FOTM Iunie - Lucrari

[Lia]

Stilul de vot

Lucrarile vor avea un sistem de vot prin poll si prin postari, cu prima valorand un singur punct, continuand cu voturile justificate care valoreaza trei puncte. Nu exista criterii de jurizare, dar in acelasi timp nu vreau sa vad posturi cu sute de emoticoane si exprimari seci pe frecventa 'este adorabila/misto/bengoasa/marfa si imi place mult, mult, mega mult, dar sunt prea entuziast/a ca sa spun si de ce'.

Castigatorul va primi medalia corespunzatoare si optiunea de a alege tema urmatoare, iar cea mai buna critica de asemenea va primi medalia de 'best critique'.

Sa inceapa jocurile

Miez de noapte cu Stacy

O explozie de galben lichid ilumina cerul. Sulfuri de elemente inca necunoscute ardeau si inghetau in acelasi timp, plutind prin vidul nemarginit. Era liniste, atat de liniste... Niciun sunet nu putea sparge tacerea acelui gol complet si niciun miros nu strabatea atmosefera incarcata de nori perfect rotunzi. Era ca si cum ar fi privit un film mut. Era un spectator pasiv, pentru ca nimic din resturile de materie exploziva, uneori chiar radioactiva, nu il puteau atinge. Pasi pe suprafata atat de sensibila a lunii si, pentru prima oara, isi dorea sa o poata simti frematand sub talpile lui dezgolite. Se intinse pe spate si isi puse mainile sub cap; contempla acel cer luminos, imbatat de culoriile atat de vii si surpinzator de variate. Isi ura originea umana; cine stie cate alte nunante ar fi putut descoperii daca nu ar fi fost limitat de privirea mediocra a ochiului uman... Ah, e plin de stele, sopti si lasa imaginatia sa-l duca departe, pe campia pe care o sarutase o singura data, cu mult prea mult timp inainte. Cerul i se desfasura atunci ca si acum, in imensa lui splendoare. Isi amintea cum sfredelea intunericul cu privirea atat de avida de cunoastere. Putea sa simta mirosul tainic al universului, al misterului. Mintea lui frageda nu putea concepe, la numai cinci ani de existenta, cat de insemnat va fi acest impuls de curiozitate care il rodea, acea dorinta nestavilita de cunoastere. Iarba avea mirosurile si simfoniile dulci ale caminului, erau parte importanta din ce numea acasa. Ultima noapte de siguranta se scurgea cu repeziciunea. Era ultima data cand privea luna pamanteana veghiind cu ochiul ei orb, fara pupila, ultima data cand adormea in imbratisarea inmiresmata a gradinii. Amintirile acelui acasa pierdut de mult era inca stocate in mintea lui, dar era pentru prima data cand le vedea cu sufletul, sau ce mai ramasese din el. Inelele satelitilor se impreunau pentru secunde interminabile, doar pentru a se despartii mai apoi ca si cand nu s-ar fi cunoscut niciodata. Exploziile de culoare si lumina se inteteau si pictau cerul cu maiestria unui artist din preistorie. Se ridica si se intreba cum era suprafata micutei luni. Tare, grunjoasa, placuta la atingere? Oare te scufundai in ea sau te sustinea indiferent de greutate? Traversa diametral asa zis-a campie si trecu printr-un gheizer portocaliu. Nu simtea nimic diferit. Isi privi mainile translucide. Imaginea lor palpaia de cate ori franjuri de gheata cosmica o penetrau. Trebuiau sa fie reci, dar poate erau inca putin calzi... Privi suprafata intunecata a Marelui Lac. Unde concentrice tremurau ritimic, sub influenta fortelor ce antrenau miezul mic, dar atat de puternic al lunii. Se apleca si privi in adanc, fara ca imaginea lui virtula sa provoace vreo reflectie. Degetele i se scufundau in strafundurile intunecate fara sa le tulbure. Nu putea simti umezeala pe care si-o dorea atat de mult. Mai privi inca o data cerul si plonja in imensitatea de la picioarele lui. Mici particule de plancton treceau pe langa el fara sa il simta. Ramurile impletite ale arbustilor ii sfredeleau trupul fara sa il deterioreze. Se opri din descindere si privi un ram imbobocit. Il atinse virtual si isi imagina senzatia. Toate acestea vor inceta curand sa mai existe... Cobori in adanc, in centrul vulcanilor si al focurilor vesnice, in inima reactiilor exoterme. Doi ochi mari priveau dincolo de el. Negri, adanci, fara sclipiri de inteligenta sau personalitate. Infrumusetau intr-o oarecare masura capul prelung si simplu al creaturii. Era ceva misterios si elegant in silueta ei difuza, in felul cum isi misca tentaculele subtiri si unduitoare. El plutea in apa aceea atat de diferit colorata de exploziile de la suprafata si o privea, concentrandu-si gandurile asupra ei. „Ma poti auzi?”. Probabil ca nu. Ea se apropia, fluturandu-si tentatculele rasucite intr-o coafura extravaganta, intotand cu aripile transparente de libelula. Se apropia de locul unde statea el si privea departe, prin imagine lui, ganditoare. Sau, cel putin, asa parea. Dezvlotarea ei intelectuala era incerta, dar ochii ei incercuiti de gene lungi si dese erau atat de frumosi, ca el nu putea sa nu si-o imagineze visatoare, indragostita chiar. Ii atinse pielea neteda si verzuie si privi in abisul ochilor ei. Gura cu buzele subtiri, aproape inexistente se arcuise intr-un suras discret, dar privirea ei goala il ducea cu gandul la nebunele fara speranta din filmele atat de triste pe care obisnuia sa le urmareasca cu foarte mult timp in urma. Ciudat... Toate acele amintiri legate de prima lui viata ii reveneau constant, acum ca se afla intr-o lume atat de mult asemanatoare cu raposata Terra. Creatura se indeparta si el ii urmari deplasarea mladioasa ce parea un dans familiar si atat de obisnuit. Nu era deloc umana, nu avea cum sa fie, dar ceva din prezenta ei ii aducea aminte de toate femeile pe care le iubise vreodata. Fragile, gingase, unice... Admise in cele din urma ca era frumosa. Nu atat prin infatisare, cat prin sentimentele pe care i le trezea. Simtea frumusetea ei, fara sa poata aduce dovezi concrete. Poate ca il vazuse in momentul acela in care ii zambise discret, poata ca putea auzi gandurile lui... Ce lume colorata si placuta... Era o supa de specii, animata de explozii de caldura sau gheata, era un freamat continuu de viata si intelegere reciproca. Parea o minune ca o lume atat de slab dezvoltata era atat de pasnica. Si toate aveau sa isi gaseasca sfarsitul in cateva momente.

