A moment later, our team was finally alone. I nodded to Markus. He pulled out a small cube, squeezed it, and the device started to pulse a soft blue. It was a sodi-silencer, and would keep our conversation private in case anyone was listening in. I didn’t think Governor Korrel would do such a thing, but it was clear from Vossner’s attitude that we couldn’t take anything for granted on this planet.

  “I’m assuming you already started the scanning?” I asked Commander Leyva.

  “It was the first thing I did when I sat down before I accessed the terminal.” She nodded to the small silver device near the middle of the table that would allow us to access the records the Governor had set aside for us. “Governor Korrel was right about there being some of the mineral in the city. My scan picked that up first. They collected more than a little of the material. My scanner is showing just over a ton of mineral RP3 approximately eight hundred feet below and a little to the east of us.”

  I nodded, not at all surprised she was already knee-deep in her work before the pleasantries and the not-so pleasantries were over. Leyva was always dependable in that respect.

  “Are you picking up anymore from here?”

  “Yes, there’s quite a lot of it scattered about where I am assuming Mine Shaft Seven is located, but nowhere else.”

  “Why do you think this mineral RP3 can only be found in that particular location and not spread all over the planet?” Lieutenant Quinton spoke up. “I did a cursory inquiry at the other three sites where this stuff can even be found in the Empire. There were multiple veins available on those planets, and would have been a much better choice for extracting the material.”

  The woman sat perched in her chair as if she were going to war instead of attending a briefing about our latest project, but then that’s how she operated much of the time. The Lieutenant took her job seriously, which tended to clash quite humorously with her soft, round face and the bouncing ginger curls that ringed it. She looked more like the happy-go-lucky neighbor next door than a scientist who dug in deep to her work and rarely came up for air.

  She was also the newest member of our team and the youngest, or at least the youngest save me. The Lieutenant engineer was three years older than me and already had seven years of service in the Vanguard under her belt. She happened to also be one of the top scientists in her field of organic bioengineering and why I had been eager to have her on our team, though it had taken awhile to persuade her to join us since she’d already been in high demand in the Legion.

  It had been her discovery that had led us to this planet. In a lab study she’d run of minerals, metals, and ores discovered across the Empire of which might have an effect on Shixxaminti biology and organic technology, she had discovered that a rare mineral simply designated with RP3, because its properties had not appeared to be of much use and didn’t warrant an official name, had extremely interesting effects when tested against Shixxaminti’s organic technology. Preliminary tests showed that mineral RP3 had the ability to create a resonance that could be quantified and even track Shixxaminti material, at least on a small scale with the samples Quinton had available to her. She lacked sufficient mineral to create a larger-scale result.

  We needed more, a lot more. That was when I decided a trip to one of the four sources in the Empire was required, because if this worked the way I hoped it did, we’d finally have a definite and reliable way to track Shixxaminti ships, including the errant one running loose in the Empire.

  “Yes, the deposits were heavier at those locations, but it would have taken much more time to reach. Talion Proxi is only half a day’s travel from Darat. Let’s get as much as we can here, run our tests, and if we need more, then we can send expeditions to those other locations,” I replied.

  “I have a theory about why the RP3 can only be found in that one mine shaft on this planet,” Dax Ferran spoke up.

  Ferran was the team member I knew the least about, even though he’d been one of the original members to help us create our first effective weapon against the Shixx. He was by far the quietest of the group, so when he spoke up, I was quick to listen, because he also had a knack for spotting information the rest of us missed. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, as he always did before speaking, making it clear how uncomfortable he was to be in a temporary spotlight.

  “I think it has to do with the nature of the planet’s geology. Based on the preliminary data I’ve been reviewing, Talion Proxi experienced a significant meteor impact approximately three million years ago. The crater’s long since been eroded and built over, but the impact site is located directly beneath where Mine Shaft Seven is now. The meteor brought with it materials not native to this planet.”

  I leaned forward, intrigued. “Are you suggesting the mineral RP3 is extraterrestrial in origin?”

  “That’s my best hypothesis,” Ferran replied. “I went over the initial composition analysis that the colony submitted to the Mining Consortium. It shows trace elements that don’t match anything in the natural geological strata. It was the geophysicist’s opinion that the concentrated pattern in Mine Shaft Seven suggested a meteorite impact.”

  “Do you think that is how the mineral was disbursed to the other three locations and why it’s so rare?” Lieutenant Dorn spoke up.

