Beyond Sol: A Sci-Fi Thriller (Gunn and Salvo Book 8)

BEYOND SOLGUNN & SALVOBOOK 8 JOSHUA JAMES CONTENTS Get Free Books!Gunn & Salvo seriesPrologueChapter 1Chapter 2Chapter 3Chapter 4Chapter 5Chapter 6Chapter 7Chapter 8Chapter 9Chapter 10Chapter 11Chapter 12Chapter 13Chapter 14Chapter 15Chapter 16Chapter 17Chapter 18Chapter 19Chapter 20Chapter 21Chapter 22Chapter 23Chapter 24Chapter 25Chapter 26Chapter 27Chapter 28Chapter 29Chapter 30Chapter 31EpilogueAlso by Joshua JamesAlso by Joshua James Copyright © 2023 by Joshua James Cover Artwork by Christian Kallias Edited by Scarlett R. Algee GET FREE BOOKS! Building a relationship with readers is my favorite thing about writing. My regular newsletter, The Reader Crew, is the best way to stay up-to-date on new releases, special offers, and all kinds of cool stuff about science fiction past and present. Just for joining the fun, I’ll send you 3 free books. Join The Reader Crew (it’s free) today! —Joshua James GUNN & SALVO SERIESALL BOOKS AVAILABLE IN KINDLE UNLIMITED Galaxy Run Friendly Fire Calypso End Bygone Star Infinite Grey Outward Sky Starlit Path Beyond Sol PROLOGUE Nina Walker sat in her mother’s lap and held the ruby pendant, on its heavy gold chain, in both of her tiny hands. “It’s so pretty, Mama.” “That it is.” Trilo ran a hand over her daughter’s hair. “Someday it will be yours.” Nina looked up in excitement. “Someday, like today?” “No, baby.” Trilo kissed her daughter’s temple. “This is special, and very important. It can’t get lost or misplaced, because it’s the only one like it that exists. When you’re a big girl, you can have it, but not yet.” Nina pouted down at the pendant. “It’s just a shiny rock,” she mumbled. She was almost seven, after all. Old enough to be trusted with jewelry. She wasn’t prone to losing things, anyway. Her father, Pen, was already teaching her about mechanics, and after she’d corrected him on how to rebuild a comms unit he’d taken apart, he’d started asking questions. After a bit of experimentation, he’d explained to her that she had a photographic memory. She literally couldn’t misplace things, because she always knew exactly where to find them. “It’s a lot more than that, honey.” Trilo shifted Nina onto the floor, then climbed to her feet. “Let me show you something.” She took Nina’s hand, and the two of them crossed to the door lock, then made their way into the hall. As the two of them walked through the corridors of Kri, Nina skipped a few times. “Where are we going?” Trilo squeezed her hand. “To the hologram chamber. I want to show you something.” Nina had only been to the hologram chamber a handful of times. She wasn’t allowed to go on her own, in part because her father had explained that small children weren’t permitted to use the tech without supervision. Evidently it was dangerous. Everyone was always telling her that things were dangerous, but her parents had a rule against talking down to her. When Nina had questions, they mostly answered them. To a girl of her size, the commerce center near Kri’s port looked enormous, although Pen had explained to her that they lived in a relatively small settlement. As they passed the shops, Nina peered up at the flashing neon ads. She and Trilo walked close enough to the right-hand wall that they passed through the ad bubbles. “Try our synthfruits!” one AI shopkeeper said as its motion sensor pinged them. “Now available in artificial guava flavor—” The ad cut off as they left its bubble radius, only to be replaced by another. “Looking for companionship? Our Hologranimal systems are guaranteed to boost your dopamine production by as much as—” “Moonshine® is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages on the market today, with over fifty-six million units sold since its release in—” “Are you hungry? Take a look at our menu! Our five-star menu is inspired by our chef’s culinary training on Circe and features some of the finest—” Nina was so used to the ads that she mostly tuned them out, although she was tempted by the tech hub’s advertisement for ocular implants. The idea of a person choosing to put tech inside their own head left her squeamish but fascinated. What would the world be like if people could know anything they wanted to, just like that? she wondered. If she got one, then maybe her mother would trust her with things like the ruby. “Hurry up, baby,” Trilo said, and Nina quickened her pace until they reached the edge of the shopping district. They passed the entrances to the Parc, the mycological arboretum, and the local headquarters of the Pantheon before they reached the sliding double doors that led to the hologram chamber. The receptionist glanced up from his tablet as they stepped inside and grinned when he recognized Trilo. Everyone who knew her seemed to adore her, and Nina could understand why. With her hundreds of tight, tiny braids, glittering with self-charging LED filaments that popped against her carnelian skin, she stood out in a crowd. Nina was biased, of course, but she was certain that her mother was the most beautiful woman on this or any world “Hey, Trilo. And who’s this? Surely not Nina?” The man whistled and scratched his chin. “You’re gettin’ big, kiddo.” Nina puffed up her chest in pride. “We need a room for an hour, Dorsey.” Trilo produced her chitcoin card. “A small one will do…but on a private feed, if you don’t mind?” Dorsey scanned the card, then pointed to the back. “You’re in Room 4. Have fun, ladies.” Trilo nodded, but from what she’d told Nina, they weren’t here for fun. Nina wasn’t entirely sure what they were here for, however. They’d talked about the ruby before. Trilo wore it all the time. She’d never said why, though, and Nina’s brain already itched for answers. Neither of the Walker women spoke until the door lock of the hologram chamber closed behind them. Trilo let go of Nina’s hand and fiddled with a few settings on the user interface. Nina stood perfectly