The comms crackled to life.“Fortuna, this is Elegium stationmaster.You’re not scheduled for departure for two days.”
No way was I waiting around two more days.
“Stationmaster, we have a coolant leak and request immediate departure.”Even as I said the words, I winced.Coolant leaks were the worst, especially when you were docked.Elegium Station was equipped to handle leaks, but every mechanic I knew—including me—hated them.Coolant failure could lead to explosive results and it was much easier to replace coolant—or clean up debris—in the vacuum of space.
“Stand by,Fortuna.”
Tense seconds passed while I waited for clearance.Antsy, I swiveled in my chair, my attention bouncing from the comms to the video screens.The two indistinct figures hadn’t moved.
Maybe I was overreacting.But, a tiny voice whispered, they hadn’t left yet either, so could I really take that chance?
“Fortuna, this is Elegium stationmaster.You are cleared for immediate departure through Zone 4.Good luck.”
“Thanks, stationmaster.Fortunasigning off.”I turned off the outbound communications.My stomach rolled and I blamed it on fear from the earlier attack rather than lying to the stationmaster and what I was about to do.
I ran through takeoff procedures quickly and efficiently.Then, with a wish and a prayer, I stole theFortuna.
2
Lacy
I steppedfrom the freighter’s cargo hold onto the docking station, rolling my shoulders and stretching my neck side to side.I’d spent the last few hours checking the repairs I’d made to the portside aft docking door and double-checking the other three docking doors for issues.
When freighter AS4455 had limped into Elegium Station’s repair bay two weeks ago, she’d been venting atmosphere through that door.And that hadn’t been her only problem.She’d had enough issues to keep me and five other mechanics busy once the owner had reluctantly agreed to a full suite of repairs.
Today, the red and black multistory containership had passed her inspection with flying colors.Soon she’d be loaded with cargo and heading out into the unknown, while I would stay here on the space station.
I swiveled my neck side to side again, working out the kinks, then tilted my head back and looked up.
The dark of space lay just beyond the double layers of shielding that kept the repair dock pressurized.Stars twinkled against the black.From here, they looked like tiny pinpricks of light.The shield distorted the view, but I knew what space beyond the asteroid station looked like.Smaller asteroids tumbled past the station, close enough to make the landing approach interesting, but not dangerous.
A streak of light caught my eye, and my lips curved into a half-smile.Probably another ship, crossing from one side of space to another.What was it carrying?Passengers?Cargo?
A wave of longing swept through me.I hadn’t sailed through the stars since I’d arrived on the asteroid station two years ago.After growing up on a ship, always traveling from one planet or station to another, staying in one place had sounded like a new adventure.
And it was...fine.The work was steady and the pay was good.And, best of all, it wasn’t working for my father.
“You gonna stand there all night, Dupree?”The voice echoed from inside the ship.
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’.”I shook off the whisper of homesickness as I turned and waved at the crew member.“Safe travels.”
I laid my hand on the side of the ship and whispered the same to her.“Safe travels, freighter AS4455.”
Hitching my tool bag over my shoulder, I walked slowly toward the airlock doors that led to the station’s interior.My gaze swept over the dock.Ships of all shapes and sizes filled the cavernous space.
Not every ship here needed repairs.Some were here to refuel, transfer crew, or pick up cargo.The dockmasters managed it all through an intricate system of colored lights at each berth.
All the colors of a rainbow shimmered at the docks around me.Red indicated repairs needed, while orange showed they were underway.Blue meant waiting for crew and green signaled ready for takeoff.
Freighter AS4455’s lights had shifted from orange to blue a few hours ago.They’d shift to green as soon as the crew was back on board and they’d scheduled a time for departure.
The metal walkway that connected each berth to the station clanged with each step I took, the sounds echoing in the massive dock and mixing with the sounds of external repair teams and ships’ crews coming and going.It was early evening station-time—and quitting time for me—but the docks never slept.Elegium Station was close enough to the main shipping routes to have steady business.
My route took me past a little Cyclone namedFortuna.I glanced up at her light, wondering if she were here for repairs.The yellow light next to her berth signaled she was here for cargo.
I smiled.Mako, my first ship and my first love, had been the same class.My father had “acquired” her during a raid.My sister hadn’t been interested in owning or maintaining a ship, while I’d jumped at the chance.But she’d never turned down a ride inMako.
My heart panged and I rubbed my chest.I missed my family—my sister, my father, and his crew—but sometimes I missed my ship more.Since I’d planned to be stationary here on Elegium, it hadn’t made sense to pay docking fees for a ship I wasn’t going to use.Still...
