Free Usurper of the Sun by Housuke Nojiri

few to show abnormal readings at any given time.
    “No, this is different. We have a problem,” replied Mark, surprisingly calm now.
    “Let’s hold out for a minute, see what happens.”
    “If we lose only one actuator, we can still continue. We’ll just balance out a bit more slowly. But if something is hanging on out there,” Mark explained, “if the contamination has reached our backup, it’s game over. Let’s run an inspection to see where we stand. If there’s no infection, we go back. If there’s any contamination at all, then I’ll remove the parts by hand and dispose of them. That would mean working next to the reactors for several hours while the reactors are running. And, of course, it would mean that I wouldn’t come back inside since I would risk bringing the contaminant with me.”
    “Wait. Could we eject the engine to solve the problem? We can continue with just one,” Aki protested, her fear hanging in the air.
    “Yeah, but if the other engine fails, we’re stranded.”
    “But if the only other choice is to leave you to die, I vote that it is worth the risk.”
    “Think about that one, Aki,” said Per. “We have two engines, but four people. The math is clear.”
    Mark said nothing. An engineer does what his duties require of him whether he likes it or not. Aki remembered Mark’s words, and now it was crystal clear what they meant.
    “Out of the cocoons. Everybody to the crew area,” Kindersley said, his voice limned with authority.

    MARK WAS SUITING up in front of the airlock. The other two took turns offering farewells. Aki went last.
    “Can I finally kiss you?” he asked.
    Without speaking, Aki closed her eyes and leaned toward him. She was taken by surprise when she felt his tongue touch hers. Her instinct was to pull back, but she let herself go, giving in to the desire she had felt since the day they met. Mark was the one to finally pull away.
    He looked small inside the oversized suit as he finished getting ready for the EVA. He ran a diagnostic, then entered the airlock. Closing the inner door, he gave a thumbs-up through the tiny round window.
    Three hours later, Mark completed the mission. He had removed and discarded all of the contaminated parts. All that was left to discard was himself. Aki was unable to speak.
    “Looks like you still have some time, Mark. You’re free to do whatever you like,” said Commander Kindersley. Mark mumbled a short prayer to himself, something about how dying was acceptable if his sacrifice led to saving what was left of the world’s population.
    Then he said, “I think I’ll go check out that Ring over there.”
    From inside her cocoon, Aki watched the ship diminish in size through Mark’s helmet camera as he propelled himself toward the Ring.
    Mark fired his thruster to close the ten-kilometer gap between him and the Ring. In the footage he was sending, it was almost impossible to distinguish the inky surface of the Ring from the blackness of space.
    After some time, his searchlight finally began to reflect off the surface of the Ring, producing a circle of light that gradually grew brighter. Aki wanted to look away, but she needed to see the Ring.
    “The surface is silvery velvet. Firing my thruster, on the Ring… creating waves rippling away from the contact. I’m at three meters and closing in… Okay, I’ve just touched down.”
    For a moment, Mark’s stuttered breathing was all they could hear.
    “It’s incredible, a mirror that goes endlessly in all directions. I’m a dimple on the surface. I weigh one kilo, but it’s enough to cause the surface to sink where I’m standing. I’m standing on an enormous pillow, a cloud.” There was a choked sob.
    A warning light appeared on the monitor mounted on the arm of his suit. The red glow was visible on the monitor before he looked down and flashed on the screen.
    “Uh-oh. Feeding has begun, boots are changing color. A spiderweb is wrapping itself around me, moving