Reedsy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nShe was larger than life, her stride confident, her head high. She greeted everyone she passed, many by name. It didn\u2019t matter whether they were security, mechanics, pilots, cleaning crew or just surprised, random strangers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKai,\u201d she called with a wide smile, \u201csee anything I should worry about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNope. You were right on the reactor coils, though. I replaced \u2018em all during the overhaul.\u201d He held out a data pad for her signature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks. Not too expensive, I hope?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry about that, Edria. You\u2019ve still got credit remaining with us, and I gave you a discount.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI told you, Kai, just call me Ed.\u201d She thumbed the pad, recording her print and approval. \u201cAnd tell that kid of yours I\u2019ll bring back a piece of asteroid for her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019ll love that. Safe trip, Ed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She walked to her ship, where a dock worker was disconnecting the charging and fueling lines. \u201cHey Tam! How are you feeling after last night?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot too bad,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m a little tired, but it was a good party.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll have to do it again when I get back.\u201d Ed winked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how you do it,\u201d Tam said. \u201cIt would drive me nuts being out there alone for a month at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed laughed. \u201cWe all make our sacrifices,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re all set,\u201d Tam said, giving her a thumbs-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks, Tam. Tell the rest of the crew that the first round\u2019s on me when I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She settled into the pilot\u2019s seat of her scout ship and checked that all instruments were green. \u201cGround, long-range scout Jackal requesting clearance for lift-off and immediate self-initiated jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLong-range scout Jackal, ground control. There\u2019s an increased mandatory clearance of 250,000 kilometers from the jump gate for self-initiated jump.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRoger, ground, 250,000 K clearance. How are things, Jules?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThings are good, Ed. You are cleared for lift-off and vector seven-zero by one-four by three-five-eight off-plane for immediate jump once past minimum clearance. Have a good trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks, Jules. Scout Jackal lifting off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After an initial burn of four gee, Ed broke orbit at a steady one gee acceleration for two hours, putting her at the minimum distance to make her jump to warp. Once she had initiated the jump, she turned on artificial gravity and slouched in her seat with a sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The hum of the reactor, the sigh of the air handlers, even the rattle of the toolbox tie-down that she hadn\u2019t gotten around to tightening\u2026these were the sounds of sanity. She\u2019d been in dock for five days, and it had worn her to nothing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She had nine days to system R-795, then another twenty days of taking asteroid samples before she needed to return. Prospecting for mining companies wasn\u2019t a terribly glamorous job, but it suited her. Time alone, time to recharge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUm, hi?\u201d The voice behind her was quiet, timid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed spun around in her seat. \u201cWho are you? How did you get on board?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHi Ed, I\u2019m Sil,\u201d the slight woman said, \u201cand I overheard in the bar that you were leaving this morning and wouldn\u2019t be back for a month. If you can drop me off at the other end, I\u2019ll work for my passage.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed groaned. \u201cUnless you want to be dropped off on an asteroid in an unsettled system, there is no \u2018other side\u2019 on this trip.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh.\u201d Her head dropped. \u201cSo, you\u2019re going back to Parvati. Shit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you running from?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI owe someone,\u201d she said, \u201cand it\u2019s bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, there\u2019s plenty of food, if you don\u2019t mind ration bars, and we\u2019re not going to run out of water or oxygen.\u201d Ed turned her chair back toward the control console. \u201cJust give me peace when I ask for it, and we\u2019ll figure something out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe way you were in the bar, and the way everyone talks about you, I thought you\u2019d be more\u2026outgoing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s an act. As long as I\u2019m friendly with everyone there, I get better deals on maintenance, get bumped to front of the line for clearance, and get more contracts. It\u2026takes a lot out of me, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou prefer being alone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVery much so. And now is one of those times where I need to be.\u201d Ed checked the console, even though there was nothing for her to do at this stage of the trip. \u201cThe food locker is the green door down next to the galley; you can sleep in crew room three.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you.\u201d Sil left the bridge and searched for the crew quarters. Room one was open; lived in but clean and orderly. Room two was stacked with storage containers. Room three contained a cot with a mattress, pillow, and a single blanket. It had its own air shower and toilet and was just across from the galley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The following days were awkward. Ed felt it was taking longer than usual to get back to normal. Even when she didn\u2019t see Sil in the crew quarters hallway, or hear her in her room humming, or more often, sobbing, she still knew she was not alone on the ship. Her<\/em> ship. Her quiet place.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBy the last day in warp, Ed was feeling more herself. She took a deep breath and turned on the intercom. She\u2019d never used it but was glad to see that it worked. \u201cSil, we\u2019re breaking warp in ten minutes. Be prepared for a moment of zero gee, then meet me in the galley when gravity comes back on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She clicked through the procedures and artificial gravity cut out as the ship diverted power to the shields before stripping the warp bubble. The gravity came back with a clatter from the toolbox. I really need to tighten that strap<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nSil was waiting for her in the galley, standing in the corner. Ed pointed to the small table. \u201cTake a seat. I have a post-warp ritual.\u201d Without waiting for a response, she pulled out prepped ingredients and began cooking. She was silent as she measured, heated, stirred, spiced, and tasted for balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Setting two paper bowls of a hearty bean soup with a soft-cooked egg on top, Ed said, \u201cReal food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThank you.