After The Phone Rang

She set the handset back down into its cradle, gently, as if afraid to spring a long-dormant trap.

“Who was it?”

“Grandpa.”

Her mother turned, a stony look of disapproval set on her face. It had only been a week since the service. “That’s not funny.”

“It was Grandpa.” She stared at the phone for a moment, slowly picked up the handset and held it up to her ear again; this time, she heard only a dial tone.

“Well if your grandfather called from beyond the grave, it must have been important. What did he say?

“He said, ‘you’re next.’”

Hiding From

Trojan point, full of rocks, big ones, small ones, dust. Confuses sensors. Perfect place to hide. But will that make it the first place Lawman looks? She could see him, falling across the system, not burning yet, but on a trajectory that would pass much too close. If he does a capture burn, I’ll know.

Nearly two million credits worth of ore, against half a million credits fine: worth the risk. But she was heavy, too heavy to run. Maybe fight it out? Worth a life? Come on. Keep on.

Suddenly Lawman was as bright as a star, and slowing.