“What’s that?” Irini asked.

“Why Sotir and the good ship Ischyros, of course,” Pan said. “We can’t let him catch us.”

Far off, but within a range that didn’t require superliminal travel, the Ischyros drifted towards the garbage scow.

Since they had to tow the tug with the bridges facing, Pan piloted the garbage scow backwards. The tug blocked much of her forward-facing view, but Pan could still see the great ship Ischyros over the smaller ship’s profile. Pan could also see the Ischyros on her console screen. It reminded her of an angry whale, speeding – well – moving as fast as a big ship could towards its prey.

Aria approached the controls and stared. She squinted. She could probably see the buttons, but not the screen that showed their pursuer. Aria glanced at the window, but of course, the window was itself clouded to Aria’s eyes.

“They’re here? How long till they pick us up?” Aria asked.

“We have about twenty minutes,” Pan said.

“That long?”

Pan nodded. “I know. So sloppy of Sotir. He could have gotten closer. I would expect better of a man in his prime.”

“He probably didn’t want the ships to collide. He doesn’t have perfect foresight.” Aria stared at Pan. “Maybe, he gave us a little extra room for fear he might hurt you.”

Pan huffed a short breath and shook her head.

Irini pointed to the screen. She touched the dark glass, and her finger grazed a silver filament, serving as one line of a grid.

“Don’t smudge the tracking system,” Pan warned.

Irini withdrew her finger. “Uh…There are three lights. If the small one is us, and that one farther off is the Ischyros… What’s that last light? It’s not even moving.”

Pan smiled. “The last light is a space rail ring.”

It held steady on the screen, resting in space mere minutes behind the scow.

Aria frowned. “It would seem we have two objects to avoid.” She said the words with a mix of hope and trepidation.

Pan smiled wider. “No, just the one.”

“Sotir’s?” Aria raised an eyebrow.

“That’s right.” Pan looked between Aria and Irini.

Irini stuttered. “We…we’re going near the ring?”

Pan nodded. “Yes, we are. The Ischyros has to stay away or risk breaking a strict law. Besides, that ship is too big to use the rings. We’re not, which means we can travel slightly faster than them and get off at an unknown location.”

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

“Uh,” Irini drew out the sound. “What happens if we get hit by a train ship?”

“No ships on the schedule for the next three hours. We can be on and off the track before anyone comes by. I have the schedule memorized. It comes in handy.” Pan’s fingers traveled over the controls and aimed their garbage scow for the ring. She engaged their new course, and then, set her hands firm around the throttle.

She stared at the tracking system and watched their approach. She hoped the screen would show her a more detailed size and shape for the ring, allowing her to do more than guess at the ring’s center. But, with an old garbage hauler, she couldn’t expect the best.

“So, we’re going to break the law?” Aria asked. “While traveling backwards, I might add.”

“I know,” Pan said. “These garbage scows are so agile. I can see why you picked one.”

Aria sighed, long and quiet.

A short moment later, the scow arrived at the ring. Pan pressed on the throttle and started for what she guessed was the center.

The scow jolted. A moment of awkward silence passed.

“You hit it,” Aria said.

“Well, I can’t see.” Pan moved forward, creating slack between their scow and the tug. Then, she wiggled the scow to the side, easing their trajectory towards the center. She hoped. “Is there a backup camera on this thing? It dumps trash. There has to be something.”

Pan got no answer. She looked pointedly at Irini.

Irini jumped to her aid. “I’m not sure. I’ve only flown it for a few hours.”

“Me too.” Pan abandoned her view of the tracking screen. It would show her no more detail. She sighed and glanced up.

The Ischyros hovered two minutes away. Pan’s mouth dropped open. The big ship had made a small superliminal jump. Sotir and Alban had a good grasp on the situation after all.

“Oh no.”

“What?” Aria asked.

“The Ischyros is right there. Irini find that camera.” Pan gazed out the window and drew a big portal, right ahead of the Ischyros.

The big ship started in, and its nose appeared many lightyears back in space.

“That’s right. Go back two spaces and lose a turn.” Pan maintained the portal and waited for the Ischyros to sink inside.

The ship didn’t. It started to back up and pulled its nose from the portal, turning as it prepared to go around. Pan prepared to move the portal.

“I found it!” Irini cried.

A tiny screen lit up and panned over what waited at the scow’s rear. It showed the ring, giant from its point of view.

Pan had lined up the scow on the ring’s inner edge, so at least, she had moved in the right direction.

She maintained her portal but gave up all thoughts of moving it. Instead, Pan plied the controls and slid the scow through space to the ring’s center.

“Good job, Irini.”

“I had to use my thread.”

“Good use of your power,” Aria added. “I’m not sure we should be helping her though…” Aria really did sound conflicted, which Pan appreciated.

Pan found the scow’s communication controls and input the codes to activate the ring. She watched the tug drift into position, following the cord that connected it to the scow. The tug moved to a place in line with the ring’s center. Then, Pan hit a button and sent the codes.

Strong light painted the tug. It came from the activated ring, which they couldn’t see at their rear, not even by camera view. The light blinded their visual aid.

Pan finally let her portal drop and wished Sotir a silent goodbye. The scow moved backwards and into the light. The ring pulled them in, and they all felt that initial sucking motion.

“How did you…” Aria began.

Pan glanced at Aria and found her friend thinking. She could practically see Aria’s gears turning. Maybe, Aria would guess Pan’s position as a waypoint keeper. Hopefully, Aria would just think Pan was some kind of mastermind, who had stolen and memorized all of the ring locations, train schedules, and activation codes.

Pan paused. But wasn’t that what Pan had done, minus the theft? It was her job to know the line, and she did.

It was my job. I doubt I could ever go back now.