« Explorer, please verify that the P1 ATA removal on replacement cap part 1 and 2 are complete. »
The static voice appears like a murmur amidst the calm of the never-ending void. The darkness looms in and spreads everywhere; an undistinguishable horizon that swallows you whole, an absurdity the eye can scarcely imagine. An empty abyss. Endless. Timeless.
Here there is nothing but silence; nothing, aside from the emerging voices coming from their home planet over the statics coming from their communication radio.
Earth, a bright and shimmering orb of light in the oblivion, a tangible sense of hope in the darkness of this mute see of black, floats along side of them in the obscure coat that is space, proud, majestic, mysterious.
"DMA M1, M2, M3 and M4 are complete."
They are orbiting at an altitude of 600km, their explorer space shuttle suspended a few meters away. It is their only link to the world down there at their feet. They are but a spec of dust before the swirling clouds dancing all around the brown continents below them.
« Copy that Explorer. Dr Ackerman-Houston, requesting status update... »
The female astronaut Mikasa Ackerman is hanging onto the Hubble, a tool in her right hand, working on the mechanics of a circuit she has pulled out of the machinery. Her movements are stiff, her breathing a little hectic. She awkwardly rotates around the device, a pinched frown on her face, trying to ignore the bead of sweat rolling down her temple.
"Installation ninety-five percent complete." She answers as her eyes stay glued on her work. "Running level one diagnostics on circuits, sensors, and power. Standby."
"Standing by." The static voice of Mission control replies right away. "Looks like we're on schedule. Dr Ackerman, Medical is concerned about your ECG readings."
The woman tries to ignore her increasing heartbeat, feeling the tension rolling in her veins.
"I'm fine, Houston." She says, keeping her focus on her scanner.
"Well, Medical doesn't agree, doctor. Are you feeling nauseous?"
She sighs and glances at her stats reading on the small screen placed on her arm.
"Not anymore than usual, Houston." She replies, her eyes back on her work. "Diagnostics are green. Linking to communication card. Ready for data reception. »
She presses a few buttons.
"If this works, when we touch down tomorrow, I'm buying all you guys a round of drinks. »
« That's a date, doctor. » The comm. replies, the laughter distinct in its voice, « Just remember, Houston is partial to Margaritas. »
"Ok, here we go. Booting comm. card now." The woman holds her breath, launching the power of the long-range scanner. "Please confirm link."
A moment of silence greets her. A lump settles in her throat.
"Houston, please confirm reception of data."
"Negative. We're not seeing any data."
The voice reassures her, but the words strain every muscle in her back.
"Standby, Houston, I'm gonna reboot the comm card."
"Standing by."
She powers down the sensors and takes back the tool she was using a few moments ago, sticking her nose back in the high-tech equipment. Another voice makes itself known, this time one of a man.
"Houston, I have a bad feeling about this mission."
He is floating a few meters away from Ackerman, a white bright dot in the darkness of space. He seems to be enjoying himself, gravitating around the shuttle with ease and calm. His composure is far different from the female astronaut's, whose trembling hands are still shaking over the telescope. Hovering near her, he almost appears like an angel, flying in the shade of this endless sea.
"Please expand." Mission control asks him, knowing full well he is about to either throw sarcasm or an insult at them.
"I'll tell you a story." He swirls around like a graceful bird in the air, "It was '96. I'd been up here for 42 days. Every time I passed over Houston, I'd look down, knowing the second…"
"…You've told this story, Levi." Mission control cuts him. "Engineering requests fuel status on the jet pack prototype."
Levi checks his monitor and glances over to his fellow astronaut Ackerman who is still labouring over the mechanic arm.
"Five hours off the reservation and I show 30% drain. My compliments to Engineering. Except for a slight malfunction on the nulling of the roll axis, this jetpack is one prime piece of thrust. »
"Engineering says thank you."
Without another word, Levi fiddles with a control of his jet pack and propels himself towards the telescope where Dr Ackerman and another astronaut are carrying out the repairs. Both of them are strapped to the device with long and solid tethers ensuring that they cannot float away.
"Comm card reboot in progress."
"Thank you, doctor." The voice is as static as ever. "Hanji, what's your status?"
