“No!” Phelaine bellowed, crashing a gray fist down onto the control panel. “The electromagnetic radiation’s fried the jump circuits.” She gestured at the red-flashing screen with her trunk. “We can take off, but we’ll never outrun that thing without jumping!” She trumpeted, a brash, purposeless sound. Then her massive head slumped forward.
Above, “that thing” roiled across the monitors. From just behind Phelaine, Juhi watched the cascading nova bear down on them. She felt her fear turn bitter, leaden in her gut. They should have had time.
Despite everything, Phelaine had answered Juhi’s distress call, had even arrived early. Like old times, they had worked seamlessly to evacuate the stranded colony. Overcoming technological failures and personal agendas together, Juhi had begun to hope. Maybe, after they escaped, they would have a chance to mend their bond.
Now, however, their craft sat helpless before a crushing energy wave, and Juhi’s selfish call for help would soon kill Phelaine. Slumped over the controls, the Aelef woman looked so defeated. Guilt yanked the question from Juhi’s mouth before she could stifle it.
“Do you regret coming back here?”
Phelaine’s back stiffened. Then her huge head turned to fix Juhi with a single, twinkling eye.
“Please, you know the old saying,” she smiled. “Elephants never regret.”
“But you could be with your herd,” Juhi choked out.
Standing, Phelaine drew Juhi close, cupping her chin with the tip of her trunk.
“Juhi, you are my herd. More than any creature whose DNA forged mine, more than a group I was built into. You understand parts of me no one else wants to witness.” She leaned closer. “And I chose you.” Then Phelaine’s kiss enveloped her, and Juhi forgot the world shattering around them.
“I love you, Phelaine,” Juhi murmured after, resting her head on Phelaine’s broad chest.
“And I you, Juhi,” the Aelef replied. Gently pushing Juhi back, she smiled. “Let’s head to the central dome. This might be worth seeing.”
Inside the dome, Juhi decided she had not expected such a beautiful death. Outside, a spectacle of purple clouds billowed toward them, shot through with scattered explosions of lightning. Next to her, Phelaine suddenly seemed so small. Juhi had been used to the massive Aelef serving as a boulder, a strong force in her life. A bio-engineered hulk, half-pachyderm, half-human, Phelaine towered over most. But compared to the conflagration roaring through the stars toward them, even Phelaine seemed but a speck. Had any of it really mattered? Would anyone remember once the universe had swallowed them?
Phelaine’s trunk slid down Juhi’s arm to gently enfold her hand. The dark thoughts disappeared, and Juhi determined to spend her final moments on more important matters.
“So,” she began, “no regrets?”
Phelaine chuckled.
“Never.”