EpilogueThe busted engines didn’t cause the significant delay Jude had expected, because the engineering teams on the supply stations had spares, and the hull was soon stronger than ever. There was a great deal of paperwork to be filled out plus incident interviews to be conducted, so by the time Alston cleared them to leave, he was more than ready to be rid of the corporate bureaucracy.
He was packing to return to the ship when someone rang the doorbell. Since nobody besides Cal was likely to be visiting his guest room on the station, he said, “Come in.”
Cal walked in holding a bag from the station’s bakery. “I picked up cookies for the trip. You about ready?”
“Almost.”
“Is this everything?”
“Yes.”
“Great.” Cal swung a duffel bag over his shoulder. “I want to put these new engines t
