Lunar Rising

The bombs are under way.

“We need to stop them,” I say, straightening in my seat. “Come on.”

Ellison speaks into his mic. “Suzy, hold off the two jets for a bit, okay? Then fly long way round and lose them before coming into the radiation zone. While you’re taking your time, Charlotte and I are going to take down the shuttle. We’ll tell you as soon as we succeed.”

“Got it.”

I know what was left unsaid. You’re on your own against these two RSA jets. We’re going to be too far and too busy…

“Charlotte.”

“Yes, Ellison?”

“Promise me that no matter what, you’ll do as I say?”

I don’t say a word, not for a long time. Ellison flies the jet at a very high speed, closer and closer to the bombs. The full moon, so large that it fills the sky, casts the shadow of the shuttle over us.

Do I trust my life with Ellison?

Once again, I realize, I don’t really have a choice

“Yes, I promise.”

“Good. The back-up plan is really messy.”

The huge moon’s bottom side is beginning to sink into the horizon. I never thought that my mind would think this, but I wish that the lunar rising could last longer.

“Approaching the shuttle,” says Ellison. “Charlotte, here’s my idea. Once we get close enough, and our shadow falls over the top of it, I’ll fly the jet at the same speed as the shuttle. Then, you take the controls and I’ll jump from the jet to the shuttle’s top latch and I’m going to find some way to disable the bombs.”

The gaps in his ideas are unmeasurable. “Your plan is too disorganized. You can’t expect to find some magical way to shut the bombs off. Besides, I can’t fly a plane!”

“I think we both know otherwise, Charlotte Blacksand.” Ellison raises an eyebrow at me. “You learn fast. And if my plan is too vague, can you tell me a better way to do this?”

“I don’t want you to risk your life like this.”

“We’re risking our lives as it is.”

We spend the next few seconds arguing, but not getting anywhere. Meanwhile, the shuttle approaches, and we still don’t have a plan.

“How long until the shuttle opens up and the bombs are exposed to the light?” I ask.

“About seven minutes.”

I swear silently. “I’m going to search the plane for something to jog ideas. There’s got to be something here that we can use.”

Leaving my seat in the cockpit, I rummage frantically through metal drawers and iron crates. I use my wrench to open up the crates. One is filled with extra parachutes, in addition to the ones hanging on the wall, on a line of small hooks. Another is jam-packed with interchangeable parts, in case something needs to be repaired. Another crate has packages of rationed food, such as crackers and water.

I grab the wrench with both hands and open up the last crate. There’s a pile of thick, strong metal rope in here, attached to a heavy, spider-shaped grappler.

My mind races with ideas. I settle on one of them.

“Ellison!” I call out. “I know what to do! Do you have good aim?”

“Yeah, I guess…”

I run to the cockpit. “Open up the trapdoor on the floor of the jet and go down using the ladder with the grappler I found. We’re going to haul the bomb shuttle into the ground.”

Ellison stares at me in shock. “Won’t the impact make them explode?”

“These are the government’s top weapons. I’ve lived with the government and read about these types of light-sensitive bombs. They can only be lit when their panels are exposed to high concentrations of light. This shuttle is built to be sturdy. If we drive it into the ground, the shuttle’s top doors won’t be able to open, and the bombs won’t ever be activated.”

“What if the shuttle doors still open?”

I grimace. “That’s why we got to work fast. The lunar rising’s radiation will be lesser in the area that we drag away to.”

Ellison nods, understanding my full plan. “The delay in the launch. That delay will be their fatal flaw!” He releases the controls and leaps out of his seat. I hop in and begin to fly the jet with perfect ease.

By watching Ellison, I had an idea of the simpler controls. Narrowing my eyes at the shuttle, I watch and wait for it to pass underneath the jet, into our shadow.

When the shuttle disappears beneath the jet, I set the speed to match the one scanned.

“Open the trapdoor now,” I say.

Behind me, the trapdoor unlocks, and Ellison lifts it open. He drops the rope ladder, dangling precariously over large space, and climbs down. Fear gnaws inside me like a rat chewing wire. One hand is looped around a section of the rope ladder, and the other is holding the grappler. He descends until he is close enough to the shuttle to find a spot to hook onto.

“Okay, I’m ready!”

I leave the jet on autopilot and go to help Ellison get back up. Hand over hand, the rope ladder is pulled back into the cabin, and Ellison with it. We fasten the end of the grappler’s metal rope around the bottom handles of the trapdoor from the outside, and we double-check to make sure it’s in place.

“Secure,” I announce. “Time to go.”

My heart stops. Ellison and I both turn to look at the same thing.

The shuttle is beeping. Either the government has security set up on it, or the shuttle is about to release the bombs.

“Move, move!” Ellison pushes me aside and scrambles up the rest of the ladder. The trapdoor is tugged shut by the grappler rope attached to the shuttle.

