And now, for something completely different: a story centering around Akira Sakaki.
Fifty four. That was how old Akira Sakaki was going to be when he stepped off this mortal coil and joined the other souls who had lost their lives to this war; Human, Bilusaludo, and Exif alike. The stress of surviving Godzilla's attack in Rio de Janeiro, the frustration from the desperate yet fruitless efforts by the Total Attack Faction to kill Godzilla, and ensuring Operation: Cradle was a success even at the cost of Mothra's life had finally taken its toll on the man.
Now, he lay on his death bed, Haruka at his side, praying there was a way to save her husband whilst crying that he was going to leave her alone while their beloved Haruo was out there in the cold reaches of space believing them both to be dead.
Haruo, Akira thought, wherever you are, I hope you are taken care of. I wish we could be with you.
Akira then looked at the woman he fell in love with, remembering the day he first saw her exit the remains of a wrecked Maser Cannon, still garbed in a G-Force outfit after a skirmish with a rampant Ganime. He even remembered marrying her in that suit. He remembered the brief years he and Haruka spent raising their young child.
He wished he could see Haruo grow up and become a handsome young man. The moment their son came into existence, humanity's war with the monsters didn't cross their mind. All he and Haruka were concerned with was making sure Haruo had the best childhood a boy born in such a dark age could have. Sadly, that was never to be the case ever since Kamacuras and its spawn laid waste to New York in 1999 and Godzilla's appearance on the shores of San Francisco on 2030. Happiness was a fleeting resource, made even more so at the loss of MechaGodzilla before it could even be activated.
Akira then thought about the souls who left Earth behind on the Oratio and Aratrum, hoping they would safely arrive to their destination and ensure humanity and their allies from the stars would live on in someway or form. That at least offered him some semblance of comfort. Even in these dark times, life would still find a way to carry on. He would die knowing the human race would not go quietly into the night.
Akira then turned his gaze to his wife, noticing the circles under her eyes. She had cast aside sleep in exchange to watching him. Despite her disheveled look, she was still as beautiful as the day he first laid eyes upon her.
"Haruka," he rasped.
"Y-yes, Akira?" There was a treble in her voice, almost as if she was about to cry.
"You have to be strong, iitoshi," Akira continued, his voice strangled, slow, and gasping for breath, "strong not just for yourself, but for the both of us. We both knew this day... would come... I just wish... it was much later."
"Akira, please," Haruka begged, placing her hand on her dying husband's, "save your strength. Don't strain yourself."
"I don't have much strength... to be save... Haruka..." Akira replied, gasping in between words, "all that... matters... is that you save your... strength. I'm a dead man... anyway."
The dying man inhaled painfully. He knew his time was drawing short.
"Just... promise me... Haruka..." Akira told her, his breath becoming shorter and shorter, "promise... me... you won't... spend the rest... of your days... mourning me."
Haruka bit her lip, her throat burning and her eyes already filling with tears. However, she nodded.
"I will, Akira."
Akira gave his wife a smile, and then, let out his last breath.
Haruka stood up and turned to one of the Cosmos doctors.
"Contact Lady Lira," Haruka told him, trying to hide her sadness, "my husband has passed away."
As the man nodded and left, Haruka dropped to her knees and began her tear-soaked mourning.