Interest Accrues in Vacuum

The repossession notice arrived at 0600 ship time, which was rude, because the ship didn’t technically have a time anymore. The clock module had been the first thing Kel sold.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO RECOVER, the screen said, in the cheerful lettering banks used to make threats feel like newsletters. ASSET: ONE (1) HABITATION VESSEL, CLASS D. OUTSTANDING BALANCE: 41,880 CREDITS. GRACE PERIOD: NONE.

“Grace period none,” said Mira from the bunk above. “That’s a little on the nose.”

Kel pulled up the orbital tracker. The recovery drone was already on its way: a squat, patient thing, burning fuel it would bill them for, scheduled to dock in nine hours.

Nine hours was enough time to do something clever. Kel had never once in their life used nine hours to do something clever, but there was a first time for everything, and the last time for most things usually came right after.