The dropship slipped through the warp bubble, dropping into normal space and sublight speeds. As programmed, the ship inverted its position then fired its thrusters, slowing the ship's descent into the nearby star system in preparation for her delivery.
The drop pilot smiled. Everything was working according to the flight plan. One she had carefully constructed prior to initiating her drop. She was an old hand at this, having been a successful dropship pilot for well over a decade. Examining the onscreen flight metrics, she noted all systems were optimal and on track. Nodding to herself, she leaned back musing.
So much had changed in her lifetime.
She’d run away from home, lost in a strange city. She’d been raised in a shelter, then lost her best friend, kidnapped and taken from her. She’d been adopted by her foster mom and her sister, raised by the pair until she graduated and went off to college with her closest friend. She’d stayed close with her friends, watching as new discoveries rolled forward one after the other.
As a young adult, she had watched as humanity spread out to the planets. Her own aunt became a governor of one of the first of them, the first lunar colony. Then came the breakthroughs in practical interstellar travel with the Alcubierre drive, a way finally found to synthetically generate the exotic matter needed to power it. From there her mother’s appointment to lead the first interstellar settlement to Alpha Centauri, and her mother’s appointment as their first governor.
Eventually she signed on with the emerging Space Force, first as an ensign, eventually working her way up to her current position as a dropship captain.
As was usually the case with dropship deliveries, her current mission was an emergency. A newly established colony along her starship's route had contracted a fatal plague. The colony was dying. Through subspace communications, they had worked with the medical staff at Central Command to help with the plague outbreak. Fortunately for the colony, the source of the disease was quickly identified, but less fortunately, the colony themselves did not have the resources to generate the needed medication to contain the outbreak and treat the infected. However, the starship she deployed from did have the necessary resources. They had crafted the necessary medication, taking a minor deviation from their planned path to drop off her and her lifesaving cargo.
The colony had only been founded five years ago, just beginning the process of building and expanding their presence on the planet. The next shipment of colonists was scheduled five years from now. That was far too long to wait for their present needs, hence her and her dropship.
The dropships were an accommodation to the costly realities of interstellar travel. Once a warp field was generated, it was significantly more efficient to keep it up and running, delivering supplies along the run using smaller ships that dropped through the warped spacetime to provide what the colonies needed.
That was especially true for emergency shipments like this one. As the starship runs were long and highly optimized, the fuel needed for a drop was a well conserved commodity, so each drop was planned and optimized down to the smallest detail. The equations governing sublight travel were well understood, and the known regions of space well mapped, allowing very precise calculations for the fuel expenditures needed to deliver a drop successfully. Those realities made for some grim realities.
One of these was that stowaways on dropships were sentenced to death. There were no hearings or appeal processes, no incarcerations, lawyers or judges. The equations of space and time themselves were the coldest, most impartial of judges. They brooked no machinations nor arguments. Physics herself was the ultimate reality on a dropship. Any stowaway was immediately escorted to the airlock then ejected from it, minimizing any impact on the ship and its trajectory. The sooner they were dealt with the less the equations were perturbed from their idealized solution, and the more likely the journey would be completed successfully.
The pilot scowled at her screen. The gravimetrics were not tracking perfectly. There was a growing indication in their deviation her ship was over its mass limit by a small amount. And that always meant one thing. A stowaway.
Dammit.
She had been through this before. Mostly they cried and begged for their lives. Sometimes they fought back and tried to overpower her. On a few occasions they had been clever and attacked her preemptively, trying to take her out before she got them. She had survived every encounter, and they had not. She was hardened to what she had to do, but honest enough to admit it took a lot from her. It was never easy to watch the hope and light fade from another person’s eyes, regardless of how necessary it may have been. It leached a piece of her personhood from her soul every time.
She spun through the sensors looking for temperature anomalies in the hold and ship's cabin, the only two rooms on the dropship. Wait, there it was. There was a small thermal gradient from the tiny closet at the edge of the cabin. Taking her stunner in hand, she walked over to the closet and commanded in her sternest no-nonsense voice.
“Come out now!”
There was the slightest noise of a shuffle from the closet. Then nothing. Walking over to the closet she wrapped on the door. “I know you are in there. I’m opening the door now. Make no sudden moves.”
She opened the door quickly, holding the stunner out before her.
A little girl smiled up at her from the floor of the closet. “You found me!” she smiled brightly.
The pilot sat hunched in her chair over her console while the young girl sat in the corner of the room sipping a hot chocolate while reading one of the pilot's comics. Seeing the girl smile at her, she waved.
“Just give me a minute, kiddo. I have to report in,” she smiled back. Hunching down over the console she coded in the ship to ship communications through her headset.
“Dropship Centauri Prime, Captain Shimmer reporting,” she whispered. “Come in Centauri Prime Actual.”