Ellison and I hurry to the cockpit and sit down. Ellison is flying again. I press the blue button for him.

The airwaves crackle and I hear the responder. “Hello?”

“Raven!” I’m so glad to hear his voice. At the sound of my excited reply, Raven pipes up:

“Where are you guys? Suzanne’s busy shooting behind us using this high-tech super-blaster stored in the back. We’re on autopilot and things don’t look good.”

Ellison grabs the microphone, which he had taken off earlier when he went down to the shuttle.

“This is no time to play catch-up, Raven. Tell Suzanne to get over here. We’re removing the bombs and you guys can have this space ready for testing.”

“Suzanne!” Raven’s voice sounds desperate. I grip the edges of my seat.

“She’ll be okay,” murmurs Ellison to me, seeing my nervousness.

Raven’s voice comes back on. “The last jet is down. I repeat, the last jet is down.”

Inside, I feel a small celebration taking place. However, my pilot doesn’t feel the same.

“Suzanne! Raven, get Suzy on the mic, now.”

“I’m here, Ellison.” Suzanne’s voice comes on the speakers. “We’re coming back right now.”

Ellison is flying the jet away from the area. He clenches his jaws and hands me the microphone.

I take it. “Listen, Suzanne, this is an unexpected thing, but it has to be done.”

I’ve made up my mind.

Ellison cannot give up his life for something that Raven and I have been involved in. I cannot let anyone else die in front of me.

Not after John. Not after…

Something flashes in my head. A memory.

Time seems to slow. In that single instant, the memory expands like a white, fluffy cloud, engulfing me in its mist.

I can see my parents. My mother is the one who holds my hands. My father runs ahead. We weave through alleyways and buildings, and we cross entire highways, void of fear. The only fear we have is not of dying, but of being caught before dying.

This is one of the memories that the government tried to wipe from me. I can feel my mom, tugging my arm, encouraging me. Just a little longer, my little Charlotte! You’ll be okay! Listen to me! Follow Daddy!

My tired breath comes panting out, I want to rest…

Regretful decision. I release my mother’s hand. In my mind, my conscience screams, Hold onto her! And yet in the memory, my little child self lets go.

My mother’s panicked eyes meet mine.

Her eyes. Shining white, as bright as the moon. As bright as the moon on a lunar rising. My father is still running ahead. He turns back for a split second and sees that my mom has lost me. He curses madly, he hesitates. He doesn’t know what to do.

Both of their eyes are just like mine now. My heart catches in my throat.

There are shouts and bustling movements. People streaming around me, pushing me away from my family, are shouting and screaming. People dressed in stealthy black, carrying large blasters, are headed towards the center of commotion.

I scream, and I wail, but nobody can hear me. My voice is only one, lost in the mingled cries of everybody else.

Understanding dawns upon me. My mom and dad are killed this night.

Run!

I run, following those who are moving away from the crowd. Tears streaming down my face, I ignore the shots ringing out across the street, and I continue to run.

Perhaps I was confused, or I was too scared to look where I was going. I crash head-first into the stomach of an able-bodied government man, dressed in black. He looks down at me and smiles a little. Paralyzed, I stare up at him with my large, brown eyes.

He can’t possibly know who I am. I have to get away!

The man puts his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. He doesn’t want to harm me. Gently, he bends down and asks, where are your parents?

I don’t reply. I just sob, and he lets me hug him.

It’s going to be alright. We’re going to take care of you.

That was the government. The end of my life as the daughter of two loving parents with beautiful white eyes, and the beginning of a sheltered life living in the capitol.

I come back into focus, back into my current situation. Ellison is prepared to carry through with my plan to drive the shuttle into the ground using the jet. The determination pounds in his eyes.

I remember how John was just as eager for the cause.

I can’t let Ellison meet the same fate as John. My plan is too dangerous. He will die. He probably knows, but I… I can’t let him die, too.

Not after John, and not after my parents.

I muster my courage. Options pass through my mind, alternatives to my last plan. I toss them aside and speak into the mic.

“Alright, Suzanne, you have to listen very carefully. Do you understand?”

“Just keep talking.”

“I need you to fly your jet underneath ours. I’m going to turn the jet to the side. Since the trapdoor is unavailable right now, Ellison is going to jump out from the emergency door, with the parachute. You need to catch him in your jet.”

Ellison widens his eyes at me. “What? Hey, I never agreed to this!” He reaches for the mic. “Give me that!”

I raise my arms high and lift my chin to speak while keeping the mic out of Ellison’s range. We don’t have any more time to waste.

“After that, I’ll close the door.” I continue. “You, Ellison, and Raven can fly your jet to the lunar rising ‘hot spot,’ as I’m going to call it, and test out the invention. Then, proceed to the Capitol city as planned. Got it?”

“What about you?”

I swallow. “Don’t worry about me.” I leave out the words, I’ll be fine. I can’t guarantee it at all.

“Charlotte! You’re crazy! I’m not going to let you do this!”

