A lone scavenger, a hulking void-trapper with no allegiance to any known federation, had cracked the derelict ship’s hull. He called himself

The stars spin slowly outside the panoramic glass. Inside, gravity is a suggestion. Amber’s copper hair floats like fire as she grips the railing. Cargo’s massive hands hold her hips, anchoring her in the void.

, the ship’s astro-biologist, had been in stasis for a routine survey mission. But a navigation error sent her pod spiraling into an uncharted nebula. When the hiss of the thaw cycle finished, she wasn't alone.