Private Not Alone in the Night

[Tatiana Sah]

Dominic had thought a spacewalk out of the question. Tatiana wasn't one to be deterred by little things like improbability. Well, not when it was something within her control. Which is what led to her and Dee setting to the task of identifying a justifying circumstance. As Dominic held a position in the expedition it might feel awkward to 'take advantage' of a situation, or that public image concerns might arise; so Tatiana made certain there'd be a qualifying reason to be outside on the hull of the ship. That Dominic was also with her... she'd cross that bridge if they came to it.

In time, Tatiana contact Dominic and invited him to join her at the forward airlock. She'd logged an external spacewalk for two 'technicians' to investigate a matter on the exterior of the ship while it held position. There was no expectation they'd be changing course any time soon as various scientific pursuits were pursued. A perfect time for an excursion.

She'd even hold up the form with a smile documenting they were authorized to not only leave the ship, but walk along its exterior. "Have you worn an EVA suit before, Dominic? Spacewalked? The magboots will keep you secure, but even if they didn't I'll be right there with you." To emphasize her point, Tatiana's figure slowly lifted off the deck until she was suspended four inches in mid-air with a smile. A few seconds later she slowly descended back down to rest on her feet.

With a slow gesture with both hands, Tatiana added, "I wore white today to stand-out when we're outside." Normally she wore a black and/or silver bodysuit, possibly with one of various color jackets. Such deep hues wouldn't do well in a realm devoid of flood lighting.

"Are you ready?"

She'd help him get into a suit unless he absolutely wanted to do it all by himself. They weren't in a hurry. A healthy window had been scheduled for their walk outside; more than enough to enjoy the view outside, and still have time to do the scheduled work. It might have been an excuse, but seeing how Dee and her had identified a real maintenance task they should certainly fulfill it while they were there.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic regarded the datapad she held up with a slow, narrowing gaze, the sort that belonged less to suspicion than to quiet astonishment. For a moment he simply stared at the authorization form, as though the document itself might suddenly confess to being a forgery. “You actually managed it.”

The words escaped him before he could quite temper them with his usual composure. His eyes flicked from the form, to her smile, and then briefly toward the sealed airlock behind her. That final glance lingered perhaps a fraction longer than necessary.

“I confess,” he continued, folding his arms lightly across his chest, “I had assumed the administrative barriers alone would render the idea…aspirational at best.”

His gaze returned to her, curiosity now mingling with a faint note of admiration. “Yet here we are.” A small, incredulous smile touched the corner of his mouth. “You anticipated every objection I might reasonably have raised.”

Dominic stepped closer to examine the suit laid out nearby, his fingers brushing lightly against the rigid plating of the helmet before he drew them back again. “I should note,” he said thoughtfully, “that my professional training did not, regrettably, extend to extravehicular excursions along the hull of a starship.”

There was no fear in his voice, only measured practicality.

“As my poll numbers might remind us, my continued existence carries a certain administrative value.” His expression softened slightly, the remark delivered with a hint of dry amusement. “Should I drift off into the void, the paperwork alone would be catastrophic.”

His attention shifted again to Tatiana as she descended gently back to the deck, the casual display of control not lost on him.

Still…the faintest spark of anticipation had begun to creep through his otherwise careful demeanor.

“I trust,” he added, gesturing faintly toward the suits, “that these magboots of yours are as reliable as your interpretation of expedition protocol.”

“Very well. Since you have already moved the heavens, it would seem rather discourteous of me not to step outside and admire them.” He said, before taking several moments to pull the suit over his surprisingly casual attire. Both made him feel slightly uncomfortable.

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana smiled, not perturbed by Dominic's surprise that the walk outside of the ship was in fact possible. It certainly wasn't a routine affair. People weren't allowed to take a walk because they wanted to, but if you knew what to look for and had the right skills a reason could be found. Though, Dee had offered to simply slice the computer and disable the security monitoring of the airlock, or forge a maintenance request. Viable alternatives, but each came with complications Tatiana rather avoid.

Her brows raised suddenly. "Did I? I didn't deprive you of the opportunity to object, I hope." Sometimes people liked to object to participate in the moment. A social aspect Tatiana couldn't say she'd quite gotten the hang of yet. When should you leave room for people to interject and when should you cover all angles?

