The Quest for Paradise

It seemed as if part of the fleet was under attack. The oppressive heat left till there was just the feeling of free falling again.

Suddenly the vessel was slammed hard. My head even braced as it was felt like part of my brain had been shook loose. There was a ripping of metal followed by a bright color that seemed to burn my eyes to look at it.

I blinked and in wide-eyed horror I watched the other half of the vessel opposing me start to slide away. The tunneling vessel had been sliced in two!

Open sky of an orange hue now lay before me and I had nothing left in me but to scream as my eyes took in an alien environment filled now with black smoke from what seemed like the open carnage of all the vessels that had been situated in the hanger bay above. It appeared as if none had survived and even now pieces were being carved off here and there from arcing laser strikes that issued forth from below.

The half of the ship I was strapped to was likewise struck. A smaller section just sliced free seemed to go upward as the heavier chunk I was affixed to sank for whatever it was that lay below faster because of its greater weight.

I saw a woman in the section above screaming hysterically and all I could think was that I was just like her in this moment and yet in life apart from this trip to hell we were no doubt nothing alike. All thoughts whether abstract or near fled from me as did all conscious thought as my section of the vessel impacted.