The Fly-ahead Boy

A fly-ahead boy pilots a Fly-ahead - his own tiny Space ship, that scouts out ahead of the main ship, to make sure Space is safe. Only a child can fit in the Fly-ahead, because it is very small - to save fuel, and to be a tiny target in times of danger. Mark is travelling with his family across Space. Out of nothing their ship is coming apart, and then, when things get even worse, everyone is saved, everyone except him, by a large ship that just happens to be there. Something is not right. He is