffi, the cruise director. “Hello there.”

He was in a black kaftan embellished with silver stars along the edges and matching silver slippers. His eyes were heavily kohled, and he wore rings on each finger. “You look absolutely dishy, my love. How nice to see you.” He air-kissed my cheeks before his gaze went to Frank. “And who is this handsome creature?”

“This is Frank Kitson.” I touched Frank’s arm. “Frank, this is Kaffi Le Mena Ando, the Athos’s cruise director.”

Frank nodded. “A man who truly needs no introduction.”

Kaffi stuck his hand out. “Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Frank.”

“Nice to meet you, too, Kaffi.”

“We were just going to find our table,” I said. “Do you know where you’re sitting?”

“Table Five,” Kaffi answered. “Maybe we’ll be near each other.” He caught sight of someone else and waved at them. “I must run, but I’ll see you later.”

He took off. Frank watched him go. “So that’s Kaffi. He’s colorful.”

“Yes, he is.” I took Frank’s hand, and we went to check the chart. We were at Table Twelve, which was on the perimeter of Tables Eight, Nine, and Ten—all the tables reserved for the top brass, Hazel included. I wondered if that was because I was her mother or just the luck of the draw.

We took our drinks and found the table. Another couple was already seated there. We introduced ourselves, found our place cards on the opposite side of the table, and sat.

I looked around. I didn’t see Admiral Borisov, his wife, or the premier and his wife. I didn’t see the singer, Ayronina, either. Maybe they’d all be making a special entrance. That seemed likely.

I glanced at the place cards on either side of us. One name I knew from the library, a woman who worked in the admiral’s office as a civilian assistant. The name on the other side of Frank was unfamiliar to me.

Kaffi stepped up onto the stage and stood in front of the mic. I hadn’t realized he was emceeing, but it made sense. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the nebula gala. Doesn’t Deck 39 look beautiful? Almost as beautiful as everyone here.”

Everyone applauded. The tables began to fill around us as more people arrived at their seats. Kaffi thanked the staff who were taking care of everyone, then the musicians behind him. He paused, letting the silence spread before leaning into the mic once again. “And now, it’s my great honor to announce Admiral Borisov and his wife, Orlina, along with our guests of honor, Premier Hanth and his wife, Fathia.”

He gestured toward the deck’s entrance, and a spotlight illuminated the couples as they walked in to a round of applause. Everyone got to their feet and turned toward the back of the deck. The admiral was in his uniform, and the premier was in a deep, iridescent purple tunic jacket with matching trousers. Both were adorned with the medals and medallions of their stations.

The wives were in evening gowns. Orlina’s was pearl-white and beaded at the cuffs and collar. Fathia was in beaded black with touches of iridescent purple that matched her husband’s suit. The deeply curved neckline of her dress showed off her necklace, the chunk of polished nebulite in the pendant impossible to ignore.

They all looked wonderful as they smiled and nodded to the crowd. It felt like an important moment, the kind I’d remember for many years to come, and my cheeks had started to ache from so much smiling.

As the dignitaries took their seats, Kaffi spoke again. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, the two icons of tonight’s festivities … Ayronina and the Omega Min Star!”

We turned toward him to see a petite figure in a silver fringed gown at the center of the spotlight. Her dress was covered in so many shimmering spangles, it was almost hard to see her because of the light sparkling off it.

Clutched in her hands before her, she held the Omega Min Star. Recorded music filled the air. As she began to sing, she lifted the gem overhead, pushing it farther into the light. It was about the size of a softball but jagged and flatter, its golden milky color shot through with veins of red, green, blue, and orange. With every little movement, the colors shifted, dancing within the stone as if they were alive.

Her voice was beautiful, almost other-naturally so, and even if the song wasn’t in a language I could understand, I could appreciate the sound. The gem, however, remained at the center of my thoughts.

Mesmerized, I couldn’t take my eyes off of it. Was there actually light inside it? Or was that a trick of all the lights shining on it? I couldn’t tell. I wanted to see it closer. Truthfully, I wanted to hold it. I felt a compulsion to touch it and be near it that I couldn’t explain.

I liked beautiful things as much as the next person and certainly wasn’t averse to nice jewelry, even if I didn’t own much myself, but that didn’t explain what I was feeling. It was like a new urge had sprung up inside me. I frowned as I tried to make sense of it.

“Hey,” Frank whispered in my ear. “You okay?”

I nodded, still captivated by the gem. “Mm-hmm.”

He used his fingers on my chin to gently turn my face toward him.

I blinked. The compulsion remained but was much weaker. “What just happened?”

“I’ve read about this. It’s the power of the nebulite. Only affects certain people, women, mostly. The longer you look at it, the more compelled you are by it.”

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. Part of the stone’s power. It’s still being studied.” His brows lifted. “You okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Pretty impressive.”

“Why’s that?” I was a little afraid to look at the gem again.

“Because not only does it generally just affect women but women of high intellect.”

I grinned, unsure if he was putting me on or not. “Well, I could have told you that.” We laughed. “It’s amazing that a stone can do that.”

“It really is. Besides that, and the power of the stone to be used as a fuel source, did you know just the tiniest chip of nebulite increases the ability of AI to empathize with other life forms?”

“I did not.” Movement caught my eye.

Ayronina was walking the gem to a pedestal at the side of the stage. Two Loessaian guards were already in place next to it. She placed the Star on the stand, which appeared to have a black velvet platform for it to rest on, and the lights began to strobe, turning her into a living firework.

I squinted at the blinding display. Then the lights cut out and the deck was plunged into darkness. Spots of color floated in my vision from the brilliance I’d just been staring at. I figured the windows were about to be uncloaked and the nebula revealed.

Ayronina’s voice faltered. Her microphone had cut out, too.

Then a woman screamed.