Support Maggot Refuses Leather Muzzle

Deep-rock fitter Tomas Cerna has refused three safety orders to muzzle his three-metre flesh-maggot on 16 Psyche. The biological weapon was engineered during the Ceres trade disputes to dissolve heavy metal hull plating. It currently slumps across Cerna's workbench like a giant warm beanbag. "Barnaby is an emotional support animal, and he gets nervous when the drills hum," Cerna explained. Safety officers issued citations after the creature chewed through two hydraulic lifts and a floor beam on Thursday. "That was bad luck because the gravity dropped and he panicked," Cerna said. "A spaniel barks when it gets scared, but Barnaby chews structural steel." Under union rules, support animals are exempt from muzzling if the restraint causes distress or skin irritation. "The leather gives his stomach segments a rash, and he is very sensitive," Cerna said. Cerna bought the creature from a surplus yard last month to manage his severe shift anxiety. "My heart rate is down twelve points since I got him," Cerna reported. "If he eats a spare drill bit, I pay for the bit, which seems fair." Station managers confirmed drilling remains paused while safety officers source a softer muzzle for the larva. They need a restraint broad enough for a three-metre worm that will not ruin its mood. "He sleeps in my bunk because he likes the heat," Cerna added. "My bunkmate now sleeps standing up in the corridor, but he fully supports my mental health."