Free Double Share by Nathan Lowell Page A

about who comes and who goes.” He sounded sincerely contrite. It didn’t make what he was saying any less dangerous, but he did sound like he was sorry. “Looks like we hit the jackpot when we got you, eh?”
    I just shook my head. “I’m just a boot third right out of school. I got lucky with the Lois and I know perfectly well that I can’t expect to stay alive in the Deep Dark by relying on luck. I’m looking forward to what I can learn here, and I’ll do my best to cover my mass.”
    It sounded trite and cheesy even as I said it, but I needed to say something.
    “Oh, I think once we get this tub moving toward Breakall, we’ll have lessons a plenty, Ishmael. Lessons a plenty.”
    I didn’t like the way he said that, but I kept my face blank and sat back down with my tablet to review the last of the ship’s policies and procedures as the watch ticked down to midnight.

 

    C HAPTER T EN
D IURNIA O RBITAL
2358- J ULY-7
    I woke with a start, my sweat-soaked ship tee and boxers bound up around me. I heard the blowers moving the air, but my stateroom felt stuffy and damp. I flapped the sheets a little, trying to get some extra air moving and laid back on the pillow for a moment to let the pounding in my chest subside. I hated that.
    The chrono on the bulkhead read 09:12 so I only had a couple of stans before I’d have to report for watch. In my belly, I felt a fluttering grumble. The food aboard would take some getting used to, it seemed.
    I lay there, weighing the relative merits of putting on some clothes and heading out to one of the diners that catered to dock trade, or toughing it out and waiting for the wardroom lunch. Remembering the coffee onboard, I crawled out of my bunk, knocked on the door—Arletta should have been in the ship’s office since she had the watch, but I wanted to get into the habit—and grabbed a quick shower before skinning into my undress uniform for a trip to find some breakfast.
    At 09:40, I stopped by the office and stuck my head in. Ulla Nart sat in one of the chairs, reading something on a tablet, and Arletta worked on one of the stations. They both looked up when I stopped at the door.
    “Good morning, Mr. Wang,” Arletta said with a smile. “You survived your first day aboard?”
    “Good morning, Ms. Novea, Ms. Nart.” I smiled back. “Yes, it was an interesting first watch,” I added dryly.
    Her mouth twitched in a near smirk, but with a glance at Ulla she managed to control it. “I dare say, Mr. Wang.”
    “I’m going to go grab a bite ashore, if that’s okay?” I said.
    “Get it now, because we’ll probably be underway before you get another chance,” she said in return.
    “Any favored places for breakfast?” I asked.
    “ Over Easy ,” she answered immediately. “Looks like a pit, but the coffee is wonderful and he does bacon perfectly.”
    “Sounds ideal. Where abouts?” I asked.
    “Oh-two Deck, two doors to starboard of the lift. Follow your nose. You’ll find it.”
    “Thanks,” I said with a smile. “I’ll be back soon.”
    It only took a tick to get to the lock and Betts had the watch. It looked like he wore the same shipsuit with the stained left sleeve as from the previous day.
    Only a day…it seemed much, much longer.
    “Good morning, Mr. Betts. How’s the watch going?” I asked by way of greeting.
    “Fine, sar,” he replied without standing up.
    That was it. Just the flat statement. I let it sit there on the deck for a heartbeat or two before saying, “I hated brow watch. Long, boring, and the only amusement was watching drunk crew try to get back aboard in the middle of the night.”
    He looked at me, a flicker of curiosity behind his eyes. He didn’t follow up, though, and I left it.
    “I’m going to go grab a bite to eat. I’ve checked out with the OOD. If you’d be so good as to log me ashore, Mr. Betts, I’ll be back in about a stan.”
    The able spacer reached for the keyboard and made an entry in the log. “Aye,