So Ricky had suited up and moved along the criss-crossed network of girders that formed the ship's ugly fuselage, jinking between the huge shipping crates, slowly covering the almost two hundred meters to the titanium globes on aft port and starboard. He headed towards the port engine to check things out, although he knew the problem was in the starboard engine. He was also careful. Since he was out, he might as well check both engines. Satisfied that the aft engine was in as good a condition that twenty years of service allowed, he moved across to the other.

He had done space walks many times. He knew the old adage "don't get complacent," but he was careful.

Shit happens. There was no way to know that the wrench would break. He had correctly anchored his tether on one of the girders before he even began the repair. Then he began the job of undoing the sensor housing, which involved loosening four large bolts. When the wrench broke, the torque sent him spinning off the ship violently. Then Murphy's Law really came into action when the twisted tether cable snapped taut and broke, sending him off into space.

It wasn't much of a delta V, but it was enough that Ricky knew that there was absolutely no way Nemo could pick him up. The captain would not even be able to locate him and would have no idea what the delta V direction could be.