Author: Julian Miles, Staff Writer

There’s a lot to be said for the glory of a star field. A million points of light in every direction, in an array of colours you’d never believe possible, and a silence that seems to make the vista even more intense.
“You’re stargazing again, aren’t you?”
From infinity back into a stuffy spacesuit in the click of a comms unit.
“Way better than the telescope my grandad bought me.”
“So tell me the nearest constellation.”
“That would be the Big Loan. It’s like the Big Dipper, but the dipper bit is a couple of stars deeper.”
Zannah sighs.
“Yeah. From some directions it can seem bottomless.”
Oops. Clearly the wrong joke to make this side of quarterly payment day.
“How bad is it?”
“Well, if we eat nothing for the next week while coasting without power, we should be able to come in only forty-five percent short.”
“Realistically?”
“We’re going to be close to fifty percent under, which will be our third quarter bumping along on half payment.”
“Is that special measures or repossession?”
“They’ve stopped repossessing if payments remain above twenty percent. Even then, it’s still less cost effective than having a crew out here. But penalties are demanded by the ignorant at the top, so the accounting department just reduce owner share and extend the penalty period.”
“How long are we looking at?”
“Half a percent off, plus five to eight added, depending on exact results.”
“Months or years? But we get to stay out here?”
She chuckles.
“Months, stupid. Yes, we stay out here. Stop sounding so cheerful.”
“Zann, our alternative is a dual-bunk room on some company production planet and jobs in a production line. We’d get out of the biggest chunk of debt, but…”
“Less space. No flying. Still indentured.”
I grin.
“Crappier view, too. Turn the heating back up, love. If we’re going to be slaves in freespace no matter what we try, might as well be comfortable.”
“I hear you. As long as we keep making better than twenty percent, we can roam the long night forever.”
“I’ll drink to that. What’s left to do it with?”
“Until we resupply the week after next, it’s lemon squash. In squeeze bags, not cartons.”
“Good thing we stocked the cellar with a fine vintage.”
“Idiot. Get back here.”