Hello! Before you begin, a quick public service announcement: please note this is technically a crossover between Akame ga Kiru and an original sci-fi universe, as the protagonist does originate from another world. My hope is that this will be a refreshing approach to the concept, with a different type of character to what I've read so far on this site and a story that will increasingly differ from the manga/anime. I trust it will turn out that way.

Reviews are, of course, welcome. I appreciate all feedback, whether it's a detailed and extensive critique or a short comment naming your main impressions, and answer any questions I get in whatever chapter I publish after receiving them.

Of course, the usual disclaimer applies: I do not own the universe of Akame ga Kiru, nor any of the characters, settings or plots belonging to it; I only own my own original character.

Oh, and for those who are unfamiliar with the formatting: everything in italics takes place inside the protagonist's mind.

Anyway, enjoy!

Why did I let them talk me into this? 'It's just the same', 'You'll have the entire plane to yourself', 'It's faster than waiting for the next flight'. They're probably laughing at me, relaxing in their first class cabins, while I sit in this retractable joke they call a seat. Seriously, what's up with their obsession with picking on the new guy! If they're not wrapping my desk in plastic film, they have me scout half the city's electronic stores for some magical device that doesn't exist. Now I get to spend the next nine hours in this noisy, poorly lit military transport that doesn't even have windows…

I sighed. So much for a bright future in engineering: a multi-billion dollar corporation, in the field of aerospace and defence, that can't be bothered to book one more miserable seat.

"Rough day?" One of the soldiers across the room was looking at me. Guess I do look kind of pissed.

"My team and I are flying over to run the first batch of tests on a prototype we've been working on, but Human Resources didn't book enough seats, so my boss pulled a few strings and, well,"–I shrugged–"here I am."

"So you're not in the military?"

"Nah, private contractor. Name's Erik, by the way."

He chuckled. "That's… hardly proper protocol."

Yeah, tell me about it… He seems friendly enough, maybe I should ask him about the cargo: it's been bugging me since the plane took off.

"Hey, mind if I ask you a question? What's in those crates?"–I pointed at the pile of small, black containers next to me–"The label, 'Valkyrie', it's the first time I've heard it. It sounds kind of ominous."

He stared at me for a moment, as if judging me. "Hmm. Let's just say it's like a first-aid kit for idiots," he said, with a half-smile.

Oh sure, that's why it's in a reinforced container that screams 'classified'. Like I'm going to believe that. He could at least pretend not to be making it up. I opened my mouth to retort, but got interrupted by the intercom.

"We're picking up reports of, uh, atmospheric anomalies in the area ahead of us. We'll be changing height to avoid the worst of it, but it looks like it's going to get serious, so… Make sure to secure any loose equipment, and fasten your seat belts, if you haven't already."

I grabbed my bag from below my seat, and secured it to the one next to me. The pilot's voice had a hint of nervousness. Is there any chance that– no, these aircraft are built to take pretty much anything nature can throw at them: there's no chance a bit of turbulence is going to damage it. Still, this is going to suck. I hate the feeling of being in free-fall.

Surely enough, a few minutes later the plane began to shake. At first it was mild, though it didn't take long for it to worsen. The machine started swinging horizontally as well, adding to it's seemingly erratic flight pattern. It wasn't long before I was thankful I didn't have time for lunch, although it offered little relief for the misery I was in. Suddenly, the plane veered to the left, hard, and began to fall. The lights turned off, submerging us in total darkness, and the engine's whine disappeared, yielding to what sounded like a hurricane on the outside.

I remained there, clueless and terrified, until, after what seemed like an eternity, I felt the aircraft starting to recover, and emergency lighting turned on, giving the cargo hold a distinctive red tint. The room's content had been scattered, though mostly on the opposite side of the room. Is it over? I think it's over. A smile spread across my lips as I felt a wave of relief wash over me. It's finally over.

Hang on, we're still going down. Why are we still going down! Were the pilots knocked out? No, it doesn't make sense, we'd have never recovered… The engines! I can't hear them! The engines' constant roar had been replaced by a low, metallic whine and the subtle yet unmistakable sound of gliding. We're going to crash!