No EVA training? Dominic's job didn't require it so that made sense. "The most important thing is to take your time. There is no gravity or friction to halt your movement, and inertia is something you must overcome without gravity's help. Small movements." Of course, it helped if one possessed the innate awareness of localized spatial manipulation her people did. In part, the Force.

Paperwork? Tatiana smiled again and afforded Dominic a light chuckle. "And I would miss our conversations." That was the better response. Back when her people first encountered such 'jokes' they responded far too literally.

"It is documented there is statistically a higher probability that the hyperdrive explodes before the magboots fail." A beat. "In which case, no one will care that the magboots failed."

Once they'd gotten Dominic situated, Tatiana stood in front of him and gave him a thumbs up. Her helmet seemed to flow out from behind her head until it enclosed her face. The silver faceplate soon turned transparent to reveal Tatiana's face within. "Do you feel comfortable? Are you ready? If you have any questions," Tatiana said over the link, "I'll gladly answer them."

The cycling of the airlock in removing the air wouldn't take long. It did afford a moment, however, where neither had anything to do. Until Tatiana gestured to a control built into the forearm of Dominic's suit. "This control activates the magboots." Once the magnetic clamping effect could be felt, she imagined he might want to test taking a few steps. She had observed a noticeable difference in gait between those using and those not using magboots to walk.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic listened carefully as Tatiana explained the mechanics of moving outside the ship, his expression composed with the polite attentiveness that had carried him through countless diplomatic briefings. Yet the subject matter was rather less theoretical than most of those conversations. The dread of floating endlessly in space had a way of focusing the mind.

He inclined his head thoughtfully as she spoke about inertia and small movements, as though committing the guidance to memory with the seriousness of a student before an examination. “I see,” he said after a moment, “small movements.” The phrase was repeated with quiet deliberation, as if he might calm himself with its simplicity.

At the mention of her missing their conversations, a faint smile surfaced beneath the helmet’s collar as he began fastening the last seals of his suit. “I should hope so,” he replied lightly, “I would hope I provide at least some anthropological value.”

His gloved hand lifted in a vague gesture between them. “You encounter a representative of Naboo’s political class and are treated to a remarkably comprehensive demonstration of how little he understands about astrophysics, engineering, or spatial mechanics.” He smirked. “I would not want to deprive your people of such valuable field observations.”

Dominic’s tone remained dry, but there was warmth in it. The sort of warmth that surfaced more easily when he was at ease with his company.

As the airlock began its quiet cycle, he lowered his gaze toward the forearm control she had indicated. His thumb hovered over it for a second longer than strictly necessary before pressing the activation switch. There was a solid clunk as the magboots engaged.

Dominic shifted his weight experimentally. One step. Then another. The motion felt strange, like walking along the deck of a ship in heavy seas. His posture straightened almost immediately afterward, as if subconsciously correcting for the momentary awkwardness.

“Remarkably reassuring,” he said, glancing down once more at his feet.

He tested the magnetized hold again with a slightly firmer step, then looked back up toward Tatiana through the clear faceplate of her helmet. For a brief moment he seemed to study her expression, as though gauging whether his performance had met some silent standard.

His heart was beating faster than he cared to acknowledge. But his voice remained calm. “Well,” Dominic said at last, squaring his shoulders with quiet resolve, “the magboots appear cooperative…”

He inclined his head toward the outer door.

“I believe I am ready.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Perhaps... Oh, yes, of course. Individuals would see the observation of their actions in the context of how it reflected personally, and at times against their species. Dominic wasn't wrong in the sense there would be a profile built concerning him as a discrete unit, but, "I have discretionary capacity, Dominic," Tatiana added followed by another smile. Judgments held a different context to her people. Probabilistic profiles enabled predictive simulations to better understand different potential responses, all analyzed against real world interactions. It was one of those topics Tatiana wasn't likely to bring up first. Most people did not appear to appreciate being considered 'predictable.'

Though Tatiana had met quite a few people that had strayed out of expectations in her short time among them. They were not always an easy people to predict as individuals.

"Even individuals of my kind are not specialists in all subjects. We access data faster, but it is not unlike you using a datapad to look up information. I think I would make a poor Senator." There were Senators of all kinds, but the most successful ones seemed to have a way about them. Tatiana wasn't entirely sure her personality was aligned in that fashion.

