Raia placed the last of the dishes in the sanitizer before she wiped down the counter and table. Tossing the damp towel next to the sink, she picked up the birthday gift Ander had given her from the bench seat and exited the galley. She walked along the narrow corridor to the bridge. Climbing the three steps, she plopped into the co-pilot seat, resting one leg over the arm of the chair, and stared out into deep space.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t stay any longer,” Ander gruffly said after a few minutes of silence.
She sighed and shrugged. “There wasn’t much to see. Most of the junk there was way overpriced,” she replied.
“I hope you like your gift,” he said.
She looked down at the heavy book on her lap and traced a finger across the battered cover. The gift was typical of Ander. She opened t
