Eclipse

Do your job, and keep your head down. That was the plan, and usually, it worked.

My shift for the Eclipse, one job of many, started just like any other day; going over the squad's weapons were in working order, making sure the squad leader's omnitool was malware free; it was grunt work, but the pay was good, and usually, I didn't have to stick my neck out, so I didn't complain.

I'd lasted to the ripe age of twenty-five using that methodology, but that was the thing about putting theory into practice. Eventually, it was bound to fail, if only once. And that one time would be the one that mattered.

I was almost done. Everything was checked and running. It was almost time for me to leave, when the air over head erupted with gunfire. As the merc's engaged whoever it was bearing down on us, I took cover behind some boxes. Not my bravest moment, but I didn't sign up for this job to be brave.

"I want every available gun to hose these fucks down," the squad leader's voice crackled in my headset. "That means you, Katon."

Shit.

I didn't have much choice. If I turned tail now, not only would I not be able to work with any other merc group on Illium, Captain MIgana would be sure to find my ass and make sure I couldn't work anywhere.

Even as I brought up my gun, I knew it was a lost cause. Veterans who'd been fighting for longer than I'd been alive fell around me. Their reflexes too slow to see that they'd put themselves in the line of fire. What chance did I have? But I had to do something.

I peeked out from cover, and got a first glimpse of our attackers; a human, a turian, and a krogan. An unlikely bunch, but whatever. The turian looked as if he'd suffered the most damage during the firefight, as he lagged behind the other two, favoring his left leg. I aimed for him, most likely the easiest to pick off and took my shot.

It was oddly satisfying to watch the turian go down, and I'll admit, I let it go to my head. The look of shocked anger crossed our enemies faces, and I knew that I was on the right track. Emboldened, I sent a few techniques their way, dropping their shields. The remaining mercs looked as surprised by this change of events as our enemies did who were now, scrabbling for cover. We rallied forward, actually pushing the remaining aggressors to hide behind the unfinished pillars on this floor.

And that's when I heard it.

It was a quiet whirring, like an engine starting up from a far, but there were no cars around. I looked toward the enemy to see the gun he held was glowing as he charged up energy. That wasn't good. Everyone else surged forward, unable to hear it.

"Retreat!" I screamed over the comm, but the mercs didn't hear me or didn't listen. With a loud thunk, a huge ball of dark matter was launched into our midst. It pulsed and swelled, and too late the mercs realized what was going on. Some of them tried to scramble back, others surged forward, still firing at the enemy. I found my own feet frozen in place.

Soon, the ball started to pull everything within a 4 meter radius towards it, myself included. I felt weightless, caught in its gravity. It was pulling me, all of us towards its center. The ball pulsed again before it shrank.

I thought briefly of the mating contract reply that had come into my mailbox right before I started my shift, and how I'd said I'd look at it later, but now later would never come.

I imagined what things might have been different if I'd never showed up to work. Might have had some young, might have been able to leave a something behind, someone to remember me if only briefly. The ball of dark matter exploded without warning, spewing both dark and light from its core.

Then...nothing