She had turned to watch the airlock open to make sure the way was clear. Then she turned on the spot to look back at Dominic as he seemed to be getting more familiar with movement with the magboots. A smile returned in force with a slight nod. They could save the thruster-pack for another time. Perhaps after a few simulated operations -- which would provide them plenty of opportunities to get together and talk.

Slowly, she backed up to the edge of the airlock and held out a hand for Dominic to join her. "As this is your first time, you may want to step up to the edge of the frame and roll around it until you're laying on the surface of the ship; and then slowly get your feet under you. One hand can hold on to the frame to help keep you near the ship without assistance." It wouldn't be difficult to accidentally 'bump' one's knee on the hull as they got up and cause them to drift slowly away, after all. "The other option is somewhere more... disorienting. You step over the corner and immediately onto the ship's hull. What you must keep in mind with that technique is: there is no 'up' in space. Direction -- orientation -- is what you make of it. You are your own frame of reference. Which is not like terrestrial life or that inside of a ship where they are the frame of reference."

"I will be here with you. It will be easy once your feet are on the hull." It was always the first step that was the hardest.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic lingered a moment beside the airlock console, gloved fingers hovering uselessly near the seals of his suit as though checking them again might somehow quiet the low thrum in his chest. He had been prepped for vacuum exposure, briefings, emergency drills, all the sensible procedural things one did for crew on long haul flights, but he was no vacuum-based engineering specialst. Not by a long shot.

None of those manuals had mentioned Tatiana.

She stood there in that calm, effortless way of hers, white against the dark of space beyond, like some deliberate signal flare. It drew the eye whether he wanted it to or not. Dominic let out a slow breath through his nose, the kind that tried to pass as composed but betrayed a trace of nerves at the edges.

Then he chuckled softly, the sound escaping before he could quite stop it.

“You know,” he said, attempting to rub the back of his neck and finding it ungainly, “I thought I had a fairly good grasp on the variables aboard this ship.”

His gaze lifted to her again, lingering just a little. “But you…” another small breath left him, fogging faintly against the helmet glass before the suit cleared it away. “…you keep fascinating me.”

Dominic hesitated only a second longer before reaching out. His hand found hers, careful at first, as if he half expected her to pull away or float out of reach just to prove she could. When she didn’t, his grip settled a little more firmly.

Another quiet laugh slipped out of him, nervous but genuine.

“Well,” he said, tilting his head toward the stars, “I could stand here overthinking it all day…”

His thumb brushed lightly across the back of her glove.

“…or we could just step out and see what happens.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana stared across at Dominic before curiosity turned to delight. Was she fascinating? That sounded nice. Fascinating things required attention and were remarkable in their own way. Memorable. Usually pleasant. Most probably wanted to be called beautiful, but given the scientific nature of their mission fascinating wasn't a poor substitute.

Dominic certainly sounded confident. His partner stood there for a moment with her hand in his. "A good idea. There'll be time enough to stand." With a gentle pull, she stepped back toward the void.

Soon, the white and silvery visage rocked backward as though slowly falling into a chasm. The mid-sole of her foot rested on the edge, which she used as a pivot. It wasn't a maneuver most could do, but the ability to manipulate gravity wasn't isolated to the ability to fly. Tatiana's other foot stepped over the edge and onto the hull as Dominic started to emerge. With her feet on the hull it would be easier for him to step over the edge. "It is like stepping over a bump in the road," she said in hopes it would help understand how to approach the ninety-degree pivot.

Once freed of the interior of the ship, she'd give him a moment, but the gentle pull returned. Standing at the airlock looking at stars was nice, but she had something else in mind.

Their course took them toward the fore of the ship, and the object of attention would hardly remain unnoticed for long. Off to one side was the blazing tail of a comet as it soared through the system Outbound Flight found itself. "The distance between us makes it appear to be moving slowly, but it has remarkable speed." Tatiana turned her head to look back at Dominic with a smile. It was true. It almost appeared to be standing still, but that was merely an illusion. One that allowed more time to appreciate the radiance of its visual characteristics.

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic's breath caught in his throat the moment Tatiana leaned backward toward the void. “Tatiana...”

