Let it not be known that Alliance hadn't been warned. She'd been expecting this. For centuries she had lain in wait with the other Knights for the day that brought too worlds together. With one seeking to devour the other. "Two worlds collide, only one survives." The words of the Ancients, spoken so long ago. They had reverberated down the generations, carried with reverence as the few who remained remembered, fought behind the scenes to keep this world safe. A world which was not their own. Theirs had been lost eons ago, a fact that Alliance still believed even though it was now in the sky above her. She would never think of it as her home again. It was dead, and the only way to revive it was to steel the life from the planet she was currently on. "Not on my watch." She hissed.
She rode the ship as it rose high into the stratosphere, positioning perfectly between the anchors and Stonehenge below. She closed her eyes, deliberately avoiding looking at the ground. It had been so long since she'd flown. She barely remembered the sensation and found it something she wished she could forget. She'd never liked flying. It was why she'd chosen to be a submarine. Above her sat the ignition chamber, so familiar even after all these years. Alliance almost lost herself in her memories before she pulled herself back. She had work to do. Above the chamber sat a large block, hanging just above it. She had been listening in on the frequencies and knew that the Air Force was going to try destroy the block's supports, sending it like a pendulum into the chamber and knocking it out of sync. It wouldn't work. The chamber had a backup and that was the ship she was on. Both needed to be destroyed in order to shut down the power transfer. Alliance scrambled to the edge, her fins gripping the rim as she looked down. "Oooh-ooh boy..." She whimpered. She shook her head. "No time to be a pussy, Alliance. Get to it!" She told herself and gathering her courage, she lept. Her fins scrabbled for purchase on the deceptively smooth pinnacle that formed the bottom of the transmitter. It was lining up with Stonehenge now and was nearly in position. There was no time to lose. Explosions sounded above her as the Air Force's nukes hit the block. It swung just as was intended, knocking the platform down. Alliance clung to the pinnacle as debris rained down, narrowly missing her. The transmitter shuddered as a large chunk struck the outer rim, knocking a chunk of it clean off. Alliance pressed herself flat to the pinnacle, feeling the passage of wind as it fell past her. "I'm getting too old for this." She groaned as she shimmied down to the very tip. It was lit up like a Christmas tree as power straight from the Earth's core flowed through it. "Well I never thought I'd actually be saving your ass." She said to the planet below her. "Okay Quintessa, light's out!" She sank her powerful fangs into the transmitter. Her jaws clamped down even harder as excess power flowed out and into her. Like a human being electrocuted. It hurt. It hurt like nothing she had ever felt before. Her muscles felt as though they were on fire and melting at the same time. Strangled screams escaped her and still she kept her jaws tightly shut. She felt something give and her teeth lunged forward, meeting together in a painful grind that she was sure her dentist would hiss at her about later. Once she bit through, the section she was standing on gave way. Alliance tried to find a new hold but she wasn't fast enough. She tumbled down to earth with the pinnacle tip. She twisted around as she fell, looking up to see the whole system explode as it overloaded. She'd done it! The Earth was safe! She felt no fear as the ground came into clear view. She had fulfilled her purpose. She hit the ground hard as the rest of the pinnacle fell around her.
Conks wasn't sure what she would find when she crossed the hay field. Alliance had fallen from 21000 feet, clinging to the remains of a massive transmitter. It wasn't easy for a submarine to navigate the ruins of Stonehenge but Conks managed. She called out for her mentor in sheer desperation. "Alliance! Alliance!" With each step her heart grew heavier as she felt Alliance would never answer her. If only she could find the transmitter. She might find Alliance. But locating it amongst all this debris was easier said than done.
Eventually, she did find it. Alliance was lying in the open, on her side with her fins tucked close to her body. Her eyes were open but the blue color had faded to leave an empty dark socket. "No... NO!" Conks slammed herself into her mentor's side. Shoving her repeatedly. "No, Alliance please! Don't leave me! Ancients, God whatever, please just please don't take her from me! Please, Alliance. I need you, come back to me... ALLIANCE!" Conks collapsed on top of her, tears flowing down both cheeks. More gently now, she grasped Alliance's port fin in her own and bestowed a kiss on her cheek. When she raised her head again, tears had been replaced with determination. "I won't let you die. Not now. Not like this."
It was the same concept as restoring a car battery, what Conks was about to do. Jumper cables attached the two subs with one end hooked directly onto her reactor. As soon as she completed the circuit, power would run from her to Alliance and hopefully give her a jump start. But it was risky. Conks didn't know how much power Alliance needed for this to work. And if Conks gave her too much... The flagship forced down her instinctive fear. "I would die for you." She whispered and closed the circuit. The drain was instantaneous and agonizing. Conks collapsed to the ground screaming. In her agony she prayed. She prayed for Alliance's return, offering her own life in exchange. She didn't care. If Alliance was gone, she had nothing left to live for. The transfer drained her entire stock of uranium and Conks got warnings left and right about the critical power drain. Her battery reserves were almost gone, designed to act as an emergency back up to drive her to the surface if she ever got stuck underwater. Her vision began to blur and narrow. "I'm going to die." She realized. The power drained stopped, with just 3% left in her batteries. She sensed movement and saw Alliance's dark eyes come online. Those blue orbs blinked several times before resting on Conks. Conks didn't get to hear what she had to say as darkness claimed her.
...
The sight of London was a familiar one and Conks blinked several times, briefly wondering how she got into the Thames. She looked around. She was in Alliance's berth. Said submarine was curled up next to her, her head resting over her shoulders. Conks groan caused her to move. "Conks?" She whispered, sounding hopeful. Conks' eyes blinked open. "Alliance?" The next moment found Conks being rolled on her back by a very happy Alliance. Not that Conks minded the sloppy kisses being planted all over her body. "You're alive!" Alliance had never sounded so relieved before. "So are you." Conks replied. "More than you realize." Alliance said. "What?" Alliance smirked. "Feel." She ordered, grabbing one of Conks fins and guiding it to her chest. Instead of the hum of a spark, Conks felt a familiar 'thump-thump'. A heartbeat. Alliance had a heartbeat! Which meant... "You-you're..." Conks stammered. "Just like you." Alliance leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Conks happily reciprocated. But she still had questions. "You could've gone home." She whispered. Alliance stepped off her and helped her upright. She pressed their bows together. "I am home." She said. A single tear fell from Conk's eye as she was moved beyond belief. Alliance had the chance, now more than ever, to return to the place of her birth. And she had chosen to remain here. To be a simple submarine. All for her! "Alliance, I..." She stammered. "Shh." The older submarine soothed her. "I have given you the greatest gift. To be mortal. I will live the same life you do. I will die, when you do. We shall grow old together. All you have to do, is take it." Conks embraced her. "I'll make you happy. I promise, I will make you happy." Alliance wrapped her fins around her. "You already have Conks." She smiled, planting a kiss on her cheek. "And I know you always will."