“It’s my job.”

He let go of her, and Maren realised how unwell he was. His eyelids fluttered as he slid down the wall, his broken leg at an odd angle. “Gin,” Maren said, quickly grabbing Saul’s arm and pulling him up. Gin hurried to his other side, and they managed to drag him to one of the maroon four-seater lounges and lay him down. Being as careful as they could, they lifted his broken leg.

Maren hurried to one of the tables and grabbed a bowl of potpourri, which had been left there by one of the station’s old staff. She tipped the dried flowers out, dusted it clean with her sleeve, and filled it with water from the jug.

“Here,” she said, kneeling beside Saul and pressing the bowl to his lips.

He drank then laid his head back and closed his eyes. His breathing was still ragged but at least a little less raspy. With an overwhelming sense of helplessness, Maren stayed kneeling beside him, watching his chest rise and fall.

Gin sat beside Maren, her large green eyes filled with a mixture of awe and fear. “You sure you’re okay?”

“I think so.” Maren wiped her sleeve over the sweat on her forehead. Her heart was still beating hard, and her legs felt weak, but at least she wasn’t hurt. “Sorry about that. I put you guys in danger.”

“Got us some water, though,” Gin said, a little of the usual optimism creeping back into her voice. “So that’s pretty cool, I guess.”

Maren glanced at the jug of water she’d left by the table. It held eight litres. That should last the three of them… a little over three days. She grimaced. “Central better get its rescue teams organised pretty damn quickly.”

Gin squeezed her hand, and Maren squeezed it back. Then she clambered to her feet, the aches, bruises, and strains suddenly returning with a vengeance as the adrenaline wore off. She stumbled to one of the cupboards that held bundles of throw blankets and spare supplies. She grabbed three of the blankets and the first-aid kit that was stored on the top shelf. She gave one of the blankets to Gin then spread the other two over Saul’s unconscious form.

Then, very carefully, she unwrapped the bandages from Saul’s leg. The bruising had spread and turned an angry red. Maren frowned, wishing she’d joined the optional emergency medical care course offered during her training. She repositioned the crooked braces and strapped the leg back up. Saul shivered but didn’t wake fully.

“That’s the best I can do.” Maren sighed and closed the first-aid kit.

A pounding noise on the door behind them made Maren jump. One of the creatures had circled around to try the other doors, she guessed. Gin grimaced then got up and crossed the room to where Saul had set up his security video equipment. She unplugged it, pushed its gurney across the room until it stood in front of Saul’s lounge, and re-plugged it into the nearest wall. Images from the cameras positioned about the station filled the screens.