Space Station Crisis: Star Challengers Book 2 by Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta, June Scobee Rodgers

The Sat team has mostly finished prepping the Eye in the Sky satellite for launch.” Ansari smiled as they floated into the Mess. “And your fellow team member is also there.”
    “Our team member?” JJ asked.
    Before the Stationmaster could answer, JJ saw five crewmembers. Four had finished eating hot prepackaged meals and were placing the leftover components and scraps into recycler cabinets. Stationmaster Ansari greeted them. “This is our Sat team: civilians Lifchez and Kimbrell”—she pointed to two men in yellow jumpsuits—“and the military half of the team, Major Rodgers and Lieutenant Kontis.” The man and woman in darker jumpsuits nodded hello.
    As her friends floated in around her, JJ’s attention was immediately drawn to the fifth person, a girl close to her own age, who looked out of place among the Sat team members. She had high cheekbones, hazel eyes with a fringe of long lashes, a light dusting of freckles across her fair skin, and pixie-cut auburn hair. She was dressed in blue like the Star Challengers.
    The other girl’s eyes locked on them like targeting lasers on a video game. “Stationmaster Ansari suggested we might be expecting visitors,” the stranger said.
    JJ was taken aback to see another teenager there on the station. Song-Ye and Dyl stared, while King said quietly, “Now this is interesting.”
    Tony had already experienced an avalanche of surprises. “Who’s that?” He looked at JJ. “You didn’t tell me there was anybody else.”
    Stationmaster Ansari turned to the Star Challengers. “Cadet Mira arrived two days ago and has been assisting us extensively ever since. She was quite surprised when I explained to her how four of you helped us at Moonbase Magellan. You’re all part of the same team?”
    “I assume so,” the other girl answered quickly. “I was also unaware of other … team members.”
    “Are you a Star Challenger, too?” Dyl blurted.
    “Star Challengers? Is that what you call yourselves?” Mira raised her eyebrows and looked at Ansari. “As I told you, Stationmaster, our work is highly classified and compartmentalized. We must be from separate parts of our … project.”
    “Hmm, I assumed you had all met before,” Ansari said.
    “Maybe we need a few minutes to get to know each other,” JJ said. “Is there someplace we could talk before the meeting starts?”
    Stationmaster Ansari said, “Perhaps that would be best. I need to make some preliminary notes on my datapad, and the other crewmembers will take a while to get here. Hab 2 is adjacent to the Mess—Cadet Mira, would you please show our friends?”
    Without commenting, the strange girl led the way.
    ***

Eight
    The moment they were alone in the hab module, JJ turned to the other girl, asking excitedly, “Where are you from? How did you get here?”
    The girl’s hazel eyes darted from side to side, as if she were worried someone might be listening. Her voice held an edge of challenge as she dodged the question. “Where are you from?”
    King spoke up. “I’d suggest that we all sit down and relax, but there’s not much point in sitting when you’re weightless.” He pushed lightly against the nearest wall and glided toward Mira, holding out his hand. “So for now, I guess we should all just give each other some background.”
    Mira reached out dubiously and took his hand. King shook vigorously, which set them both moving, their whole bodies bobbing up and down like two people on an invisible seesaw. King released his grip, and the girl went one direction while he drifted in the other. “Sorry—I’m still not used to weightlessness!”
    Everyone laughed, breaking the ice slightly. “The Stationmaster introduced you kind of fast,” JJ said. “We didn’t get your whole name.”
    The girl’s eyes narrowed. “Mira—just Mira. That is already more than you need to know.” She sounded wary. “You’re aware of what’s at stake.”
    JJ sighed. She couldn’t tell if Mira was being