Titan's surface hung over Amelia's head like a hazy ocean. She stared at it, wishing despite herself that she could fall down into it's atmosphere and knock herself out on the ice sheaf, eliminating her need to deal with her problems.
"Come in Watson," the words crackled over her suit radio. Problem one, whose name was Commander Kiara Takanashi, was contacting her.
Amelia drew her face into a tight smile and depressed the button allowing her to respond, "Roger roger, Commander. I was just thinking about you."
"How's she look?"
Amelia swung her faceplate back towards the station, "well, she looks the same as she always does, sir. Reddish and hazy."
A deep sigh came over the radio, "not Titan you dolt."
Amelia smiled, "no shit, sir. The damage shouldn't take too much longer to fix. Most of the debris got eliminated by the Micron Shield."
"Nothing was damaged in a way that might fail at a later time?"
Amelia rolled her eyes. Kiara must think I'm some kind of idiot to not check that before starting the repairs.
She radioed back a much softer sentiment and then got back to her work.
It was slow going, but calming. She much preferred to be out in the vacuum than dealing with the Tero Spaca Stacio (TSS) Kaichou's crew and their difficulties.
She put the final touches on the hull plate she was finishing and floated back to the airlock.
The pleasant hum of the deadened repressurization though her suit calmed her further. She knew she'd need every bit for later in the day.
A few moments later, she was in Kiara's office, getting lectured.
"Do you have any idea how importent this station to the Tero's monitoring capabilities? We are the only station near this swath of jump points. If the Elfoj or any other species decides to make a move against us, we are the only thing that stands in their way."
"Well maybe they should provision us accordingly," Amelia muttered under her breath.
Kiara's eyes narrowed, "be that as it may, our job is important enough to send you to join us, Ms. Academy graduate. So maybe you should think about that before you decide to crack another joke while on duty again. Am I clear?"
Amelia smiled and curtsied, "clear as a Martian sunset," she said before gliding out of the room.
"Get out," Amelia's muffled voice ordered her roommate from under her blanket.
"But…"
"I don't care. Get out, Gura."
"I can't just…"
"I need to scream into a pillow and don't want to traumatize you. Is that fair?"
"Fine. But I need to get back in thirty minutes before we eat, okay?"
"Yeah, Yeah."
As the signature "Woosh Thud" of the interior door closed behind Gura, Amelia lifted herself out from her bed and started screaming into her pillow.
She let her conflicting feelings of joy of being selected for an important post, despair of the mundanely of said post, and frustration with her crewmates' tendency to swing on the more aggravating side of procedure wash over the pillow and fill her share bunkroom.
She screamed and screamed, know it was as close to therapy she was going to get if she wasn't able to work out her issues with the station therapist, Ina.
Her pulse slowed back into a healthy range for her as she, safe in her knowledge that some all too optimistic designer had soundproofed all cabins to insure the sex lives of crewmembers didn't cause issues with their teammates, slowly regained her composure. She stood up, inhaled, and then opened the door.
Gura was playing rhythm game in the hall outside and didn't even notice her until Amelia cleared her throat.
"Oh, that's it?" she asked, "you were a lot shorter than I expected."
Amelia sighed and walked off to the mess hall.