The satellite-keeper's daughter

"The Satellite-Keeper's Daughter" by Mark Reinsberg is a science fiction story that takes place in a future where space travel is common. It centers on Bill Brack, a space trucker, who stops at a fuel station and hotel on a faraway planet. There he meets Esther, whose father owns the hotel, and learns she feels stuck and wants to escape her life there. Trying to help, Brack decides to sneak her onto his ship. His plan faces problems as customs officials become suspicious, which causes Brack to make a risky decision. Things get worse when he finds out that a lot of his cargo was stolen during his travels. The story looks at ideas about being free and trapped, and how trust and betrayal affect people traveling through space.