Ashley rolled through space, the great ocean of stars swirling around her as she experienced a rare moment of tranquillity. All was silent save for the light patter of space junk bouncing off her skin and the sub-zero temperatures soothed her on her way. As with anything however, it was not to last and moments later the peace was disrupted by a voice over her onboard coms.

"ISS 7 to vessel, please identify and state your business." It said, simple and efficient albeit heavily accented. Ashley sighed, her moment lost and then dropped out of possession with a jolt, the feeling of her consciousness leaving the Hummingbird and returning to her vessel not unlike a punch to the chest. 

"ISS 7 this is Hummingbird landing for business reasons. Sending the digital identifier now. It's been a while Andy!" Ashley replied chattily. Even with the slight distortion from ISS 7's dated radios Ashley could recognise that voice and she'd learnt a while back that the accent came from a large island in south eastern earth, Australia she thought.

"Roger that Hummingbird." Came the enthusiastic response. "Y'know I was told not to expect you back. Heard you encountered some issues at the Virtus borders." he continued. Then there was a pause before he got to his next and most important question, presumably to look both ways over his shoulders. "Have you got the goods?" he asked.

"Yep!" Ashley retorted quick as a Rothian energy bolt. "One bottle of Masalu's finest coming your way the moment I am on board." Of course the alcohol was no-where near the quality of Masalu's finest but Ashley had long ago learnt that either Andy and his men didn't know the difference in quality or simply didn't care. Drinking Masalu spirits was not unlike playing russian roulette anyway unless one also possessed a Masalu constitution and so Ashley figured she was doing them a favour, not to mention saving some of those all important credits. Regardless this transaction had proven beneficial in the past and so she had made it a habit. Moments later Ashley heard what she wanted to hear.

"Right. I'll get you to the front of the cue." Andy said. "I'm afraid that's still a twenty minute wait today as Starclaw's been hogging all the docks since their leader died so sit back, relax and await further instruction." he instructed.

"Understood ISS 7." Ashley confirmed. "One last thing Andy. What happened to the infamous Mr Little?" She queried.

"Would you believe their saying Jayrin Augustin herself turned up to take him down?.. Probably just infighting but that's they're story and they are sticking to it. Anyway, that's all I got for time right now, there's another ship on the line." 

"My thanks." Ashley finished before pushing her seat back across the cockpit floor and immediately regretting the action. "And good riddance to Mr Little." She thought. Ashley had never liked slavers and still cringed at the memory of the one slave run she had made before committing to never do that again.

Ashley's muscles were feeling tense and rubbery after prolonged disuse and a check of her wrist computer showed she hadn't done anything besides pilot the Hummingbird for four days straight, all of which she had spent possessing the Hummingbird and neglected even sleep to do so. For the second time in five minutes Ashley sighed and as if on cue her stomach rumbled. Turning off the artificial gravity to minimise strain Ashley headed over to the microwave-like device in the far back corner of the cockpit, inserting a small grey dishwasher tablet of "food" and awaiting the beep before nibbling at the tiny, tasteless and textureless morsel for nutrients. More often than not Ashley's body felt like a liability and she had often pondered in her moments of idleness if it would be possible to replace the weak flesh with the crisp, clean and efficient technologies she was so in tune with before then dismissing the idea as expensive and ridiculous. Food still in hand she headed off to the "bedroom".

Little more than a converted storage unit Ashley's bedroom was far from luxury. The walls were decorated with "cultural" tempu wall art, little more than splatters of colour that looked remarkably similar to the colourful collection of clothes now floating around the room. Near the far wall was a large mattress bound to the floor with a set of bungie cords and in the closest corner a portable showering unit Ashley had stolen from a music festival some years ago. Stripping down to her skin Ashley stepped into the shower wearing only her old UN dogtags which remained perpetually nestled in her bosom. The water began to flow, cleansing Ashley of days worth of secretions with the water bouncing off at any and all angles in the zero gravity environment, droplets hanging in the air like jewels until and even after the shower was turned off. Once she was done Ashley towelled off, dressed in her baggy combat trousers, white tank top and brown leather aviators jacket then returned to the cockpit just in time for Andy's call to dock.

ISS 7 was a dated space station from the early era's of human space flight, a relic and showing it. The international space station had been built in orbit of Saturn as a ship refuel point for long distance expeditions and still bore the original and faded inscription NASA on it's topmost surface, the meaning of the letters lost in the passage of time as was the stations original purpose. Long distance flight technology had rendered the station obsolete and with the increasing privatisation of space some entrepeneuring individual had purchased the station and re-branded it Cloud 7, turning it into a hub for tourism and filling it with casinos and clubs. Whilst the tourist division still insisted it be called Cloud 7 by the time Ashley arrived it would have been something of a misnomer. The attractions within were rarely more than a front for some criminal business within and the tourists attracted frequently awoke from their first night with a headache and zero possessions. Ashley approached the dock slowly, the outer edges stations opening blackened with soot and even rusted from eras of exposure to rocket burners. Ashley had never decided if she loved or hated this place.