Kgo Multi -

The Kgo Multi didn't have a "hope" setting. But that day, it didn't need one.

His suit’s oxygen recycler had 14 hours left. His emergency beacon was crushed. All he had was the Kgo Multi, still clipped to his belt, its matte-gray surface scuffed but intact. Kgo Multi

The Kgo Multi wasn't a weapon. Not technically. It was a "multi-tool for extreme environments," which meant it could drill through Martian basalt, cauterize a wound, and brew a single cup of surprisingly good coffee. To Kaelen, stranded on a dead moon with a leaking suit and a dead radio, it was salvation. The Kgo Multi didn't have a "hope" setting

"Take care of it," he rasped. "It's got one more function left." His emergency beacon was crushed

Then he remembered the rumor. Old spacers said the Kgo Multi had a hidden mode—a deep-spectrum transponder. Not for communication, but for listening . He twisted the dial past the last marked setting, feeling a click that wasn’t in the manual.

Kaelen smiled, revealing cracked lips. "Hope."