"Nearly there." The other astronaut replies. She is relaxed and collected, and is working on one of the other sides of the Hubble. "Replacing battery module A1 and C." She evaluates one last circuit and reactivates of her unit.
"Hubble Telescope engaged. Upgrade fully functional. That applause you hear is for you, Hanji. Congratulations. Kick back, take the rest of the day off. »
The woman cheers and kicks herself off the telescope, letting herself drift in space and busting a few dance moves, breaking into a song.
"Levi, please advice as to Mission Specialist Hanji's current activities" Mission control asks over the radio.
The man glances at her, repressing a groan.
"She appears to be doing the Macarena of some sort. Though that would merely be a best guess scenario on my part. »
« Card is up. » Ackerman's voice reappears over the radio, triumphant.
"That's a negative. I'm afraid we're getting nothing on our end, doctor."
Mikasa lets out an annoyed growl, getting more and more impatient.
"Try again."
"Still nothing."
"There are no damaged components." She seems to mumble to herself, trying to find the source of the problem, "Maybe the comm panels. I'm on it, but there will be some delay. One hour tops."
Levi begins to loop around the telescope, making large invisible circles around the Hubble.
« Houston trusts Mission Commander Levi realizes that this delay is not of sufficient duration to enable him to surpass Erwin Smith's spacewalking record, as most recent calculations indicate that he will be left... »
« Seventy-five minutes shy, » Levi cuts in. « Never crossed my mind. »
« Enjoy your last walk... »
Levi swirls back around to face Mikasa who is still working silently on her panel.
« Am I a go to assist Dr Ackerman in removing the panel? »
« Assistance appreciated. » The voice of the woman snaps at him.
« Permission granted. »
He flies to her and takes out his pistol grip, unscrewing with exactitude and ability one of the bolts on the panel. They work in silence; Levi's help speeding the process a great deal. Mikasa's movements are not as precise, her awkward gestures revealing her obvious anxiety. She raises her eyes to the man in front of her, taking a moment to look at his face. His features are soft, but the tired circles under his eyes seem to almost reveal his true nature. He rarely speaks to her, preferring to enjoy the silence of the absence of atmosphere to useless jabber. She is grateful for it too, and yet, she can't help but feel something pulling her towards him, an invisible rope linking him to her. A mute voice revealing to her a cosmic link that she is barely able to comprehend.
"Levi?"
He answers with a nod, still unscrewing the panel.
"Have we met before?"
He raises his eyes to hers, and time seems to catch its breath.
"Explorer, This is Houston."
The static voice emerges from their reserve, bringing Levi back to attention.
"NORAD reports a satellite has incurred a missile strike. The impact has created a cloud of debris orbiting at 20,000 miles per hour. Current debris orbit does not overlap with your trajectory. We'll keep you posted on any developments. »
Mikasa's eyes are still stuck on Levi, panic suddenly rising inside of her. He seems to notice this, and turns his eyes back at her.
« It'll be fine. »
His reassurance still doesn't seem to comfort her, and her movements become more quick, more frenzied. Hanji calls out to them.
"Hey Levi! Is this great or what!"
She jumps away from the Hubble, her arms raised above her head. The tether around her waist stiffens until she can't go any further, making her abruptly stop and snapping her back. Levi suppresses a smile and looks back at Mikasa.
"And to think she went to Harvard."
She smiles and raises her head towards the earth. They both look at the beauty of their grandiose home, a magnificent sight impossible to match. Levi glances at Mikasa, enjoying the look of wonder in her eyes.
"So what do you like about being up here?" He asks, still observing her.
"The silence." She replies, a shy smile appearing in the corner of her mouth. "I could get used to it."
It's a peaceful fleeting moment, and he can't help but admire the sudden serenity on the woman's face. She is young, but her face tells an old and deep-rooted story. There is tragedy in her dark eyes; Levi can feel it deep inside. As if he already knew her. As if he had already encountered her a long, long time ago.
"Explorer, this is Houston."
The static voice pulls him out of his stream of thought. It is alarmed, and it would send any astronaut miles above the earth into a state of anxiety. But not him.
