Hunter Model 9
Hunter Model 9 By Bob Carlson Part I — The Passenger The colony transport Tranquil Horizon hung in orbit like a silent cathedral of steel. Nearly a kilometer long, its segmented hull glowed faintly under the harsh light of the construction ring that surrounded it. Massive docking pylons clamped the ship in place while thousands of small service drones moved in carefully choreographed patterns across its surface—welding, inspecting, calibrating. Soon the ship would leave. Six months across interstellar space. Three thousand colonists asleep in cryogenic chambers. Another frontier world waiting to be settled. Another perfect experiment in civilization under the watchful guidance of the Master Artificial Intelligence . Inside the bridge, Captain Elias Rourke leaned against the railing overlooking the main navigation pit. The panoramic viewport stretched across the entire front of the command deck, displaying a breathtaking view of Earth far below. White cloud systems drifted ...
