Jarren Brennen (IND)

[Skyelius]

At first he was hesitant, but knowing there was no turning back, he chose to hit the afterburners and get closer to that thing. His co-pilot immediately jumped out of his seat and onto the back of the cockpit.

What are you doing?!, Allie shouted.

-Honestly, I don't know, the man said.

After returning to his seat, Jarren once again intervened with the controls. This time, the cockpits window opened, and he was astonished by the most frightening and beautiful sight hed ever seen. Those crackheads down on the surface had done it again, and this time it seemed they had done it right. The anomaly looked stable enough for the Z-Shuttle to get through, but there were no guarantees or life insurance for its pilots.

Before we go, Allie, I think we-

But the young explorer could not finish his sentence. I think we better wait to do it after the jump, Jarren. Its been a hard process for the two of us, but maybe this is our chance.

Our chance to what? We don't even know whats gonna happen! I mean, I'm not afraid anymore. Why do you think I opened the window, huh? I wouldve crapped my pants if it were any other day, but were together, and we signed up for this together, and I'll be glad if the last thing I see is you.

-Don't talk like that. You know what we had agreed. Keep to your word, okay?
-But, what if
-No. If were to die here, then I accept my fate. I do love you, J, but its been a while since we ever did something different, something to thrash away the suffering we've had to endure together, and I'm ready to embrace the future if you're willing to wait at the other side. Think of it as a chance... or a risk we're bound to take.
-W-well allright. Perhaps you are right, and after this well have each other, right? And everything will be right.
-You don't know how much I really wish that. You... honestly dont have an idea

Without ever finishing her sentence, Allie accelerated towards the artificial jump gate. There was no time to think, to speak, nor time to move or feel. Jarren Brennen woke up, unable to move fast enough to avoid the small chunk of metal that nearly crushed his left arm. Not having enough strength or will to scream, he tried to orient himself, and he realized he was no longer in the Corona's cockpit. There was no trace of Allie, the room he was in appeared to be wrecked, and a familiar alarm echoed all over the place he could now distinguish as the experimental shuttle's immense cargo bay. He heard gunshots.

What? Who's there! Come out where I can see you!, he shouted.
-R-right behind you, heheh!
-Ugh!
Jarren saw the tall, seemingly wicked man point at him with a handgun, but he was so shocked by the flames that he thought it was the end of his road. Right before the man pulled the trigger, another shot was fired, piercing the aggressors neck and killing him instantly. Another man, slightly shorter but with a warmer look, appeared.

If you stay here, you'll die. Come on!, he said.
-I can't; I left someone behind in the cockpit! Allie! Where is she?!
-There's no other friendly person in klicks other than you, me and Matt back there, so hurry up!
-But-

Another explosion rocked the ship. This one triggered the reactor meltdown alarm, and Mr. Brennen didnt think twice. Both men ran out of the bay and towards the docking port. They boarded one of the ships just as two others were landing, one still outside.

They have no idea what's gonna happen. If they don't get back on their ships now, they'll be vaporized with the rest of the ship.
-Stop worrying about those fellas. That's the same fate they intended you to have. Good thing we saw the flash your ship made when it popped up on screen; you would have been history if we hadn't gotten there as soon as we did. Not fast enough it seems, though. The Rogues had already torn apart most of it.
-But what about my friend? She's still on the ship!

Not a second had passed before Jarren had said this, and the Corona exploded, taking two of the Rogue vessels with her and heavily damaging the other. Another wing of hostiles seemed to blip in the radar, and the man rushed to the pilot's seat.

Great, then. I presume you've flown a Startracker before, havent you? You seem pretty sharp. Go ahead and press that blue button over to your right. No, the one above it there.
-Huh? The air conditioner? Isn't it cold enough here already?
-Just do it

A faint sound began to slowly rock the ship, then started to fade. Brennen noted the debris in front of them moved faster and faster away, and he was shocked at the speed they were now going.

Wow! At this rate, we would be in Cydonia in a flash!
-Who?
-Oh, nothin'. I imagine I'm now millions of star systems away from home, in a ship with a humanoid from another time, with nobody that can help me get back. At least you speak English.
-Well, err yes. I'll just drop you by on Manhattan, stranger. Surely you can get acquainted with Liberty at the local bar. You can walk to it without breaking a sweat.
-Oh well.
-By the way, I'm Thomas. Do you have a name?
-Yeah. I used to be Jarren Brennen, of Planet...

Planet what? Earth?, the man held back his laughter.

-No, of course not. I dont even remember where Im from; the last time I saw my home I was too busy arguing with my girl. She gets cranky sometimes. I wonder if shes allright, though. Im not too worried about her now. If those rogues got to her theyve probably killed themselves before she could kill them, and shes pretty fast in doing so.
-Riiiiiight well then, well be arriving soon. Dont be scared of Matt when you get off, though. He just likes to play with rifles a bit.
-No problem, bud.

A couple of minutes later, the young explorer looked up at the tallest building in sight. The air seemed to be clean, but the ships taking off nearby had almost left him deaf. He walked towards the bar, his mind so full of thoughts that it almost seemed empty...

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"It is a cold universe until you know God as your Father, and then it becomes a home. Even the next life simply becomes the Father's house, home."
—David Pawson