Reveni la suprafata, evident tulburat. „Toate trebuie sa moara. Am nevoie de locul ala pentru un proiect mai mare decat iti poti imagina tu”. Atat i se spusese. Ei erau acolo, urmarindu-i fiecare miscare, asteptand ca el sa ridice mana si sa ii lase sa ucida o lume noua si surpinzatoare. Erau vremuri cand viata extraterestra era nepretuita... Acum nu mai valora nimic. Primise, ca restul oamenilor, o mica luna necunoscuta in grija. O supraveghea, o proteja, o incuraja sa creasca in ceva frumos, poate intr-o noua Terra. Nu o vizitase niciodata. Nu prezentazu interes pentru nimeni acesti stropi de viata aruncati aleatoriu in univers. Pe locul ei se va construi ceva, nici nu ii mai pasa acum de asta. Ingenunche pe solul de o consistenta necunoscuta; desi stia totul despre pamantul pe care calca, nu o simtise niciodata cu adevarat. Reminisciente din sufletul lui candva uman ieseau la suprafata. Suflet... De cand nu se mai gandise la semnificatia acelui cuvant, de cand nu ii mai pasase de partea nevazuta a fiintei lui... Viata atator suflete urma sa fie curmata in cateva minute, secunde chiar. Oameni. Era doar denumirea unei specii, pentru ca incetasera de mult sa mai fie umani. Recunoscuse in fiinta mladioasa din adancuri inocenta pe care o credea de mult pierduta. Privirea ii aluneca printre stele. Franturi de gheata cosmica dansau in jurul lui. Undeva in departare o stea se stingea. Norii rotunzi ai lunii acoperira cerul o secunda, apoi zburara mai departe, manati de propria inertie. „Poti s-o iei pe cea din galaxia asta. Nu prea se inghesuie lumea sa o ia, dar poate reusesti sa faci ceva bun din ea. ”. Pe atunci, pe vremea cand ii placea sa se ataseze de posesiunile lui, o botezase. Coliziunea dopului de sampanie cu tavanul ii rasuna in memorie. Numele ei, imaginea acelor litere la care nu se mai gandise de sute de ani, ii umplea acum mintea. Stacy, primul nume care ii venise in minte.

