It’s back. The malevolent fourth dimensional being has found them. It seems to surround the ship, fill their visual field, fill their lungs and thoughts. The lovers realize there is no escape. Unless...

The 4D drive has a self destruct sequence, which will trigger an uncontrolled dimensional shift, fold everything in close proximity through fifth dimensional spacetime, and send the ship randomly careening through the cosmos, but the trigger can only be reached from the outside. The pilot is strapped in, and can’t be immediately separated from the control bubble without ejecting. The lovers tearfully argue:

“We can’t escape!”

“What about the emergency sequence? “We’re both dead otherwise!”

“But that’s probably going to kill you! There’s no way to know what’ll happen!”

“I can’t lose you, I have to try to save you!”

They look tearfully at each other for a moment as klaxons blare. The copilot rushes out through the airlock and crawls onto a catwalk along the engine housing. She disengages the safety mechanisms and thinks of her love one last time before slamming a fist into the self-destruct trigger...

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A MAELSTROM OF GREEN LIGHT

DIMENSIONAL VORTEX

COSMIC HELLFIRE

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*

The ship shudders as it ceases to occupy any sort of rational point in existence. All the pilot knows is unceasing sickening motion as she is forcefully jettisoned further and further away from her lover, who is likely dead. Loneliness, grief, and dread beyond reckoning squeeze her heart until she mercifully blacks out from the turbulence.