Blaze of Glory

Sara’s eyes widened. "You’re going out? He’s got a gun!"

I sighed. "I know. But chances are that he won’t be able to use it in hard vacuum. We have to stop him."

Sara nodded. I started to a locker, pulled out a lightweight pressure suit and started to zip it up. Before I could put on my helmet, Sara dashed forward, grabbed my head, kissing me. Time slowed for a second, then, sped up as she released me. "Be careful, okay?" She said, allowing me to seal up my suit. I then strapped on a thruster pack over the suit.

Moments later, I was in the air lock, waiting for the air to cycle out. When it did, I ignited the thrusters at maximum thrust, and took off after the terrorist. Flipping a switch with my tongue, I activated a simple tracking hologram that showed the positions of the terrorist and me. He was well ahead of me, but he wasn’t going as fast as I was. Slowly, I closed the gap, and was soon meters behind him. He glanced back, and I could see the surprise on his face -and the grim determination. I realized that only one of us would come out of this alive.

Suddenly, he tore a black cylinder off of his suit, and tossed it back at me, allowing it to drift into my path. I couldn’t avoid it; I was going so fast. As I tried to steer out of the way, my thruster pack caught the edge of the cylinder, causing in to explode.

The explosion threw me off my course, sending me down towards Earth. The stars, moon, and the Earth all circled above me, thoroughly disorienting me. A diagnostic computer shrieked, indicating that my thrusters were gone, and my oxygen was low.

"Joe!" A familiar voice screamed. Looking up, I could see Sara hovering above me, a grapple line in hand. "Are you all right?"

I shook my head. "No. My thrusters are out and I’m in a decaying orbit."

"Hang on for a minute!" She called out. Aiming the gun in her hand, she fired it, releasing a cable. The line shot out to me, and I reached out for it, grabbing.

And missed.

I stared in shock at the line and realized that I would not get out. Something triggered in my mind, and I was thinking clearly, not worried about my fate, or my life.

"Joe! Hang on! Let me reel it in!"

I held up my hand. "No Sara. You can’t get me in time. I’m going to die."

"What?" Sara demanded. "That explosion must have rattled you or something..."

I held up my hand again, stopping her. "Sara, I don’t want to die, but there is nothing I can do. Saving me would only result in your death. You won’t be able to rescue me. I just want you to promise me one thing."

I could see tears in her eyes. "Anything. Anything at all."

I smiled. "I’m at the brightest point in my career. This will just make it brighter. Just don’t ever forget me. I won’t ever forget you at all, dead or alive. Don’t cry for me. I don’t want you to waste your life in the past. Live for the future. Be happy. I love you Sara, and I always will." I was falling faster now.

"I won’t. I ...I ... promise. I love you too."

"Then, well, I can’t really say good by, you’ll always be with me. But I’ll see you again. I promise."

Then, I relaxed, and felt myself fall farther and faster. Sara became a white dot, and before she was carried out of sight, I felt myself start to burn. I smiled up at her, content.

A blaze of glory.