“Okay, let’s stay with the kid... Can’t leave him alone anyways.” Said Orm as he followed Jacob.
Running to where Oret dropped the vial, Reliq frantically searched through the snow, finding the vial after several seconds. Forcing herself to her feet, Reliq looked up noticing a bright object, like a star in day light traversing the sky, through an opening in the clouds.
“Captain there are locals coming this way,” said Jin over the radio.
“They're with me... No time to explain, we need to hurry Jin.”
“Captain, I am obligated to remind you that it is against galactic law to take inhabitants off a developing world”
“Noted Doctor... I will answer to the Judicators, we need them to show to the counsel what took place here.”
Arriving back at the ring at same time as Jacob and the others, Reliq ushered the group into the vessel through the crack in the hull. Funnelling them up into the command module, she rushed them to seats as Jin gave awkward waves.
“Start the launch sequence.” Commanded Reliq as she pulled the vial of aillinium from her pocket and inserted it into pillar beside her chair. Noticing Jin watching her, she gave a slow nod to him, suggesting she would explain later.
The ship rumbled as the massive engine roared to full power. Steam vented and hissed from pipes and valves as Jin rushed back to the engine room behind them. Jacob watched as, Jin had a concerned look as he worked the knobs and levers. Plumes of fire shot from the bottom of the command module as it detached from the habitat ring and accelerated slowly upwards. Building speed, the ship drifted up over the tree line as it banked to the side, giving the people on board an unobstructed view of the clearing from a few hundred yards up. Feeling the force of acceleration, Jacob felt lightheaded as the ship climbed rapidly through the sky barely outpacing the blast wave of the massive explosion from the surface.
Afterword
Among The Ether, The Invasion of Issa is book one in the novel series. Keep checking back for book two and more in the Among the Ether series, as Jacob continues his hunt for Alex and the group continues to navigate the invasion of their home world.
