The station was in chaos, and its turmoil was evident to anyone who cared to look. Allan, Aly, Jalla, Nara, and Sarah stood looking out the windows as they approached the docking port the AI told them was open and still functional.
"An hour from now, I want it secured," Allan said, speaking mostly to Jalla. "Nara, Aly, Mom, when we dock, Jalla and I will go on the offensive like we planted. Mom, I want you to stay at the ship; any children we find, we are going to send your way; I'll give you my Glock and the few Tefflon rounds I still have. Aly and Nara, I want you to follow behind us slowly. If you find a room or anything we missed, contact us immediately. Your primary goal will be placing the IEDs we made after ensuring no civilians are trapped on the other side. Understood?"
Everyone except for Sarah said yes. "You don't tell your mother what to do, Allan Mac'Millen."
Allan flinched at her tone, eliciting a chuckle from Aly and Jalla. Sarah smiled at her son. "But in this case, I understand and will do what you have asked."
"Thanks, Mom. Sorry, I don't have someone to stay with you. We are going to be stretched thin as it is." Allan felt like no matter what division of labor he made, someone he cared about would be in danger.
"I will be in the ship with a gun, and from what you have said and what I learned from living on the ship with Aly, Jalla, and Nara, we humans are quite strong. Don't worry about me. Do what you have to do. I will be fine." Sarah said, hugging Allan and pushing him after Aly and Jalla, who had headed to the room where their armor was stored.
When Sarah had watched Allan round the corner. She looked up and spoke out loud. "I don't think you are a god, but I want to speak to you, Elunitra."
Elunitra materialized next to Sarah. "What can I do for you, Mrs. Mac'Millen?"
"My son is about to go into combat, for your sake," Sarah said, looking at the Goddess. "I want to know what you are doing to help him?"
"Well, as I have discussed with Allan at length, we gods can not directly interfere with the mortals; humans are special cases for various reasons, as I am sure Allan has mentioned..." Elunitra would have continued had she not seen the firey look on Sarah's face. "Nothing. I am doing nothing. I will do nothing. I can do nothing."
"That is what I thought," Sarah said, seeming to deflate. "You are wrong, though; you will make a promise to me."
The tone and look of Sarah, who Elunitra knew was dying, made Elunitra nervous. "What promise can I make?"
"When the time comes, as I am sure it will, You will step in. You, Goddess and creator of the Quillinar people will step up to the plate and defend your people." Sarah said and locked eyes with the Goddess. "Do this knowing that if you do not and Aly or Allan die, I will use what time I have left to convince humanity that it is time for another crusade and time to purge the galaxy of the false Gods."
Elunitra could tell Sarah was serious; whether or not she could do what she had said meant nothing. The important part was what she was being asked to do by the mother of the man who would potentially save her people. Her voice froze as she started to speak, "I...."
"I am a mother," Sarah said, still holding the Goddess's gaze. "I am a nurse; I am a caretaker. But before all of that, I am a mother. I can only imagine that as a Goddess, you feel the same way about the entire Quillinar Species."
Elunitra felt tears run down her face; no one had ever understood before. She simply nodded.
Sarah smiled and hugged the Goddess before stepping back and holding the Goddess by her shoulders at arm's length. "We have a saying on Earth, 'Mama bear.' It is a saying because nothing is more dangerous than a mother bear who thinks you have harmed or taken her baby. She will rip through steel, take bullet shots, and kill you in a most gruesome way to ensure her child is safe. So go be a Mama bear. Someone is harming your children; will you let them get away with it?"
Elunitra shook her head, a fire she did not know she had, growing in her stomach. Sarah smiled. "You claim to be a goddess. Woe be unto any who harm the child of the mother bear and Goddess Elunitra."
Sarah smiled as the Goddess faded away again, then whispered under her breath. "Strength to you, my son. Strength to your family and victory in battle is what I wish for you." Sarah knelt down and began preying on her God.