“Centauri Prime Actual, watch officer Janice. Come in Shimmer,” came the reply.
“Janice, I have a stowaway. I need some help,” the pilot whispered.
“Did you already jettison them?” her watch officer asked.
“No! No I did not!” hissed the pilot.
The watch officer sighed. “Sunset, why the hell not? Come on! You know the rules. You’ve been through this dozens of times. Just get it done, then call back with the details and time of death so we can notify their next of kin.”
“Dammit, Janice! I know how to do my job! It’s not that!” Sunset hissed.
“So what’s the problem?” Janice asked.
“She’s just a kid! She’s not even a teenager yet! How the hell am I supposed to space a damned kid, Janice!?” Sunset whispered.
The line went silent for a moment. “Damn. That is unfortunate,” agreed her watch officer. “Look, Sunset. That doesn’t change a thing. She still has to go and the sooner the better.”
“I know! I know, dammit. But isn’t there something we can do for her? Anything? Give her some time to say goodbye or make a few phone calls or something? She’s just a damned kid!” Sunset groaned.
“Hold on,” Janice said. She came back a few moments later. “You’re between burns. You have until your insertion burn, but she has to be out of the equations by then or you will all crash and burn. You’re authorized to contact whomever you need to give her whatever peace you can. That’s the best we can do.”
“Thanks, Janice. I owe you,” sighed Sunset. “Shimmer out.” She disconnected the line, smiling over at the girl reading her comic.
“So, is there anyone we need to let know where you are?” Sunset asked. “I’m sure they're very worried about you by now.”
“I’m going to see my brother in the colony you’re heading to. I was going to surprise him, but with how much trouble I seem to be in, he probably already knows by now,” the girl replied.
A tear trickled down Sunset’s cheek. “I bet he doesn’t,” she bravely smiled. “Let’s give him a call so he knows, okay? What’s his name? And what’s your name?”
“Oh, I’m sorry! Mom would be disappointed in me forgetting my manners. She’s always reminding me to be polite. I’m Aria Precasure, pleased to meet you. My oldest brother is Donald Precasure, part of the colony we’re going to! What’s your name?” asked the little girl.
“I’m Sunset Shimmer, pilot of this ship. Pleased to meet you, too,” smiled Sunset.
“Are you sad, Miss Sunset? It looks like you’re crying?” asked Aria with concern.
Sunset’s breath hitched. “Yeah, I am a little sad. But that’s okay. Let’s see if we can find your brother and get him on the line. Sounds good to you?” she asked.
“Oh, yes please!” agreed the little girl with a smile, running over to give her a big hug. Sunset hugged her back, her tears flowing freely now.
The little girl stood just off camera as Sunset called the colony. She informed them she needed to speak with Donald Precasure, then waited while they fetched him. Several minutes later, a clean shaven young man sat filling the screen before her.
“Donald here. Thank you for bringing our supplies. Is there something you need from me at the moment?” the young man asked.
“I have someone here who really wants to talk with you,” Sunset responded. Waving Aria over, she gently pulled the young girl before her, smiling over her shoulder.
The young man startled, then cried. “Aria! What have you done!?”
Sunset quickly covered the young girl's ears. “She doesn't know! We have until the insertion burn. Just talk to her. This is the best we can do. Please!” begged Sunset. She uncovered the girl's ears.
“I don’t know what?” asked Aria, confused.
“Don’t worry,” smiled Sunset, giving her a hug. “Just talk to your brother. I’m going to check on a few things and give you two some privacy, okay?” She smiled, then with a hug left the girl with her smiling but still tearful brother.
Sunset sat staring at the manifest on her handpad vacantly, not actually doing anything. She was just trying to keep busy in the hold to give the young girl and her brother some time alone together. She startled when the girl tapped her on the shoulder.
Turning to the young girl, she smiled. “Hey, what do you need? Anything I can get you?” she asked Aria pleasantly.
“Nah, just my brother said he needed to speak with you for a bit,” Aria replied.
“Oh! Okay, let’s go then,” said Sunset, taking her hand. The girl pulled back.
“No, he said he needed to talk with you alone. He told me to stay here for a minute,” she replied, pulling her hand back.
“Okay. Let me get you something to read then. I’ll be right back!” Sunset went back to the cabin and picked up the comic from the floor, then returned to the girl, handing it to her. The girl nodded in thanks, sitting on a crate and settling into the book again.
“Be right back,” promised Sunset. Aria nodded.
Sunset returned to the deck and sat in her chair. The girl's brother was still on screen waiting for her.
“So, did you tell her what’s happening?” he asked.
“No, I didn't. Did you?” she asked back.
“No,” he sighed.
