Southern Cross by Windstar

"It's been an honor serving with you, Emie."
"Nicholas! Don't!"
"I'm sorry old friend. There's no other way, you know it."
Her sensors picked up another two missile hits. The entire aft kilometer and a half of Medusa
was nothing more than a mangled piece of wreckage. The large Guardian ships were designed to
take punishment, but this was above and beyond what they'd been expected to endure.
She swallowed against the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach and forced a small grin in return.
"I'll miss you."
"Give my love to Julie." The screen flickered and she saw a panel behind him explode. The
image stabilized again, long enough for him to add, "listen to her, Emie, she's good for you."
Then the image wavered and went dark.
She watched, silently raging, through her sensors as Medusa absorbed another missile hit. Her
hull was shattered, her fusion generators ruined. The ship had simply taken too much. One
moment she was there, the next her forward fusion plant went, and the ship turned into a small
supernova.
Then, just like that, Nicholas was gone.
-----------------
"Oh my God."
Someone, Julie wasn't sure who, whispered.
Every eye on the bridge was locked onto the main display as Medusa's final moments showed.
Julie thought about the people on board who were doubtlessly dead. The Guardian whom she'd
met, and had made her laugh. Nicholas, he'd been in charge of the Tiri base near Australia.
If she'd been alone she would have thrown up. Cried, wailed and raged against the waste, the
knowledge that more would die before this was over only added to that urge.
The small woman forced a shaky hand to run through her hair before speaking. Using the
moment that action gave her to try and steady her voice. It was still wavering about the edges a
bit, but steadier than she'd expected when she spoke.
"Time until Phase two commence?"
No one moved.