  “It’s possible, but it’s curious that these four planets with RP3 are scattered across the galaxy from each other. I can say that at least for this planet, RP3 was brought here by a meteorite. I would have to do a full study on the other sites to know anything further.”

  “I would think that should be put as a possible project for another time. Our priority is securing a reliable way to find the Shixxaminti ships,” Weapon Specialist Pazel Lovet said.

  I nodded thoughtfully. I could always count of Lovet to keep us on track. He never let us stray too far off our target topic, which sometimes got a little annoying, but he wasn’t wrong. A deeper analysis of the other three sites could wait.

  “Agreed. Let’s concentrate on extraction and testing on Talion Proxi,” I said. “Inform Governor Korrel that we need the already mined RP3 delivered to our shuttle as soon as possible. Have it taken up to the Quortous where it will await testing. Then we need to get our team into Mine Shaft Seven today if we can. I still think it’s important to examine the actual deposits even if they didn’t form naturally here on this planet. I want to know what makes this mineral so special, and even if it can be synthesized. And we need to take as much of this stuff with us as we can.”

  “You want us to mine the stuff ourselves?” Lovet looked shocked at the very idea.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “No,” I shook my head. “I’ll talk to the Governor about putting together a trusted team to extract as much of the mineral as they can after we analyze the deposits. We will take what we can with us and have the rest delivered as soon as it’s cut from the ground.”

  Markus sat the privacy device next to me on the conference table and started moving toward the door. “I’ll handle the coordination with the Governor to get our team down there today, though I’m a little concerned that this might get out to the rest of the colony or even the Empire if we bring in more people on this. It will be tough to explain why we are digging up a supposedly useless mineral.”

  I considered the question. Governor Korrel seemed genuine enough, and I was fairly certain he’d be cooperative in whatever we needed now that he knew we weren’t here to upset his operation, though I couldn’t say the same about the chief excavator.

  “Chief Vossner’s attitude is certainly concerning and warrants watching,” I said. “We may even have to find a way of circumventing his involvement when putting together an excavation team.”

  “I’ll be watching him,” my Protector said quietly as he slipped from the room.

  “So will I,” I heard Gayle mutter from behind me.

  I eyed the rest of the team and put out a question I’d been thinking about since we set out for this mission. It wasn’t exactly something that required the full force of our combined scientific efforts, but it certainly qualified as an opportunity to do a little team building and maybe have some fun while we waited for Markus to return.

  “We really need a name other than RP3 for this mineral. It’s not very creative, or descriptive of its properties for that matter. Any thoughts on possible names?”

  Quinton frowned as if she didn’t understand what I was asking her to do. “RP3 is a perfectly acceptable designation for the mineral. Many minerals have randomly generated names.”

  I nodded solemnly as if seriously considering her input. “Yes, you are right, but you have to admit that it’s a little boring, especially since we’ve seen what you had it doing in the lab.”

  It was true. Normally, the dull red mineral appeared to be nothing but a hunk of rock one might find in any cave or hillside, but Quinton had found in her tests that if put near a Shixx piece of technology that it would light up and hum, at least within five feet. If the mineral was further away, there was no reaction. But there had been a scaling degree of reaction from five feet and below, with the reaction being more intense as the mineral was closer to the tech.

  It was also proven in a lab setting that quantity mattered. The more mineral present, the stronger the reaction it had to the Shixx technology. In fact, when she’d used all the RP3 mineral she had on hand, which was a little more than three pounds, and set it beside a piece of hull from one of the Shixx drop ships, the red rock had lit up like it was on fire. Quinton had determined that the mineral seemed to be drawn to the Shixxaminti material, almost like it was magnetically attracted to it. She suspected that if we had more of the mineral, we might be able to create a tracking device that could detect Shixx ships from a much greater distance.

  “What about Shixxite?” Commander Leyva suggested, looking up from her scanner. “Since it reacts to Shixxaminti technology.”

  I considered the name. It was logical, though it felt a bit too obvious. “That could work, though it might raise questions if anyone overhears us talking about it.”

  I leaned back in my chair, waiting for suggestions from the others, but the rest of the team had frowns on their faces like the concept of creativity was foreign to them, which I knew was bogus. They were each creative in their own ways, but were so used to thinking in scientific terms that such an exercise was probably beyond their comprehension, which is exactly why I had suggested they do it. One of the things I had learned in my upbringing on Earth was that stepping outside the box from time to time was a good way to keep one sharp and flexible.

