All the Colors of Earth (Natasha Romanoff)

5.4

                                         Marzda

First wave advance," I order, Natasha's words from the day before echoing in my head, be safe.

We move towards the queens compound and as we get closer, the lack of guards makes itself suspiciously known. After yesterday's failure we had assumed that all the Daxomites had been recalled to the queens compound, but there were no guards stationed outside. None peaked out of the windows and I couldn't even see any in the caves that ran below us.

"Where is everyone?" Someone asks.

"Maybe their army isn't as big as we thought," someone answers.

"Or we have the wrong planet."

"It's the right one," I tell them. She was here and this would end today. Peering over a pile of rocks I scan for movement. Nothing. "I'm going to scout ahead, wait here."

Not waiting for them to answer I take off, heading towards the path I had found on the hologram. It was hardly more then a foot wide, almost invisible at times, leading right to a cave that hopefully leads into the compound.

Once at the cave mouth, I place a hand on the ground, waiting for any vibrations from within that would signal something in there. When I got nothing, I click, waiting for the images. When they come I see two paths, one a dead end and one a straight shot to the inner compound.

Straightening up, I take a step and the ground shakes. Screams fill the air from the direction of the camp, "what's happening?" I yell into my earpiece.

"Carna Worms!" Comes my answer.

Shit.

Carna Worms was playing dirty, even for the Daxomites. An invasive species that destroys everything, killing indiscriminately. They can be scent trained, even called back to the nest. The nest being the compound. "Everyone evacuate! Get off the ground!" I order them, hoping that they could hear me. Running into the cave I head towards the path the leads into the compound.

It doesn't take long before I'm out of the cave and in a giant dome like room with open doors all around it. Only one set of doors was closed and I start towards it. The sound of rocks falling stops me.

Whirling around, my hands raised to send a blast at the sound, I stop just in time. "Natasha? What are you doing here? I told you all to evacuate."

"I couldn't leave you here alone," she says softly. "You should know me better then that."

Going to her I pull her into a tight hug, "I do know you." I tell her, squeezing her tightly. "I love you for it but you can't be here."

"They already left, so you're stuck with me," she tells me, a slight smugness in her voice.

"I knew you wouldn't leave," I tell her. "So I made a backup plan."

She pulls away, "what do you mean?"

Giving her a sad smile I yell, "Heimdall!"

"What are you doing?" Natasha asks me as a blinding white light flashes down around us.

"one of us has to survive." Before she can say anything I kiss her one last time and whisper, "I love you," as I push her into the Bifrost and watch her disappear. The light fades as quick as it came and I'm left alone with an army of Daxomites between me and the queen. "Let's do this," I whisper to myself as I blast open the giant stone doors and walk into the next room.

What's left of the Daxomite army seems to be jammed into this room, protecting the Queen. My eyes lock onto her and I'm filled with disgust- picture a giant slug with tiny arms, but instead of her being slimy she's covered in scales like a snake. Her face is filled with terror and she makes a high pitched scream, making me grimace.

That seems to be a signal because the Daxomite soldiers converge on me. Putting my hands up I send pulse after pulse at them, vaporizing them, until all that's left is me and the giant Queen. I make my way to her, my legs giving out halfway there, but it was close enough. The Queen makes a frightened noise and I tell her, "don't worry it'll be over soon." And my family will be safe, I think, sadness filling me as I picture the life I'll never have with them. But they'll have a life, and that's all that matters.

Pouring all my remaining energy into one last pulse, I yell out as it explodes from me, over and over, blasting into the Queen until there's nothing left of her but a pile of black ash. Laying on my back I gasp for breath as my vision dims and the world goes silent.