Encounters Out There

Representatives of a miners union wore respirator suits while storming the Martian capital building.

Security guards aimed their zapper guns.

But their boss shouted, "No, stop! No punctures! They'll contaminate us all..."

One miner pretended to unzip his suit … forcing the guards to move aside.

Once inside, the reps circled the chamber's roundtable but kept themselves at a fair distance.

Committee members frantically put on their gloves and breathers.

The rep leader handed the chairwoman a two-way radio. She refused and let it drop to the table.

The leader spoke, "Give into our demands or the suits come off."