The oceans are full of plastic. And the same in space? Well, not yet, but there's a load of rubbish up there, and one day soon we will need the likes of Annie to deal with it:

‘She had just turned 30 when she qualified to fly in space, the youngest freelancer in the world. She had had 10 years’ experience of flying freight around the Pacific; she had lost a baby, turfed out a husband, shot an air pirate. A dozen years later Annie Hab had survived near disaster, and started her own space salvage business. She became a no-nonsense model for young women with ambition and guts. For a few men she was a crazy bitch who should not be let near a launch pad.’

But Annie’s quest is not as straightforward as it seems. What is the mysterious white box that obsesses her?

Sign up for free Stories of sorts, all short. Read about Annie in ‘A legend in her lifetime’ and about gravitational waves, alchemy and crowdfunding the International Space Station.

Every couple of months I put out a short story and three or so flash pieces under a theme. The first three editions followed the theme of ‘Coffee’, and the next three ‘Space’, as in up among the stars and planets.

Coming next? 'Trade'. What will that be like? Only one way to find out, Here