Ghost’s Lifeline
Starship pilot who doesn’t know what comes next. But they’re ready to find out.
He found himself in the rather creatively named Olwicks’ System, docked at a port-in-orbit above the yet more inspired Olwicks’ Planet. It was nothing short of a miracle he had made it this far, being a Ghost tended to dissuade people from charity–as was just, he had quietly decided with himself–and yet people had been rather generous with him.
But, the generosity could only get him so far. Fuel for a burrower ship, let alone one as old as the one he had been flying, was rare at best, restricted at worst. This was probably the limit, if he were lucky and had he still the capacity to believe in luck, he might make it to one of the outer planets in the system.
He was staring out of a window on the station’s outer ring, watching the planet spin around his periphery, thinking about what he would do next. Soon, he was interrupted by someone leaning on the railing next to him, joining him in his staring. He turned to look at the person, he determined they were of some importance by their clothes. The person turned to look at him and smiled.
“Hi, I’m Del Kaz, Operations Control Commander for Port-in-Orbit Olwicks-2, this very place.” She slapped the railing as if to emphasize the station’s presence.
If he still had the capacity to do so, he might have reacted in fear or surprise, but instead he simply stated, “I’m sorry, did I hook up to the wrong docking clamp? I thought I was cleared for 84E.”
Her face returned to a state he couldn’t parse, “So, you’re the pilot for the Zanjero.”
Pilot he thought, not wholly inaccurate. “Yes.”
“The I.R.S.R.V. Zanjero, correct?” She stressed the “V”; even its callsign demonstrated its age.
“Yes.”
“List your qualifications.”
He paused momentarily, such an inquiry had not been high on the list of things he expected to be asked. “Field Medic; Grade 1-CM. Med. Tech.; Grade 1-CM. Mech.; Grade 4-M” She nodded along, raising an eyebrow ever so slightly with each “M”.
Suddenly, she smiled again, “How’d you like to tack on a “V” to those quals?”
It took a moment for him to remember what that meant, Vacuum. He had done worse things, most of which played a part in him deciding to Ghost in the first place. “If that is what you need, I believe I could be of such use.”
“Excellent!” She actually hopped to bring herself into an upright position, “I’ll put the word in,” She went in for a hug, then hesitated, “Ah, I never did get your name.”
It had been a while since he had thought of that part of his existence. He spent a moment to filter through his mind and selected something that still meant something to him: “Driscoll”.
“Well met, Driscoll.” And she finished the hug.
originally appeared on cohost!