Her heart stopped. That meant all the scientists were exposed to the vacuum of space.
Fuck. Harper pushed off again, sending herself flying toward the end of the module. She put her arms by her sides to help increase her speed. Through the window, she saw that most of the scientists had grabbed on to whatever they could hold on to. A few were pulling emergency breathers over their heads.
She reached the end of the pod and saw the damage. There was torn metal where the door had been ripped off. Inside the door, she knew there would be a temporary repair kit containing a sheet of high-tech nano fabric that could be stretched across the opening to reestablish pressure. But it needed to be put in place manually. Harper reached for the latch to release the repair kit.
Suddenly, a slim body shot out of the pod, her arms and legs kicking. Her mouth was wide open in a silent scream.
Regan. Harper didn’t let herself think. She turned, pushed off and fired her propulsion system, arrowing after her friend.
“Security Team to the botany module,” she yelled through her comm system. “Security Team to botany module. We have decompression. One scientist has been expelled. I’m going after her. I need someone that can help calm the others and get the module sealed again.”
“Acknowledged, Lieutenant,” Captain Santos answered. “I’m on my way.”
Harper focused on reaching Regan. She was gaining on her. She saw that the woman had lost consciousness. She also knew that Regan had only a couple of minutes to survive out here. Harper let her training take over. She tapped the propulsion system controls, trying for more speed, as she maneuvered her way toward Regan.
As she got close, Harper reached out and wrapped her arm around the scientist. “I’ve got you.”
Harper turned, at the same time clipping a safety line to the loops on Regan’s jumpsuit. Then, she touched the controls and propelled them straight back towards the module. She kept her friend pulled tightly toward her chest. Hold on, Regan.
She was so still. It reminded Harper of holding Brianna’s dead body in her arms. Harper’s jaw tightened. She wouldn’t let Regan die out here. The woman had dreamed of working in space, and worked her entire career to get here, even defying her family. Harper wasn’t going to fail her.
As the module got closer, she saw that the security team had arrived. She saw the captain’s long, muscled body as she and another man put up the nano fabric.
“Incoming. Keep the door open.”
“Can’t keep it open much longer, Adams,” the captain replied. “Make it snappy.”
Harper adjusted her course, and, a second later, she shot through the door with Regan in her arms. Behind her, the captain and another huge security marine, Lieutenant Blaine Strong, pulled the stretchy fabric across the opening.
“Decompression contained,” the computer intoned.
Harper released a breath. On the panel beside the door, she saw the lights turning green. The nano fabric wouldn’t hold forever, but it would do until they got everyone out of here, and then got a maintenance team in here to fix the door.
“Oxygen levels at required levels,” the computer said again.
“Good work, Lieutenant.” Captain Sam Santos floated over. She was a tall woman with a strong face and brown hair she kept pulled back in a tight ponytail. She had curves she kept ruthlessly toned, and golden skin she always said was thanks to her Puerto Rican heritage.
“Thanks, Captain.” Harper ripped her helmet off and looked down at Regan.
Her blonde hair was a wild tangle, her face was pale and marked by what everyone who worked in space called space hickeys—bruises caused by the skin’s small blood vessels bursting when exposed to the vacuum of space. Please be okay.
“Here.” Blaine appeared, holding a portable breather. The big man was an excellent marine. He was about six foot five with broad shoulders that stretched his spacesuit to the limit. She knew he was a few inches over the height limit for space operations, but he was a damn good marine, which must have gone in his favor. He had dark skin thanks to his African-American father and his handsome face made him popular with the station’s single ladies, but mostly he worked and hung out with the other marines.
“Thanks.” Harper slipped the clear mask over Regan’s mouth.
“Nice work out there.” Blaine patted her shoulder. “She’s alive because of you.”
Suddenly, Regan jerked, pulling in a hard breath.
“You’re okay.” Harper gripped Regan’s shoulder. “Take it easy.”
Regan looked around the module, dazed and panicky. Harper watched as Regan caught sight of the fabric stretched across the end of the module, and all the plants floating around inside.
“God,” Regan said with a raspy gasp, her breath fogging up the dome of the breather. She shook her head, her gaze moving to Harper. “Thanks, Harper.”
“Any time.” Harper squeezed her friend’s shoulder. “It’s what I’m here for.”
Regan managed a wan smile. “No, it’s just you. You didn’t have to fly out into space to rescue me. I’m grateful.”
“Come on. We need to get you to the infirmary so they can check you out. Maybe put some cream on your hickeys.”
“Hickeys?” Regan touched her face and groaned. “Oh, no. I’m going to get a ribbing.”
“And you didn’t even get them the pleasurable way.”
A faint blush touched Regan’s cheeks. “That’s right. If I had, at least the ribbing would have been worth it.”
With a relieved laugh, Harper looked over at her captain. “I’m going to get Regan to the infirmary.”
The other woman nodded. “Good. We’ll meet you back at the Security Center.”
With a nod, Harper pushed off, keeping one arm around Regan, and they floated into the main part of the science facility. Soon, they moved through the entrance into the central hub of the space station. As the artificial gravity hit, Harper’s boots thudded onto the floor. Beside her, Regan almost collapsed.
Harper took most of the woman’s weight and helped her down the corridor. They pushed into the infirmary.
A gray-haired, barrel-chested man rushed over. “Decided to take an unscheduled spacewalk, Dr. Forrest?”
Regan smiled weakly. “Yes. Without a spacesuit.”
The doctor made a tsking sound and then took her from Harper. “We’ll get her all patched up.”
Harper nodded. “I’ll come and check on you later.”
Regan grabbed her hand. “We have a blackjack game scheduled. I’m planning to win back all those chocolates you won off me.”
Harper snorted. “You can try.” It was good to see some life back in Regan’s blue eyes.
As Harper strode out into the corridor, she ran a hand through her dark hair, tension slowly melting out of her shoulders. She really needed a beer. She tilted her neck one way and then the other, hearing the bones pop.
Just another day at the office. The image of Regan drifting away from the space station burst in her head. Harper released a breath. She was okay. Regan was safe and alive. That was all that mattered.
With a shake of her head, Harper headed toward the Security Center. She needed to debrief with the captain and clock off. Then she could get out of her spacesuit and take the one-minute shower that they were all allotted.