Ridica mana cu degetele tremurande. Curand, holograma lui se va topi si se va trezi din nou in scaunul lui confortabil, cu mana dreapta inclestata in ecranul tactil care il proiecta pe suprafata micii sale luni. Simti o lacrima udandu-i obrazul si emotia care crestea in el ii provoca panica. Se trezi cu privirea prionita spre ecranul computer-ului. Manunchiuri de cenusa rosiatica dansau in imensitatea vidului cosmic, catre nemarginire.

Somn usor, Stacy.

Lucrarea 2

Oare chiar merita? Merita sa te sacrifici atat doar ca sa vezi acel loc numit spatiu? Fiecare om are visul sau si va face orice sa se indeplineasca dar uneori ma intreb … merita? Spatiul, nimic mai mult decat o adunatura de stele, planete, meteoriti si alte detalii nesemnificative. Nu sunt un as in astronomie si nici nu pricep toate luicrurile astea dar gandinduma profun, inteleg cat de egoista sunt. El mi-a indeplinit toate dorintele si s-a asigurat ca am mereu tot ce imi trebuie iar eu, sa il tradez in asa hal? Nu e greu, va trebuii doar sa ma prefac ca zambesc si sa il incurajez in tot ceea ce face. Asta e, va merge se viziteze spatiul si eu voi fi aici pentru el. Toata viata s-a luptat pentru asta si acum ca are posibilitatea de a o face, cine sunt eu sa il impiedic? Asa e, cine sunt eu? Eu sunt fica lui, copilul caruia i-a dat viata. Am oftat in sinea mea si mi-am ridicat brusc din pat. Mi-am vazut reflectia in oglinda. Ce vedeam? O persoana egoista careia nu ii pasa de nimic altceva decat de propria ei persoana, pe scurt, o fiita dezgustatoare. Gandurile mele au fost intrerupte brusc de un ciocanit brutal in usa. Cine ar fi putut fi? Multe nume imi trecusera ca un fulger prin minte in acel moment dar am realizat ca nimeni altcineva nu ar putea bate la usa atat de tare si de nervos decat ea. Persoana cea mai antipatica mie. Nu am raspuns, nu aveam nici un chef. Cautam tot felul de scuze, stiind ca as putea fugii de fiecare data, dar nu as fi rezolvat nimic. Am deschis fereastra, insfacand repede o haina lunga cu guga, afara fiind totusi foarte cald, apoi am pasit in curte de unde am ajuns repede la poarta si am iesit din domeniul resedintei. Nu avea decat sa ciocaneasca cat voia. O facea in zadar. Nu mai eram acolo.

