I heard Avry’s voice from far away. The voice gradually drew nearer, yet I was unable to pinpoint its origin. I felt as she touched me, pulling me multiple times. Gently, but with resolve. Then, as if I were pulled out of water, I got to myself. A few seconds, and everything becomes clear. We survived the launch. I blinked as I looked around, then looked out left to me through the window. I set my eyes on the earth.

„Beautiful.”

„Yes. Although I seen such a scene many times before.” – Said Avry. „By the way, are you alright?”

„I’m fine. Where are we?”

„Halfway there, I think. They already launched the rockets, they will catch up to us right before Proxomus.”

„Ahh. Then everything’s good. Thank God.” – I felt relieved.

„Copy.” - The radio came to life. „Everything’s alright? Did Brandon wake up?”

„Yes, right now.” - I answered. „Everything’s good here as well. Are we on track?”

„Happy to hear that you woke up, and yes, everything’s according to our calculations. Estimated time until arrival is 26 minutes, 18 seconds. We will call in 15 minutes if there are no problems. Over.” Our radio connection ended.

The view was breathtaking. To see the Earth, Moon, and the neverending darkness of space at the same time. I can hardly believe this is really happening.

„I was in awe the same way as you when I first got out to space. – Said Avry. „It’s not as unusual anymore, but you can always see something new, and it can surprise you.”

„How many missions you had so far?” – I asked.

„This is the ninth one. This is the most exciting one so far, for sure.”

„Call...” The radio spoke up again despite how only a few minutes passed. – „The Eastern also launched numerous rockets to Proxomus. Their estimated arrival is unknown.”

Suddenly, in the back, you could hear voices from the radio.

„Everyone, hands up!”

„My God...”

„Can’t you hear? Do it now!”

„From this point onward, you are alone on this. Good lu-„ – After some white noise, the radio fell silent.

„Do you think... Did they killed them?” – Asked Avry.

„I... I don’t know.” – I answered back honestly.

„You aren’t better than us either.”

„What... do you mean by that?”

„Everything you shown from your world, what was that, some kind of facade?” – Cried up Avry.

„In reality, you are the same kind of murderers as us.”

„There’s always good and bad people. That’s just how it is.”

It seemed like Avry got surprised by my answer. She stayed silent for a bit.

„I didn’t think about it like that until now... but you are right. I always looked down on those who killed. Even those who had no other choice. But you say it’s inevitable?”

„At some point, yes. Inevitable.” – I answered.

„Good and bad lose their meaning...” I took a break to tie my new topic into it. – “But I don’t think anyone got hurt down there. You will see once we are back. But now let’s focus on the mission.”

„Yes... You’re right.” – Said Avry more calmly. – „With the connection lost, we can only work with the simulations. We wouldn’t know about any unseen conditions.”

„How much is left until arrival?”

„12 and a half minutes. Nine until the start of breaking. We have to activate the camo in 1 minute and 10 seconds.” – Answered Avry.

Until the start of the breaking system, we waited silently. Sometimes looking out the window, sometimes at Avry. It seemed she was really thinking it through what we talked about before. I didn’t think it would hit her like this when she is in the military. Thought she did mention she is there to stop any bloodshed possible.

The breaking nozzles we installed started working. The space glider slowed down, it could be felt but was nothing compared to the launch. As time passed, Proxomus showed up. First a small dot with lights on it. Then it grew bigger, its form could be seen better.

„We arrive from the side. Which is good. The docks are a bit further from the middle of the ship. You have to switch to manual controls in 56 seconds.” Said Avry.

I grabbed the control machinery and waited. On the panels there was an installed switch to turn to manual controls. The seconds passed slowly, but surely we got closer to the time to break.

„The rockets should be here shortly.” – I said, then noticed something from the corner of my eye. – „Fuck! There come the Eastern rockets!”

Numerous small lights raced from Earth in the direction of Proxomus. From their directions, I think they will cross us, but maybe they got there faster than us. In a few seconds, the proxomus shot back at the rockets.

„That’s the prevention system.” Said Avry. „It will destroy most of them, but with this many, some will reach the ship... Prepare yourself...! Now!”

Avry gave the order then pushed up the switch.

The space glider turned unstable for a moment, then calmed down. I controlled it with small corrections towards Proximus, exactly where the dock is. The Easterners rockets gave off pulses, and the debris reached us, which started pushing on the glider.

