Star Watch by Mark Wayne McGinnis

much like her mother, Boomer (who’d renamed herself) was … well … hard to describe. It was as though she was meant to travel in space. Even at ten, she was an adrenalin junkie … not so unlike her father. She didn’t particularly get along well with kids her own age, and was fascinated by martial arts. Taken under the wing of close-combat instructors aboard The Lilly , she’d become scarily competent throwing knives, among other things.
    “Are you going to just stand there making mean faces at me, or can I get a hug?”
    Boomer squinted her eyes at him, attempting to make as hateful a glare as possible.
    “Knock it off, Boomer,” Nan said, irritated. “You were just saying this morning how much you missed your father.”
    With that Boomer spun on her heels and left the doorway. Nan rolled her eyes. “Kids … everything has to be so dramatic.”
    “I’ll talk to her.”
    “Good … she’s driving us all a little crazy.”
    Jason found Boomer in her bedroom. It was a fairly stark room, compared to Mollie’s. There was no sense of permanence. She’d never really settled in. Boomer sat on her bed and pretended to read a book.
    Jason sat down next to her. She didn’t look up. “What are you reading there?”
    “A book; what does it look like?”
    He continued to gaze down at her. He let her smart mouth go … for now. “I wanted to tell you, I’m heading back into space for a while.”
    “Good. I hope you stay away a long time. Maybe you and Dira can build a house on another planet and have lots of little kids and—”
    “That’s enough of that!”
    She continued scowling, her face mean. She continued to pretend to read.
    “I’m now captain of the Minian … you know?”
    That got a reaction. She was doing everything she could to keep a smile from her lips.
    “Seems Ricket is excited about bringing new habitats into the Zoo … He mentioned something … I’m trying to remember what he said.”
    Boomer’s eyes were now the size of small dinner plates. “What? Tell me what he said!”
    “Just something about needing help in the Zoo … it’s really quite large, you know … huge, in fact. I told him I’d help him find an assistant.”
    Her arms wrapped around his neck before he’d even finished the words. Her muffled voice rose up, her face buried in his chest. “I’m going with you? I can come with you, Dad?”
    He looked down at her upturned, hopeful face. “Of course you can. I’ve already talked to your mom. If you want, you can live with me on the Minian .”
    She wiped away several tears and became all business. “Okay … I’ll need to bring Dewdrop … That’s not even an option.”
    “It’s your droid … that’s not a problem. But understand, you’ll be attending school. You’ll also have—”
    “I know, a new nanny … someone like Petty Officer Miller. I miss her, Dad.”
    “I know you do. She cared about you and Mollie. We’ll find the perfect person. Now let’s get your things packed up together. It’s time to go.”

Chapter 8
     
    Sol System
    The Minian , Open Space – Nearing Jefferson Station
    _________________
     
     
    Jason reviewed his virtual notebook on the trip back to the Minian . The admiral, it seemed, had been busy since he’d left for Earth—he’d already sent out Jason’s marching orders for the following week.
    “So, any idea where we’re off to first, Cap?” Orion asked, filling the narrow space between the cockpit and the cabin behind it.
    Jason, sitting in the copilot’s chair, shifted to face her. “There are pockets of instability, including planetary infighting, piracy, and even several imminent world invasions. Obviously, the most egregious acts are apt to bring the greatest instability to the Alliance, and they are flagged as high priority and will be our top destinations.”
    Orion looked over at Jason’s virtual notepad and he expanded the hovering holographic image so she too could see the report.
    Jason continued, “There