Stiam unde merg dar nu stiam ce voi face acolo, sau mai bine spus, ce voi spune. Ideea era sa ii dovedesc tatei ca sunt o fica responsabila si imi pasa de el si de deciizile lui. Cum voi face asta? Nu am nici cea mai vaga idee. Incercarea moarte n-are. Mi-am luat haina pe mine si mi-am pus gluga pe cap sperand ca nimeni nu ma va recunoaste si as putea ajunge fara nici o problema acolo. Acolo unde? Stiam eu, dar imi era frica. Sa sarim peste partea in care am luat autobuzul si toata lumea s-a uitat ciudat la mine. Sa ajungem direct la cum am ajuns la biroul tatei. A fost mai usor sa intru decat credeam. Paznicii erau aproape topiti de soarele izbitor care batea peste tot, fiind practic al naibii de greu sa gasesti un loc umbrit. Vazandu-ma deja in fata biroului un sentiment de neliniste isi facu aparitia si stomacul meu o luase razna. Am batut la usa incet sperand ca nu m-a auzit dar usa s-a deschis o secunda mai apoi. Nu era tata, ci secretara sa pe care am intrebat-o scurt unde se afla acesta.
- Tatal tau a ajuns la spital in dimineata asta, s-a produs un accident cu masina si a intrat in coma. Am trimis un mesaj acasa la tine dar se pare ca nu l-ai primit. Din pacate acum nu va mai avea nici o sansa sa ajunga in spatiu. Pacat…
Da. Exact. Exact cum am planuit. De data asta am castigat.

Un spectacol de lumini

Dincolo de orizonturile noastre, cele mai indepartate, dincolo de vise si speculatii, in necunoscutul spatiu, multe lucruri se ascund.
De-a lungul anilor, tehnologia a tot evoluat si de la nava spatiala a cainelui Laika, pana la sute de noi tehnologii a fost doar un pas. Acum, putem spune ca universul este mai aproape.
Trecem de norii albi ca laptele, de cerul cristalin ca diamantele si peste atmosfera Terrei. Aici o lume noua si necunoscuta isi deschide portile.
In acest necunoscut intunecat, se vad aliniate, rand pe rand, toate cele noua planete ale Sistemului Solar. Mercur, Venus, Terra, Marte, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptun si Pluto pot fi observate stralucind in puternica lumina a Soarelui.
Pe langa frumusetea acestor planete, mici faclii argintate stralucesc intr-un dans celest incredibil de minunat. La acest dans celest se alatura si asteroizii care plutesc sacadat de la o planeta la alta. Stralucitoare si minunata, impreuna cu coada sa lunga, nelipsita cometa face miscari gratioase printre asteroizii uriasi.
Intregul spectacol e in toi, insa nimic din toate acestea nu ar fi posibile daca Soarele nu ne-ar oferi putin din lumina sa.

