The Watcher [Alien Nation #1]

Chapter 6

Jules woke like she was clawing her way out of the pit of sleep. She blinked up at the ceiling for a moment, wondering why she could not hear the steady hum of the Phoenix's engines around her. Just before she could start to panic, she realised that her room-her room, not the tiny compartment she slept in on the Phoenix-was lit by a faint artificial moonlight from outside.

She rolled over, groaning into her pillow. The clock on the wall read 3:18 a.m.-she'd only slept an hour, having spent most of the night tossing and turning, unable to lie still for more than five minutes.

Just as her eyes were growing heavy once more, there was another buzz and a whistle, and her datapad lit up from where it had fallen against the nightstand.

She sighed, a few strands of hair fluttering in front of her mouth. It was probably Erri, bugging her about something. He sometimes forgot that humans liked long, uninterrupted periods of sleep, not the short, deep naps the ghraals needed.

Jules fumbled for her datapad and instantly put the screen on its dimmest setting. She squinted at it-there were two unopened messages, not from Erri but Avery.

Jules scowled. It was too early for bullshit, and she considered ignoring the messages, but she stopped, finger hovering over the screen. She was one of the last people in the Commonwealth that Avery would message voluntarily. Maybe she had a good reason. Jules clicked 'open' before she could change her mind.

Avery's messages were simple. The first, sent two minutes ago, said, check the newsfeeds, and the second, sent a minute later, said, im srs, look at news right hte fuck NOW.

Jules' brow creased as she tried to force her still-sluggish brain to come up with a response, and a message from Cass popped up as she did so. Jules didn't hesitate before opening this one.

Jules, it began, I apologise for waking you. You probably have Avery's messages already, but please check the newsfeeds, though perhaps it is best if you are sitting down when you do.

A cold finger of dread trailed down Jules' spine and coiled in her stomach like a snake. What's wrong? she typed back.

I do not know how to tell you. I have never encountered a situation like this before, said Cass, and that did nothing to help calm Jules' fears.

OK, she replied, give me a minute.

I recommend the Hub Herald or an Earth-based newsfeed.

Jules opted for the Herald, seeing as it was the branch of the Hub newsnet intended for and run by humans. They had a reputation for solid reporting.

The Herald's homepage was dominated by one grainy image, and it took Jules a moment to work out what she was seeing.

It looked like it had been taken by one of their spy drones. Earth dominated the right side of the image. It was quite zoomed-in, and from this distance one of their larger cities should have been visible. Instead there was only a wide black shape, the sun glinting off its slightly curved back.

Jules stared at it a moment, unblinking, before horror truly sank in. She leaped out of bed, exclaiming,"That's a fucking starship!", though there was nobody else in her tiny flat to hear her.

Heart in her mouth, she ran into the front room and jammed the vidcall button until Cass popped up above the hologram node on the low coffee table. Jules was aware she looked a mess, with her crumpled pyjamas, unbrushed hair, and fluffy socks, but at that point she was beyond caring.