A Final Journey

Another direct hit! One more hit and all shields will be down for good. His heart is racing he can’t remember the last time he has taken so much damage to his ship, maybe his reflexes are failing? Maybe he is not swerving quickly enough; maybe his return fire is a little slow.

The ship begins to tremble like a mighty earthquake bringing forth the apocalypse. The alarms are blaring, and he seems to have lost control. This is how he dies? This can’t be. The greatest pilot in the entire star fleet is going out with a whimper. His life begins to flash before his eyes, visions of his family swirling through his mind’s eye, then there is a flash forward to the day he met her. A woman he loved for so many years, yet, their relationship was denied after the first alien invasion she died tragically as a member of the resistance.

The alarms continue to blare he is trying to shut them out he loses power on his navigation system, and now he feels as if he is merely floating rather than moving. Outside he can see metallic figures in the distance they approaching him looking to make the final shot. Taking a deep breath he realizes that he has failed and then there is silence, and then he can feel the blaze of the fire strip away his flesh he wants to scream in agony, however, this is when he comes awake.

“Captain!”

He opens his eyes to find himself surrounded by a small group of uniformed men and women. They look at him as if he had sprouted wings, horns, and decided to take flight.

“Captain? We are waiting for instructions to take off?”

The young man who is addressing him looks familiar, he knows him from somewhere but where does he know him from? He looks around the chambers an impressive array of panels and lights adorned with knobs and buttons that he is unsure as to why so many are needed. The screens are all black at the moment as if they are waiting for something; they must be waiting for him? But where is he? Who are these young men and women and why is he being called Captain? He is nothing more than a pilot, and he was a damn good one until he… What did happen to him?

“Captain Are you ready for takeoff?”

He smiles at the young man as he is trying to stall he wants to say his name is Leo. However, that is most likely not the case at all. Taking a deep breath trying to look in command he finally responds.

“Begin the takeoff procedures. Everyone to their stations.”

The group of men and women salute in unison and each man their station, playing their assigned role and doing whatever it is that they are supposed to be doing on whatever mission they are supposed to be on. Without saying another word to anyone, he begins to walk towards his chambers still unsure as to his new surroundings, still unsure as to his purpose When a voice snaps him back to reality it is the young man, his second in command he must assume at this time?

“Captain, may I have a word with you?”

The young man is so familiar in fact his features are much like his he could almost be his son… But did he even have a son?

“Captain I am really worried you did not seem like yourself out there you almost seem lost and confused… but then again… I think you know the reason why… Wake up, Captain… Wake up before it ends.”

With those words the young man vanishes, the world around him seems to be melting away to reveal an ugly truth; the world melts away to reveal the darkness of space to reveal his eternal tomb.