Free Atlas: Infinity Verge Trilogy: Book II by DJ Morand Page B

extending a hand, “and you are Captain Abel Cain.”
    “Just Abel Cain now,” he said, “can’t be much of a Captain without a ship.” He grumbled while extending his own hand and shaking hers. “It is nice to meet you Aurora Rigel.”
    “Just Aurora, or Rigel if you prefer.” She smiled. “So you want to get off this rock?” she asked directly.
    Something about her personality struck Abel as unusual, she was bright and peppy, too peppy? Or too pretty? He wondered.
    “I think that is the best suggestion anyone has had all day. You have a way to do that?” Abel asked, both in curiosity and incredulity.
    Sure, plenty of people were coming and going from Quintar IV. He wanted to get off the planet. He had never been keen on the idea of government being military controlled, even if the Remnant and the True EFNF did a decent job of it. Quintar IV was not the haven the people thought it was, not to Able at least to him it had become a prison.
    Aurora considered Abel, he was handsome in a sort of rugged way, his face and head covered with a small growth of stubble. He was too ready with a smile though. With all the crap happening in this universe, he smiled too much.
    Maybe I don’t smile enough , she thought. “No, Abel Cain, I do not have a ship, but I know where we can find one.” Aurora smiled slightly.
    Abel was taken in by that small grin playing across her very feminine features, but those eyes! He found himself entranced by her subtle beauty, but even more-so by her stunning eyes. She did not shy away at his scrutinizing. Instead, she fixed her white eyed stare on him. Abel’s mouth felt dry, but his curiosity was piqued.
    “Is that so, and just where can we find a ship?” he asked.
    He knew full well what she intended, he had intended it himself, but a lone man could not steal a starship. “For that matter do you have a crew?”
    Aurora still bore that sideways grin as she motioned for Abel to follow her. He did so, watching the sway of her hips as she moved.
    You’re like a schoolboy, put your tongue back in your mouth and get serious, this could be a trap, he scolded himself harshly.
    Aurora led Abel down several corridors and alleys before it opened up onto the tarmac for the spaceport. He wondered momentarily if Aurora Rigel had been sent by the Fleet Admiral to make him toe the line, but dismissed it. The Fleet Admiral was one who would do her own brow-beating. That left him wondering who this mysterious woman was and why she had taken such an interest in helping him. The risks of helping him off planet were grim, he had been grounded by the Fleet Admiral herself, anyone disobeying that order was likely putting themselves in a cell.
    Abel did not voice his concerns. If this woman could get him flying again, it didn’t matter what she wanted from him, he would pay it later. Aurora led Abel to one of the hangars, inside was a massive tangle of a ship. The forward canopy looked to have been collapsed as well as the forward nacelles, but he recognized it nonetheless. His jaw dropped and tears formed in his hazel eyes.
    “How … how did you--” he cut himself short, putting a shaky hand on the crumbled nose of the Kodiak .
    Aurora put a hand on Abel’s shoulder, he started to pull away, but instead let her be. She looked at him sympathetically.
    “The EFNF left it there. I guess they figured it was either too damaged to dig out or it simply wasn’t worth the effort, but there are those here on Quintar IV who think that you have more to do than be the EFNF’s puppet. We can fix her up and before you know it the Kodiak will fly again.”
    Abel only half listened, his mind was already working the scenarios to repair the ship and the cost.
    “Not Kodiak , not anymore. This will be more my design than the Kodiak was. This will be the Atlas .” He realized it would never be the Kodiak again, not without Zee. “I am going to need a good deal of supplies, what’s the catch here?””
    He eyed