Storymania - Galaxy (Incomplete) by Ann Durden

Galaxy (Incomplete)
Ann Durden

Ch. 1
10GW5.99

Nnyla stood beside her parents, squinting her eyes against the bright morning
sunlight. She could just make out the five other soldiers waiting with their own parents.
Everyone was silent, but it seemed like each had their own reason for being so.
One young man stood unmoving with perfect posture as he starred up at the giant
spacecraft before them. It was larger than any house Nnyla had ever seen, even the
mansions she’d recently visited there in Estrena, yet the young man put his hand across his
brow to shade his eyes from the sun and looked at the spacecraft as if it were an every day
sight. Snob, she hastily decided. He didn’t even seem to be aware of the five other
teenagers and their families.
Near the snob stood a young woman. Her hands were pressed tight against her
thighs, holding down a pleated gray skirt against the breeze. Rays of sun glistening off the
metal on the spacecraft made Nnyla blink for a moment. The young woman must have
been a snob too, even her parents held their faces rigid with superiority. They looked
unreal. The snob’s perfectly straight brown hair was hardly moved by the wind. Only
ocassionally did thin strands waiver into the air and then fall gently back into place. The
woman suddenly glanced away from the spacecraft. Her hand smoothed the stray hairs
back into place with a gesture too rigid to be real and the woman noticed Nnyla starring.
There was no nods or smiles or frowns, only a meeting of their eyes. Nnyla decided the
look on the woman’s face was one of disapproval. I should’ve worn a skirt today, Nnyla
thought.
One boy couldn’t seem to hold still and his face broadcast a look of annoyance.
He kept crossing and uncrossing his arms in a nervous way. He wasn’t with any parents,
and Nnyla wondered where they were. His face was freckled and his hair was a rusty
brown. His whole color theme seemed to be brownish but with a deep red lurking
somewhere beneath. It made his light brown eyes shimmer in a mysterious way as they
darted from the spacecraft and to each of the people standing in front of it.
Near Nnyla, there was a short girl accompanied by a rather sullen-looking father.
At first, Nnyla only noticed the long, blonde hair grown down to the small of the girl’s
back, but gradually her attention fell on the face beneath the hair. The short girl had
pensive gray eyes and a serene curve to the expression on her lips. Nnyla thought the girl
should be some princess out of storybook bred to remain calm and polite at all times. She
didn’t even glance up at the spacecraft or seem to feel the icy wind against her face. That
girl isn’t going to like me... Nnyla worried. The stumpy girl didn’t seem to notice Nnyla
or anyone else standing around.
The girl nearest Nnyla had striking red hair and freckles. As Nnyla turned to
examine her, the red-head noticed, and looked back with a smile. She was beautiful, but
Nnyla wondered if that was a sincere smile or just a smile to be polite.
Footsteps across the cool pavement interrupted Nnyla’s thinking. A young man
and an older man were coming towards the spacecraft. “Hello folks,” the old man’s voice
broke the silence. “I’m sure you all know why you’re here.” He smiled trying to cheer up
an irresponsive crowd. “Well, let’s start with some introductions. This is Negill Reuf,” he
said while indicating towards the young man at his side. The man with curly blonde hair
wasn’t paying attention.
“Someone’s missing,” the young man said to the old man. His finger went around
the circle pointing to each of the five soldiers who were there. “Kylicohn, Evisuba, Cemaj,
Corinna, Nnyla, Ascereta... myself... That’s only seven.”
“So who’s missing?” said the old man impatiently, shading his eyes against the sun
as he looked back at the blonde.
The blonde thought about it for a second. “Nieva Dudria... Shit, she’s not here.
She’s the one I was worried about.”
“Go check if maybe her spaceship was delayed in landing,” Nnyla overheard the
old man say, then he continued speaking to the group. “I’m sure most of you recognize
Chief of Conflict Reuf. I apologize for his behavior. He’s a bit preoccupied with this
trip.”
Some laughs and smiles came from the two snobs and their parents. Apparently
they knew just how preoccupied Negill Reuf had been while preparing for this four year
flight.
“Well folks, let’s tour the ship... By the way I’m Mr. Gonapopa, your adult
superviser... and actually, only the kids can come on the ship right now. Not big enough
for all of you.”
So, Nnyla smiled at her parents and followed the other young adults into the
gapping door of the spacecraft.

