Generation

Cakewalk [FIRST DRAFT]

Ricardo clutched the folds of fabric on the front of his spacesuit. It bunched up around his stomach and on his legs and arms. "I look ridiculous."

Genie and Ricardo stood by the airlock on the departure deck. It was designed specifically as an exit point for spacewalkers and connected to the rails on the outside of the ship. She gave the lifeline attached his suit a tug and help him screw his helmet into the rest of his suit.

"Do you copy?" Genie said into the radio on her lapel.

"Loud and clear," Ricardo replied, and gave a thumbs up.

"Excellent." Genie pressed record on the camera pod from the equipment lockers upstairs. She hung it around Ricardo's neck. "Remember - just keep hold of the rails. As long as you don't let go you'll be OK."

He patted her on the back and laughed. "Don't give me the whole bloody pep talk. I'm not nervous."

"Keep in touch over radio, yeah?"

"If that'll make you feel better." He waddled towards the airlock door. "Space is just an endless void. Nothing to worry about."

With the press of a button on the wall, the doors rolled open slowly. They were about as thick as Genie's forearm was long. They rolled shut on him again and the airlock began to depressurize.

Genie switched the radio channel. "Millon? How's it going up there?"

"Fuck off," Millon said, "This piece of shit computer just about deserves to be shipped off to sector seventy-seven where it can be shoved up the foulest of the worst-smelling Meridian's three ass--"

"We're about to send Ricardo outside. Just waiting for the airlock to finish."

"Oh. Good luck."

"Thanks," Ricardo put in. "But no need to worry. Spacewalk? More like cakewalk."

Genie breathed in sharply. "I don't think I've ever heard you make a pun. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Go eat shit. I'm fine."

The airlock dinged and the light on the roof flicked from red to green. Genie's fingers hovered over one of the buttons on the wall. "Hold tight, buddy," she said, and pressed the button.

Silence hogged the radio as the outer door rumbled open. The ship was quiet too. And with the monochrome, matte steel walls it felt a little empty. A screen on the wall, next to the airlock controls, was in standby mode, black with the time in white text. The time flicked back and forth between 15:34:06 and 00:00:00 with no apparent pattern.

Genie doubled checked on her brain-feed that her radio was set to talk to Ricardo only. "Chilly out there?"

Ricardo didn't reply and Genie sighed.

She swallowed. "Shitstirring aside, like, what's it like out there? Are there any landmarks we could use?" She waited and no reply came. "Look, Rick, I'm sorry I poked you so much about being nervous. It was kinda insensitive of me and I should have left you be. It's all right if you're mad at me." She leaned against the wall. Again, nothing came. "Dude, if this is a joke, it's not funny." She hesitated and switched her radio channel. "Millon--"

"Fuck off, I'm thinking. I need to concen--"

"You fuck off. Ricardo won't answer the radio. Can you try?" Genie fiddled with the ends of her hair. "Maybe mine's not working."

Millon went quiet for a few moments. "He's not responding to me either."

Genie bit her lip. "I think I made him angry, but if he's not responding to you..."

"Check his line. It'll be on the panel. Next to the airlock controls."

Genie tapped the screen on the wall - it flashed to life. Text popped up:

No information to display. Connect line to astronaut.