When Every Second Counts

Chapter 13
Clarity

The world turned as it always had, and perhaps always would. Always was a relative term of course. Perhaps the world was simply a part of her imagination. Who knew if when she died the Earth would still exist? She hoped it would, as she did not count too heavily on living. She had not been since the experiment that caused her Phantom infection. All she wanted was a little more time.

Aki shifted her weight a little, getting used to the force of gravity again. She could not blame the chair for her discomfort, as it was made with something resembling comfort in mind. Change in gravity was not the reason, she knew because she was used to it. She never had been able to get used to anxiety.

And now she was more anxious than she remembered ever having been in her life. She looked at Gray, who sat by her in the protected glass sphere. She returned his reassuring smile as best she could, but still felt sick.

Clearing her mind of doubt, she forced herself to feel confident. She was fighting for the world, perhaps the last chance. If only that could build confidence.

---

Far above the Earth, yet still close enough that it did not drift away through the vastness of space, rest the immense structure of the Zeus Space Station. Doubling as the most powerful weapon humans had created, it had an ominous air on board. To Jane, it seemed all the more ominous when everyone's focus seemed to be on her.

Not completely, she supposed. Hein was getting a good deal of notice as well, but not in the same way. She was just getting silent, curious looks from the personnel. Those looks were probably warranted. She might have done the same if she was one of them. At the moment it only served to remind her how unkempt she looked; her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were a little large for her. She wondered if she looked as tired as she felt.

She stood as close to the door in the Zeus' control room as she could, and attempted to ignore what was going on around her. She tried in vain to assign order to her memories. She could barely remember the events of the past day, or was it two? She remembered Hein's nephew suddenly and clear enough. She wondered if Hein knew or cared that the cadet was dead.

The general was seated a little off to one side from where Jane was. His manner was calm and collected, and every action and order appeared as though they were part of a staged play. The carefully constructed show almost shattered into a spell of rage when the scanner brought back the image of an unidentified aircraft hovering near the Phantom Crater. The reaction only lasted a moment before it was caught and covered.

Jane missed Hein's momentary recoil from the image presented. She was too busy studying the picture, and wondering who would be stupid enough to want to be so near to the crater.

"... Just a traitor," she realized Hein was speaking, "Continue preparations to fire the cannon."

Jane watched with little interest as the crew began to fulfil their task. Something about the situation was unnerving, and she had a morose feeling about it. Still, without else to do, she simply watched and tried to swallow her doubt.

A tremor ran through the space station as the cannon fired. Those in places where artificial gravity patches were set felt it the most. It did nothing to deter Hein, and did not really phase anyone else either. It occurred a few more times before there was an interruption.

"Sir, we have an incoming communication," a soldier announced, "It's from the crater, sir, the aircraft."

"Well, let's talk with them, shall we?" Hein replied, almost gleefully. If he was right, then it was Dr. Ross down there. She had survived the incident in New York, and was right there with the Phantoms. It was his chance to show her she had lost. The Earth would be saved. She would know who saved it before she died with her Phantoms. She would know that he won.

The holographic likeness of Dr. Aki Ross appeared on the display screen. Jane, surprised, took a step forward for a better look. All focus shifted directly to the confrontation that occurred, so suddenly, between the general and the scientist.

In the few minutes of the conversation, Jane tried to find a resolve. Though she did not like Dr. Ross, she abruptly felt that if her friends were alive, chances were good that they would be with Aki. If they were, then they stood against odds that even a reckless risk taker would tremble at. She knew that sooner or later the energy from the cannon would hit the small craft, and that the spacecraft would not be strong enough to withstand the hit.

Jane felt helpless. If she tried, she doubted she would succeed and whoever was below would die. If she did not, well...

She was startled out of her thoughts as Hein, with an air of disgust, made a hand motion to the technician to cut the transmission. The image faded and the general composed himself regally. He turned to Jane, giving her a serpentine look. "Care to give the order, corporal?" he asked casually. She knew by experience that, if anything else, it was not a request.

She had to protect Aki, even if she was alive and the rest of the Deep Eyes were dead. Gray loved the scientist, and she had to protect that if nothing else. Like hell a few forced words would ever tear loyalty from her.

But fear kept its grip, and produced indecisiveness.

So she carefully formed her decision and hesitantly gave her answer.

---

The rain of energy from the Zeus had stopped as suddenly as it had begun, but the last of it had left them broken and without escape. The energy shield was active, but the power was fading. It would only last a few more minutes before giving out completely.

The eighth spirit was gone. Sid announced the loss with great sadness.

A long string of strong, mild, and just plain childish cursing came through the communications device, to be followed after a brief pause by, "If you'll excuse my language and saying so, sir."

"It's alright, Neil," Gray replied, "I agree wholeheartedly." He might have laughed if he did not feel so strongly that he and Aki were going to die.

Aki felt as though she would break down then and there. They had been so close, and then the promise of hope and victory was taken away. She looked to Gray, but the soft, loving smile he gave her was too much for her to bear.

She turned off the barrier, and climbed out of the Quatro. If the Phantoms wanted her, they could have her. Perhaps Hein would destroy the Phantoms, and the Earth would be saved. She did not care anymore.

She climbed down and ignored Gray calling for her as she stumbled away into the reddish glow cast from the Phantom Gaia above. She did not notice the cliff until she nearly stumbled over it. She stopped, looked down, and gazed in amazement at what she saw.

---

Jane planted her feet firmly on the walkway, and kept a solid grip on the railing to have a semblance of balance in the gravityless environment. She had, for the first time in days, a fully clear mind. She knew what she was doing, and what she might have to do.

"General Hein," she called across the walkway. She had been silent until then, and knew from the man's reaction that she had startled him. "I can't let you do this, sir," she said as he turned around, surprising herself with her own boldness. Still, she did not question the sudden surge of strength. She was glad for it, whatever the cause.

"So what would you do instead?" Hein asked after a few moments, "Perhaps follow Dr. Ross in her hopeless spiritual pursuit?"

"I don't know," Jane replied honestly, "But this isn't right."

"Spare me," Hein scoffed, "You aren't qualified to say what is right and wrong." He watched as Jane's determination seemed to waver, and smirked, "I can make you a hero, corporal, just stay out of my way."

"Is that," Jane mused, "What you told your nephew when you sent him to his death?"

"Alex?" Hein asked, a trace of sorrow in his voice, "He should have been far away, the Phantoms should never have gotten that far."

The statement disturbed Jane. She knew it should not have, but it did. Distracted, she shifted her gaze to the metal grating beneath her feet. "This isn't the way," she said quietly.

"No," Hein said somberly, "This is the only way."

The general drew his gun, a motion that nearly eluded Jane. She moved only slightly as the quiet report of the air-compression weapon sounded. Three more reports sounded; two hit their mark; Hein fell back a step, and his weapon drifted away from his hand.

Shaken, but without new injuries, Jane let her own 'borrowed' weapon drift from her grasp. She closed her eyes and tightened her grip on the railing until her knuckles were white. Her world had changed so much in so little time. A concept that she could barely have conceived of before and would have barely believed was, without warning, becoming so real.

Hein, Aki, the Deep Eyes, the Phantoms, humans... And who was she in the middle of it all? Who's side was she on? A traitor? An assassin? Or maybe just a very confused soldier, unable to tell her mind.