This book is dedicated to my "Book Buddy," Kira, and to Kayla, who, besides being one of my best friends, started the writing club in which the idea for this story originated.
And to my fellow NaNoWriMo participants, who are crazy enough to say, "Writing a book in a month? Let's do it!"
No Turning Back
Captain Liam Alexander Hawthorn
Captain Liam Hawthorn stood in one of the many hallways of the S. S. Amity. The ship’s intercom crackled on.
“The S. S. Amity will leave Earth’s solar system in five minutes,” came the announcement from one of the ship’s navigators. The captain took a deep breath, continuing to gaze out the window as he had been doing for some time now. He had always dreamed of traveling through the stars, ever since he was a little boy. But in his fantasies his mission had always been to explore, to seek out adventure. Not to flee.
Earth was no longer visible from the ship; it had dropped out of sight quickly, but Liam knew he would never forget the sight. The first and almost certainly the last time he had seen Earth from that angle. The pictures had never done it justice.
What had struck Liam the most was how peaceful and serene the planet looked, when he knew that nothing could be further from the truth.
World War III raged on Earth, a war that made every war that had gone before it look like a child’s water gun fight. As the death counts mounted with no end to the brutality in sight some began to fear that humanity would wipe itself out. And so a plan was formed. While their countries rained bombs on each other, 412 pilgrims were chosen from around the world. Not just adults, but children, families. They trained together. Their mission was to go out into the universe and find a new home, far from the war-torn Earth.
Liam had been selected as captain for his leadership skills and his ability to keep a calm head, as well as his lifelong interest in space, though his wife had teased that he had simply looked the part of the handsome space captain, with his blonde hair and grey eyes.
After several months of training, the S. S Amity, the fastest, most advanced spaceship ever built, had launched on August 1st. Now just over a month later, they were leaving their solar system behind.
The sound of footsteps broke into Liam’s thoughts. He turned from the window to see his wife walking towards him.
“You aren’t in class?” he asked in surprise. Clara taught the spaceship’s children.
“We let out early today, so the children could be with their families when we cross over,” she answered.
Liam smiled a little, “So where is our child?”
Before Clara could answer there was a pitter-patter of little footsteps running towards them.
“Here I am, Daddy!” Liam watched his daughter as she ran. She had her mother’s bright green eyes, and her mother’s curls, though they were blonde like Liam’s own hair, rather than black. They bounced as she ran.
Liam chuckled as she reached them.
“Did you have a good day at school today, Esther?”
The little girl nodded absently, her attention caught by the scene outside the window.
“It’s so pretty,” she breathed.
Liam smiled, “You were named for the stars, remember?”
Esther nodded, “I know, Daddy. Esther means star and Andromeda is a...a... a consolation.” Liam heard Clara chuckle and he couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he gently corrected his daughter, “A constellation.”
“Yeah, that,” Esther looked up at her father, “Will we be able to see Andromeda from our new home?” Liam crouched down to look into his daughter's eyes,
“Yes, sweetheart, she might look a little different, but she'll still be there. And you know what? We can find new constellations too.”
He smiled, “Maybe you can even name one yourself.”
The little girl’s eyes widened, “Really?”
“I don’t see why not.”
The intercom crackled on once more. “We have now officially left Earth’s solar system.”
Liam stood up and Esther drew closer to her parents, looking uncharacteristically solemn. Clara put a gentle hand on her daughter’s back and Liam placed his own hand on top of it. The family stood in silence for a moment, all three looking out at the stars. Esther was too young to really understand why they had left Earth, but she was old enough to feel the solemnity of the moment. They had already left behind everything they had known, but somehow crossing out of their solar system made it final. There was no turning back. Earth was no longer their home.
At last Liam broke the silence, “I should go. I have to make my rounds, make sure everything is running smoothly.”
He leaned down and kissed his daughter’s forehead, “You be good for Mummy.”
“Yes, Daddy,” Esther hugged him, her grip perhaps just a little tighter than normal before she let go. Liam kissed his wife’s cheek.
“I’ll see you two at supper time.”
Liam went first to the control room. It was from here that almost everything on the ship was regulated. Navigation, life support, gravity, it was all here. This was where Liam spent much of his time.
Only one officer was currently on duty, manning the navigations station, a Chinese woman named Han Mei. Lieutenant Han was only twenty-one years old, but she was the best pilot on the ship.
“Hey, Captain Hawthorn,” she greeted him cheerfully, “I volunteered to take this shift so the others could be with their families.”
“That was kind of you.”
Mei shrugged, “Well I don’t have anyone here I needed to be with.” A flicker of sadness crossed her expression. Mei’s parents had remained behind on Earth. Her father was a soldier. The young officer kept up a cheerful attitude, but Liam knew she missed them and worried for them greatly.
“Why don’t you eat dinner with my family tonight?” Liam offered, “We’ll be in the dining hall around 7:00.”
Her smile this time was warm and grateful, “Thank you, Captain, I’d like that.”
“So there were no nasty surprises when we crossed over?” Liam asked. Mei shook her head,
“Nope, everything’s running smoothly here.” Liam nodded,
“That’s good. See you at seven.”
He next went to the security room. One wall of the room was covered in monitors displaying various parts of the ship. Another showed the view outside the ship from all angles. Several officers watched the screens. All were armed and the weapons control for the ship was also here.
The Amity’s mission was peace, but they were prepared to defend themselves if need be, whether from threats inside or outside the ship. Some might scoff at the idea of aliens, but who knew what or who was out there, or whether they would be friendly or violent.
“Everything peaceful?” Liam asked.
The youngest officer, a young American man named Benjamin Winters, who was just eighteen, grinned at Liam, “Yep, no signs of E. T. either.”
Liam laughed, “Hopefully if we do meet any aliens they’ll be as friendly as E. T.”
His final stop was the ship’s infirmary. There was only one patient, a twelve year old Irish girl.
Liam chuckled, “What was it this time, Amy?” The young girl had been in the infirmary several times already.
She pushed her red curls out of her blue eyes, “I fell in the hoverboarding room and sprained my ankle.” She grinned unapologetically.
Liam