By: Jack Whaler.

When nutraloaves went from 40 to 48 credits, you grimaced. But what was the alternative? Even with minimal Gs in the mines, your body needed fuel. So you paid. You’d just need to work harder.

But younger miners moved faster. They made untethered jumps and quicker detonations. You took stims to keep up. Then a week’s dose went from 220 to 290. What was the alternative? Your credit balance shrunk.

At year’s end, the cost of oxygen doubled. You sat. You thought. And on your next shift, you sweated as you aimed your mining laser. Oh, you’d find an alternative.

© 2025. Jack Whaler

Jack Whaler is a writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area. His work has previously appeared in Berkeley Fiction Review. He can be found on Twitter/X or Instagram at @jack_whaler.

Posted February 19, 2025.