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His expression was hard and readable, she saw the panic in his eyes. It was damped down and controlled, but there. That scared her more than anything. As long as she'd known him, he'd always been in control, no matter what.
"We're going to crash," he said, and slammed a fist onto a panel on the wall. She jumped in surprise, a squeak on her lips, but then a hidden door slid open to reveal an escape pod tucked away inside.
Relief hit her. An escape pod. She hadn't thought this ship was big enough to have anything like that, but God she was glad to see it. It was a way out, a chance to survive the situation they'd found themselves in.
She turned to him with a smile of relief, only for him to put a hand in the center of her chest and give her a hard shove. She stumbled, falling into the escape pod, the door sliding shut behind her.
"Vaarn! What are you doing?"
She was at the door in a heartbeat, hammering her fists against the curved glass of the window. Vaarn watched her from the other side, his face set in grim lines of determination.
"What are you doing? Open the door!" She demanded, tears burning at the corners of her eyes.
He shook his head, his voice muffled with the door between them. "I'm sorry, kelarris, but I can't."
Panic clawed at her throat as she pressed her palms against the cold glass of the escape pod's window. The expression on his face sent fear spiraling through her. He looked grim and determined, like a warrior about going into battle for the last time.
"Vaarn… please. What's going on?" Her voice cracked as she pleaded.
"The ship took a hit from the asteroid field," he said, his voice difficult to hear through the door. "The hull's compromised and we're dragging a trail of debris with us into the atmosphere."
"But you can fix it, right? We'll be fine?" As soon as she said the words, she knew they weren't true. If they were, he wouldn't have shoved her in here. "You've put me in here just as a safety measure, haven't you?"
His silver hair glinted as he shook his head.
"No, Sadie. I can't repair the hull in time."
She pressed herself against the glass. "Then come in here with me, we'll both be safe then."
Sorrow tightened his expression. "I can't, kelarris. The asteroid is breaking apart. It's coming down with us."
She bit her lip, tears filling her eyes. "What does that mean?"
Her stomach dropped as if they were already plummeting planetward. She knew what it meant.
"It’s going to hit us, isn’t it?"
"No." His eyes locked onto hers. "You're going to land safely because I'm going to clear your path."
Understanding dawned, and her heart broke. " You're not coming with me."
She couldn't say the rest. Couldn't complete the thought. If he stayed behind then…
He nodded, once. "I'll bring the ship down as far as I can, and use the weapons array to clear any debris in front of the escape pod."
"But you'll die!" She slapped her hands against the glass again, hot tears blurring her vision so she couldn't see him clearly.
His face softened. " Your survival is all that matters."
"No!" Her voice broke and she shook her head. "You can't do this! Get in here with me! Please!"
He stepped back from the window, regret in his eyes. Every inch he moved further away from her and the door felt like miles carved into her soul. "There's too much debris, I won't risk your life."
"But you'll give yours! Vaarn, you'll die! Don't do this, please!" She begged as she watched him stride back to the pilot's seat. Helplessness filled her.
He didn't turn back.
"Please! Please don't do this! Please don't leave me alone!" She screamed as his hand reached out and hit the release button for the escape pod.
