She couldn’t open her eyes. They were too heavy. Everything felt weightless. “Why can’t I lift my arm?” she tried to speak but the words died in her throat in a garbled, flat noise.

“Don’t try to move, lieutenant. You are in the zero gravity healing chamber. Let the oxygen treatment do its work. You’ll be out soon.” Doctor Roberts voice trailed off and she succumbed to the darkness again. This time was different. This time there was no rest, only nightmares.

The crunch of her boots and the steady rhythm of the oxygen tank was all she could hear. She turned up her mic and looked behind her to get a visual on Sergeant Miller. He wasn’t there. Her heartbeat quickened. Something flashed into her field of vision and was gone in an instant. In dream-time slowness, she flicked the radio signal on and tried to contact the sergeant, but the radios were down. Her mouth was so dry. She turned back but all she could see was a flicker of light. The distress signal. Why can’t I move my legs?