Without thinking, Rick sucked in a deep breath while plunging into the river after his unconscious friend, Bors. The shock of the ice-cold water threatened to rip the air from Rick’s lungs. It took every ounce of will not to scream in pain and shock. Mere moments later, his hands started to numb from the shocking cold. Rick swam after Bors. His friend was caught in the current, drifting away from him. Pushing the pain aside, Rick focused on reaching him as fast as possible. The barbarian had taken a bolt to the chest to save Rick and would drown if he didn’t reach him in time. Or succumb to the frigid water. Have to get to him quick and warm him up somehow. Part of his mind tried to find ways to help warm him before he shunted it away. One problem at a time!

Rick wasn’t the best swimmer, and the swift current pulling the hulking form of Bors didn’t help. The one good thing was the current pulled Rick along as well as Bors in the same direction. Digging deep, Rick forced himself to swim faster. He’s a friend. No matter what, save him. He closed the gap, though his lungs burned with the need for air. Bors will be worse. If only I had my suit.

Rick was close enough to reach out, and he tried to grasp the unconscious man’s limp arm. Bors slipped from Rick’s grip. Thanks to an eddy, Rick was pulled rapidly away from Bors. His lungs burned for air, and finally, he kicked himself to the surface of the river, gasping for the sweet, moist air that waited for him. He sucked in and out several breaths to help expand his lungs for a few more precious seconds of air before slipping underwater and kicking toward the barbarian again. With renewed vigor, the Space Ranger forced his cold-stiffened muscles toward the form of his friend and reached out to snag Bors’s wrist! Gripping the slippery, yet corded forearm as best he could, Rick pulled hard upward. Buoyed by the water, Bors and Rick breached the water. Even Bors, in his half-conscious state, coughed out water and started to suck in great gulps of air. As the barbarian gasped, he did not flail. Bors also felt a bit warmer already against Rick’s thin uniform.

Safe for a moment, Rick tucked an arm under Bors’s shoulder and head to keep him from slipping back into the water. “Hold on, big guy, we’ll get—”

A low rumbling sound that Rick hadn’t picked up on at first built louder and louder in the background. Rick finally noticed. At first, he thought it was only the roaring of the blood in his ears. Then he realized the current was picking up, sweeping Bors and Rick faster downriver. Not good. Rick realized what was going on a heartbeat before the pair slipped into a section of rapids. While in a desperate bid to keep Bors’s head above water, the pair were smashed and spun in head-wrenching circles in the current. Rick tried to keep his own head from being pulled under or slammed into the rocks that threatened to drive the wind from him. Barely keeping ahold of the barbarian, he breathed a sigh of relief as they exited the rapids. Then Rick spotted the buildup of foam in the river ahead, the roar growing louder and louder still. The beginnings of an edge to the water appeared—a waterfall, approaching with great speed.

The roar was deafening.

Rick took a gulp of air. Al’Kara, I hope you’re safe. It was Rick’s last conscious thought before he and Bors plunged into the cataract of water, tumbling through the air toward the rocks and churning water thirty meters below.