Shifting Cargo by Danielle Forrest

Can you live with yourself if others die?

Ellie loves the freedom of space. She works alone, takes jobs as she pleases, and tolerates her friends butting into her life.

It does have its downsides, though. Like not being able to go to the corner grocery store for snacks. And God forbid something breaks down… like now.

But with her not-so-helpful AI, she’s confident she can handle this as well, and they land her ship on a seemingly uninhabited planet for repairs. But almost immediately after landing, an alien soldier barges on board and holds her at gunpoint, demanding use of her ship.

Ah, hell, no…

She fights back with all her might and manages to escape, but as he chases her through the wilderness, gunshots from a new threat ring through the air, causing her to duck and hide. As the soldier stands tall and fires back, she can’t help but wonder…

Am I running from the wrong threat?