Slow Burn

In the thin vacuum of a rotating space station, a small crew of engineers and tugmen wrestles with more than just orbital mechanics. Senator McKelvie, a vocal watchdog, has descended on the project, determined to expose what he calls wasteful moon‑rocket spending, and his presence threatens to halt the mission. As the station whirls over the Pacific, the team scrambles to ready the slender launch vehicle that could finally prove the program’s worth.

Kevin Morrow, the station’s commander, watches the rocket’s delicate docking while his crew battles bureaucracy, rivalries, and the ever‑present danger of space. With the launch timer ticking, the tugmen perform a precise intercept, guiding the craft into the hub as the senator’s inspection looms. The tension between political scrutiny and the promise of a breakthrough moon flight drives every breath in this tightly wound, near‑future drama.