They were always at their most vulnerable during atmospheric entry. The plasma that blanketed their assault transport wreaked havoc with communications and rendered them blind to any terrestrial threats. In the long run, it made no difference. Atmospheric entry demanded a tightly controlled trajectory and, if you really needed to get planetside, you simply ran the risk and prayed to whatever god you worshiped.
Bern had no time for such philosophic thoughts. She was busy easing Hope’s surrender to gravitational forces. What few spare thoughts she had were given over to Snipe’s entry and the fates of its crew.
The plan was simple, which doomed it to certain failure according to Mencken’s Razor. Solara was to be rescued if possible or killed if not. The team was split into two refurbished assault transports, Snipe and Hope. Snipe’s role was to make the first entry to draw off any defenses, while Hope would spring in with the primary team. Snipe carried Kat, CJ, Cel, Budo and Obielle. Hope had Bern, Feld, Lippy, Luthielle and Lucretia. If Snipe’s team made it to ground in one piece, they were to assault the ancient temple from the west, while Hope came in from the east. According to Budo’s research, Feld was the only one who could deactivate the relic with his DNA signature. If he was able to accomplish his task, then Solara could be rescued. Otherwise, well, what had to be done had to be done.
The transition from plasma-enshrouded night to diffused daylight was the cue to begin a series of violent evasive actions. Surprisingly, there was nothing to evade. So far, the plan was working!
~/~
A violent battle was at its zenith in the main gallery of the temple when the primary team arrived. Kat and Cel were exchanging blaster fire from behind a balustrade in the upper gallery while Obielle was pinned down behind one of the gallery’s many columns. Budo and CJ were nowhere to be seen. From their position in the apse behind the dais, they could see that the situation was desperate. Solara, or what was left of her, was sitting on the throne on the dais, while fifty or so women fired blaster bolt after blaster bolt at the intruders. The relic itself was suspended from the ceiling above the throne.
The primary team sprung into action. Lippy, at one with The Third Eye, ran ahead to the dais with Feld in her wake. Luthy and Lucretia ran to flanking positions on each side of the dais and began firing into the back of Solara’s guardswomen. Bern remained behind with her blaster aimed at Solara.
Halfway to the dais, Lippy hurled her plasma-sword toward the relic to cut the suspending wires as she fired her blaster with her other hand. Feld also added to the carnage. Meanwhile, with surprise in their favor, the tide was turning against the guardswomen.
Suddenly, a globe of blue energy launched from Solara’s outstretched hand and encompassed the relic. The plasma-sword ricocheted away. As Lippy ran to get her sword back, CJ, her eyes alive with a blue flame, rose up from a hidden, prostrate position in front of the dais and shot Feld in the head with her blaster. He fell gracelessly in a lifeless heap.
“No!” Lippy yelled as she brought her blaster to bear on CJ. She never had time to exact her revenge, though, as a blue lightning bolt hit her full in the chest, killing her instantly.
It all fell apart as quickly as it started. The shock of the sudden deaths of her compatriots left Luthielle open to a fatal volley of blaster fire. Obielle was soon captured while Kat, Cel and Lucretia used their extensive clandestine skills and stole away from the scene. Bern was left alone, huddled in the doorway of the apse, with her unused weapon.
As Obielle was marched to the front of the dais, Solara called out, “Come here, Bern, sweetling. I need to talk with you.”
Bern meekly walked around the dais to its front. She held the blaster loosely at her side. In the center of the gallery, she spied Budo’s shattered body, a mass of fried circuits, scorched synthetic skin, organs and hydraulic fluids. CJ was kneeling next to the throne as Solara ran her fingers through CJ’s hair. The smile on CJ’s face sent a shiver through Bern’s body.
“Bern,” Solara asked, “why are you holding a blaster? I thought you were a pacifist.”
“I am,” Bern replied stiffly. “I haven’t fired it.”
“I see,” Solara considered. “Don’t you want to? Your plan has failed. Your friends are dead. Hope has been destroyed. Surely, you’d like to take a shot at me, wouldn’t you?”
A tear rolled down Bern’s cheek as she answered, “Yes. If it would make a difference, I would. But there’s no point now. As you said, we lost. My friends are dead and nothing can change that.”
“Yes. That is true.” Solara seemed to pause and give birth to an idea. “What if I were to give you one free shot at me? Would that be worth it? You could avenge your friends. You could save the universe. Just one shot to make a difference. Would you do it?”
Obielle tried to shout instructions to Bern, but her tongue felt like lead, her mouth frozen shut. She could only look on in horror.
Bern looked at the carnage around her and the unholy goddess that Solara had become. “In a heartbeat,” she decided.
“Then, it shall be done. I shall sit here, defenseless, while you take your shot. Now, for the lives of your friends! For the lives of all the souls who shall surrender to my wrath! For your destiny! Do it! Now!!”
Bern raised her blaster with both hands and fired at Solara’s heart. CJ, however, sensed the threat to her master and leapt in front of her, taking the full charge to her chest. She fell in a smoking heap at Bern’s feet.
“Tsk tsk. That’s too bad. I rather liked her,” Solara mourned as she looked upon her fallen pet. Looking back at Bern, she smiled and said, “My turn,” before flames consumed Bern’s flesh.
“No!!” Obielle screamed.
~/~
“No!!!” Sondra screamed from her quarters at the Barscape. “No more. No more visions. Please, no more visions,” she whimpered into the silent darkness of her room.