Gem’s shoulders relaxed slightly as she lifted her wrist to check her monitor and make sure her suit was sealed.

“Gem!” Cory called, stumbling forwards.

I could see the heartbreak on her face as she realised Cory would try and stop her from going.

Her eyes found Cas and she mouthed, “Please.”

He knew what to do. His arms wrapped around Cory’s, pinning them to his sides and pulling him back from the airlock door which closed between us and Gem.

“No! Cas! What the fuck? Gem, please come back! It’s not safe, let me go!”

Cory thrashed wildly, trying to dislodge Cas.

“Come on. She has to.” Cas grunted, fighting to keep Cory back.

Tears stung in my eyes as I watched Gem turn away from the scene, her hand going to cover her mouth.

“Gem! I love you! Be careful! Please!” He begged frantically.

He jammed his elbow into Cas’ stomach who grunted and instinctively let go. Cory dived forwards, trying to get away but Cas caught his arm, pulling him back. Cory’s other arm came up in a desperate struggle, catching Cas on the side of the face. I stepped forwards, grabbing Cory’s arm, trying to stop him from fighting any more.

He looked at him, his face wild with panic.

“Please. I won’t try and stop her. I just need to see her.” Tears streamed down his face.

I nodded, letting go but following closely enough to pull him back if he tried anything reckless.

He held his hand up to the window not even bothering to fight the tears pouring down his face. Gem turned, tears glistening in her eyes as she pressed her hand against his.

I’ll come back. I love you. She thought with a sad smile.

Cory’s shoulders heaved as we watched Gem push herself out of the airlock and float gently towards the other ship as she scanned it for damages. We stared at her through the window, watching her work silently. We all knew how dangerous this was. Even if it wasn’t a Council ship or a scavengers ship, the chances of her being injured or sucked into the gate were high. That wasn’t something a person could survive.

How’s it going? Cory asked, panic evident in his voice as he edged even closer to the window.

Well, it’s definitely not a Council ship, I can see some Irisians inside so I don’t think it’s a scavenger ship either. I’ve started to seal the first breach but there’s another one on the underside. No clue how that happened. She replied confidently.

Okay, just seal it up and be careful. I ordered, watching the flare of her tools barely visible from our ship.

Understood.

The time crawled by as Gem finished sealing the holes on the other ship. Peggy checked in with their Captain often, letting them know what was going on and making sure everything was okay on the ship. She updated the people on our ship too but I was too fixated on Gem to pay much attention.

How are you doing? Cory asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

All good still. She teased. Just finished sealing the final hole and now I’m going to take a look at their thrusters.

Wait. I ordered.

“Peggy, can you tell them to make sure they don’t use the engines until Gem is clear?”

Peggy spoke into the radio quickly.

Okay Gem, you’re good to go. Peggy’s told them not to use their engine.

Awesome. I’ll be back at Frida as soon as I can!

We waited anxiously as Gem moved around to the back of the ship and started working.

What happened to their thrusters? Cas asked, his hands twitching as if he wanted to be out there too.

It looks like they got damaged by some debris, there are still some larger chunks in here that haven't burnt up yet. I’m surprised they managed to get this far, to be honest. I think some of their thrusters got knocked out of alignment too.

I nodded. That would be easy enough to sort out. It should have been easy. Any one of us could have done that.

Can you get the debris out okay? Peggy thought, pressing closer to the window.

Yeah, just hard to get enough force to get everything out without damaging anything. Some bits are really stuck in here.

Do you need help realigning them? I could come out. Cas offered quickly.

No, I should be okay once I get all the bits out. Almost done!

We waited again.

I hated it. I felt so powerless just standing there, waiting for Gem to tell us what was going on and being unable to actually do anything myself.

There! All the bigger bits are out. The rest should either burn up or be expelled when they start the engines next. I think I’ve got the alignment sorted too. Let me just move back then they can move the thrusters about and have a check. Make sure they don’t light them yet though!

Peggy relayed the information to the other ship and we watched as the tiny figure of Gem moved away from the thrusters to get a better view.

Hell yeah! I think I’ve done it! No retreat, no surrender! Tell them to move them again, Peggy!

I smiled at the exuberance in her voice, relief filling me, as I listened to Peg tell the other ship what to do.

My smile froze in place though as I watched, almost in slow motion, as light flared behind the other ship encasing Gem completely. My heart stopped beating.

Gem! Cory cried.

I couldn’t move. The other ship shot forwards, into the gate and out of sight as hushed whispers filled my ship.

No! Gem! Are you still there? I screamed.

I could barely breathe as I waited for her to answer.

I’m here. Came her weak reply.

“Fuck!”

I ran into the cockpit, shoving past people and vaguely aware of Cas following me. I dropped into the seat, not even pausing to buckle myself in and coaxed Frida closer to Gem. I could see her now, floating motionless in front of us.

Gem! Please! Are you okay? Fuck! Cory cried again and again.

I was close enough that she could have used her thrusters to reach the ship but she didn’t move. She wasn’t conscious. I edged even closer, bumping against her and hoping that I wouldn’t knock her close enough to the gate to get sucked in but if I didn’t get her to grab hold of the ship she could have floated in before we got to her and that would have been the end.

The clunk of the magnets in her boots gripping the ship gave me a tiny flare of hope but she didn’t move any more. I checked her stats on Frida’s screen. Her heart was still beating but that’s all I could tell.

“Fuck!” I heard Cory shout from behind me.

He was trying to put his gloves on but his hands were shaking too hard.

“Engage autopilot, don’t let us move! Frida, keep Gem there!” I shouted, throwing myself out of the chair towards him.

“You’re not going out,” I ordered.

He looked at me, tears streaming down his face, still trying to get his gloves on.

“The hell I am!”

“No! You aren’t okay to go out there! You’re needed in here!”

He finally got his gloves on and tried to push past one of the Irisians to get to the airlock. They said something, looking to Peggy to translate.

“Srish is a doctor. She said… She said she’ll help you work on Gem and that you can’t leave.”

“I’m going.” Cas’ gloves and helmet were already on but his face was pale.

“Please,” Cory begged.

“I’ll bring her back.”

Cas put a hand on Cory’s shoulder before looking back at me. I nodded and he stepped into the airlock, clenching his hands and bringing them up to his neck seal.

“Frida, project your outside cameras on the ceiling!” I commanded, my hands shaking uncontrollably.

My knees barely held me up as Cory ripped his gloves off and began pulling the medical supplies from the locker, spreading them onto a clean sheet on the ground.

“Come on, Cas,” I whispered, my hand clenched around Peggy’s, as I watched him walk slowly closer to Gem.

“Why didn’t we get fucking biosensors? Fuck!” Cory’s hands went to his head, pulling at his hair.

“Come on,” I pleaded.

Cas had reached Gem. He was working to unstick her boots before ever so gently leading her back around Frida. Even on the cameras, I could tell it was bad. Gem was floating alongside him, not moving. I watched her gloves, hoping they’d twitch or go to grip Cas tighter but they didn’t.

I wanted to race to the airlock and help but I was stuck. I couldn’t move. If I did, I’d fall.

Please Gem.

All I could do was beg.