Destiny Among the Stars - Scifi - LitRPG - Adventure

I may say that this is the greatest factor: the way in which the expedition is equipped, the way in which every difficulty is foreseen, and precautions taken for meeting or avoiding it. Victory awaits him who has everything in order, luck, people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time, this is called bad luck.

― Roald Amundsen, first man to reach the North and South Poles.

The mess hall's lights were dim when Luca pushed through the door, the soft hum of the ship's engines providing a gentle backdrop to the otherwise quiet room. He found Emily alone at the table, both of her hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee, her hair all disheveled.

She looked up at the sound of his entrance, and the smile that spread across her face made his chest tighten in that now-familiar way, a feeling that had only intensified since last night when she'd fallen asleep against his shoulder in the lounge.

"Morning, Luca," she said, her voice still carrying traces of sleep. She leaned forward on her elbows, chin propped on one hand, green eyes fixed on him with deliberate attention. "You're up early."

"Good morning, Em, so are you." He crossed to the galley area, pulling open the freezer and fishing out a box of Ego waffles. "Sleep okay?"

Emily took a slow sip from her mug, watching him over the rim with an expression that was far too pleased with itself. "Better than I have in weeks, actually."

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filled the space between them, mixing with the crispy scent from the heating waffles. The mess hall felt different in these early hours. It was more intimate, somehow, with the overhead lights dimmed to morning settings, casting everything in a warm, golden glow. Through the viewport along one wall, the distant stars were visible, unchanged despite the hours that had passed while they slept.

"Coffee?" Emily offered, already rising from her seat.

"Please."

She moved to the percolator, and he found himself staring at the easy roll of her shoulders beneath her pajamas, the way she stretched up to reach a clean mug from the rack above, taking just a little longer than necessary.

As they waited for the waffles to toast, Luca stepped closer, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "You missed one," he said softly.

The toaster popped, breaking the spell, but Emily's pleased smile told him the gesture had hit its mark.

"So," she said, pouring the dark liquid into his mug, "seven days to New Dawn."

Luca ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back; a nervous habit he'd never quite shaken. There was so much to prepare, so many systems to check, and inventory to review before they reached the planet. He didn't want to think about any of it right now, not so early in the morning. "Let's not talk about work yet," he said, managing a smile. "Just... breakfast first."

"Careful," she murmured, steadying the mug as hot coffee sloshed dangerously close to the rim. Her fingers brushed against his as she handed it over.

"Thanks," he managed.

They settled at the table, Luca scooting his chair closer as he reached for the syrup. He could feel Emily's judgment as he drowned his waffles.

"Someone likes it sweet," she observed, propping her chin on her hand again.

"Guilty as charged." He took a bite, aware of her eyes tracking the movement.

"Danny thinks we might even be able to breathe the air," Emily said. "If his atmospheric analysis is right."

"That's a big if. We're still too far for good readings," Luca replied, taking a bite. The crunchy sweetness exploded on his tongue, a taste of home. "But it would be amazing. Imagine stepping out without full environmental gear."

Emily nodded, a faraway look in her eyes. "I've been thinking about that moment a lot. First humans to walk on an alien world. Well, an alien world outside the Solar System." She turned to face him fully, her knee bumping against his under the table. Neither of them moved away. "Who gets to go first? Have you decided?"

Luca chewed slowly, considering. "Haven't thought about it," he lied. In truth, he'd been wrestling with that exact question for days. By rights, it should be him as captain, but truth be told, it was anyone's right. They'd all done as much if not more to get here, especially Emily.

"Liar," she said, but her tone was fond rather than accusatory. She reached for the syrup, her fingers trailing across his knuckles as she took it from his loose grip.

"Maybe we should step out together," he suggested, the words coming easier now that they were both clearly playing the same game.

Her eyes met his, something warm and certain flickering in their green depths. She leaned forward slightly, close enough that he could see the gold flecks around her pupils. "I'd like that. A lot."

They were definitely in each other's space now, the pretense of a casual breakfast completely abandoned. Luca could count each freckles across the bridge of her nose, could see her lips part slightly as her gaze dropped to his mouth.

The mess hall door banged open

"Morning, people!" Ryan's voice boomed through the quiet space, shattering the moment like glass. He swept in, already fully dressed in his bodysuit, looking disgustingly energetic and completely oblivious to what he'd just interrupted. "Who's ready to discover a brand new world?"

