A ripple in the air, a swirl of dust, and then, suddenly, perhaps three or four seconds after contact, the portholes are covered with a purple film. In orbit around the planet Glory, a space station dedicated to research, known as the Orbital Laboratory for Exploratory Collaboration, or LOCE, is slowly falling into obsolescence, with some parts needing replacement to continue its usefulness. Among the astronauts sent was Selmig Saben, who was on her second spacewalk, a highly publicized event. Lalatiana Miharintoja, on the other hand, had joined a ZAD, an opposing body and soul to the Empire that devours, destroys, and colonizes shamelessly. This political commitment had become an evident necessity for him. Coming from the same training as Selmig, he had resigned some time before his first mission. Many years later, a trip to Esperance, a neighboring planet, came to completely destabilize the precarious balance of the Empire. There, the young woman and the rest of her crew discovered a strange substance, a soft powder, seemingly harmless but perfectly incomprehensible. This "pruine" stuck to their ship, crept under their clothes, remained on their skin, and then detached after five days, hiding in corners and interstices. What does this material imply? Should one be wary of it or rather appropriate it? What truths does it reveal about humanity in a broad sense? Chloé Chevalier proposes here a science fiction narrative of considerable scope. Far from frenzied intergalactic battles and excessive exploration, this story is more contemplative, more focused on the characters and their experience of the world around them. In the face of the potential of progress, what is their attitude? Especially, when does one decide that progress is no longer progress, that it transforms into something much worse? Chevalier's work invites readers to consider the ethical and philosophical questions that arise from technological and scientific advancements. It explores the tension between discovery and responsibility, and the fine line between innovation and destruction. The narrative does not offer easy answers but instead presents a complex and nuanced view of human ambition and its consequences. Through the experiences of its characters, the story challenges the reader to reflect on what it means to pursue progress and at what cost.