World Builder #ONC2024

2| ...and then a world was made

WYATT

Something no one ever prepared me for is how quiet space is.

The only sound I could hear was my own breathing as I stepped into the black void, the cadets around me separating to go towards their section of EXO. Some of them had a long walk.

Good thing mine wasn't.

As soon as nearly everyone disappeared from my limited sightline, I panicked a little. The endless black horizon around me was stifling. The only relief was the bright pulse of the stars that broke up the darkness.

I took a deep breath and planted my feet firmly on EXO's outer shell, using the gravity boots to stay mounted as I scanned the small area for any tiny cracks or fissures that should be brought to attention. The first step in every check up is done with our eyes. 

The second and third are done with more advanced technology that won't miss the same things the human eye does.

The grey heat protectant coat was glossy and uncracked, causing me to smile in relief. While I had a lot of ground to cover, knowing this section is clear gave me hope. I hated the paperwork that came with discovering a problem.

But it wasn't as bad as not reporting the issue.

I continued to scan the hull, the task becoming tedious as time passed. I forgot how long it took to go through all the motions. 

Check an area for breaches.

Recheck an area for breaches.

Use tech to check for breaches.

Walk to the next section.

Repeat.

I could feel my eyelids dropping closed, but I fought off my exhaustion. My complete lack of sleep combined with the snooze fest of a task were creating a deadly combination. I needed to stay alert.

No way was I missing something.

What felt like hours later, I wrapped up my section and slowly made my way back to the gravity bay. I knew I was drenched in sweat from nerves under that space suit, and I couldn't wait to take a nice shower.

My boots suctioned with each step, making my legs heavy. I saw the pulsing beacon of light that indicated to me and my fellow cadets where the entrance to the bay was I'm relieved when I see it, and even more so when I step inside and am cleared to go through the glass door. I waited impatiently as they pressurized the cabin before taking my suit off as fast as humanly possible. I had work to do.

I looked around the bridge briefly to see if Lucas had made it back already, but I didn't see his telltale disheveled uniform. Oh well. I might drop by his dorm later if my project doesn't take too long.

I turned to give a respectful salute to my commanding officer, Captain Craig. Captain Craig had served for nearly twenty-five years. He was tall and broad, his dark skin contrasting with the stark white of his mustache. He offered me a nod and gestured for me to leave.

He was my idol. He had taken the hard road to get there, but he had broken into the chain of command without shortcuts.

I admired his grit and determination. I recognized a kindred spirit in him.

I quickly made my way down the bland winding halls of EXO to my dorm room. The sooner I got my project over with, the sooner I could work on more important things, like Fortis. Or perhaps I would take a break for the night and find whichever of the cadets was hosting the party tonight.

Rules weren't super strict regarding nighttime activities as long as you reported for duty alive and alert. Otherwise, the command recognized that we needed to have a little fun in light of the heavy things we dealt with every day.