A time to die

Captain Robert Kingsford returns from a harrowing solo mission to Aldebaran IX, haunted by a personal obsession that mirrors the legendary hunt for the white whale. His relentless drive to prove himself as a hero has left a trail of broken vessels and shattered reputations, and now a new expedition is being assembled under the wary eye of his former executive officer. The narrator, Philip “Buck” Rogers, has spent years in retirement, drifting between tropical havens and the quiet of hidden outposts, only to be drawn back into the unforgiving expanse when Kingsford’s latest venture beckons.

As the crew prepares to plunge into the unknown reaches of the third asteroid belt, the story explores the thin line between bravery