Starship Mornings in the Salvage Belt

Alex braced his shoulder against the open hatch and shoved, grunting as it finally gave way with a metallic shriek. The thin morning light of the junkyard moon filtered through drifting clouds of rust, casting a reddish haze over the battered hull of his Star Courier. A coolant hose dangled loose at his feet, leaking in slow, rhythmic drips. Alex wiped sweat from his brow, squinting at the mess of wires and panels he’d uncovered last night. Somewhere in the piles of scavenged parts, the replacement clamp was waiting for him. He could hear muted clanks from another ship across the lot, someone else was already hard at work. A faint breeze carried the scent of ozone and oil. Alex ducked inside the access panel, reaching for his hydrospanner, his scar pulling tight as he grinned in anticipation of a problem finally solved.