Chapter 1

Kalea didn’t know how accurately the simulation recreated an assault landing. She hoped that a real drop felt different, as the simulations always made her nauseous. The rumbling and shaking of her shuttle suddenly intensified. They would be entering the atmosphere now, a cherry-red glowing manned meteorite. She checked her equipment – her pack was tight against her back, but she could tally the external equipment. There were three proximity strobes on the right side and three grenades on the left. Her thigh pockets both bulged with spare ration bars. She re-secured the knife at her shoulder for the seventh time, tying it tightly into the sheath.

Finally, she checked her gun. One of only three options for the Onid-class genotype, she chose the longer rifle variant. It would give her greater distance, something she would sorely need against the other genotypes. An Esanid-class hunter would always win at range, but only if they knew she was there. The other genotypes would all beat her in close combat. Confident that she had properly prepared for the exercise, she took stock of her team.

As with most strike teams, her team had a representative from each genotype. They had elected their Kanid-class member as leader, assuming that her enhanced agility and multitasking would best serve the role.  Shara reluctantly accepted, but Kalea could see that it made the woman nervous. She had yet to drop her helmet’s visor, and Kalea watched her green eyes dart about nervously.

Their Sonid-class member showed no such apprehension. Michua’s hulking frame barely fit into the shuttle’s seat, his ceramic shield planted firmly on the ground between his feet. His head rested on the bulkhead behind him and Kalea wasn’t entirely certain he was awake. He hadn’t bothered putting his helmet on yet, his shaggy blond hair sticking out in every direction against the wall.

Mara, their Clonid-class, spoke to herself silently. Her lips moved rapidly, but no sounds emerged – something Kalea long ago learned to live with. She’d once asked Mara what she was saying, learning that the small black-haired girl ran through a series of math equations repeatedly. The Clonid’s enhanced raw intelligence allowed them to solve complex strategic problems on the battlefield, but required intense focus. The equations kept her mind on task.

Their Esanid-class genotype looked unfamiliar to Kalea. While the Arcturus was a large ship, as far as the Aracher fleet went, she was still surprised to find an unfamiliar face. The briefing had taught her the woman’s name, Anet, and little else. The girl stared across the shuttle at the far wall, unmoving. Her genotype’s tell-tale large pupils reflected the overhead lights. Her marksman’s rifle rested easily on her shoulder, deadly when used in conjunction with an Esanid’s enhanced perception.

The last member of her team, Ryane, kept phasing in and out of view. The Linid-class stealth expert had a bad habit of fidgeting with his optical camouflage – a fact that had lost them these exercises in the past. He had once blown out the mechanism before landing, leaving them down a considerable tactical advantage. The boy’s angular face and sharp features seemed at odds with his laid back, relaxed nature

The overhead lights flashed from white to red, informing the team of imminent landfall. The opposing team would be landing close by. They would need to react quickly if they wanted a chance to win this. A slew of different plans swept through Kalea’s mind, but she was not the team leader. No one ever chose an Onid as team leader. She had no enhancements - her genotype-class brought no benefits to the collective. She existed to augment the others as needed. Such was the life of a null. She drew in a deep breath and held it. The shuttle slammed into the ground, landing struts groaning as they absorbed most of the impact.