Rage and despair roiled inside her and she punched the window. A massive crack appeared and she looked up in shock. Her head felt like it was going to burst.

  “But I did this! Surely I can fix it? Reverse it? There must be something?”

  Luke looked despondently at the crack in the window and shook his head.

  Sam shook her head. She had to fix this! There had to be a way. If there wasn't she would dam well die trying.

  “H.U.D! We need to Reverse the damage to these people, to fix them!”

  UNABLE TO COMPLY, THE USE OF SUCH HEALING MAGIC COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC LIFE ENDING DAMAGE TO THE WEILDER OF THE SPELL.

  “H.U.D. I didn't ask. They are dying because of me, I need to fix them! If the end cost is my life it will be a life well spent. NOW HELP ME FIX THE DAM PEOPLE!”

  Sam shuddered, her breath ragged. she thought for a moment the H.U.D. would ignore her demand, but then an uncharacteristically petulant H.U.D. replied.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  SO BE IT MISS HOLDEN. PRAY YOU SURVIVE THIS.

  Then the lights in the corridor faded from her sight as Sam felt the power source from before, bright and all consuming.

  She focused on the source and as her body absorbed the incredible power. she gasped in agony as her body lit up from the enormous heat that the power produced. As she consumed the awesome energies from the ships engines she focused on the people in the room beyond the window and felt their faint almost spent life essences and felt herself connect to them. As she did, she felt enormous pain in her chest as her own life force was drained from her. Sam literally felt the life being sucked out of her body as she tried to rejuvenate the men and women who had almost died by her hand.

  She pulled more power from the engines and forced it through her body and into the her victims. Her blue hospital gown went up in flames and she shrieked as her skin started to blister and peel. Her whole body was suddenly consumed by fire. The last thing she saw was Luke frantically running away as the window in front of her melted. Something in the back of her mind thought she hoped this worked as the men and women were now unprotected from the ashes of her burning flesh. Then the world went dark.