Bitter Farewell

The service hatch made a metallic thud that made the halls feel larger and more empty. Somewhere in the distant corners of the ship the screeches of Strain beasts echoed through the pipes. Jenny grit her teeth. Seth had betrayed her father, stole their ship, had his marauders kill the crew, ruined the once beautiful Empress, and now in his death defiled the vessel with Strain.

Jenny walked back into the corridor looking over the patched walls with a sorrowful frown. There was no saving the poor girl even if she’d wanted to. She lifted a hand to press against the wall. Her arms ached with pent up energy and, remembering the lessons from Elrabin, released the primal fire that crawled beneath her skin into the pipes and wires that led to the reactor.

Tears stung the corners of her eyes. Did she regret it? Dwelling on what could have been would change nothing. Jenny thought back as she listened to the distant scuttling of diseased creatures and the groaning of the ship as the generators began to overheat. She had been born on this ship. Had first seen Nexus from its windows, had spent the first years of her life learning and growing within its hull. Would she get rid of any of it if she could? Jenny regretted very little of what she’d done. Not even what she had endured the years her home was turned into her prison. No, she regretted what she hadn’t done.

Jenny’s gloved hand, encased with the data netting of the protective suit, fell to her side. She regretted not apologizing to her father before he had left to get on the transport. She regretted not having the presence of mind to suggest that Seth take his place. Then maybe her father would still be alive and none of this would have had happened.

A unearthly cry sounded to her left, and with a look void of emotion Jenny lifted a mag pistol to incinerate a smaller Strain creature as it lept at her. There was an explosion not far away, and she could feel the heat roll down the hall as her explosive charges in the cooling room blew.

She quickly strode back to the closet and ducked into the service hatch that would lead her out of the space ship. Two minutes and Lady’s explosives further in would go. It was over, and dwelling on what she might erase from her past would do no good. The Empress would be cleansed by fire, and Jenny would be free of it’s shadow to finally move forward.