The bridge was dark and silent, and the slightly stuffy air was cold enough to give him chills. Even though space on the ship was tight, James felt more alone than he ever had in his young life. He tried not to let that bother him as he started powering up the Catriona’s systems. It’s not stealing if it rightfully belongs to you, James told himself. It’s not my fault Dad refused to give me my inheritance. As for the lie to his mother, though, he had no excuse for that. The lights and indicators on the boards came to life, splashing faint, glowing light across the consoles and keyboards. He pulled the seat restraints across his chest, strapping his weightless body to the chair. As the ship cycled through its system checks, he transmitted his falsified manifest and flight plans to the local port authority. The small interstellar passenger shuttle had once belonged to the Colony’s diplomatic corps, in the early days of the station’s independence. The Patrician had long since upgraded the government fleet, selling off the obsolete craft.