Pandora, lumea albastra

Catargul a cazut si s-a rupt in doua, spargand valurile puternice ce navalira drastic. Lipsa milei cu care nava ne-a fost aruncata, a dat de inteles ca vom fi morti.
-Asta e sfarsitul, urla capitanul, inotand printre bucatile rupte de lemn.
Acestea formau un ultim semn ca cineva fusese aici, iar mai tarziu ar fi reprezentat un incidiu pentru salvatorii ce ne vor gasi cadavrele plutitoare si umflate. Din pacate, lucrurile mergeau din ce in ce mai prost, iar furtuna nu dadea de inteles ca ar vrea sa se opreasca. Ploile de stele cazatoare, ce erau atat de aproape incat, daca ai fi ridicat mana sa le atingi, ti s-ar fi topit in palma, erau singurul motiv pentru care inca ne uitam cu totii uimiti spre cer.
-Orlando, apuca si tu o bucata si ai grija sa nu te ineci, omule.
Pe buze, omul brunet inflori un zambet abia perceptibil, apoi incepu sa inoate fara oprire pana la ultima placuta de lemn vizibila, inainte sa fie luata de nemilosul val. Hector inca tinea halba in mana, rugandu-se ca printr-o minune sa mai curga din ea ultima picatura de vin.
Eram cu toii desparitit: pe unii apa ne luase spre est, la cincisprezece metri de locul exploziei, iar pe altii ii dusese si mai departe.
Dupa lungi batai de cap cu fulgerele, picaturile mari de apa si mai ales cu valurile naravase ale marii, totul se domoli. Mi-am incrucisat bratele la piept si m-am pozitionat mult mai bine pe bucata umeda de lemn.
Furtuna era o adevarata enigma, pentru ca in scurt timp, incepu iar ca o zeita a detronarii.
Ingroziti de ceea ce avea sa urmeze, cu totii ne afundaram capetele rascolite de vant, in apa oceanului.
Acolo era o alta lume, una extrem de ciudata, dar mult mai linistita ca precedenta. Practic stateam in picioare, dar teoretic era imposibil acest lucru. M-am uitat spre degetele de la talpi, miscandu-le. O iluzie ciudata ce ne umplea mintile cu minciuna nu era, de asta juram ca sunt sigur, dar ce sa fie?
Un mister nedeslusit.
In stanga se afla capitanul, pe care l-am prins imediat de mana.
-Ce este asta?
-Pandora, nu ai auzit? veni raspunsul sau, urmat de un zambet larg si parintesc.
Barbatul in varsta de saizeci si opt de ani imi facu semn sa il urmez. Am inaintat, in urma mea fiind restul echipajului.
-Cum e posibil? Acum cinci secunde eram in apa marii, acum suntem pe un pamant albastru si ciudat mirositor.
-Pandora, repeta batranul cu o privire nebuna. Ea este reala.
-Este acea Pandora de care ne tot vorbeati, domnule capitan? intreba Orlando calm, in soapta, asteptand cu totii un raspuns clar, dar acesta nu veni. Omul carunt inainta si se parea ca stia unde vrea sa ne duca. In orice caz, peisajul nu se schimbase nici dupa un ceas de mers. Aceleasi roci albastre si aruncate ca niste munti intr-o parte si-n alta, acelasi aer greu suportabil, aceleasi particule sclipitoare ca niste licurici ce pluteau in jurul nostru, pazindu-ne, aceleasi locuri pustii. Pentru un timp, cu totii uitasem de explozia navei noastre de pe mare.
Intr-un mic portal, totul se derula in fata ochilor ca un film 3D. Apa, valurile, explozia si, pana si momentul cand ne-am scufundat.
-Capitane… sopti Hector cu ochii rosi, ducand halba la gura si gustand din lichidul rosu-visiniu. Halba i se umpluse miraculous. Gusta cu pofta, stergandu-se cu bratul la gura.
Intrebarile il invadara pe batran, dar el nu facea nimic decat sa priveasca spre portal. Cu gesture ale mainii, imaginile se miscau inapoi. Eu nu priveam nici stupefiat, dar nici relaxat. Invatasem in ultima calatorie pe mare ca totul e posibil, iar acum nimic nu ma mai mira, pe cand Orlando, Spencer si Barron aveau ochii impaienjeniti.
Peste cateva minute, capitanul ramase stana de piatra. Privi, impreuna cu noi, spre portanul inconjurat de o aura albastru-marin, sclipitoare. O femeie bruneta, cu tenul alb, ochii mari si caprui, buzele carnoase si rosii, nasul micut si usor carn ii facura chipul sa zambeasca trist. Batranul varsa doua lacrimi, apoi intinse mana si sopti:
-Julia…

“Pandora e o planeta albastra si plina de minuni, se spune. Cum putem ajunge acolo? Pai nu se poate… Printr-o minune, apa marii te calauzeste catre acel spatiu perfectionist. Acolo, totul devine realitate, acolo oamenii se schimba, acolo iti vei vedea trecutul intr-un portal magic, iti vei regasi iubirea, prietenii si familia, iti vei vedea anii tineretii si vei reusi sa retraiesti acele clipe.” ne-a spus, dar noi nu l-am crezut si am ras, pe cand Hector, de la atata vin, incepuse sa ii spuna ca e un bosorog amarat.

Spaced

There was something eerily beautiful about the giant blue globe filling his field of vision. Dimmed somewhat by the helmet’s polarizing filters, it was still bright and teeming with unseen activity, with the white swirls of clouds on their endless journey through the atmosphere, with large patches of green where the forests still bloomed, and the neverending expanses of blue ocean where all life came from; all as picture perfect as ever. Nothing could humble a man more than such a view, slowly growing to engulf his entire sight.
With great effort, and the last of his suit’s propellant reserves, he turned his back to the globe as it rose to meet him. If his life were to end then, he preferred to be watching the stars that he tried so hard to reach, rather than his home that he would never embrace again.
“They shine so brightly…” he thought.