"Mission abort. Repeat: mission abort. Initiate emergency disconnect from Hubble."
Hanji and Levi stop what they are doing and wait for the voice to give them further instructions.
« Begin re-entry procedure. Start Deorbit Prep for PLS at Kennedy. ISS, initiate emergency evacuation. »
Levi immediately detaches himself from the Hubble and starts working towards unharnessing the rest of his team.
"Houston, elaborate."
"Debris from the impact has caused a chain reaction, hitting other satellites in its path and creating new debris. Norad reports that orbital and ballistic effects are driving the cloud of debris up toward your altitude. »
Levi looks back at Mikasa who is still furiously tweaking on the panel, as if oblivious to what is happening around her.
« Put a bow to it, Dr Ackerman.»
« I can't. » She answers, « If I turn it off now we'll lose the whole system. »
Levi's patience instantly evades him.
"I'm not asking you. Now. Shut it now! That's an order!"
She looks up at him and sees his glare. She raises her hands in the air and floats away from the panel. The three astronauts start to head towards the base of the telescope in order to reach the airlock of their space shuttle. The static voice rings in their ears again, like an impeding blade hanging over their heads.
"We have a full on chain reaction. It's been confirmed that it is the unintentional side effect of the Russians striking one of their own satellites. »
« It's not good. » The voice continues. « Most of our systems are going down. Debris chain reaction is out of control and rapidly expanding. Multiple sats are now down and they keep on falling. »
Levi's eyes are stuck on the retracting arm of the telescope where Ryan is hanging onto.
"Define "multiple sats"."
"Most of them." The voice replies. "Telecomunications systems are gone. Expect a communication blackout at any moment. »
« Levi. » There is a tremble is Mikasa's voice. « Visual Debris at nine o'clock. »
He turns around and spots a large piece of metallic debris spiralling towards them at tremendous speed. It approaches with haste, but flies right past them in unsettling silence.
"Explorer, this is Levi. Confirming visual contact with debris. Debris is from a BSE sat. To repeat- »
« Heads up! »
Hanji's voice resonates in his helmet, as another object heaves by them. It is closer than the previous one, much closer. Levi doesn't have time to warn the others that a third piece of debris is hurling towards them, zooming faster than the other ones. It hits the telescope and explodes. Hundreds of debris fly in every direction.
"Go!" He screams at the two other women. But Mikasa is still stuck on one of the arms of the telescope. Jammed frequencies and interferences resonate in their comm links. He thrusts himself towards her. He reaches her and grabs her by the waist.
"Unstrap!" He yells. "You can't tune out the world up here!"
"I'm trying!" She snaps, fiddling with the safety clip.
Another piece of debris hits something behind them, drilling a huge hole in one of the Hubble panels.
"Hanji, get out of here." Levi orders his other teammate. "Get back inside the shuttle."
The woman executes herself and launches herself towards the shuttle. Panicked, Mikasa continues her battle to unharness herself from the metallic arm. Finally, the clasp releases under her fingers, but another piece of debris explodes against golden rubble. Levi watches, frozen, one of the pieces of the wreckage hit Hanji in the head.
Her helmet breaks into tiny pieces of glass.
She floats before them, unconscious.
"WOMAN DOWN."
Levi tries to propel himself towards Hanji's limp body, but another debris looms past him and hits their space shuttle. The impact is brutal and ruthless. He watches, helpless, as the shuttle falls apart.
"Explorer has been hit." He tries to call out to someone, anyone. "Explorer do you read? Explorer, over. Explorer-"
He doesn't have time to finish his sentence. Another impact hits close. The arm where Mikasa is on separates itself from the rest of the telescope, exploding into shattered pieces rushing towards him. Debris expel in all directions, propelling Mikasa out of grasp. Levi watches her spin away, incapable of reaching out to her.
"Dr. Ackerman, detach!"
He is suspended in the moment, watching his world crumble down in complete and utter silence. She screams, fear devastating her.
"If you don't detach that arm is going to carry you too far! »
She spins endlessly, and the fear in her voice freezes the blood in his veins. He raises one arm to her, powerless, as the debris all around him explode, where the sound of his own voice calling out her name is only heard by himself.