When contact is lost with Mission Control, Commander John Dennington isn’t overly concerned. Such hiccups in communication are common. The first inkling of the larger problem occurs when he sees the very shape of the world change before his eyes.<br><br>John must ease his crew into a new mission and keep the Station together by any means necessary. The crew jeopardizes their chances by fighting his orders, but Jason Weiss, his mission specialist and the light of his life, makes John’s situation more bearable.<br><br>The smallest malfunction to Station or crew would spell the end for six astronauts trapped high above a ruined Earth. It’s their mission to carry on. Random chance of the universe hasn’t operated in their favor so far, but John is determined to see them all safely home.

Expedition 63 Book 1: Dusk

“I wish,” John shot back, but there was that little, half-sad smile again. Something about that hopeless expression just irked him in all the wrong directions and he would sell his soul to never see it again. “But it’s not an issue on our end, guys. It’s a ground issue and if you’ll look down at theshiny blue planet, you’ll see why.”


“All right, John.” Saito followed John’s order, but Jason wanted to resist. The others streamed overto the little port windows at once. Their eyes weren’t on John, who turned away from the opportunity toshare what he wanted them to see. In defiance of the neutral temperature of the Station, a bead of sweat rolled down a brown temple and over a round cheekbone.


The silence of his fellow astronauts finally got to him, so Jason flowed over to the porthole and allowed the great planet to enchant his eyes.


Chapter 9