It was always sunny on Enceladus. The ocean of ice and its glittering ring gave the moon’s surface a luminosity every when it was not facing the sun. The domes of Alpha projected a false blue sky, a curated stream of puffy clouds, night and day cycles to suit the circadian rhythms of the humans. Myrtle preferred the light from the moon’s surface. With a steaming cup of black coffee, Myrtle went out to her porch. She needed to think. Hatchett, her ex husband, her current head of detectives, her future?, was in sleep mode starfished in her bed. Their son was fast asleep too. Myrtle opened her front door to pick through her thoughts while watching the eternal glow of her Enceladus shining through the holographic dawn. The brilliant light surged in.

Piercing her front door was a laser pitch axe. Myrtle dropped her cup. The white porcelain shattered. Hatchett ran to her side before the coffee had a chance to drip across. She rested her hand on his gray chest. Myrtle nodded to the door.

“A Rutherford Laser Fork GA49, the type used at the Lightbearer Mines. How would this even get into Alpha Colony?The Forty-Niners are banned. Why did your security system not alert us? Why didn’t I hear—“ Myrtle pressed her fingers to his lips. She put her hands on hips.

“First this is a message we need to understand.”

“And second…”

“ You need pants, partner.”