EDWinter2

“This isn’t the mission I expected,” the astronaut said. Around him, technicians checked his suit and their equipment. “All this is…” He waved a white-mittened hand around the room.
The commander handed him his helmet. “We get the mission that’s in front of us,” she said. “Our duty to is explore, wherever humanity needs us to.”
Helmet secured, he gave the thumbs up. The techs took their positions and began chanting. They lit their black candles, and the air in front of him wavered, clouded, and became a glossy black portal.
“Capcom,” he said, “We are go for exploration.”