It’s Raven. He’s practically screaming into his mic. “Charlotte! Do you hear me? I’m not going to let you!”

“Shut up, Raven. Suzanne, I’ll keep in contact with your jet until… until I succeed with burying the bombs.”

I press the blue button again, to block out Raven’s frantic protests and his voice tinged with worry.

Ellison faces me in silence.

“What are you waiting for?” I snap at him. “Get your parachute and get ready! I’m going to turn this thing to its side as soon as I see their jet, and if you aren’t ready, then be prepared to end up dead on their windshield.”

He scampers away, muttering.

My messy, brown hair, which has fallen loose around my shoulders, is swept back into the roughest ponytail I’ve ever done. I need it out of the way. I work quickly, canceling all autopilot modes except for those that regulate wings. I count off a few minutes in my head. We don’t have much time. The lunar rising is going to end soon…

When is their jet going to come??

Finally, after I’ve counted off an entire minute, I see their jet come towards us. The armor on the body is a bit dented and bruised, and one of the wings is smoking in a way that probably isn’t right, but the flying is smooth enough. I’m impressed by how good a pilot Suzanne is, and I’m put a little more at ease knowing that Raven has such a skilled pilot with him.

I’m getting distracted. I cannot let that happen. Turning, I call out, “Ellison! They’re here!”

I grasp the controls and tilt the plane to the side. The change in gravitational direction makes my insides squirm. Behind me, I hear Ellison crash into a set of metal drawers. He lets out a shrill squeak of pain.

I watch him. Ellison’s hand rests on the handle of the door. He pulls inward, and the door comes in, and then falls out. Gravity works in our favor again. Ellison stands on the wall, on top of the metal drawers he crashed into. He adjusts the parachute on his back and hesitates.

Then he looks up at me, and I can see right into him. He’s sad.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Charlotte.”

“Trust me, Ellison.” I swallow. “I know what I’m doing is right. I’ve never been more certain in my entire life.”

He nods slowly and braces himself to jump through the door. The other jet, with its top hatch open, waits for him in the safe shadows.

“Nice working with you, Ellison,” I say, smiling to him.

“Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself,” he replies. “Good luck, Charlotte Blacksand.”

He jumps.

I turn on the mic and the transmitters immediately. “Suzanne, did you get him yet?”

“He made it. Parachute helped him land safely, and Raven’s pulling him in now.” Suzanne’s voice stops. “You do realize that your plan is futile? Raven’s very upset.”

I sigh. “I’m doing this no matter if he gives his consent or not. He should know that.”

“He does. That’s why he’s so upset.”

I don’t know what else to say. “Go collect your data. I’ll still be here until… later.”

“Okay.”

Buttons flashing and panels moving themselves in front of me, the plane seems to prepare me for flying. All the panels on the cockpit ceiling come down on mechanical arms, presenting themselves to me in a row.

I first press the button that closes the door. With a soft hiss and a red light flashing above it, the door swings shut and clicks. Locked.

The plane is steered back upright. I manage the controls while tapping on the mic.

“Beginning my initial descent now.” I switch a few gears and point my jet nose down, towards the ground far off where the lunar rising’s light already passed. I pull a large lever, and the jet flies forward with high speed.

There’s a slight tug that’s slowing it down. The shuttle is successfully being dragged with it. I set the speed slightly higher. I don’t know how much time is left on the shuttle, but I need to hurry.

After a few seconds, the jet has accelerated to its full speed. My teeth chatter as the cockpit and cabin rumble with the friction of the plane. One of the earlier blasts must’ve messed with the air-friction mufflers.

Few more seconds pass. The jet is speeding forward, but now, my steering has gradually lowered the jet so that the ground isn’t as far as it used to be.

My finger goes to press the blue button again. “Beginning second stage descent.”

I speed up even more and gain some altitude. My stomach lurches as I tap commands into the screen of one of the panels.

My altitude gain is enough for me to reach sufficient potential energy now.

Tears well up in my eyes. My words nearly get choked up. “Beginning final descent!” I say hoarsely into the mic.

“Charlotte!” Raven’s voice. My cheeks are stained with tears. Upon hearing his voice, I cannot see any more through my wet eyes. “Stop this, Charlotte! Stop! Please… I…”

I shake my head and sob, “Good-bye, Raven.”

My hands, shaking and wet from wiping tears, fumble with the mic. I take it off and throw it behind me. No use for it now.

I point the jet nose into a sharp diagonal that is bound to have me plow into the ground. At my speed, it’s likely that I’ll be entombed underneath several layers of white, dusty soil.

The memory of my parents flashes, but it’s not the only one. My memories of Raven, and John, and Neil, and even the government, and everyone else, fill my mind and muddle my head.

The ground rushes up around me. It’s coming in fast. I suck in my breath.

Counting down the seconds, I lift my head bravely.

5…

4…

3…

2…

1…

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