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“Calvin, I know you have been feeling guilt about what happened to Christine, and even some survivor’s guilt for your scrape on Aleator, and perhaps you’re even doing this in part because of us—because of what happened between us, or didn’t. But I beg you to think it through. You have a story to tell. A life to live. Probably, someday, children to have. I don’t. My life has been lived. And it was rich, and full, and complete, and, since I am dying anyway, it only makes sense that I am the one to go to fulfill this task.”
    Rain’s was the hardest to hear. “But you’re needed in the infirmary,” said Calvin. “Especially since we don’t know what we’re up against.”
    “Dr. Andrews is a fine physician and he can handle it. For that matter, as my body weakens, it is important that he learn to take over the infirmary himself—one day I will no longer be here. If you are wise, Calvin, that day will be tomorrow.”
    Calvin didn’t want to hear it. Instead, he said his goodbyes and thanked his crew for the wonderful service they had done for both the Nighthawk and the Empire, and of course for him personally. He called them the finest team of officers and civilians-turned-officers that any commander could ever have the privilege of commanding.
    “Besides, I’m not going to die,” he tried to reassure them a little—but mostly he wanted to reassure himself. “Rafael is going to fly us down in his pod, then, when I deactivate the dampening field, he will take the pod to a safe place using its miniature alteredspace drive. Meanwhile, Summers, who shall have command of the Nighthawk , will order the Nighthawk moved somewhere safe. I don’t know how much time I have before the local garrison learns what is going on and comes after me, so it will have to be quick.”
    “And, just how do you plan to survive?” asked Summers, hands on her hips. She now looked much stronger than she had a moment before, but Calvin could see that same vulnerability in her eyes that she had let slip seconds ago.
    “After the pod and the ship are clear, fire a class III probe into the dampening field and let all the tractor beams lock onto it, then Rafael will return to the surface, retrieve me if I am still alive—which I will be,” he added the last part because of their long faces. “Then we will return the pod to the Nighthawk , leave the probe behind, and we’ll have escaped with all personnel and pods intact, just minus a probe.
    This seemed to rally Miles’s spirits at least, though the rest of them looked unconvinced and, indeed, even Calvin assumed he was walking like an animal into a slaughterhouse. He would make sure to come prepared, armed to the teeth to defend himself, but he knew he was no match for a garrison of Polarian soldiers. Not if they were anything like Rez’nac…
    “Rez’nac, have the coordinates of the dampening field generator station sent to pod three. Rafael, I want you to suit up and meet me there as quickly as possible.
    “And you, sir, what will you be doing?” asked Rafael.
    “I need full climate gear,” said Calvin. “The scans of that world indicate that no life could survive on its own—isn’t that right, Cassidy?”
    “Yes, sir. Those are my readings.”
    “I’m headed to the quartermaster; Rafael, get what you need and meet me at pod three. The rest of you, man your duty stations.
    As Calvin left the bridge, he couldn’t help wondering if those would be the final commands he would ever give as CO of the Nighthawk .

 
    CHAPTER 03
     
    Rain waited in the corridor next to hatch three. When she arrived, Rafael was there waiting, expecting Calvin.
    “Calvin asked me to tell you to go into the pod and prep it for launch,” she told Rafael. Quickly adding, “Calvin wanted a final word with me before…the mission.” At that, Rafael nodded understandably—Calvin and Rain were rumored to be a romantic item, and very nearly that had been true—and so Rafael had needed very