“Then don’t,” replied Sunset. “Look, I may be way out of line here, but does she really need to know? It’s just going to make her miserable and terrified and it won’t change anything. I’d rather make her as happy as possible for as long as we can. There’s nothing gained by sharing this with her. Your call, but I really don’t think she needs to know.”
Her brother Donald looked up at her sadly. “Even though I think she has a right to know, I agree with you. You’re sure there’s nothing we can do that can save her?”
Sunset looked at him. “Short of throwing out the cargo, which we both know we can’t do, there’s nothing we can do. Even if I threw out all my personal effects, it wouldn’t even come close to enough to save us. I don’t like it either, but we’re stuck. The math won’t allow for any other answers.”
“I know. I get it. I just had to ask,” he sighed. Sunset nodded.
“No offense taken, I would have asked in your shoes too. Seriously, if there were any other way, I’d happily take it,” she assured him. “Shall I call her back in?”
Donald nodded. “Sure, but stick around. Maybe we can share some stories to keep her happy,” he offered.
Sunset smiled and nodded. Disappearing briefly, she returned with Aria in tow. Sitting down in her chair she pulled the little girl up into her lap. “So, we thought we could pass the time waiting to land with some stories about life in the colony and flying a dropship. Sounds good to you?” Sunset asked her. Aria nodded her head happily.
“Donald, why don’t you go first? Got any fun stories to share with your sister and I?” smiled Sunset as Aria grinned.
Her brother grinned as well. “Oh yeah. I have a few stories I can share,” he replied, launching into the time he got lost when the colony was first established.
They traded off, sharing stories and answering Aria’s questions, both enjoying the moments spent with the delightful young girl as she listened to their stories. Eventually though her youth caught up with her, and she fell sound asleep in Sunset’s arms.
“I hate to let her sleep. Should I wake her?” asked Sunset looking down on the precious young girl sleeping peacefully.
“No, let her sleep. She’s been through so much she needs the rest,” her brother answered.
“But we’re getting close to the cutoff. Are you sure?” Sunset asked.
“Can you think of a better way to go?” replied Donald. “I don’t want her to die, but I sure want her to go peacefully and happy. Just let her sleep.
“And thank you again for this. I know the rules. You didn’t have to do any of this. I’m so grateful you gave us this time together,” he added.
“I would have to be some kind of monster not to find a way to give her and you a chance to say goodbye. I know I’m a stone hearted bitch of a dropship captain. I’ve spaced too many stowaways to claim otherwise. But there’s no way I could live with myself if I didn't find some way to do something for her,” Sunset replied. “If there were any way to not do this, I would find it and do it. This so isn’t fair to anyone.”
“No, it isn’t,” Donald agreed. “But equations aren’t about fair. They’re about reality. You’ve done all you could to make her final reality as wonderful as possible. Please don’t beat yourself up about it.”
“I’m not cold hearted enough to not take this to heart,” replied Sunset. “But thank you.”
Smoothing Aria’s hair she gently sang to the sleeping girl. Joined by her brother, they both wept and sang as she rocked the young girl gently in her arms.
Some time later the alarm flashed, muted so as not to wake the sleeping girl. They both paused their singing.
“It’s time,” Sunset nodded to the girl’s brother.
“Okay. Thank you for this. I’ll see you when you land,” he replied.
“I really am sorry for all this. Take care, Donald,” Sunset said, reaching for the cutoff.
The communication channel closed. Sunset looked over to the airlock, then with a sigh she stood, little Aria still in her arms.
Less than an hour later Donald and several of the other colonists stood looking up into the sky waiting for the dropship.
“There it is!” one of the colonists called out, pointing to a bright trail in the sky. For a brief moment a smaller trail rode alongside the first, then with a bright flash winked out leaving only the original trail of flame.
Donald wept bitterly.
A short time later the dropship landed at the depot beside them. Donald, his eyes still damp, waited for the bay doors to open and the pilot to step out. Moments later the bay doors opened, but no one emerged. Donald moved with the colonists into the bay to unload the supplies as he looked around for the pilot. Seeing the cabin door closed he stepped up to it and gently knocked.
“Sunset? Sunset Shimmer? Are you in there?” he called out.
Hearing no answer, he unlatched the door and slowly opened it, stepping inside.
There strapped into the pilot’s chair was his little sister, still sleeping peacefully.
He rushed over to her, unbuckled her, and pulled her into his arms shaking with emotion. His now waking sister held tightly in his arms, he rushed back into the cargo bay then outside, looking at the faded shooting star above.
“Thank you,” he whispered gratefully, the fading trail still glowing in the sunset like a phoenix’s wings.
Author's Note
With apologies to The Cold Equations by Tom Goodwin in Astounding Magazine back in August 1954. Sunset goes out in a phoenix’s blaze.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13