Emily leaned back in her chair, the spell had broken. Luca fought the urge to throw his fork at Ryan's too-cheerful face.

"Inside voice, Ryan," Emily said, but there was no real annoyance in her tone. "Some of us are still waking up."

"Coffee's the answer," Ryan replied, making a beeline for the pot. "Sweet, sweet caffeine. The lifeblood of space exploration."

The door opened again, more slowly this time, revealing Danny. His red hair stuck up at odd angles, glasses slightly askew, still wearing pajamas.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

"Is he talking already?" Danny mumbled, shuffling toward the coffee station where Ryan was filling a mug nearly to overflowing. "Why is he talking?"

"Because he's Satan," Luca offered helpfully.

As Ryan and Danny settled at the table with their coffee, the conversation turned to speculation about what they'd find on New Dawn. Despite the interrupted moment, Luca found himself smiling.

Emily's shoulder pressed against his as she reached for her coffee, and she didn't pull away. Under the table, Luca let his leg slide deliberately against hers. When she glanced at him, the slight curve of her lips told him everything he needed to know; the game was far from over.

The command bridge was bustling activity, screens and displays casting blue-green light across their faces as Luca stood behind Zoe at the navigation station. Everyone had gathered for this critical planning session, clustering around Zoe's console where she'd brought up a detailed map of the Proxima Centauri system, planets, and moons rendered in detail thanks to Danny's latest data from the telescope satellite.

Emily positioned herself at Luca's shoulder, occasionally leaning forward to examine the trajectory lines threading across Zoe's screen.

"Alright, guys," Luca said. "Let's finalize our approach to New Dawn. We'll be deploying probes and satellites for Proxima d and c along the way."

Zoe tapped her navigation screen, tracing their curved trajectory through the stellar display. "Seven days total to New Dawn, factoring in deceleration burns and orbital insertion."

Ryan peered at the screen, mug in hand. "Cutting it close with that radiation belt, aren't we?"

"We'll be skimming the outer edge, well within safety parameters," Zoe replied confidently. "The stellar flares are predictable enough that we can time our approach during a quiet period."

Danny shifted uncomfortably, clutching his tablet. "Actually, we don't know as much about Red Dwarf volatility as we thought. The theoretical models from Earth might not account for Proxima's specific behavior patterns."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "Danny, the flare cycles are completely predictable. You're overthinking this."

"The radiation spikes could still damage the probe electronics," Danny persisted. "Or interfere with our own systems during deployment."

"We can adjust the probe trajectories," Zoe interrupted, supporting Danny's caution. "Use Proxima c and d as radiation shields during deployment. The planetary magnetic fields would provide additional protection."

Luca looked between Danny and Zoe. "Let's adjust as needed, deploy with planetary shielding, and stick to the timeline. We didn't come this far to second-guess ourselves into paralysis."

Emily leaned in to study the trajectory data. "The timing works if we concentrate the launches in the optimal window."

Luca poked her ribs when she crowded too close to the screen. "Hey Em, don't hog the view."

She shot him a quick smile before stepping back just enough to give him space.

"All probes are operational and prepped for deployment," Chris confirmed from his station.

"What about deployment timing?" Luca asked. "Can we get all the probes launched within the optimal windows?"

"Should be fine," Ryan replied. "The ejection systems are ready to go."

"Good," Emily said, reaching around Luca to tap a section of Zoe's display. "Then we can concentrate the launches in the first window."

"That would work," Zoe said, recalculating on her panel, "but if we want to stagger the launches, it would mean adjusting our approach angle to New Dawn." She modified the display, showing a slightly altered trajectory. "Nothing major, just a few degrees difference in our final orbital insertion."

Ryan leaned against the bulkhead, offering his characteristic dissenting opinion. "Not to be the buzzkill, but if any of these little guys miss their orbit, it's going to be a pain to retrieve them."

"They won't," Zoe said flatly.

"Let's talk about the satellites," Emily interjected, shooting a pointed look at Ryan. "I'm implementing a triple-check protocol for the energy cells before launch. Two different crew members will inspect each satellite before deployment."

Ryan winced visibly. "Never gonna live that down, am I?"

