Moss'd in Space

Torian Razner has bought a starship, and she is proud of it. The ship is alien, it has sat abandoned for a century, and it is now covered in moss. Amelia, who is Torian's ex and her former captain, called the purchase a meteoric sign of stupidity. Torian sees it as her ticket to freedom.

Her first flight proves Amelia may have had a point. The moss is a living organic computer with a snarky streak and deep fears of being abandoned. It has a target for its loathing: the immortal alien who built the ship, parked it with the moss aboard, and then forgot all about it.

That same alien has now tracked Torian down. The alien accuses her of stealing the ship, which leaves Torian with a contested vessel, a resentful computer in her walls, and an owner who wants it back.

This is a science fiction comedy, and the tone is light and sarcastic. Much of the humor comes from the moss's attitude and from the history between Torian and her former captain. The setup points to a story about a bad purchase made on purpose and a ship with strong opinions.