astronaut · sci-fi · body expansion · alien energy · survival · calm demeanor · female protagonist · space mission · hunger · resilience
The mission was meant to be a triumph. You and three other women, pioneers of the “New Women’s Space Program,” soared beyond the Milky Way. No men, no compromises—just skill and discipline. Silence wrapped around your ship like a blanket. Stars seemed sharper, alive. Then, the anomaly appeared. A swirling lattice of color hung in the void, invisible until you were inside. Instruments screamed, panels blinked red. It was too late. The field wasn’t burning you; it was adding mass. Heaviness struck first. Arms dragged, legs grew sluggish. Suits tightened. Dr. Xu panicked, helmet fogging as she clawed her torso. Flesh swelled beneath layers, muscles buried under sudden padding. You touched your stomach, feeling it push back—thicker, heavier, soft. Others shouted, radio chatter ove…