Series 1.14 - Running Out of Time
An insurmountable feeling of regret lived in a very prominent part of her heart; feeding and growing with every beat. The rhythmical sound, once so comforting, now brought nothing more than utter dread. She could sense it growing as much as she could the blood running through her veins. It was not a familiar sensation, yet felt as though it was always destined to be. Her body was convincing her mind that the end was surely near; and her mind was being persuaded. She wondered why she ever let it go; what fool would ever make a choice as appalling?
How could I be so careless? It could have saved us. Yet, I chose to let it go?
That same heart, through the poison of doubt, could feel nothing more than the sadness of loss now. And there lingered yet another feeling; shame. But not just for letting go. She felt shame for every single thing in her life that she ever once questioned. The way she represented herself to her family and to the galaxy; the way she led the Order. The life of arrogance and duty that had perfectly melded itself into a monster of contrition; a creature that lurked in the shadows around her. She knew long ago that she did not like the person that she had become; a child could see it coming. And in spite of all of that, the only thing she could mourn now was her own demise and the ego that fed into it.
I was supposed to be the beacon of hope that carried the Order back to esteem it once had. And now? I'm about to lose it all; just like I gave away...you.
The anger crackling around her mind only made the pain of loss that much more hard to accept. And inside of that storm of anguish she could finally understand. She was not mourning the loss of her subordinate, nor even the loss of her own life. She weeps only for the loss of the power she could have had. And that thought frightened her more than any bit of regret ever could.
How could I be so careless? It could have saved us. Yet, I chose to let it go?
That same heart, through the poison of doubt, could feel nothing more than the sadness of loss now. And there lingered yet another feeling; shame. But not just for letting go. She felt shame for every single thing in her life that she ever once questioned. The way she represented herself to her family and to the galaxy; the way she led the Order. The life of arrogance and duty that had perfectly melded itself into a monster of contrition; a creature that lurked in the shadows around her. She knew long ago that she did not like the person that she had become; a child could see it coming. And in spite of all of that, the only thing she could mourn now was her own demise and the ego that fed into it.
I was supposed to be the beacon of hope that carried the Order back to esteem it once had. And now? I'm about to lose it all; just like I gave away...you.
The anger crackling around her mind only made the pain of loss that much more hard to accept. And inside of that storm of anguish she could finally understand. She was not mourning the loss of her subordinate, nor even the loss of her own life. She weeps only for the loss of the power she could have had. And that thought frightened her more than any bit of regret ever could.
*****
It took longer than Melora wanted to admit to realize what had just happened. The Sunder had caught up to them after she had used her UDE-1 blast to blow a hole in the temple wall. One thing was clear now, however; they seemed to be able to track the use of the dark energy. She pulled herself up from the rock covered ground and did all she could to ignore the newly formed cuts and burns the enemy weapon and debris from the blast had caused to her body. She had enough experience and training to push aside her own pain and spring back into action in anticipation of another battle.
“Aida, are you okay?!” she cried out, seeing the now fragile girl face down in the dirt. She ran to the her side, and gently turned her over.
“I...am not...okay.” Aida said meekly through gritted teeth and agony.
“Stay with me, Controller Warda, you're not out of this yet!” she tried to motivate the girl's sense of duty. Part of her wished she wasn't always so militaristic; she wished to show the girl some compassion. But it was hard.
“Alere, you need to get here NOW! Aida isn't combat effect and we're going to need backup on the ground.” she exclaimed into her comm-set.
Time seemed to crawl to a standstill. The UDE-1 began to flow from Aida's body like blood from a dying animal. Melora knew that the girl was trying to use her healing abilities to help the Commandant. Aida cared more about her duty to the Order and the oath she took as a Shield/Protector than of her own downfall. But Melora could not allow that to happen; not after already losing Kel.
And also losing...
“No!” she said out loud, no longer entirely sure what it was she was objecting. She placed both of her hands on Aida's shoulders, grabbing hold of her Resonator Harness, and lifted the girl into a sitting position. She could see now just how much UDE-1 scarring had formed on the girl's neck and arms from overuse.
“You need to stop, I'll be fine! Just stop and worry about yourself! That is an order, Controller Warda!”
Please! You have to stop! They have to hurry...
She was granted her wish; as if the universe was reading her mind and felt pity on her. The strike craft careened from out over the top of the jungles, being tailed by two enemy ships that she did not recognize. She watched in awe as Alere managed to push the ship to limits that only she could in order to cause the two trailing vessels to crash into treetops with a fiery explosion. This gave her the incredibly small opening she needed to hover the ship down near Melora and Aida in an exfil position. The hatch on the rear of the craft opened, and Melora saw the welcoming faces of Jules and her brother, along with the Yigit awaiting them.
“Come on, we have to get her aboard!” she yelled out to the rescue party. Jules and Tae jumped off the ramp and each placed an arm under Aida's and hoisted her to her feet.
“Where's Kel?!” Tae shouted over the sound of the engines, looking around through the rubble and the lightening erupting from the hole in the wall.
