Free Edge of Solace (A Star Too Far) by Casey Calouette Page A

maneuver.” Khan said. She looked over to Lebeau. “Midshipman, you’ll have the off watches that myself or Mr. Grace aren’t covering. Understood?”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Lebeau said in a husky voice.
    William glanced over towards Lebeau. She stared down at the tablet silently. He glanced at Zinkov. The Marine sat at attention. “Mr. Zinkov, have you anything to add?”
    “N-n-n-n-” Zinkov stopped and closed his eyes. His chest rose and fell silently. “No , sir.”
    The meeting broke and the command group walked out in silence. William followed behind Lebeau and missed the days of being a Midshipman. He had hoped to get a chance to speak with Khan about his submissions but decided to wait until after the blink.
    The Malta secured all stations, primed for combat, and made the next blink.
    He stood on the bridge in silence. The Captain stood with her hands behind her back and watched as the screen came alive. Contacts blinked in as transponders were noted and matched. Heavy mining. Asteroids. Zero-G Refineries. And not so much as a planet worth inhabiting. The three planets near the center of the system matched Venus and Mars with nothing in that delicate sweet zone except a trail of rocky debris.
    The slender trace of the blinks brought them to a few AUs of the star before they would branch out. The fueling station was on the outlet. Another day of burning through the system and they would top off for a few years in space.
    “Mr. Grace, find the Chief and double check the weapons systems. The Persephone is on patrol in system, but I want to have a few claws of our own.” Captain Khan turned her gaze back to the ellipses and arcs that spread out on the map.
    William walked out to find the Chief and take a tour.

CHAPTER SIX
Entry
    The Malta slid through the void and plunged in ever shortening blinks. As the gravity well steepened, the distance shrunk until it was more effective to burn under conventional drive. The ship cut an arc across the gravity well just outside the orbit of the third planet. The dusty gray ball was like a weather beaten toy.
    The destination was a small transfer station on the outbound vector. The station contained supplies that any respectable asteroid harvester or transiting starship could use. Ice. Fuel. Spare Parts. Datacores of entertainment. Drugs and alcohol. The station had a contract to supply Naval vessels but no garrison force.
    “Mr. Grace, hail the station, see which berth is open.” Captain Khan shifted in her chair.
    William leaned forward towards the console and keyed himself into the station comm channel. A dull static hissed back with an automated message. A high pitched voice stated services, inventory, and a satisfaction guarantee. It paused and continued in Japanese.
    “Transfer station, this is the UC ship Malta .” He listened and heard the same reply. “ Cerberus Dythco, this is the Malta , we’d like docking instructions.”
    “ Dythco is proud to offer fuel pellets for Brooks, Siemens, GE, Hyundai, and Zyminski drives. We also have a full inventory of foodstuffs! Ask us about our fresh grown mushrooms! Yum!”
    “Ma’am, nothing but an automated response.” William turned the volume down and set his query to repeat every thirty seconds.
    “Mr. Zinkov,” Captain Khan called out. She didn’t wait for him to reply. “Your Marines are a go. We’ll be waiting for you to clear.”
    “Yes , ma’am,” Sergeant Goldstein, the UC Marine Platoon Sergeant, replied.
    The Malta powered in slowly nudging itself ever closer to the form of the Dythco transfer station. Lights winked in a bright line on the upper edge of the station. A docking ring glowed blue as the Malta edged into range.
    “Anything , Mr. Grace?”
    “No , ma’am, nothing.”
    “Engineering, prep to burn.” Captain Khan leaned forward in her chair.
    The helmet cameras of the Marines expanded on the main view. All that could be seen was the back of helmets and the airlock door.
    “Zinkov, in