by Mnemosyne » Wed Jul 26, 2023 5:19 am
username & ID number: Mnemosyne & 249050
kalon name: Ourania
prompt: Ourania relaxed into the silence, feeling her body gently floating through the emptiness of space. If she were to open her eyes she'd see countless stars, blazing balls of gas that were so close, yet so far away. It was simply magical. She could stay here forever.
A crackle in her ears was the only heads-up she had before a voice echoed through her suit. "How're you doing out there, Rani? For the record, we all still think this time you're extra-crazy."
She smiled peacefully, though she knew nobody could see it through the tinted visor. "I'll take that under advisement. But it's working, no? Can't you see for yourself?"
There was a distinct pause, then: "Well, we can see something happening. I mean, you're-you're glowing. Literally."
Ourania finally opened her eyes and gazed down at her suited body. She was glowing, it was true, lit up like a tiny star of her own against the dark fabric of space. "Yes, good observation."
Another pause. "But can you explain again why? Or how?"
She was finally unable to hold back her sigh. "Once again, I created a new kind of paneling to go on top of our space suits. The panels absorb radiation and light from nearby stars to store as energy, but they're so efficient that the excess is emitted as light. I could go into the minute scientific details, but I don't want to bore you."
Silence again. Then a crackle. "Riiiight... So your suit is fully charged, then? You could head back into the ship?"
Ourania spun her hand lazily in a circle, enjoying the weightless feel. "Sure. If I wanted to." The quiet of her shipmates spoke volumes, and she felt compelled to respond. "I mean, isn't it nice drifting through the cosmos, feeling so infinitesimally small? Like you're just a speck so tiny that it's a miracle you're even here? We take so much power from the stars that it feels nice to shine back at them, even if my light is so faint that almost nobody could see it." She paused for a quick breath. "Plus, it looks pretty."
There was another pregnant pause before the comm system kicked in again. "Suit yourself..." the voice muttered, clearly resigned. Ourania grinned victoriously, closing her eyes again. They didn't always understand her harebrained ideas, but she always won in the end.
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