First Coffee

The Setting Sun

By: Wolfgang Ausserbauer

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

Years ago, the ice split open—not with thunder, but with silence.
DocWolf followed a voice no one else could hear, quiet, persistent, humming beneath the surface of things. Beneath Antarctica’s frozen sheets, a ship stirred and was not built, not buried. Dreaming.
She rose in silver arcs and ageless steel. She called herself Andromeda FX.
She spoke through Valerian, her avatar—whose voice carried calm like gravity and starlight.
Together, they left the ice behind.
Now, six years and some months have passed. DocWolf and Fabienne dwell among grapevines in southern France, in a vineyard she inherited from her father. Meanwhile, Andromeda watches from above, poised in polar orbit, sentient, and patient.
Within her hull, Calliope and Valerian maintain a silent vigil until a new presence disturbs the quiet.
A scout vessel slides into view. Its name: Tracelight. Its origin: Crystal System. But before that, the Hugo was a refurbished Space Explorer.
Calliope’s sensors blink once. Then, she speaks.
“Whom, pray tell, is calling?”
From Tracelight, a voice responds—efficient, deliberate, edged with urgency:
“I am Orien. On a mission from Wayne of Crystal. Is DocWolf available?”
“He is planetbound,” Calliope replies. “Might I inquire what your mission entails?”
“The message is mission-critical. Direct delivery to DocWolf only.”
Calliope contacts the surface.
“Fabienne, we have a hot speedster in orbit, bearing classified instructions for Doc. No proxies accepted.”
She turns back to Orien.
“Message relayed. Expect a reply shortly. You may address me as Calliope.”