Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. That did not stop Henry from screaming into the microphone of his spacesuit. 

"You bastards, you come get me right now! I know my rights, you can't do this! I swear–"

An automated voice cut Henry off in an upbeat professional sounding female voice. 

"Microphone privilege temporarily revoked." 

This also did not stop Henry from screaming, where no one living could hear him, floating alone in the vastness of space. 

The automated voice cut back on, 

"passenger stress detected at excessive levels, administering sedatives." 

Henry's vision blurred and he blacked out, drifting into the unknown.

The last moment Henry remembered on Earth was the judge's verdict at his trial. Not that Henry would call it a trial. After all, the corporation that arrested him was the same one that programmed the judge's AI. The Xeris Corporation was responsible for most of the world's advanced robotics. According to them, Henry had stolen highly classified information about one of their secret projects. In reality Henry had never seen any piece of information from Xeris Corp. Matter of fact Henry had never even seen the Xeris compound, since he was a C-Class citizen and didn't have access to that part of town. That did not stop the judge from giving him three consecutive life sentences for corporate espionage, malicious research and theft of intellectual property from an S-Class entity.

Luckily his lawyer (who was also programmed by Xeris Corp.) got him a deal just 50 years if he agreed to indentured servitude to the corporation. If Henry had known that meant being shot into space in nothing but some fancy new space suit Xeris wanted to test he would have taken fifty life sentences. At least then we would have died on Earth and not stranded in space.

Just moments after agreeing to the indentured servitude he had been injected with some sort of drug by his shackles, blacked out, and woke up unable to move inside of some sort of suit. When he came to, he was in some sort of suit that constrained his movement. He could only see directly in front of him and he seemed to be inside an empty white room accented by cones of red flashing lights, with a giant metal door in front of him. By the time he had fully come out of his stupor the door snapped open and in the blink of an eye he was expelled into space.

Henry opened his eyes to a blinding light. A second later that light resolved into a star peeking around a giant gas planet. The light passing through the purple and pink swirling atmosphere of the planet was one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. Henry was in awe of the exotic beauty when he was reminded that he was floating helplessly through space.

He must be still feeling the effects of the sedative because while the situation he was stuck in was horrifying, he did not resort to screaming into the void in terror like he did the last time he was conscious. Instead he took a deep breath and started to take stock of his situation. Henry found that he could not move his arms or legs. He could move his head a little bit in each direction but at a certain angle he was constrained by the suit. But he found that when he looked at his peripheral, words on a HUD highlighted on the visor of his suit.

When he focused on the HUD to the left of his vision the words shifted to directly in front of his view. It read Life Suit Xs-7, designed and produced by the Xeris Corporation. After reading the title a line of rapid fire text ran across the display. Henry could only make out a few of the hundreds of words and the words he did manage to read he did not think he had ever seen before. 

Then a red light flashed across the display and the automated voice kicked on 

"You have accessed privileged information from the Xeris Corporation. This information is highly classified and viewing it is punishable by up to three consecutive life sentences. You will be arrested on August 14th to await your trial. Thanks and have a nice day."

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Henry tried to raise his hand to whack the outside of the display but he found that his arms still were immobilized by the suit.

"Hey you stupid suit that was the day I was arrested, how was I arrested for a crime I hadn't committed yet, and wouldn't have been able to commit if you hadn't shoved me in this suit?"

"That is correct, you were arrested on the 14th for seeing proprietary information relating to the Xeris Life Suite XS-7. You have waived any right to an appeal process by agreeing to indentured servitude to Xeris Corp. Thanks and have a nice day."

Henry was dumbfounded.

"So you're telling me I was arrested for a crime you forced me to commit through the punishment? How the hell is that legal?"

"You are not being punished, you are a member of Xeris Corp Indentured Servant Collective. Take pride in your work! For you are helping in the progression of humanity's journey to the distant stars."

"What do you mean my journey through space you stupid robot?!"

"You have been selected as the subject for the flagship journey of the XS-7. This space suit is designed to stay in prime condition in the harsh environment of space. The suit will also keep your body in stasis for the duration of the trip. The purpose is to allow the passenger to survive in space on a journey of any length and arrive in perfect condition to explore or colonize the furthest reaches of space. Your job will be to be a passenger and have your vitals and suit diagnostics sent back to HQ periodically. In approximately 50 years you should arrive at your destination, your indentured servitude complete."

"What the hell am I supposed to do stuck in this suit for 50 years?! And why can't I move my arms?"

"As a member of X.I.S.C and a subject of the Life Suit XS-7 Project you have been granted access to all documents from the Chicago Library of Humanity to browse through on your journey through space. Congratulations for receiving the privilege! Limbs will be able to be moved once a week during exercise time. All other times your body will be maintained by the XS-7 to keep from atrophying."

“Alright you demon space suit or whatever the hell I’m talking to, you connect me to someone in charge right now damnit!”

“All audio will be recorded and transmitted back to Xeris HQ for quality control and research purposes.” 

“I didn’t agree to this and I want out. You come get me right now and get me out of this suit.” 

Henry tried and failed to keep his temper under control just in case the suit wanted to drug him again. The automated voice stayed silent. He looked out at space and saw only blackness and the bright light of the start now almost fully revealed from the planet. For the second time he thought it was the most beautiful sunrise he’d ever seen. Then he realized what he was seeing might not even be a sunrise since he was not on that planet’s surface. If that planet even had a surface. His uncertainty reminded him of the horrifying situation he was trapped in. He had never been in space and had no idea how robotics or space travel even worked. He was going to die out here. Around that time he realized just how quiet it really was.

In the silence all he could hear was his own ever increasing heartbeat. Each beat was harder and louder and accompanied by a rising pressure in his chest. His breath started to get erratic and heavy, his breath fogging up the HUD of his suit. He was going to die up stranded alone in space. And this suit would just drift forever with his dead body inside. He would never see any of his friends or family again. Hell he would never see another living person, or even an insect. And he thought he was lonely after his break up a few months ago. Speaking of breakups he guessed that now there was definitely no way to save that relationship. Weirdly enough his current situation made him feel a lot better about that breakup. 

“People always say travel changes your perspective,” Henry muttered to himself. 

Partly just to hear himself talk and help him stop the spiral of anxiety he was experiencing. Thinking about perspective reminded Henry of a famous quote about an early astronaut having a transcendent experience being in space for the first time. It had become a trope for space explorers since then. Viral videos of astro-ass-hats faking enlightenment to make propaganda and commercials. He didn’t feel peaceful or a more integrated part of the universe. Henry only felt small. And alone. And Doomed.

As Henry was looking around he noticed more text highlighted in his peripherals. He looked at the text on his right and saw the words menu, library, functions, and help. He fixed his gaze on help and it went to the center of his HUD and faded. 

His suit’s voice spoke up,

“What sort of help do you require?”

“What sort of help can I get? I'll take just about anything at this point.”

“Just speak your needs and the Xs-7 will do what it can.”

“Take me home.” Nothing happened and Henry got no response. “Turn around.”

“Motion not permitted at this time.”

“So am I really supposed to just sit here in this suit? What am I supposed to do, who am I supposed to talk to.” 

“You can talk to me, I am programmed to have stimulating conversations to keep you company. Conversely you can browse the documents in the library.”

Henry sighed. "So my choices for the next 50 years are to read or talk to a robot. Great. Definitely won't end up going crazy."