Space walk. How?

Here is an issue I run into several times, how do I get a character from point A to point B. For example, how do I get a character to perform an action where the decision to perform the action is outside that character’s control and must be either dictated by an authority figure, or dictated by the times in which the story takes place.

Here is my dilema, my protagonist has just exited the docking door of a space ship just beyond the Oort cloud. How do I get my character to the rear of the ship where she must perform repairs on the engines. My options are as follows:

1. Gravity boots – These are easy, and I assume my ship is made of a material conducive to magnetism. This may just ruin a possibility in the story at a later time.
2. Tethered – This would mean that my character would tether herself at the docking door and attempt to push herself to fly towards the back of the engine. The question is, is the ship’s gravity strong enough to pull her back towards it.
3. Propulsion system – I know that this is possible, but is it realistic. I could have my character fly to the back of the ship and then tether herself there, but does that mean there are tether hoops every where.
4. Canadarm – What about a robotic arm that comes out of the ships underbelly and can literally take her anywhere around the outside of the ship that she wants. She could even go clean the windshield if she wanted. Now considering the size of my ship I think this one may be unrealistic.

I am sure there’s an answer to this. Perhaps all this time I’ve been going at this all wrong. Maybe I don’t need to describe the trip to the rear of the ship, although I do think it would add to the experience and me build my character. And also I know that traveling back to the docking door will be part of my scene. So if anyone has tips, please provide them.

Thanks