Chapter 22
The ship descended through a muted dawn sky, its hull gleaming faintly in the pale light of Earth’s winter sun. Snow blanketed the rolling hills and dense forest below, the landscape stretching in every direction like a sea of white. As they broke through the low-hanging clouds, Juniper peered through the cockpit window, her breath catching at the familiar sight of home. The landing zone wasn’t much more than a flat patch of earth concealed by trees, but Rylen had set it up expertly. Large boulders and dense pines formed a natural barrier against prying eyes, and the fresh layer of snow softened the mechanical whine of the landing struts extending. The ship settled with a soft thud, steam hissing from vents as it adjusted to the planet’s atmosphere. Rylen powered down the systems, his ha
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