Ad Astra by Jack Campbell Page A

must’ve been open at some point. Yes? She’d suffered too much decompression. You got her onto the lifeboat, but it was too late.”
    I was silent for a long time, letting the sorrow roll through me. And the guilt of relief. Captain Weskind had died on the ship she loved. Maybe she’d understood enough of what was happening to make that decision. Now she’d no longer have to face a universe her mind couldn’t deal with anymore. Now she wouldn’t have to try to go on without the Lady . But when everything else had passed, one thought still stung. “I think I remember her being pulled on the lifeboat before me.”
    “That’s right.”
    “The Captain should’ve been the last one to leave the ship.”
    Halley leaned back again and regarded me. “The Lady ’s Captain was the last to leave the ship.”
    “You just told me you took Captain Weskind onto the lifeboat first.”
    “So I did.” I waited, but she didn’t explain her statement. “Any more questions?”
    “Yeah. Who the hell are you?”
    Halley gave me that twisted smile again. “I have a confession to make, Kilcannon. Keracides isn’t my real name. My actual name is Halley Vestral.”
    “Vestral?” The name took a minute to connect. “As in Vestral Shipping?”
    “Yes. My mother’s the majority owner.”
    I inhaled deeply. “I wondered why First Officer Chen deferred to you. As if you weren’t just some passenger.”
    “He knew who I was and so did the Captain of the Canopus . Nobody else on the ship did. Mother and I often travel under false names for security reasons.”
    “Good thing, I guess. Why tell me now?”
    “Because I want to offer you a job, Kilcannon. After consulting with the Vestral Shipping officers and sailors who observed you on the Lady , my mother agreed without reservations.”
    A job. With Vestral Shipping. On a bright, clean ship. “That’s…thank you. I, uh, know I’ll need to work my way up from whatever I’m hired at -.”
    “The job offer is for Captain of one of our ships.”
    I just stared for a long moment. “I’m not qualified.”
    “We think you are.”
    “I’ve never served as a Captain.”
    Halley started to speak, then paused. Eventually, she just nodded. “We think you’re qualified,” she repeated.
    “What about the rest of the crew from the Lady ?”
    “I knew you’d ask about them. We’ll find positions for all of them.” Halley paused again. “That System Tech. Siri. Some people were panicking while we waited for you in the lifeboat, trying to get us to go. She kept her body across the lifeboat hatch so no one could close it until you got there. She’s awful strong for such a small girl.”
    “I’ll have to thank her, if I ever see her again.”
    “You will. She’s signed on as crew on this ship.” She saw my face. “She’s clean now and deserves the opportunity. It’s the least I could do, Kilcannon.”
    “Uh, thanks.” The word felt so hopelessly inadequate, but what could I say that would convey what the offer to me meant? I wouldn’t be roaming the docks, trying to find another old ship willing to hire me on as, maybe, Third Officer. Instead, I’d be Captain of one of the bright, shining ships of Vestral. With a full crew and a maintenance budget. Good runs to good planets.
    I ought to feel something.
    I leaned back against the bed, wondering why everything seemed so empty. Here was everything I’d ever dreamed of, everything I’d ever envied, everything I’d ever wished for. I had it. “Why aren’t I happy?”
    I hadn’t realized I’d spoken that until Halley shook her head. Her eyes were looking right into mine, as if she could see something there. “I’m sorry. You aren’t happy because you know the odds are vanishingly small that you’ll ever find Haven again.”
    “Haven? What are you talking about? I’ve never found Haven.”
    She smiled that not-a-smile again and shook her head once more. “You still don’t know where Haven is?”
    “I’ve