“Hyper-drive active, 10 seconds to warp.” A feminine voice said from the console in front of Dhaghane Kohre. All systems displayed as green and through his neural implants he could sense the diagnostics of the ship like they were a part of his body. He quickly checked over every part of the ship and accepted the informational packets the ship sent back for his approval of the warp.
He settled back in his chair and rubbed the scar on his right arm that tingled slightly in anticipation of the rigors of warp stasis.
“5 seconds.” The feminine voice responded. Dhaghane closed his blue eyes and forced his mind to relax, allowing the systems information to pass through his conscience like a slow moving river. It felt like a sixth sense. It was a feeling a lot of people had and would never fly, because it was uncomfortable having a part of your mind hardwired into an artificial sentience that demanded your sub-conscience attention.
“Warp initiation complete. Drive engaged” The feminine voice blurted out. The ship lurched and a brilliant light flashed that swallowed the small craft into nothingness.
-Blink-
On the other side, the light turned into darkness before the stars and space rushed in a blur up to meet his ship. Then suddenly, a swarm of stars and galaxies whirled by like a storm. The bright inferno of a star passed by close enough to blind him and he slammed his eyes closed to meet it.
-Blink-
“I forgive you.” A female voice whispered in the darkness. It was different than the ship’s own artificial sound. “I forgive what you’ve done.” It was a voice he remembered.
His eyes shot open and they didn’t reveal the cold insides of his cockpit. They revealed a blonde-haired dark skinned female before him. She smiled and stared.
“Forgiveness isn’t for me.” He whispered and she shook her head. “I ran from you for the last time.” Again, in his mind’s eye he felt the scar on his right forearm.
-Blink-
He saw the scene with horror. The watchers held his beloved. He had made it to the ramp leading up to the ship he now piloted. They held her down with a gun to her head. Before he could scream out, before any inclination of trying to save her erupted from his mind, a gunshot ended any hope for his love. If only he had not run so fast…
-Blink-
Explosions rang all around him and Dhagane piloted his fighter with fluid ease. Missile locks and warns rang and his own ship left a wake of destruction as his own hands guided wrath on his enemies.
“Azure Lance 1, we have your wing.” The communication link said through his headset.
“Glad to see you. Priest 5.” He responded as two Maser-Class Fighters brought up his wing.
It was the 5th month since the enemy invaded. They had one goal. Enslavement. His hands triggered another volley and before him a fighter splintered into flames. He clenched his teeth and guided his wing toward the main target. The enemy’s flagship.
The three fighters split through the atmosphere at deadly speed, passing by the burnt landscape of their world. Fear turned to lament, lament turned to rage, rage turned to fury. “Never give up,” Dhaghane thought to himself.
“Azure, target is located.”
“Roger that, Priest.”
The three ships all unleashed their weapons of war.
-Blink-
Her lips brushed his. And tear almost came to his eyes. The scar still tingled on his arm as he remembered her scent. It almost seemed to cling to his mind, like some distant force that taunted him.
“I love you,” she said and gripped his hand.
He said nothing. He had to be hard. War gripped his heart, and he barely felt the room to love. He nodded and gripped her hand tighter. He let go and walked toward the launch bay where his fighter and possibly his future casket awaited him.
-Blink-
“Warp drive disengaged.” The artificial voice interrupted his thoughts. He almost could not remember her face anymore. He shook away that thought with one final and cold comfort. This ship was his new lover. He was married to only death now.
-Blink-
Chains gripped his arms and the cold metal against his hot skin burned against his pride like a mark of shame. Thousands around him were shackled in the same way. All marching the same direction. Tears and blood marked their world now, and anger.
“March!” A cold voice shouted over the weeping from a metallic clad Watcher. His kinetic whip lashed out across the crowd striking blood on the backs of almost a hundred men.
He fingered the small parchment in his hands that had a red dot emblazoned on it. It was the mark of their rebellion. Any day now, he thought to himself.
-Blink-
“Fury Fleet Alpha, Dhaghane reporting.” He sent the transmission to a formation of the rebellions last resistance.
“Acknowledge, form up. We have a long fight ahead of us.”
Dhaghane’s ship fired its thrusters as it lurched toward the formation.
“No forgiveness.” He whispered to himself.