Author : Olivia Black, Staff Writer

“How are you still alive?”

“What are you talking about?” Mearene is staring at me like I’m the second coming and I swear I’ve never seen her eyes bug out like that.

“Your suit. Look at it.” She points at my exo-suit with a trembling finger. I glance down at my chest and have to do a double-take. The ordinarily matt and pliable material is now shiny and rigid.

“What the -?” I gingerly prod a particularly large bubble just under my collar bone. “I don’t understand.”

“Are you – are you hurt?” Mearene steps closer, reaching for me, but her hands stop just short of ghosting across my arms.

“No. At least, I don’t feel any pain.” I give myself a pat down to reassure her, but she’s right to be spooked. The exo-suit I’m wearing is only meant for light labour in zero-g. The material it’s made of was designed to handle extreme temperatures and is nearly impossible to damage or puncture once molded, but it lacks the insulation and impact absorption that the ceramic plating in heavier suits affords. The upside being that without the plating my suit is incredibly lightweight and flexible. Perfect for an exterior space station maintenance worker like myself.

Whatever did this to my suit should have cooked me alive along with it. That thought sends a cold shiver through me. How am I alive is right.

“So what happened to you?” I can tell she doesn’t really want to ask. Her eyes are glassy and she’s chewing on her lip like that’ll wake her up from this bizarro dream. I meet her gaze as I try to think back to everything that happened before I got here. Everything was routine until lunch break. Then we got a call about some missing panels a pilot for one of the inbound liners had spotted. That isn’t unusual in and of itself. Space junk knocks panels off all the time. That’s where my memories stop. Until my normal commute home.

“I don’t know…” I pluck at my suit again. This can’t be real.

Mearene opens her mouth to speak only to be interrupted by the door chime.

“Who -?” I start to ask. She just shakes her head and walks around me to answer the door.

She’s greeted by the Maintenance Department Head and another member of the executive staff, both in crisp dress uniform.

“May we come in, ma’am?” The Department Head asks. Mearene nods and backs up enough to let them through.

“I’m afraid we come bearing bad news. You may want to sit down for this,” he continues, not unkindly, once the door shuts behind them.

“Just tell me.” She snaps, having clearly reached her limit.

“There was an accident early this afternoon with one of our maintenance crews. We’re still investigating the cause, but I’m afraid your wife, Kay Sanders, is dead.”

His monologue seemingly makes time stand still as the air rushes out of my lungs.

“I’m what?” I manage to croak out. All eyes turn to me and my ruined exo-suit.