  “Come on, folks,” I urged gently, attempting to lighten the mood. “It’s just a simple exercise. Surely, it’s not beyond our considerable collective skills.”

  Quinton finally broke the silence that had settled on the group, tapping her fingers on the table as if searching for inspiration. “What about something that captures its properties? Like... Resonum?”

  “That sounds too much like a tech brand,” Dax said, shaking his head. “We need something with more gravitas, something that resonates with its origins.”

  I had to agree, but I kept quiet as I let them work it out.

  “I like the Commander’s suggestion to keep it about RP3’s effect on the Shixxaminti technology, but maybe a little less obvious. Maybe something like…. signal stone?” Lovet said, speaking up.

  I had to stifle a groan on that one, but I was excited to see that both the Vanguard and the Legion were throwing in offerings.

  The silence stretched thin as each continued to ponder the task, with an air of expectation hanging in the room. The frowns had changed to looks of deep thought, so I knew they were working on the problem. I glanced at Quinton, whose brow furrowed as she continued her rhythmic tapping on the table. Ideas seemed to flicker behind her eyes, yet she held them back, perhaps waiting for a sign of approval. Maybe she had been discouraged by Dax’s statement.

  “Signal stone,” Lovet repeated, nodding slightly as if testing the sound of it and liking what he heard. “It conveys the idea of sending a message, doesn’t it? That’s how RP3 is acting when it lights up. There is communication between the two materials.”

  I kept my face neutral, careful not to give anything away. I really didn’t like the name, but if that’s what they chose as a team, I would go with it.

  “What about Proximite? Since we came here first to confirm its properties and retrieve a larger sample size,” Lieutenant Dorn suggested.

  “That isn’t half bad,” Dax said in agreement.

  I wondered if Dax Ferran was siding with Dorn over Lovet because he was Vanguard and not Legion, or that Dax actually liked the suggestion. Though in my opinion any name would be better than signal stone.

  I noticed that others had nodded their heads in agreement, including Quinton. All but Lovet, of course.

  “Signal stone and proximite are both good suggestions,” Commander Leyva replied. “But I think we can all agree that what truly sets RP3 apart is what it does when exposed to Shixxaminti technology. The fire effect. I wonder if that could be incorporated somehow?”

  “Firestone,” Quinton spoke up suddenly, her voice breaking the charged silence. Her eyes widened as if she had stumbled upon the perfect revelation completely by accident. “It embodies the essence of what it does and gives a nod to the properties of the mineral.”

  We all looked to the Lieutenant engineer with quiet thoughtfulness. I could see the shift on everyone’s faces as they weighed the suggestion. It was as if we’d unearthed a gem in the rough.

  Dax tilted his head to one side like he always did when he was seriously considering something. “That’s powerful. I like it.”

  All the heads around the table bobbed up and down, except for Lovet. I took a moment to get a better read of him.

  Even with the long hours I worked with my research team and the four hours each day with Dur-ele in my training to become an Imperial Agent for my father, I had managed to squeeze in a couple of hours a week to work with Caretaker Thaddeus in better understanding and training my Empathy Dome-ni. I had made only some progress, but I was getting much better at picking up the slightest nuances between emotions, among other things.

  Lovet felt intrigued, but as always when I tapped into the Weapon’s Specialist, I sensed a wall of resistance. He might be brilliant at his job, but Lovet had a mulish stubbornness that made him the most difficult member of my team to work with. So often times, I had to coax him along a little bit.

  “Firestone does seem to be a good choice,” I said, speaking up. “I do like the idea of giving the mineral a name that portrays an idea of its effect on Shixx technology, and also keeping in mind the idea of the communication between the materials. While Firestone is a little more abstract in meeting those two requirements, I do believe Lieutenant Quinton’s suggestion satisfies them both creatively, and most especially in describing RP3’s properties. What do you think, Lovet?”

  The man sat there for a long moment, and then slowly started to nod. “It does have a certain ring to it.” He glanced at his Legion compatriot as if she’d made a grand suggestion, and I was quite certain that if any of those from the Vanguard had come up with the idea, he would not have been as generous. But at least I had dislodged him from signal stone. “Quite a fine idea, Quinton. I say we go with firestone.”

  I grinned, glad that the gathered scientists had reached a consensus, and in a relatively short time span at that. I’d make a team out of them yet! “Excellent. Mineral RP3 has a new name. Firestone it is.”