The Fate of the Sylvester Spike 2

The ship is a week overdue.
Search-drones scour the space-lanes,
the worm-holes.
But there's not a trace
of the Sylvester Spike 2.

Communications
jangle with unholy angst.
Most worry for the fate of the crew,
a few for their cargo.

In central command,
the face of the captain's wife
looms large and teary
from an overhead holo-screen.
Someone turns the sound down
but lip-reading is unavoidable.
And very loud.

In a back room,
the CEO of S Spike Imports
tests out the metal floor's
1000 year guarantee
with his pacing.

The loved ones of lesser officers
gather in a nearby chapel.
The accountant at SSI
is triple-checking their insurance policy
with the company lawyers.

The crew could well be dead.
Fine print might see the insurance claim rejected.

One drone spots something.
But it turns out to be
a chunk of space debris.
It's neither relieved nor disappointed.
It's done its job.