All residents of the expeditionary base were obliged to strictly adhere to its regulations. For serious offenses, the penalty was degradation to a lower tier in the social hierarchy. In the case of someone like mechanic Jo, this would likely result in exile to one of the rare metal mines. This repressive measure might have seemed relatively humane compared to what awaited those guilty of the gravest offenses. The harshest punishment applied to personnel of expeditionary bases accused of serious crimes, including sabotage, was expulsion. The expelled individual was placed in a special banishment capsule and launched towards the nearest supernova, meteor swarm, or one of the black holes. Unfortunately, it was an irreversible journey in any case.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.