Life on the station never could be classified as uneventful or stagnant. Yet, nonetheless, he felt stuck in a rut. The space faring population increased tenfold in only the past couple of years and the once empty station was teeming with activity. From research to operations controls to medical procedures and even space tourism, there was more activity than ever before. They had even begun constructing new modules to accommodate the sheer number of people coming up after the energy breakthroughs that solved so many problems.
“Fine economics was all they needed to want to reach the stars again.” Johan always said at the end of the shifts, as they met in the overcrowded lounge. Bryan agreed, of course, but he didn’t have to like it as well.
With such an influx of scientists and technicians, his job there, once a great point of pride in his life, now felt menial and unimportant. Not that it could actually be called that – the security of more than a thousand souls was his to safeguard against any structural weaknesses in the outer hull – but it still rattled him that more important, more interesting things were going on all around him.
And he was left out of them, as if cast out of the making of history itself.
He watched his monitor as he slowly scanned the surface of the station, taking in the familiar readings, depression seeping deeper as he kept thinking of the bigger pictures that went on without him, when the light blinked red. It snapped him out of his funk. Finally, something to feel important for; a loose plating maybe, or a fissure or an air leak somewhere. He almost smiled as he checked his instruments, until he noticed that the irregularity was just another person in a space suit, on the surface.
Whoever it was, it was holding one of the new cameras adapted for outer space work, large and bulky, so it could be operated by the suit’s thick fingered gloves.
“Odd…” he thought as he checked the records and couldn’t find anybody scheduled for outer vehicular work that day except for himself. He maneuvered the small surveillance craft closer to the figure and donned his own suit’s helmet and tether before depressurizing the cabin and exiting. Whoever it was, it did not answer any radio calls.
He walked slowly over the surface of the ship, his magboots holding him in place securely. The other person did not seem to notice him as he came close and placed a gloved hand on its shoulder. That did the trick however as the stranger visibly jumped, startled. That at least alleviated Bryan’s fear that it may be just another tourist that had wondered from some tour and hyperventilated himself into a in-suit faint. The visor was covered with the antiglare filter and he couldn’t see who was inside.
“Are you ok in there?” he asked as he touched his helmet to the other’s. A few moments’ pause and the answer came, a woman’s voice.
“You’re not supposed to be out here.” He continued, while checking if there were any problems with her suit. She had her radio turned off, but nothing else came on the readings.
“You startled me…” came the answer “and I’m not doing anything wrong.”
“Miss, you are not scheduled to be out here. It’s very dangerous for yourself to have gone out without any proper clearance.” Now he was certain it was just another adventurous tourist that had slipped out some unguarded bulkhead. The camera trained on Earth should have been his first clue.
“But…it’s so beautiful. Don’t you agree?” She gestured in a slow arc towards the bright planet bellow. “Why must people abandon it for this black abyss?” She had a soft voice, almost pleading even through the helmets.
“I don’t know about that miss, but please come with me.”
She left herself be tethered to him and be guided to the vehicle. Bryan noticed she at least had the presence of mind to don a suit equipped with magboots. It didn’t look like the new, fancy ones that the tourists kept bringing up with them, but rather very much like a station one. He’d have to enquire about that.
He signed out of the maintenance shift and called in Johan to replace him as he took care of his straggler. As the vehicle docked he found out her name was Naomi and she was on a paid station tour, financed by one of the media conglomerates that kept buying advertisement space there.
“I hate it here.” she confessed, as they were helping one another out of the suits. “Man should stay where he’s been put, not wander these Godless places.” Bryan couldn’t remember the last time he’d met a religious person, much less around the station and was surprised that there were people that felt that way about space exploration, especially after all the good that had come from it.
“Man’s curious by his born nature miss Naomi. And my superior will be curious as to why you were out there. I’ll need you to fill in these forms.” He slipped a couple of documents with a pen attached towards her.
She read them for a moment and then handed them back. “Could we please not do this? I wasn’t hurting anyone.” She watched him with big, dark eyes, looking suddenly shy. “I merely wanted to see the Earth without being ever rushed by that horrible guide.”
Bryan felt like insisting but he had had enough to think about for one day and didn’t much feel like writing reports for one romantic, religious nut. “Just don’t do it again please.” He made a mental note to check up on how she actually got hold of a station space suit…but that was quite simple for anyone with a bit of cash really.
“Would you join me for lunch?” Her question was sudden and took him by surprise as they floated out of the maintenance offices. “I’d like to treat you for being such a gentleman about this. I really did not intend to cause anyone any trouble.”

