Lunar: Black Star Rising
By Thomas Knapp
Chapter Thirteen
"All right, buddy, I think I need a word with you."
Toras tensed as he heard the voice, carrying an edge of combativeness that he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with, now or ever. Slowly turning to face Jean, he tried to be completely casual, "Have I done something to offend you, Jean?"
"Not yet…" Jean answered cryptically.
"I am unsure as to what you refer." Toras shot back.
"We know all about your plan." Jean announced, "Blowing up a reactor to nudge the object out of orbit, and committing suicide in the process."
Toras dropped his head, and replied, "It's not like I have much to live for. I might as well do this one last bit of good."
Jean put her hands on her hips, and chastised, "All over some dumb blonde…"
"If you think it's just about Lemina, you are sadly mistaken." Toras retorted, "I have made a lot of mistakes getting here, it is my responsibility to correct them as much as I can."
"And what if there are others that don't want you just throwing your life away?"
"Like who?"
Jean sighed, then leaned forward, deciding that talking wasn't doing one bit of good, putting her lips to a slightly different purpose. When she finally rolled back off her toes, she said softly, "I've been wanting to do that for a while, but you were so engrossed in Lemina…"
Jean then looked up into the pale scholar's face, trying to gauge his reaction. Instead of relief, as she had expected, he looked… depressed.
Jean was about to lash out angrily when Toras turned away, looking out into the sky towards the Blue Star. "Well, Jean… I hope you realized you haven't changed anything. You've just made what I have to do that much more difficult to accept."
"There's got to be another option…"
Toras smiled sadly, trying to comfort her, and himself, in the process. "I wish there was too. I don't know how many scenarios I've played out, all sorts of 'what-if's and 'if only's, and I have only been able to reach one conclusion. This is our best… no… make that, ONLY chance. We have to take it, no matter what the cost."
"I understand, I suppose…" Jean relented, "But are you SURE there isn't any way that you can avoid getting on that death trap?"
"There are so many intangibles involved with this attempt. Someone has to be aboard that shuttle to make any corrections that will come up, as well as time the detonation of the reactor just about perfectly. I'm the only one that can make those sort of adjustments."
Jean hated where this conversation was going. Just as she had FINALLY decided to make her move, here she was listening to Toras's final hours.
Toras chuckled, and replied, "Besides, even if I did somehow manage to escape the shuttle before it exploded on the planetoid's surface, I'd probably wish I hadn't. For the entire 8-hour trip there, AND the 8-hour trip BACK, I'll be exposed to radiation levels that could sterilize this entire moon. I'd not have long to live anyway."
"So… that's it, huh?" Jean muttered, sharing in Toras's depression, "You've made up your mind, and this is it."
"Well… there's always the chance that there will be some sort of miracle. You never know. We can always keep SOME hope." He tried to sound a lot more optimistic than he felt.
Jean wasn't sure how to pose this next question. "I… don't want you to think… well… I just thought that… this is your last night and all… or MIGHT be your last… oh, hell…" She started to chuckle in spite of herself, and she tried in vain to keep from blushing.
Toras took her hand gently, and smiled, "Are you sure this is what you want? It does seem a bit out of the blue…"
Jean pursed her lips, then stated, "You need to stop over-thinking things. Sometimes it's best just to do it…"
Dusk…
"Are you sure that this shuttle is spaceworthy?" Taras asked skeptically.
Toras took a deep breath, and replied, "The only thing of any concern is the cockpit. If it has enough oxygen to last 8 hours, that is the only issue of importance."
"That it does." Taras said. "But we aren't engineers… we have no idea if this is going to hold up…"
"It'll have to. We have no other option."
"Can't we wait until morning for this?"
"If we wait until morning, we won't have the proper catapult effect to match the timeframe I set. That rock has to be stopped now, or it'll never be stopped."
The elder twin frowned, and replied, "What about goodbye, huh? I'm sure that Jean…"
"Jean… already wished me farewell." Toras said, the redness on his face enhanced by his pale complexion. "I really do have to get moving, or we'll miss the window." Without any further statements, Toras stepped into the shuttle that had been prepped for the impromptu launch. The hatch closed reluctantly, and Taras examined the seals to make sure it was airtight.
At ground level almost a kilometer away, stood an assembly of some of the greatest heroes of Lunar, standing in tribute to another that was prepared to pay the ultimate price.
Ruby snorted indignantly, her little wings flapping excitedly; "He didn't even say goodbye. Talk about rude."
It was Jean who corrected the Red Dragon. "He didn't… because he doesn't want to think this is the end. He's still hoping… and so should we…"
"That's right." A high-pitched female voice added, "Never give up hope. It's very unbecoming."
Hiro whirled around instinctively, grabbing the source of the voice in a loving embrace, "Lucia! You're here!"
Lucia blinked, somewhat puzzled, "Of course I am. How could I not be?"
Hiro smirked. While Lucia's interactions with people had improved, she still had some trouble understanding simple sentiments. "I'm just glad you made it, Lucia."
"Oh." The Princess of the Blue Star quipped, "Well… I bring good news. I convinced Mihall to lend us some aid. We can eliminate the threat!"
Lucia expected a host of cheers and all-around happiness to follow that statement. Instead, she found herself staring at the wrong end of Jean's fist. Before Lucia could react to this… unexpected behavior, a blast of pain rushed through her face, stars swam about her eyes, and she crumpled to the ground.
Lucia blinked several times, and Hiro helped her to her feet as she continued to try and regain her senses. She felt blood starting to trickle out of her nose and a nagging pain over her left eye. Stunned, Lucia began to apply some healing techniques to her injured face while Hiro demanded an explanation.
However, Jean didn't need to. At that moment, Taras had reached the party's position, the safe radius from takeoff. The ground began to shake, and dust kicked up from underneath the upright shuttle. Seconds later, the craft rocketed off into the air, its burning engines starting to fade off into the dark sky.
"Oh…" Hiro commented. "That could be the problem…"