I slowed down more, then focused on getting closer. The Proxomus became bigger and bigger before our eyes as we got closer. The explosions stopped for a moment but then continued behind us. The promised rockets arrived, and they were very close to us. The explosion became more frequent, and the push from them was stronger. The Proxomus took up all our view when Avry finally talked.

„There it is on the right, a little lower.”

„That thin opening with the four red flashlights?” I asked back.

„Yes. Though it’s strange that the dock is open.” She noted.

I was a nervous wreck. I felt my heart in my throat. I put all my attention into putting the ship in the right directions so we can safely land inside the dock. But I forgot to slow down more as my attention was taken away.

„Slow down!” Shouted Avry.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

But it was too late. I pulled on the switch, and the glider started to slow down, but not in time. As we got to the opening of the dock, it was obvious we wouldn’t do a safe landing. I tried to corrigate so we slam down inside the dock rather than against the opening, but I could only hope. I turned down as hard as I could, trying to force down the glider, with less than stellar success. We prepared ourselves.

As we met with the ceiling, a big thumb could be heard. The emergency signal inside the ship flickered up at the same time. But the machine was still under control. I tried to put down the ship, trying to minimize more damage. Thanks to slamming against the ceiling, our speed disappeared too, so I had an easier job. With a thud, the glider touched the ground, and everything was silent.

„Are you alright?” I asked Avry.

„I think. At least I am alive.” She answered back.

„Could have been worse. But we should go, right?”

„Right. They could notice any moment we got inside.”

We put on our helmets so if we meet someone, we aren’t busted too fast, then stepped out of the ship. The camo crapped itself, and the ship was in bad shape too. On the inner side of the docks, many ships stood in order, the same kind as ours. The opening we came through now had an orange hue on it. Its job is most likely keeping air in.

Avry went forward, and I followed. We arrived at the door on the inner side of the dock. Avry did something with the panel, then the door slided to the left silently. Inside, we stepped into a corridor.

Avry zipped through with a goal in mind. I followed suit, sometimes looking behind us. The corridor had some kind of gray layer on it and on top a line of yellow lights. It nearly looked the same as in any Earth sci-fi. As we progressed through, I noticed the strangest thing that I hadn’t noticed until now. There was artificial gravitation.

„How far is it?” I asked.

„Approximately ten minutes before we reach the construction part of the Nova. We have to go down 5 levels towards the ship's nose.”

„And... How will we deactivate it?” I asked the question that somehow up to now slipped out of our talks.

„Honestly, I don’t know.” Answered Avry. „I thought about it a lot, but I don’t actually know how that weapon works.”

„How complex can it be?”

„Most likely very.”

„Then it’s enough if we break some things in it, no?”

„Maybe.” Said Avry before she started slowing down.

Two strangers ran towards us in the dark clothes and helmets. Luckily, they didn’t care about us. They signaled us with their hands, and we did the same.

After what felt like hours, we reached the weapon. On the way, we stumbled into the crew of the ship, but our clothes worked wonders. From the corridor, we reached the Nova through a massive door. The dock looked the same. The Nova was cannon-like gigantic machinery, which was set before an opening. In that opening, we could clearly see the Earth.

For a minute, we just stood beside the weapon in awe. But then a sound could be heard. It came from everywhere; most likely it was the ship's internal radio.

„They most likely got to the glider. They know we are here.” Said Avry with nervousness in her voice.

The voice continued, then stopped. The Nova’s chamber at the same time started flashing with red lights on the wall.

„They will fire with the Nova!’ Shouted Avry as she ran to the control panel beside the weapon.

„Can you stop it?”

„No. I don’t know how it works.”

The despair started to take us over. Avry just looked at the panel, sometimes clicking something on it. I just stood there, not being able to do anything, just looking at her and the cannon. I tried to go to the other side of the weapon; maybe I noticed something, and luckily I did. In one corner, there were lots of worktools with a few-meter-long bar. Without hesitation, I picked up one of the steel bars.

The Nova roared. I stood beside it and trying to believe in miracles, started smashing the side of it, until Avry stopped me.

„Stop, there’s no point.” She said sadly.

„There has to be.”

I collected every drop of power in my body for one last strike. The steel bar in my hand slipped off the side of the cannon and landed on the ground, right into a pipe system of it, and suddenly, white steam escaped from it. I reflexively hid my face to protect it from the heat, but soon realized that it’s not actually steam.

On the walls beside the blinking lights, an ear piercing sound started to ring as well. Avry run to the control panel.

