"The One Who Lies Beyond"

"Something is out there," Private Reaves said. "I can feel it."

"You can't feel a thing," Private Ryan said. "It's just nerves. Everyone gets nervous their first time in deep space. It's the fact that there's nothing near us, no planets or suns. Some people just can't handle it."

"But there is something out there," Reaves said.

"The only thing out there is empty space and us," Ryan said. "Come on, our shift is starting. You better not talk like that in front of the Commander."

Private Ryan  was telling the truth: everyone on board spaceships did get nervous their first time in deep space. There were no exceptions. Perhaps if someone had looked at this data, had seen the signs, they could have avoided it. But then, perhaps they would have done as Ryan did and brushed it away as "nerves."

Reaves stared out into the void of space and saw a flicker. Something was out there, he knew it. Beyond the veil of nothing, something waited.

And as he felt its presence, it felt his. And he knew. He looked and knew what was out there, what was waiting for them.

They tried to stop him, but he had already programmed the airlock. Just a press of the button and he was floating, his skin swelling, his mind finally free.

And his last thoughts before hypoxia took him were, "Empty space and us. Empty space and us and-"