*
Attendants busily worked at securing Darla and Ilanit into their seats while crews scurried to ready the fighter for flight. The plane’s storage bay wasn’t sufficient in size to satisfy the Divulsion’s need for thallium oxysulfide. Finally it was suggested that the main liquid fuel tank be emptied and sealed to permit the remaining amount to be put in there. This limited the T-4 to a maximum flight time of thirty-six minutes, long enough under normal conditions, but fitfully short given the current set of circumstances. Should the fighter be forced to abandon its mission, there would not be enough fuel to allow a safe return to the Shikkeron. Knowing this, Darla ordered life support systems be cut to one hour. She felt it better not to prolong the inevitable should the worst occur. She had said to Bedan after making that decision, “There will be no good reason for you to attempt a rescue if we fail. No need to risk others in such foolishness.”
As she sat in the pilot’s seat, running down a checklist, Bedan poked his head through the cabin door. He took one final moment to thank the colonel for her selfless bravery and then cautioned, “Colonel Adaya, the chemical you’re carrying is very unstable. We couldn’t add any neutralizers, fearing there wouldn’t be time for the Divulsion to draw them off before losing all power. It’s possible that one hard jolt from a piece of space rock could trigger a reaction that might ignite the material, creating a raging inferno reaching several thousand degrees. Please be careful...”
Darla smiled, waxing sarcastic. “It sounds to me like we shouldn’t have need for concern. Our suits should be good for...uh… three tenths of a second at those temperatures.”
Bedan made a poor attempt at seeing the humor in Darla’s comment. He patted her on the arm and then offered some words of appreciation to Leftenant Ilanit before exiting back down the ladder.
In a moment, Ardon’s face appeared in the doorway. An attendant was busy forward, locking down Ilanit’s helmet and helping secure her harness and safety gear. Ardon took Darla’s helmet from her hands and assisted her with it. Then he checked her safety harness and her suit’s life support systems.
Darla’s face shield remained open. When Ardon’s ear was close enough, she whispered, “Ardon, I go to my doom! The music doesn’t play for me!”
Ardon looked into Darla’s face, surprised. For the first time, he saw fear in the eyes of a most brave warrior. He rested his hand on her shoulder, reassuring her. “Colonel Adaya, it will be fine…”
Darla was in tears as she slowly shook her head. “No! No! Not this time. I have cried out to my mother and I feel nothing…nothing! I am one cast away, having foolishly made a hopeless choice by deviating from my destined path! I have also condemned my sister to my fate...”
Ardon reached out and touched Darla’s face. Never before had he seen such beauty and innocence, strength and frailty, determination and doubt, all at the same time. Darla believed her death was imminent and that she had been abandoned because of her reckless decision.
Ardon did not believe it. “No, dear one, I do not think this to be your day of destruction. You are wise, but still a child. Many are the tools our mother has handed you. Today you must use those you possess to succeed. Remember your sister, Mihai’s, words, ‘No greater love does a man have than to give his life up in behalf of his brothers.’ Mother would never abandon you...you have too much love.”
He gave the girl a tender kiss on her forehead. “Now, Colonel Adaya, use what has been given you. Upon you we place our trust. But should you fail, know this: there are none better qualified and more able to accomplish this task. The Divulsion’s only hope lies in you. If you were not here today, they would have no hope at all.”
Darla slid the face shield closed and checked out its seal. Through the communication device, she offered parting salutations. Ardon cautioned her to keep the helmet locked. “Just in case, you know.” He hesitated, looking deep into the shiny, black surface of the face shield. “See you in a bit...” He squeezed her arm, then pulled himself back through the door and stepped down the ladder.
Ilanit’s attendant finished her work, closing the door and checking its seal before having the wheeled ladder pulled away. Yellow caution lights flashed while a blatting siren sounded, warning the work crews to clear the staging area. The catapult platform slowly rotated the T-4 into exit position. When ready, Darla ignited main thrusters, giving them a few seconds to warm up. Then, looking into the Shikkeron’s windowed control room, she gave the ready signal. With a loud rushing noise, the air was sucked from the bay. A hissing sound was followed by an audible crack. Two doors split horizontally, grudgingly opening into the cold of space.