\u201d Sil\u2019s eyes were red from crying, and Ed took her first good look at her. She couldn\u2019t be more than twenty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTell me more about your debt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2026borrowed some money to pay off a gambling debt, but\u2026.\u201d She stared into her soup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou gambled that away, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sil nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo hundred thirty credits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed pursed her lips. It was sizable, but not insurmountable. If this job got her a normal finder\u2019s fee, Sil\u2019s debt plus fuel, oxygen, water, and food would leave her at break-even. If not, she still had a thousand credits in the bank. \u201cWhat did you do in your mandies?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMan\u2026mandatory service? I was a freight loader.\u201d Sil sniffled as she ate the soup, taking her time with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFamiliar with what a mining scout does?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe catalog and measure the asteroids, test their gravitational pull, and determine their mass. Based on mass, we can guess pretty well what they\u2019re made of. If it\u2019s metallic, we take a sample and move on to the next.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sil nodded. \u201cMakes sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMost of it is record-keeping.\u201d Ed drained her bowl and dropped it into the recycler. \u201cIf you can keep up with the record-keeping part, I\u2019ll pay off your debt when we get back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTh\u2014thank you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t start crying now, please. I don\u2019t know how to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sil sniffled. \u201cSorry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnough of that. Let\u2019s go to work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They fell into a rhythm by the end of the first week. Ed would pilot the drone to catalog asteroids and measure mass while Sil recorded. They\u2019d break for lunch, then Ed would pilot the drone back to any promising asteroids to drill a sample. She drilled a couple extra for Kai\u2019s daughter while she was at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the evenings, Sil would take a turn piloting the drone, getting the feel of the controls. She said she didn\u2019t need as much sleep as Ed and would use the extra hours scouting. Ed was sure she was just trying to make up for the promise of paying off her debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It was the middle of the second week when Ed rose and found Sil waiting for her with wide eyes. \u201cYou find something?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sil passed her the data pad. \u201cI think so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed looked over the data. \u201cWhere is this? 6,000 kilometers radius, 1.1 gees. It\u2019s the size of Mars and heavier than Earth. Sounds like the core of a planet. There\u2019s nothing like that in the belt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLargest moon around the gas giant we passed last night.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed checked the navigation logs. \u201cYou pulled us out of the belt for this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry. It was giving me weird gravimetric readings when it came out from behind the giant. I had to check it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed grunted. \u201cMake me some coffee, and let\u2019s get a closer look.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the Jackal pulled into a stable orbit around the heavy moon, Ed fired up the ship\u2019s sensors. There was plenty of data they could pull from here, but more would be available if they landed. She didn\u2019t want to land if it was dangerous, though, and it was clear right away that it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI want to land there and get a sample, but I can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d Sil asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRadioactive.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThere must be a lot of fissile material in the core.\u201d Sil\u2019s eyebrows furrowed. \u201cCan the drone take a sample?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt could,\u201d Ed said, \u201cbut it would never make it back into orbit. Its max is 0.2 gees.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, at least we have some<\/em> data.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nEd smiled. \u201cYes, and these readings are enough to bump my pay for this job to about four times normal.\u201d She looked at Sil. It was the first time she\u2019d seen Sil smile. \u201cHalf of that is yours, since you were up to catch the readings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks.\u201d Her smile dropped. \u201cI\u2019m sorry I stowed away and took your alone time. I\u2026like alone time, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaybe that\u2019s why you aren\u2019t on my nerves,\u201d Ed said. \u201cAnyone else, I\u2019d have gone crazy and spaced them by now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo different from how you seemed at the bar.\u201d Sil shook her head. \u201cI could never do that; be friendly and loud like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure you could. It\u2019s just pretend.\u201d Ed sipped at her coffee. \u201cThe trick is to get out before you\u2019re too tired to pretend anymore. Getting the reactor overhauled meant more time than usual in dock, and I was at my end by the time we left. Sorry if I was a bitch to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEd,\u201d she asked, \u201cdo you think I could work for you for a while? I\u2014I mean, after this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re getting pretty good with the drone.\u201d Ed pondered. \u201cI thought about getting a pet. Just because I don\u2019t like being around crowds doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t get lonely. You might be a better choice, though. You can feed yourself; you can hold a conversation on the rare occasion I want one, and we can get more work done together than I can alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs that a yes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn one condition.\u201d Ed finished her coffee and dropped the cup in the recycler. \u201cNo gambling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was my way to hide, when I couldn\u2019t stand the crowds,\u201d she said. \u201cNo one thinks twice about a person staring at their cards and not talking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll work on that,\u201d Ed said. \u201cThis is where I hide, so I understand. The usual scout job is twenty days on site, unless it takes longer to find anything worth mining.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI suppose we have enough to go back now, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe do,\u201d Ed said, \u201cbut I\u2019d rather spend the full twenty days out here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sil smiled for the second time. \u201cThanks, I\u2019d prefer that, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ed broke orbit and returned to the belt. \u201cI think we\u2019ll get along fine.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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