Caruda's Plasm Barrier Won't Protect You From This

Six hearts sit at the heart of the starlit engines that propel humans and ophiliens into deep space. One heart could feed the theta for a hundred years. Two meant that it once had a mate. Three stars could work miracles for spacers like us. Four meant that we could retire. Five would kill eventually. Cancer. Six were as dangerous as they are useful. Nobody had ever seen six hearts in a theoratus belly. The alarms howled. I slammed my hand on the comb. We're taking rads. Nate, abort. Get back in behind the plasm barrier. Elliot's voice crackled. So close. Just one more.