Her heart sped up in a deafening crescendo almost drowning out the thumps. Almost, but not quite. Get a grip! Surely there was no way they could have tracked her to this isolated space station orbiting the former Elite garrison planet, Verrilous. Still, that didn’t stop her glancing at the doorway leading into the rack room which was no bigger than a large broom cupboard. In the heavy silence that stifled the air of the cramped compartment, the pounding changed to the heavy thuds of fisted hands that demanded a response. It didn’t sound as if whoever was out there intended to leave anytime soon. Dithering, Stephanie gripped her hands together and stared at the door. It could be the Moonie trader from level four. It had been a good Earth week since she’d bribed him with four of her precious creds to source a container of dry milk powder. A commodity she needed desperately. On this reassuring thought her breathing steadied. She swiped her damp palms down the legs of her faded army-green cargo pants and released the lock.
