Shades of Earth by Beth Revis

help from the home they left behind. We are separated by far more.”
    I follow his gaze skyward, but I’m not thinking about Sol-Earth and how far away it is. I’m thinking about
Godspeed
. It’s much closer, but just as impossible to reach.
    â€œMany people died in the first colonies. They called America ‘the New World,’ but
this
is the real deal, eh, son? Roanoke has nothing on us.”
    â€œWhy are you telling me this?” I ask. I don’t care if I sound rude.
    â€œSon, I need you to think about the situation here. I realize that things have been happening while the Earthborns like me were frozen and that you had to take charge. It can’t have been easy.”
    Â 
    â€œNo, no, no, no, no,” Shelby said. Right before I let her die.
    Â 
    â€œAnd you might not believe me,” Colonel Martin adds, “but I know how much pressure you must be under. Those people, the shipborns, it’s obvious they’re looking to you to solve all their problems. But you can’t solve all their problems, can you?”
    Â 
    Three of my people are dead right now, just down the hall, and that
’
s my fault. Bartie and over eight hundred other people are still in orbit around Centauri-Earth, and they
’
re going to live and die in the remains of
Godspeed
, and that
’
s my fault too.
    â€œSon,” Colonel Martin says, and I can’t help it, I like the way he says that word. “I think you know what you need to do.”
    Â 
    â€œThey will make us slaves or soldiers,” Orion said. “They plan to work us or kill us.”
    Â 
    â€œI’m not just going to hand my people over to you,” I say, turning away from him and toward the door that leads into the shuttle. A wind from the planet swirls through my hair, making me feel stronger.
    â€œI’m not suggesting that, son.”
    â€œQuit calling me
son
.” I am no man’s son.
    â€œElder.” Colonel Martin says my name as if it leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. “This is about more than you or me. We can’t let egos get in the way.”
    â€œI’m not letting my ego control me,” I say. “Don’t let yours. I may be younger than you, but there are one thousand four hundred and fifty-six people inside that shuttle who stand behind me.”
    Colonel Martin stands up and lets the chair whip around. “I know that,” he says, the kind edge gone from his voice. “I just thought I could reason with you—”
    â€œYou can,” I say simply. “You’re right—it hasn’t been easy. And I’m very well aware that I am not in the best position.” How could I not be aware of that, given the way Bartie rebelled? The way people would rather stay on the ship than follow me off it? The way three of my people have died already just because they trusted me?
    â€œI’m not against you,” I add. “But I don’t think that it needs to be just me or you. I’m willing to let you guide us, but I’m not going to tell my people to blindly obey you.”
    â€œBut you’ll stand behind me? Support my orders?”
    â€œIf I find them reasonable, yes. I will stand beside you.”
    If he notices my subtle change of his wording, he doesn’t comment on it. “The first order of business is simple: we need to establish communication with Earth.”
    â€œWe haven’t had com for gens,” I say.
    â€œWhat?” Colonel Martin barks.
    â€œIt’s been centuries since we’ve heard from Earth.”
    Behind him, I see Lieutenant Colonel Bledsoe mouth the word
centuries
. But Colonel Martin lets no emotion show.
    â€œThere’s this, though,” I say, moving over the computer on the bridge. The metal is hot to the touch, warmed by the twin suns. The screen blinks, awaiting the military authorization code.
    Colonel Martin strides over to the computer, then hesitates. He