The name slipped out before he could stop it, instinctive concern rising like a reflex as he saw her pivot on the threshold. For half a heartbeat it looked exactly like someone stepping off a cliff. His hand twitched forward, as if he might somehow catch her despite the absurdity of the idea.

Then she landed perfectly. Of course she did.

Dominic let out a slow exhale through his helmet, a nervous huff that fogged the interior glass for a split second before the suit cleared it away. “Right,” he murmured to himself, shaking his head faintly. “You do that.”

When it came time for his own step, the confidence evaporated. From the airlock's edge the hull stretched downward at a disorienting ninety-degree angle, the stars yawning open beyond it like an endless abyss. Every primitive survival instinct in his body screamed that stepping forward would mean falling forever.

He hesitated. Then, with the careful determination, Dominic lifted his foot and crossed the threshold.

The magnetic boot clicked. It caught instantly against the hull. Still, his stomach lurched violently as his brain tried to reconcile the impossible geometry. For a moment he stood there rigidly, staring down at the metal plating beneath his boots.

“I'm alright...I think,” he muttered again, voice slightly tighter now.

He took a slow breath in and out.

Dominic stayed like that for several seconds, focusing entirely on the hull beneath his feet until the rolling sensation in his stomach began to settle. “That,” he said faintly, “was definitely unfair.”

His helmet tilted slightly toward Tatiana. “You get to float around all perfect, and I’m stuck being suffering the consequences of biology...” Then he frowned slightly, head tilting. “…you aren't strictly speaking biological in nature are you?”

The words started confidently enough, but the thought unraveled halfway through as his gaze drifted past her shoulder. His voice slowed, then gave way to a sputter. Because the comet was there. A blazing arc of light trailing luminous dust across the dark canvas of space, vast and silent and impossibly beautiful.

Dominic stepped forward almost without realising he had moved, drifting a little past Tatiana as the spectacle drew him in. The smile that spread across his face was slow and awed. Then it faltered slightly. He glanced back toward her, uncertainty creeping into his expression as reality tried to catch up with wonder.

“Is…is…is it safe?” he asked quietly.

His eyes returned to the comet's radiant tail stretching across the stars.

“…It is safe.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

It was interesting to see Dominic reach out toward her as she left the airlock. His concern was... touching. Humans were delicate creatures, which left its mark in their interactions and culture. Even if it was unnecessary, Tatiana found it quite remarkable to be viewed with such care. That would not have happened among her own. To be seen as an individual rather than a component as part of a greater whole was different.

Something Dominic himself observed, but for different reasons. The fairness of their physiology. Fairness, in general, was such a strange concept. One her kind didn't possess until they met the people of this galaxy. Now, Tatiana understood the concept; but there wasn't either of them could do about it.

Tatiana would have responded, but Dominic's voice faltered toward the end as the comet seemed to register in his field of vision. Perhaps they could return to the topic later. Instead, she just smile as he stepped forward on his own. It appeared the view was appreciated. A subtle difference being outside with nothing between him and the stars, and viewing it from a screen or viewport.

A slight tilted in her helmet followed his question about safety. Dominic looked back at the comet without waiting on her reply. Another topic she could go on at length about; the most important thing being that they were perfectly safe even outside of the ship. With the breathlessness to his voice, however, Tatiana would spare the explanation.

She stepped up alongside her companion to gaze out at the comet as it swept through the void.

"It is. Beautiful, isn't it?" A hand extended out toward the astrological object. "Some day, we may come across one with some unique element or mineral and a reason can be found so you can walk on it." A genuine and humorous suggestion. Long as they weren't too close to a stellar object where the out-gassing was extensive it could be safe enough -- though less so than their current circumstance.

"My kind understand these things from a mechanical, mathematical, and utilitarian perspective. But there is an art to its purely physical properties. While we have a different sense of beauty or awe, Dominic, we do share it." Earlier he'd questioned her biology, which might lead to questioning her appreciation of the moment. Tatiana wanted him to know they were sharing that moment. "Each one is different."

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic’s eyes drifted from the blazing sweep of the comet toward Tatiana just a fraction of a second after she spoke.

While we have a different sense of beauty or awe, Dominic, we do share it.

