Chapter Eighteen:
Hysteria. It's building, feeding, ready to consume us all. It breeds loss and confusion; filling the little hope we had acquired with dim outlooks and choking depression. The seemingly certain end hangs in the air and we are so helpless all we can do is breathe it in. If I had the strength I would try to come up with some kind of plan; but I don't. Even my supply of willpower and determination—resources I had previously thought to be endless—have ran out. The spark that Jim is so fond of has finally burned itself into nonexistence and I find myself unable to imagine even the slightest of heroics capable of saving our party. Even if there was some way in which I could be of use and I found the reserve to try the attempt would be my death no doubt. The end is near and while I do nothing but internalize my pain the Captain will ensure we die trying. With such thoughts in my mind I welcome the end of us all. Darkness untainted will be mine at last, and this time there will be no troublesome light to wake me up.
"We gotta turn around." What? His voice distracts me and I begin immediately thinking of a dozen ways his statement could be proven unwise.
""What?"" asks the Doctor. I'm sure he's as astonished as the rest of us.
"There's a portal back there. It can get us out of here!" Jim continues while moving about the deck in search of something.
""Pardon me, Jim, but didn't that portal open onto a raging inferno?!"" Thank you Doppler, for managing to be a sane voice of reason for once.
"Yes, but I've gonna change that. I'm gonna open a different door." Jim pushes on, explaining his plan even though it doesn't make a lick of sense to me. I don't remember any portal but then again the only time I went in was to rescue Jim; I had no clue about how to operate it or the mechanisms used to unlock it. I had spent all of that time being unconscious after a brief stint as a bargaining chip.
His confidence is inspiring even if I still have my doubts. I am not alone in this regard. Even Silver seems motivated to flitter around Jim in an attempt to help.
Doppler still seems to be speaking for the rest of us when he says, ""Captain, really I don't see how this is possible-""
'""Listen to the boy!""' interjects Silver heatedly and with one look at the Captain's face—a composition of surprise and agreement—I haul myself back onto unsteady feet and wobble across the deck to Jim.
"""One minute, twenty-nine seconds to planet's destruction!""" calls B.E.N. frantically.
'Time is running short; if action is to be taken it must be done now.' My own voice startles me with its soft but firm clarity. Jim looks briefly at me as a means to say thank you and then dives back to his project.
'""What do you need, Jim?""' Silver asks him. Jim has pulled various mechanical parts together from wreckage caused by being hit.
"Just some way to attach this." For once I'm thankful for Silver's cyborg attachments when his mechanical arm converts into a blowtorch. '
'""Alright. Stand back. Stand back, now.""' We step back as he welds the pieces together and motions for us to help lift the craft.
They've managed to construct a crude version of a surfer and I'm stunned by the simplicity of his plan as I mentally visualize its brilliance unfolding before me. Jim sets his creation on the deck's railing and turns to the rest of us.
"Okay. Now, no matter what happens, keep the ship heading straight for that portal." He says bravely. He looks at me. I'm sure we both wore the same look of longing and without care for who may be watching I stepped close and kissed him for what could be the last time.
'Go...' I whisper and turn around so as to not give him cause to lose faith.
"""Fifty-eight seconds!""" B.E.N. shouts.
'""Well, you heard him! Get this blasted heap turned round!""' Silver commands without delay.
Amelia's ears perk and twitch momentarily at his outburst before she speaks. '"Doctor, head us back to the portal."'
""Aye, Captain."" I feel the Legacy's rotation and I move to stand by B.E.N.
'B.E.N...did you bring my surfer like I asked?' I find myself whispering unintentionally.
"""Yeah, it's back there.""" He tilts his head and I ran off, not bothering to question the source of my sudden energy. The Doctor and Captain squabble over his steering but their sounds are muffled. I activate the surfer's engine and it begins to hover automatically. I step on and lower the sail; I'm going to need as much speed as possible.
I believe in Jim's plan. Wholeheartedly. Both my gut and heart say to go after him. This choice may get me killed...So be it.
'Amelia!' I call as loud as I can. She looks at me and realizes everything. Her eyes well up but she manages to speak even as I break her heart. '"...Go to him..."'
I'm already gone.
xXx
I scanned the collapsing terrain as best I could while effectively dodging falling rock and crumbling planet material. I almost missed him. My speed was faster than the Legacy's and I had an advantage over Jim's last minute machine even though he had a head start. I was ready to glide over an upcoming ravine without bothering to check for him but instinct demanded otherwise. And there he was, plummeting to his death because of some failure on his surfer.
I whipped my surfer around sharply and dove for him; it took barely a second to catch up but I couldn't stop his fall. The fire below highlighted the fear in his eyes. We were both sweating from the blazing temperatures brought about by the destructive core; the heat made it difficult to maintain my grip on him. There was only one option.
'Jim! Take my place!' I shout to him, already pulling him on to my surfer.
"But Kalena-!" he tries to start.
'Don't argue! Just go!' I cut him off and use everything I have to pull him onto my surfer while I jump simultaneously onto his. On reflex he begins to rise while I sink lower; our hands are the only thing keeping us together.
"Come with me! Don't do this!" he pleads. My mouth opens but a shadow falls and I look up to find the Legacy passing overhead.
'It will go faster with just one person. I'll catch up to you. Go!'
He doesn't buy my bogus explanation but he obeys. That's all that matters. Our hands break apart and he ascends before I could think to call him back. The finality of his departure breaks the last link that kept my conscious mind awake. I sway and the surfer follows. Blessed blackness overtakes everything and I fall.