The little dog poked its head out from the doorway behind them and tilted it, wondering what had gotten into its owner. Sam steered the ship toward the source of the brilliant light. A grappling cable shot out from the vessel and embedded itself into an asteroid with an amber-yellow gem lodged in its surface. The pull of the asteroid yanked the ship along behind it.
Rolina crouched down and adjusted the electromagnetic force in her boots, locking herself more firmly to the floor.
"If we can get our hands on that thing, I'm telling you—we didn't come all this way for nothing~~~"
As soon as Sam roared those words, Rolina sprinted through the red decontamination chamber and into the circular launch room. A spacesuit shot out from the wall and wrapped around her body in an instant. A black helmet slid down over her head, its visor glowing with a pale blue light that resembled the eyes of a shark.
The circular floor opened beneath her, releasing her into the weightless void of space. A tether secured tightly around her waist connected her to the rapidly spinning ship.
Ahead, she spotted an asteroid moving along the same trajectory.
She kicked off a smaller rock with both feet, launching herself toward it.
The golden gem shone without the slightest sign of dimming.
Rolina spread both hands wide. Sharp claws extended from her fingertips, and she drove them into the asteroid's surface, carving long grooves through the stone. Hand over hand, she climbed upward while the asteroid raced through space at tremendous speed.
She possessed far greater strength than an ordinary human—enough to resist the forces acting upon a moving asteroid like this.
The golden gem was directly above her now.
She stretched out her left hand to grab it.
"Don't let it slip!!" Sam's voice came through her helmet communicator.
"Shut up. I'm concentrating."
Rolina focused and worked the gem loose.
Grab!
She clenched it tightly in her fist. "Got it!"
She pushed away from the asteroid, the priceless gem secured in her hand.
Then suddenly—
"ROLINA, LOOK OUT!!!" Sam's warning rang through her helmet.
But it was too late. Her back slammed violently into another asteroid. Sam immediately hit the controls to reel in the tether and pull her back to the ship. Moments later, she was dragged into the red chamber once more.
Cool vapor sprayed across her body as she lay there, nearly unconscious. "Ugh... my back..." Rolina opened her eyes to see a holographic display inside her helmet showing her fatal injuries. Even then, her hand remained tightly clenched around the golden gem.
A mechanical voice sounded inside her helmet.
"Thirteen of your ribs have been fractured. Would you like me to—"
"No! I'll fix it myself... ngh... ahh!" Forcing her body upward, she arched her back. A howl escaped her throat like a wounded wild dog. The bones inside her body began shifting in a disturbing way.
"It's only... like... a sting. Hrrgh— AAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Sam struggled desperately to force it open.
"Rolina, can you hear me?! Fuck! Open, you stupid door!"
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!! GOOD GOD!"
Crack... crack...
Her bones slowly slid back into place. Bracing herself with both hands, she pushed herself upright. The lady staggered toward the sliding door and opened it. The moment it parted, her body collapsed forward onto Sam's shoulder. "Rolina..." His voice was barely above a whisper.