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large buggy’s headlights sweeping over her. She didn’t even respond to the vigorous shakes someone was giving her, for she was too busy slipping into unconsciousness and out of her body.
She saw herself inside the buggy, being given resuscitation by a large and handsome man, who was frantically coaxing her back to life. Even in her current state, she couldn’t help noticing how good-looking he was, even though she was by now watching events through a rapidly narrowing tunnel, curiously reluctant to leave, watching herself, watching the man. Then with a gasping choke, she was back inside the buggy, aware that she was vomiting and shouting. Weeping, she clung to the man who was by now wiping her down and covering her with a space blanket, for she was shivering violently. She was dimly aware that he was speaking to her with reassuring words, then he gave her some kind of shot, and heavily sedated, she sank back onto the floor of the vehicle, dimly noticing the whine of the motor, and wondering how on Earth he had managed to come in the nick of time to rescue her.
She woke up to find she was back in her own module. She sat up in a fright, wondering if she had been dreaming, and how the life support systems were up and running. Then she saw the handsome man sitting anxiously by her bed. He coughed, and somewhat awkwardly offered his hand.
“Hi. I’m sorry to have met you in such awful circumstances. I’m ESO Patrick O’Byrne. You were down on my schedule for a visit to see if everything was OK. It’s lucky I came along when I did. You were almost a gonner. Your suit ID said “Racz”, so I figured you must live here. I brought you back, but your module was without oxygen. I left you in the buggy while I fixed the pump. The old one was absolutely wrecked. Who do you get to service it? It was actually venting your air outside! I carried you in while you were still sedated, and cleaned you up a bit more. I hope you don’t mind.”
She looked down at herself. She was indeed clean; in fact, she had been dressed in a new set of coveralls. She looked up at him. He was watching her with an intensity that was unnerving. Slowly, cautiously, she reached for his hand and held it. She didn’t say anything. She just held him as big tears rolled down her face. Then he was holding her, and she was fiercely clinging to him, great wracking sobs heaving through her body.
Later, after they had made love over and over again with a fierce passion she had never experienced with Ogdan, she knew she wanted to be with him.