Routine for a Hornet

Routine for a Hornet is a science fiction novella by Don Berry, written in the 1950s. It follows a pilot on perilous missions in a spacecraft called the Hornet, designed for one-way trips to intercept enemy ships from an alien force known as the Outspacers. The narrative explores themes of sacrifice, the nature of war, and the psychological toll of being an expendable asset in a technologically advanced military conflict.