It turned out that Naomi would be on the station for a week more and they met again. By happenstance at first, then on lunch and a simile of dates; Bryan found himself endeared to the dark haired, dark eyes little Asian girl. She was perhaps too slim and had a figure too girlish for his tastes, but he nonetheless enjoyed her company, especially as she kept asking to be shown around. For someone that hated it up there as much as she did, she was awfully curious of everything going on.
It made him feel important for the first time in months as he showed her research wings – “I can’t take you further than Access Level 2”, he confessed to her “which is much further than civilians usually can go. Further there are biological experiments of one nature or another.” – and even recreational areas for the staff and scientists. She was interested in his work and that broke up his routine. In spite of regulations, he even invited her with him on his outer space rounds. She may not have shown much interest in the mind numbing reading of sensor data, but she would spend her time reading in the cramped interior, the light of the world beneath spilling through the small ports.
A week came and went and she didn’t yet leave, much to his relief. On the final day he got the news that she’d be staying a week longer, having informed her employers that she needed a bit more time to finish her assignment. They apparently were more than happy to oblige.
That very same day they became lovers. “Zero G love making is like nothing you’ve ever felt before.” He told her as they half floated, half stumbled towards his small suite, kissing and undressing.
And it wasn’t.
As they floated, naked and embraced, she curled up in his arms and kissed his neck slowly. “I want to go out.” She whispered in his ear as she continued to caress his back, from the back of his neck, to his shoulders and his lower back, making him shiver slowly.
“You want to go out NOW?”
“Yeah. What other way to top off this beautiful day?” She untangled herself from his arms and pushed herself to the small window overlooking the stars and a bit of the Moon, obscured though by one of the large solar panels. “I want to sit with you and watch the Earth for a while. Please.”
He watched her in the dim light, her face clad in the soft glow of the Moon, and could only concede to her request. They were dressed in mere moments and met outside the airlocks. She insisted they would not use the surveillance vehicle, it would be better for them to be alone. He noticed she had once again procured a station suit, though he didn’t much care to know where from, tired and eager to please her as he was.

The tether kept them close to one another as they made their way across the handholds on the station, to the planetside. The Earth shone brightly, half clad in darkness with a myriad of lights scattered on its surface. Naomi reached him as he settled in the crook between two modules, offering him support to hold her, clumsily, in his arms. Time passed and the Earth spun on, careless of two observes in space.
She turned slowly towards him and touched her helmet to his, her hand going up to his side. “They really should make a suit for two.” Bryan said as he tried to discern her features through the visor.
A moment of silence passed.
“No…they shouldn’t.” was her answer. His hearing filled with painful static as something burned the side of his helmet, destroying the radio antenna. He pushed her arm aside and saw the concealed laser cutter protruding from a pocket in the wrist. “No…” he thought as she severed his tether. “No…no…Naomi.” He tried pushing her away but she was stronger than he had believed. She grabbed his arm and pulled, kicking his leg from beneath him. For a moment he hoped the magnets would hold.
But they didn’t and he found himself raised effortlessly by his arm and flung to the side into nothing.
The side thrusters of the suit wouldn’t obey him in his panic and he only managed to give himself a rotation as the station went further and further away from him. With great effort he managed to steady himself and try to look back, to signal somehow. He saw the small figure of Naomi as she made her way across the surface, cutting in sections, following his own maintenance path.
He thought himself an idiot and cursed at his own folly, tried to get back until the suit’s reserves were almost dry, but could manage nothing. And all the while, her words came back in his head, a litany of horror: “Man shouldn’t come up here. It’s not his place. Not his place. Not his place”

He fell through nothing, watching in horror as what meant most to him, now more so than ever, was to be so endangered by his own folly and all he could do was scream inside his helmet until his voice grew hoarse and his visor fogged up.

Behind him the Earth grew ever larger.