“He's gone, and we have to go now or else we will be too.” said Melora, less like a sister would and more like a commanding officer would. She found herself talking to him like that more and more often lately.
“Than who's that?” asked Jules as they lifted Aida's body up to Yigit. He motioned with his head towards Hox's lifeless body resting not far from the still collapsing temple opening.
Before Melora could answer, a thunderous boom ripped through the air as a trail of furious white lightening flew by them. It narrowly missed the ship before ripping apart multiple trees near their position. They all began to climb onto the ramp with an even more hurried sense of measure. Melora, who had turned to face the approaching enemy, was sending back her own blasts of UDE-1 towards the opening. She managed to take down a number of the first wave, but knew that there were more of them than she'd be able to handle on her own. Just as she turned to board the craft, it was struck from the sky. More enemy ships had appeared, dozens of them. They were being pressed from two directions and she knew that they had to leave immediately. Another volley ripped into the ship, causing Alere to have to pull back hard on the thrusters as they were taking off. This sudden motion caused an already weakened Melora to lose her footing and fall from the ship to the hard ground below. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the frightened look on her brother's face as he tried to reach out to grab hold of her.
How could you let me go?
“Aida, are you okay?!” she cried out, seeing the now fragile girl face down in the dirt. She ran to the her side, and gently turned her over.
“I...am not...okay.” Aida said meekly through gritted teeth and agony.
“Stay with me, Controller Warda, you're not out of this yet!” she tried to motivate the girl's sense of duty. Part of her wished she wasn't always so militaristic; she wished to show the girl some compassion. But it was hard.
“Alere, you need to get here NOW! Aida isn't combat effect and we're going to need backup on the ground.” she exclaimed into her comm-set.
Time seemed to crawl to a standstill. The UDE-1 began to flow from Aida's body like blood from a dying animal. Melora knew that the girl was trying to use her healing abilities to help the Commandant. Aida cared more about her duty to the Order and the oath she took as a Shield/Protector than of her own downfall. But Melora could not allow that to happen; not after already losing Kel.
And also losing...
“No!” she said out loud, no longer entirely sure what it was she was objecting. She placed both of her hands on Aida's shoulders, grabbing hold of her Resonator Harness, and lifted the girl into a sitting position. She could see now just how much UDE-1 scarring had formed on the girl's neck and arms from overuse.
“You need to stop, I'll be fine! Just stop and worry about yourself! That is an order, Controller Warda!”
Please! You have to stop! They have to hurry...
She was granted her wish; as if the universe was reading her mind and felt pity on her. The strike craft careened from out over the top of the jungles, being tailed by two enemy ships that she did not recognize. She watched in awe as Alere managed to push the ship to limits that only she could in order to cause the two trailing vessels to crash into treetops with a fiery explosion. This gave her the incredibly small opening she needed to hover the ship down near Melora and Aida in an exfil position. The hatch on the rear of the craft opened, and Melora saw the welcoming faces of Jules and her brother, along with the Yigit awaiting them.
“Come on, we have to get her aboard!” she yelled out to the rescue party. Jules and Tae jumped off the ramp and each placed an arm under Aida's and hoisted her to her feet.
“Where's Kel?!” Tae shouted over the sound of the engines, looking around through the rubble and the lightening erupting from the hole in the wall.
“He's gone, and we have to go now or else we will be too.” said Melora, less like a sister would and more like a commanding officer would. She found herself talking to him like that more and more often lately.
“Than who's that?” asked Jules as they lifted Aida's body up to Yigit. He motioned with his head towards Hox's lifeless body resting not far from the still collapsing temple opening.
Before Melora could answer, a thunderous boom ripped through the air as a trail of furious white lightening flew by them. It narrowly missed the ship before ripping apart multiple trees near their position. They all began to climb onto the ramp with an even more hurried sense of measure. Melora, who had turned to face the approaching enemy, was sending back her own blasts of UDE-1 towards the opening. She managed to take down a number of the first wave, but knew that there were more of them than she'd be able to handle on her own. Just as she turned to board the craft, it was struck from the sky. More enemy ships had appeared, dozens of them. They were being pressed from two directions and she knew that they had to leave immediately. Another volley ripped into the ship, causing Alere to have to pull back hard on the thrusters as they were taking off. This sudden motion caused an already weakened Melora to lose her footing and fall from the ship to the hard ground below. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the frightened look on her brother's face as he tried to reach out to grab hold of her.
How could you let me go?
*****
If you're alive in there, we must go.
She heard the voice speak to her through the haze of shadows and her own confusion; a familiarity echoing through the pale. Her eyes blinked awake and away the blur of the fog surrounding her vision. She saw the outline of his face; a distant sun resting in the sky behind him. The barrage of enemy fire began to once more fill her senses as life came back to her. Hox was at her side, trying his hardest to lift her to her feet. As the reality of the situation brought her mind back into focus, she could see just how badly he was injured. The majority of his body was riddle with cuts and abrasions, and he was bleeding profusely from multiple places. But he was there, trying to urge her to stand. Trying to save her.
Like I saved you.
