Ship Bound

Rookson paused before signing on the pad. One signature. One signature alone stood between himself and his dream. A ship, the Infinitum, would allow him to cruise the black unbeholden to a captain.

But he couldn’t get past Keithy Lere, the man selling the ship, acting like an addled paranoid expecting the corps to descend.

“Look, is the Infinitum hot?” Rookson asked, sli[[ed the agreement pad beneath his personal one. He pulled up his research again. Nothing seemed off about the Infinitum. And Rookson had dug.

The ship’s had passed every test he’d thrown at.

“The ship’s fine. She ain’t hot.” Lere said quickly. Almost desperately.

Rookson inhaled, ready to protest.

“Lere’s got the right of that,” Tinio called from the control board he worked on a nearby ship.

Gnawing his cheek, Rookson considered the Infinitum.

Lere’s behavior was erratic, but Tinion knew every ship at the station.

Nodding he pulled the agreement pad out and signed. The Infinitum was his.

Lere’ grabbed the pad and hustled away. His path took him past Tinio where he thrust a payment card to him before racing off.

Rookson rolled his eyes. “Clean? He just paid you.”

Tinio chuckled and walked to Rookson and punched his shoulder. “She’s clean. She’d just ruined his life.”

“Ruined? How?”

Tinio didn’t respond.

Grumbling, Rookson turned toward the ship and boarded. The door slammed shut before he could press the pad.

“And who are you?” a voice demanded from the empty ship.