For a moment he simply looked at her. The words stirred a thought somewhere behind his expression, something that hovered just long enough to almost become speech. Instead, Dominic cleared his throat quietly inside the helmet and turned his gaze back toward the comet before the thought could escape.

The radiant tail spilled across the darkness like a slow-burning river of light.

He let out a quiet breath. “I never once planned on walking on a comet,” he said after a moment, his tone carrying a faint, wry edge. “…though,” he added thoughtfully, “I have the distinct suspicion you might be the sort of person who could talk me into it.”

Dominic didn’t rush to fill the quiet that followed.

They simply stood there on the hull together, the vast silence of space surrounding them while the comet burned its silent arc through the darkness. Minutes slipped past without notice. No words, no movement beyond the slow turn of his helmet as he followed the drifting trail of light. And somehow the quiet did not feel empty.

Eventually his attention wandered past the comet, beyond the pale dust and icy fire, toward the deep black expanse stretching endlessly outward. He studied it for a long moment. “It feels so much bigger out here,” he said quietly.

“It’s something you know is big…but from inside a cockpit it’s always condensced down to a field of view.” The helmet tilted slightly as he looked deeper into the endless dark. “…out here it’s so very…” He hesitated, searching for the word. “…ominous.”

Tatiana Sah​

 

[Tatiana Sah]

Tatiana turned her head slightly to look over at Dominic. To walk on a comet would certain be quite the experience. Asteroids were challenging, but a comet was dangerous. Not that she was worried. Others would be. That... would probably quite an undocumented excursion. Perhaps if Dominic warmed up to her he wouldn't be opposed to a little extra-procedural indulgence? A demonstration of her ability to ensure his safety might go a long way as well.

Not that Tatiana was a thrill seeker, but the idea was neither impossible nor outrageous. Merely... atypical. She wasn't opposed to the notion of exploring something different.

For now, however, she joined him in silence to simply observe. Moments like these you had to pay attention; time enough for the usual matters later.

When Dominic break the silence to comment about the void that surrounded them, Tatiana drew her gaze back to him. "Unfathomable. Intimidating. Incomprehensible." There was a pause for her to smile. "It is difficult to conceptualize infinity. Imagine every screen on the bridge filled with the number nine. Then every screen on the ship. On every planet. Infinity is so much further than that." At some point, a person loses track of all those nines. "Every possibility is possible, somewhere, at some time. And this," she gestured to the darkness dotted with lights, "is just a bunch of screens filled with nines full of potential -- a beginning."

"Even the greatest computer in the universe can't hold it all. It helps to have a companion to take it all in. Friends."

Dominic Praxon

 

[Dominic Praxon]

Dominic listened quietly as Tatiana described infinity, his gaze drifting slowly back toward the comet as she spoke. The long plume of dust and ice shimmered faintly against the black, stretching across the void like a brushstroke dragged across an endless canvas.

Every screen filled with nines. He could almost picture it. Consoles glowing with endless repetition, numbers marching forever forward until the mind simply stopped trying to keep count.

His helmet tilted slightly as he followed the comet’s slow passage.

“You know…” he said thoughtfully, voice low through the suit comms, “from here you can almost see the structure of it.”

A gloved hand lifted slightly, gesturing toward the distant traveler. “The head’s brighter than I expected. And the tail isn’t just one line like the simulations always show.” His tone carried a quiet fascination now. “There’s layers to it. Dust spreading out differently depending on particle size…some of it pushing out faster, some of it lagging behind.”

He studied the faint variations of light and shadow.

“It’s messy,” he concluded softly. “Not symmetrical at all.”

Tatiana’s last word lingered in his thoughts. Friends. Dominic didn’t react outwardly to it. If anything, his shoulders relaxed slightly inside the suit as he watched the comet continue its slow glide through the dark.

“When you’re out here…” he continued slowly, “…it’s easy to feel very small. Like the universe doesn’t even notice you’re standing in it.”

He shifted his footing slightly against the hull, magnetic boots clicking faintly as they settled. “But standing here with someone else looking at the same impossible thing…” he added, voice thoughtful, “…somehow it doesn’t feel quite so overwhelming.”

Dominic glanced briefly toward Tatiana before his gaze returned to the comet’s fading trail.

“Thank you for this, Tatiana. I will never forget it.”

Tatiana Sah​