His eyes did not betray any sense of fear, but rather just the urgency of the situation they were in. The pain in her back and her legs was almost too much to bear, but she leaned into the power of her Resonator and on the arm of Hox to stand up fully. The behemoth of a creature who had killed Kel was just breaching through the opening in the now toppled temple. Melora had never seen such hatred emanating from the face of any living being before. The Sunder and their motives were still a mystery to all, but she knew that there would never be a peaceful resolution to their encroachment on the galaxy if they all shared his anger towards them.
“So, now it's you're turn to save me, huh? Let's get out of here.” she said to Hox, knowing that he couldn't understand her words but could understand her desires to escape from certain death.
The Strike Craft once again came blasting through the sky in a full spin, raining bolts of fire down between the enemy forces and her position, while still being trailed by enemy ships. Melora was pleased to see that Alere and the others had not abandoned her, yet was also mad that they'd continue to risk their own lives and the mission to stay around just to try and save her. No matter, she knew that the pilot had bought them some time. She grabbed hold of Hox's arm and the two of them darted off into the relative darkness of the jungle.
At least the trees might buy us some cover and time. Until what? I don't know...
She heard the voice speak to her through the haze of shadows and her own confusion; a familiarity echoing through the pale. Her eyes blinked awake and away the blur of the fog surrounding her vision. She saw the outline of his face; a distant sun resting in the sky behind him. The barrage of enemy fire began to once more fill her senses as life came back to her. Hox was at her side, trying his hardest to lift her to her feet. As the reality of the situation brought her mind back into focus, she could see just how badly he was injured. The majority of his body was riddle with cuts and abrasions, and he was bleeding profusely from multiple places. But he was there, trying to urge her to stand. Trying to save her.
Like I saved you.
His eyes did not betray any sense of fear, but rather just the urgency of the situation they were in. The pain in her back and her legs was almost too much to bear, but she leaned into the power of her Resonator and on the arm of Hox to stand up fully. The behemoth of a creature who had killed Kel was just breaching through the opening in the now toppled temple. Melora had never seen such hatred emanating from the face of any living being before. The Sunder and their motives were still a mystery to all, but she knew that there would never be a peaceful resolution to their encroachment on the galaxy if they all shared his anger towards them.
“So, now it's you're turn to save me, huh? Let's get out of here.” she said to Hox, knowing that he couldn't understand her words but could understand her desires to escape from certain death.
The Strike Craft once again came blasting through the sky in a full spin, raining bolts of fire down between the enemy forces and her position, while still being trailed by enemy ships. Melora was pleased to see that Alere and the others had not abandoned her, yet was also mad that they'd continue to risk their own lives and the mission to stay around just to try and save her. No matter, she knew that the pilot had bought them some time. She grabbed hold of Hox's arm and the two of them darted off into the relative darkness of the jungle.
At least the trees might buy us some cover and time. Until what? I don't know...
*****
RUN AND YOU WILL ONLY DIE TIRED!
Field Officer Derga could not believe the cowardice of the enemy. His redemption lay within the slaying of more of these heretics and yet they were trying to rob him of that glory by fleeing. The intelligence they had been given when first embarking on their excursion was that these animals were arrogant and ignorant, not gutless. Still, none of that would matter once he caught up to them and made them trophies for his own cause. He could tell the story with every detail of his own, embellishing what he had to in order to get back the respect he once had. In fact, he knew that he had an opportunity to seize the truth and meld it into whatever best served him.
YOU HAVE DONE WELL, MY MEN, BUT YOU ARE NO LONGER NEEDED!
None of his remaining forces seemed to even flinch at what was about to come: a destructive blast of blinding power that would leave them all in ashes before Jag-in Derga's feet. Now that he was the lone survivor on the ground, the tale he spins would be even more impressive to his superiors who have come to doubt his abilities. He would serve them the severed head of the female dissenter he was chasing if it meant that he was once again allowed to drink at their table as an equal. With that fervor resonating in his mind, he darted off into the jungle after his prey, as the battle continued to rage in the skies above him.
Field Officer Derga could not believe the cowardice of the enemy. His redemption lay within the slaying of more of these heretics and yet they were trying to rob him of that glory by fleeing. The intelligence they had been given when first embarking on their excursion was that these animals were arrogant and ignorant, not gutless. Still, none of that would matter once he caught up to them and made them trophies for his own cause. He could tell the story with every detail of his own, embellishing what he had to in order to get back the respect he once had. In fact, he knew that he had an opportunity to seize the truth and meld it into whatever best served him.
YOU HAVE DONE WELL, MY MEN, BUT YOU ARE NO LONGER NEEDED!
None of his remaining forces seemed to even flinch at what was about to come: a destructive blast of blinding power that would leave them all in ashes before Jag-in Derga's feet. Now that he was the lone survivor on the ground, the tale he spins would be even more impressive to his superiors who have come to doubt his abilities. He would serve them the severed head of the female dissenter he was chasing if it meant that he was once again allowed to drink at their table as an equal. With that fervor resonating in his mind, he darted off into the jungle after his prey, as the battle continued to rage in the skies above him.
