The eyes were glowing. It was a dark, forbidding shade of blue. It was Tom Relk, Commander Stine decided. But he sure as hell wasn’t human anymore.

As the figure completed its turn to face the group, Jones gasped. “He’s breathing!”

Impossible! thought Stine. He hadn’t noticed the subtle movement of Relk’s chest. It’s nothing odd, after all, seeing a man breath. It doesn’t stand out.

But this is a vacuum.

“No atmosphere.” Bjorn reported, his handheld confirming the lack of oxygen on The Pillar.

Stine took two slow steps toward the man, stopping a couple meters away. “Tom?” he said, knowing the sound of his voice wouldn’t travel through the emptiness.

The glow of the eyes made it difficult to guage what Relk was looking at.

“Hammer, X.O.”

“Go Commander” came Captain Salis’ reply.

“One survivor, sir.” Stine reported. “It’s Relk, Captain. But something’s happened to him. Jones, transmit data to The Hammer.”

Silence. “Boarding party. No contact. Return to the ship.”