The bridge emptied gradually as Chris, Joey and Zoe left to prepare for their shifts, leaving Luca, Emily, and Ryan hunched over the central console. The star map had been replaced by scrolling inventory manifests, lists of equipment and supplies cataloged during their weeks of travel. In a matter of days, they'd be setting foot on a world orbiting Alpha Centauri. Him and his best friends, making history.

Luca swiped through the categories, trying to focus on the mundane details. Rations, medical supplies, and scientific equipment, each neatly organized and color-coded thanks to Emily's organizational systems. Everything looked in order at first glance, the result of countless hours accounting for every item they'd need on an alien world.

"Let's get to work," Emily said, pulling up a separate screen. "We're going to cross-reference what we've cataloged against what we actually need for planetfall. "Ryan, can you verify the exploration gear?"

Ryan nodded, pulling that section to his corner of the display. "On it."

"Scientific equipment looks good," Emily noted, checking off a section with obvious enthusiasm.

Luca scanned through the environmental gear, trying to ignore the way Emily's shoulder brushed against his as she leaned over suspiciously close to check something on his screen.

"Atmosphere testing equipment, soil sampling kits, portable lab stations... all accounted for." Luca expanded the scientific inventory, checking off items with visible satisfaction. "Core sampler, sample containers, spectrometers, and portable analysis units. Everything Danny requested made it aboard," he finished.

"We've plenty of cartridges and consumables in stock for medical supplies," Emily said. "Plus, Joey's planning to bring the med pod down with the dropship. Chris will help him get it loaded and installed on the Peregrine."

"The armor situation is what it is," Ryan said matter-of-factly, highlighting their equipment manifest. "We've got our primary armor suits, but no spares." He tapped a line item. "Should have had at least three backup suits per person, but they never made past the loading dock."

"Right. The sabotage," said Luca.

"Except, your backup and Zoe's," Ryan said. "But I wouldn't call that armor."

Luca rolled his eyes at the jab. The level 48 scouts suits were nothing to write home about, barely any protection in those, just its main active camouflage. The theory was you wouldn't get hit if you couldn't be seen, except it used up a lot of energy and the cooldown sucked.

Ryan opened up another list. "Energy cells are the real problem," he said. "We've got maybe thirty cells total between all of us. Should have been twelve hundred." He shook his head. "That's enough to keep our armor and weapons powered for maybe one or two firefights, if we're lucky."

He gestured at another section of the display. "And dropship fuel... four, maybe five planetside trips if we're conservative. Not the dozens we originally mapped out."

Emily leaned forward. "So we prioritize. Make every trip count." She was already pulling up surface expedition schedules. "What are our absolute must-haves?"

"The primary landing site for sure," Luca said, studying the mission parameters. "We'll use the Peregrine to range out from there. Fuel's too tight for bouncing between potential biomes. We go in once, we go hard."

Ryan was scrolling through fuel calculations. "If I can squeeze an extra ten percent efficiency out of the dropship systems, maybe we get a sixth trip." He pulled up the power management protocols.

"Which is fine," Emily said, her tone becoming more animated, eyes bright with enthusiasm. "We can make every expedition count double. Overlapping objectives, multi-site sampling runs." She gestured at the display, and when she turned to look at Luca, her face was flushed with excitement. "Hell, this might actually make us more efficient. Forces us to be smart about it."

"Exactly," Luca said. "We've got seven days to optimize everything. Just need to get everything in order."

"Better than showing up with a dozen armored suits and getting sloppy," Ryan added with a slight grin, then rolled his eyes at the way Luca and Emily were looking at each other.

"The System's been quiet so far," Luca said, ignoring Ryan's dramatic expressions and gesturing toward the long-range sensors, trying to keep his voice steady despite the proximity of Emily and the magnitude of what they were about to accomplish. "No portal signals, no mystery communications, no signs of technology. For all we know, New Dawn is just a really interesting rock. Limited supplies or not."

Ryan pulled up the surface mission timeline. "Alright then. Let's plan this thing properly. What do we hit first?" He paused, then added with seriousness, "And try not to make googly eyes at each other while we're doing it. We've got work to do."

Luca felt his face burn with embarrassment, but he couldn't stop grinning. Life was pretty good, even with limited energy cells.