The first contact was mild, little more than a bump and a thrust forward: it seemed like the wheels had bounced lightly off the ground before gripping it. The plane then reduced it's tilt, as the front wheel finally touched the ground, while continuing to glide forwards, quickly losing it's speed. Suddenly, the aircraft was spun around as a sharp knock was felt to it's side. The air was filled with the screams of metal being torn, a structure experiencing loads it was never intended to. A second blow, this one to the side, sealed the fate of the fuselage, as it bent across its axis, massive cracks forming to the sides.

The repeated impacts dazed me. I remained motionless, unaware of my surroundings, even after the plane settled. It wasn't until I distinguished the glare of fire that I let go of my stupor. I need to get out of here! I clumsily unfastened my seatbelt and turned to the side, bending forward due to the sharp pain in my chest. Ugh… That hurts… Stumbling through one of the cracks in the wall, I started to get away from the aircraft. However, I had barely covered a hundred feet when an explosion threw me forward, a massive fireball swallowing everything around me. It disintegrated as quickly as it had appeared, leaving behind a thick layer of black smoke. The overheated air made my lungs burn and my eyes tear up. I realized some of my clothes were on fire and jerked back in panic. I tried to put it out, but it only seemed to help spread the flammable substance covering them. By the time I managed to get rid of them, large portions of the skin on my hands, arms and back had sustained severe burns.

I tried to clear my lungs, and coughed up blood. Focus! Focus! I need to get away from here. How serious are these injuries? My chest hurts like hell, I'd be surprised if I hadn't broken anything. Several cuts, though they don't seem urgent. Coughing up blood probably means internal bleeding. As for the burns, I can barely feel anything… Shit! That means the nerves are damaged, it's serious! I'm going to need medical attention… I got back on my feet and turned to look at the burning wreckage behind me. Well, it's not like my injuries could get much worse… I limped back to the aircraft, making my way through the items scattered around it, though this time the journey was marked by silence. I'm not going to be able to get back inside, it's an inferno in there. Heh, I knew centre wing fuel tanks were a bad idea. Eventually my eyes landed on an object with a familiar label: 'Valkyrie'. First-aid kit, eh? I may as well give it a try. I grabbed the case and once again backed off the site, this time making sure to be several hundred feet away before I stopped.

I sat down, exhausted, and opened the box. Inside there were multiple syringes filled with a silvery liquid, a numbered plate labelling them. Injections? Oh, yeah, I read about these. Weren't they still experimental, though…? Is it worth risking it? How long could it take for rescue teams to arrive? I glanced around, taking in my surroundings: we were at the bottom of a valley, surrounded by tall, jagged mountains. It was sparsely populated by trees and spots of grass, with large boulders loosely scattered along it's length. Let's see… The plane didn't glide for too long before crashing, so we're probably not very far away from our last known location, though our flight path was so random they won't be able to guess the direction. These mountains mean visibility will be poor, so… Probably a day or two, more if there's bad weather. I slowly picked the first vial. Why did I have to watch so many plane crash documentaries? I slowly rotated the syringe with my fingers. The label said: 'Intravenous Infusion'. Seems all those trips to the hospital are going to come in handy after all: at least I know what I'm supposed to do. Kind of. Let's see… Wrap something around the arm to reduce blood flow; my t-shirt will do… Clench my fist to bring out the vein… Always hated this part: relax the muscles and put the tip in… Small amount of blood up the tube, that's normal. Hang on, aren't I supposed to apply pressure to prevent bleeding? Oh well… Done.

I withdrew the now empty syringe and put a finger on the wound. Undoing the makeshift tourniquet, I slowly flexed my arm a few times, testing it, then shuddered. I hope I never have to do that again… Hang on, this hurts more than I remember. Did I screw it up? A burning sensation grew at the site of the injection, making it's way to my chest, where it spread across my body in a matter of seconds. It became increasingly painful, overwhelming me, and making me curl into a ball as it quickly turned into pure agony. What is it doing to me! As it climbed my neck and reached the base of my skull, the assault seemed to stall for a moment. Then, I felt my head explode as what could only be described as pure, white pain inundated my senses and thoughts. As I lost consciousness, I just hoped I'd never awaken.