„The temperature stabilizer’s pressure is declining. The Nova’s core temperature is drastically climbing too.”

„Will it explode?”

„Maybe.” Said Avry. „Better if we run for it.

„Right.”

Before we left, I tried pulling out the steel bar from the pipe system. It didn’t give in easily, but a few good kicks worked wonders. The white steam poured out faster.

„What did you do?”

„Just pulled out the steel bar.”

„Now it woll explode. Only minutes are left.”

„Then let’s run for it!”

We ran out of the door and dashed towards the docks as fast as we could. On the corridors, we met a lot more crew members now than before; everyone runs somewhere. It was complete chaos. We reached the dock when the radio voice rang up again.

„What did it said?” I asked Avry.

„They said to evacuate the ship because the Nova will explode.”

We arrived at the dock entrance; it was already open. As we run inside, we see how the last space glider left through the opening, leaving only our wrecked ship behind. We got in and closed the doors.

„No. Don’t do it!” I shouted.

„Looks like this is the end.” Said Avry with a desperate voice. „But I’m happy I’m not alone at the very end.”

„No. It can’t end like this. There has to be something...”

I noticed that the automata and manual controls aren’t on the right switch. I turned it to the other side and tried to make the ship move again, now with success. The space glider slowly turned around, and when it looked towards the exit, I pushed the power switch to the top. The machine slowly but surely started to speed up. In its movement, one could feel its war wounds. As soon as we left the docks, a deep voice rang out behind us.

„Is that the Nova?” I asked.

„Might be. We can’t get enough distance.”

„Don’t give up!”

But she was right. A few moments later, the genocide weapon’s explosion blast reached us with soul-shattering sound, and the small space glider was pulled in different directions. I let go of the joystick; there was no reason to fight against it. I just prayed that the machinery lasts.

The shaking slowly subsided and then stopped. From the window, you could see the core of the explosion, which also meant that we turned around. The core was a beautiful skyblue swirl, like a stormy sea. In the far distance, it was like it stopped still.

„It will collapse!” Shouted Avry. „We have to get as far away as we can!”

I clutched the controller again, but it was late. The pulse the collapse brought with it reached us and, with unbelievable speed, started pulling the ship towards the core. As we got closer, one could see a black spot inside the core. I couldn’t even imagine what that might be.

„Do you see that?” Asked Avry.

„Y-Yes. But I hope it’s not what I think it is.”

„Why? What might it b...”

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

We reached the core. More precisely, the black spot in the middle of it. Through space glider seemed to stretch, and it felt like my body was ripping apart on the cell level. I felt as though my consciousness was fading away.

I woke up to my clothes warning beeping. I was cold. My head hurt. The space glider’s control panel was all black. I looked left. Avry was unconscious, but from the looks of it, she isn’t wounded. The door on her side was pretty much totally destroyed. I shook her in desperation.

„Avry. Avry! Are you alright? Are you alive...? Say something!”

For long seconds, she gave no life signal, then with a weak, muffled sound she spoke up.

„Yeah... For now. Where are we? What happened.”

„I don’t know. I was unconscious like you until now.”

Avry suddenly twitched. She looked around. I hoped she come up with something.

„What if...” She spoke up in a cold voice. „What if it was a black hole?”

„I dunno. But if it was, then where are we.”

„We can be anywhere.” She said and reached for my hand. „How much oxygen do you have?”

„Around four and a half minutes worth.”

„Same as me.” Avry unclapped her belt and floated to me. „But at least we could save your planet.”

„At least.” As I said that, I couldn’t hold back my tears. „I’m sorry I pulled you into this.”

„It’s not a problem. If I wouldn’t wanted to come, I wouldn’t have come. Thr most important thing is that we are still together.”

„These past few days were so short. But I was so happy... I hope, in a new life, we will meet again.” I said, while hugging Avry tightly.

„I love you. I will love you forever.”

„Me too. Forever and ever.”

We stayed like that, hugging each other. Our oxygen slowly but surely got used up. I could feel death coming for me. The only thing I regret is that I can’t touch her for one last time. The seconds passed. I felt Avry’s body twitch as she tried not to cry.

Through my closed eyelids, I could see lights. I opened my eyes, then noticed some objects through the glass coming this way. The countdown for my oxygen was at ten seconds when it got close enough for me to see its a small spaceship. It raced towards us, but I couldn’t see it reach us anymore.