Chapter One

“Hey, can you kids quiet down back there?” Jim attempted to get the first of four auxiliary power units primed and started as his kids were squirming and harassing each other right behind him.

In their seats they didn’t have much of a view, but that didn’t stop them from trying to inch up and see out the windows. Jim had just picked them up from a ten-day daycare vacation and had almost forgotten what happens when they got all riled up and anxious to go home. Too bad the trip home would be seven hours across two atmospheres.

Since arriving at this planet the previous evening, Jim had been able to pay the bills and get some errands done. He picked up lumber to fix Ariel’s cabin, seedlings that would be suspended for next year’s planting, and a whole bay full of supplies that St. Catherines would need when no one could get off-site.

He and the kids arrived at the airport. The kids’ gear was stowed. He could not believe how much crap they needed to bring for ten days away from home. For him, packing wasn’t much of a chore; but to get everyone’s baggage together and lug it around was too much for his patience. He was happy to leave them behind for this ten-day summer camp, but the trip from the camp to the ship was a pain because the kids pleaded for him to carry all their stuff.

His mind wandered. Back home at the hamlet, the warm season was ramping up and the hot rainy season would soon follow. This meant that the distillation, bottling, and shipping of their main export had to be accomplished in short time, unless the workers wanted to be miserable, overheated, and soaking wet. This meant work for Jim.

Jim did odd jobs and scheduled deliveries to make money for his family and to help the community. Occasionally, he picked up a charter load doing specific work and high-end runs, which paid very well. Transport of high-value bonded goods to dangerous regions was not left for the faint of heart. Dangerous areas pervaded multiple systems, even at the core planetary systems. A competent captain never underestimated the potential for danger, regardless of where they were traveling. Thankfully, Jim had one of the fastest ships in the region and could bid for specific delivery contracts with confidence.

Most freighter captains of slower ships did not want this responsibility. They claimed the insurance was too high for the hassle and that they would be marked by thieves, hijackers, and other unsavory characters that sought a quick payout. Jim’s ship did have some defensive systems installed, but it wasn’t much to count on, considering what the pirates and bandits were lugging around on their raiders. When faced with danger, he knew he could rely on t