The Ship Within the Ship

By M.E. Owen

 

Captain Skip Thompson, cargo specialist without a ship. It's been stolen right out of Davadas Station's space dock. His ship, its cargo, its other cargo, in order of increasing importance.

 

And heading fast for the nearest Jump point. If it goes through, it's gone for good. The ship and cargo can be replaced, but the losing the other cargo will get Skip killed.

 

With his crew in the brig and the Davadas sheriff refusing to help, his only assistance comes from a friend with a corporate yacht and his intense—fine, downright scary—passenger, who has secrets of her own. Secrets which entwine Skip's fate with that of an entire planet.

 

They have six scant hours to catch up to Skip's ship, board, and regain control before it jumps.

 

The Ship Within the Ship, third in M.E. Owen's Zion Station series, introduces Skip and the Far Trails in a fast-paced chase in deep space.
 

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: M.E. Owen
• Release date: Apr 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201023331

Book preview

The Ship Within the Ship

The Ship Within the Ship

Zion Station 03

M.E. Owen

Towhee Publishing

The Ship Within the Ship

A Zion Station story

Ten months after the Purge

The chair that Skip Thompson sat on had been designed to be uncomfortable—a bit too narrow for a grown man, armrests a bit too short, canted a bit forward so he had to keep shifting his weight back, and far too hard.

The desk in front of him took up most of the space in the Davadas Station Sheriff’s office. Polished wood—oak, and hellish expensive to ship this far out—spotless, and uncluttered except for a single dark screen.

Sheriff Ridgewell, who sat behind the desk and perused Skip with his piggy, judgmental eyes, took up the rest of the space. And most of the air too, which stank of whatever spicy offal he’d just eaten for lunch. He leaned back in his oversized leather chair—again, hellish expensive—and interlaced his stubby fingers over his ample belly. At least two of his chins rested on the collar of his uniform shirt.

I’m not sure I understand, Cap’n Thompson, he said in a slow drawl. The plastic toothpick sticking from the left corner of his mouth switched to the other side.

Skip fought to keep his voice level, reasonable. "My ship is no longer in its dock, and I did not authorize anyone to move it. Ergo, it’s been stolen."

Oh, I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding, said the Sheriff. Your first mate, or your navigator, or whoever you left in charge, I’m sure he got his orders mixed up and just…departed early. You just need to hail ‘em and tell ‘em to come on back.

My entire crew— all both of them "—is in your brig. And I did hail it. As did your Dockmaster. The Far Trails is not answering. Whoever stole it is heading for the Jump point, and once they Jump, my ship will be gone for good."

His ship, his cargo, his other cargo. In that order