Kylicohn didn’t want to waste time touring the spaceship. His father had told him
all about it anyway.
Four years didn’t seem like enough to learn everything they’d need to know. He’d
watched the vids of all the GWs since the first official tournement. The soldiers were
super human. In four years, he was going to have to be super human too. It wasn’t
enough time. Pesadpolubras was by far the most difficult language to perfect.
The windowless spacecraft seemed dark no matter how many lights they had put in
and the curved walls made Kylicohn claustrophobic. It wasn’t a comfortable place. They
had to go up three flights of thin, metal stairs to reach the carpetted living quarters.
He knew all the other soldiers and everything about them. To himself, he reviewed
the information his dad had given him to memorize.
“Nnyla Lynn Inibab, Conflict Admiral, rank 7, age 15, born 8GW1.27 in Raifi,
Grande, special inclinations towards fear/paranoia...” he went on and on, through all seven
of the other soldiers records. His father had told him it would be a definite advantage to
know everything about everyone on the flight.
Mr. Gonapopa stopped in the hallway. There were doors on either side and one at
the end which the old man was indicating towards. “That door leads to the three adults
rooms. Besides myself there will be Garme Grenwic, one of the best Pesadpolubras
speakers the UAA has ever produced and a participate in both GW7 and GW8.” Kylicohn
already knew all this, but some of the others who’d come from planets farther away would
need to hear it. He figured Nnyla, Cemaj and Corinna barely knew who Garme Grenwic
was. “The four doors on each side of the hall belong to you folks... Negill’s and
Kylicohn’s,” he said pointing to the two nearest the end of the hall. “Corinna’s and
Semaj’s,” he pointed to the next two. “Ascereta’s and Nieva’s....” the next two, “Nnyla’s
and my daughters...” he indicated towards the last two. “I’d tell you to go explore your
rooms but I’m afraid you’ll find they’re hardly big enough to walk across let alone
explore,” he said smiling as everyone entered their appropriate rooms.
Kylicohn walked to the end door on the right. A sign in black lettering read, “Vice
Chief of Conflict.” He turned the knob and peered in.
All he saw was a bed covered by a brown quilt, a small wooden desk and barely
enough room to walk between them. His father had told him a few days ago, “This is not
a luxury trip son, it’s about regaining our galaxy.” Kyli tried to focus on that.
From out in the hall, Mr. Gonapopa yelled “If you folks can find your uniforms,
put them on please!”
Kylicohn had already spotted his lying on the bed. It was just a tight red shirt and
loose athletic shorts. He knew from what his father had told him that there were other
outfits in the closet to his left. He changed into his uniform and smiled at the lettering on
the chest “Vice Chief of Conflict Kylicohn Iam.”
There was a knock on the door. “Come in,” Kyli responded.
It was Mr. Gonapopa. He stood at the threshold with his gray wrinkled face
maintaining the same expression of indifference that it always had. He wasn’t tall or
muscular but he had an aura of personal power. Someting about him just made Kylicohn
want to think of him as a “wise old man”. With his mustache moving lightly above his lips,
Mr. Gonapopa said, “Everything alright, Kylicohn? Any questions?”
“No, sir. I’m fine, sir.”
The old man, actually only 34-years-old, nodded and smiled in a comforting way.
Then, went into the hall to yell, “ Everyone out! We’re going to the kitchen/living
room/dining room!” he paused and added in a joking tone, “We like to call it the social
lounge.” People in different colored uniforms emerged from each door, (except the ones
belonging to Negill Reuf and Nieva Dudria). The six of them made there way back down
the hall.

Ascereta looked around as they poured out of the narrow hall. The so-called social
room was only a large corridor with an uncarpetted kitchen area, a table, some chairs and
one wall of shelves with a sign reading “Recreation.”
She heard clanking up the metal steps, and then Negill Reuf appeared in the social
lounge followed by a small, pale woman about half the size of him. Ascereta was
immedietely reminded of a snowflake. Everything on the woman was white except for two
blue eyes passing calmly over the room.
“That’s Nieva Dudria,” Negill said as he walked over to Mr. Gonapopa. Nieva
didn’t even nod in greeting.
Ascereta decided Nieva was strange-looking. Red hair and freckles, she thought
running her fingers through her own crimson strands, are quite a bit prettier than stringy
white hair and those eery blue eyes... And, even though fighting in the GW involved little
physical strength, Ascereta felt that the pale woman would be at a disadvantage. There
was nothing intimidating about Nieva Dudria.
Mr. Gonapopa interrupted the whispering between himself and Negill to announce,
“Make yourself at home, folks. You can go anywhere except back down the stairs.”

Cemaj quietly shut the door to his room and figured out how to lock it. Assured
no one would see him while the door was shut, he peeked under the bed. There was only
dark empty space. He opened the closet, and racked violently through the outfits. There
was nothing but a few shirts, shorts and t-shirts all in green. He opened the desk drawer
and smiled at what he saw. There was a green handheld computer laying there, the soul
occupant of the large drawer. He slipped it into an inner pocket of his baggy sweatshirt
There had to be something useful on it. Maybe an advanced Pesadpolubras Dictionary that
he could study tonight. He was feeling horribly out of his league. Everyone else seemed to
have famous Galactic War hero relatives or governmental connections or they had studied
up on every GW since the fuckin’ birth of the universe! Well, Cemaj intended to put those
prestigious assholes in their places. Some of them may be bigger than me, Cemaj thought,
but those fuckers are never gonna beat me at Pesadpolubras.
With a trembling hand, he opened the door and returned to the social lounge.

Evisuba picked a cushy seat near Corinna. Her father and Negill were quietly
talking. She knew better than to interupt them. Crossing her legs and leaning back in the
chair, she glanced at Corinna. Evisuba’s father had forced her to spend long afternoons
memerizing all the personal information about every soldier, except Corinna. That was
probably because no one knew much about her. She lived on Roc, the only sizable city on
Beeple. She was born on 8GW2.43. She had no known relatives that had ever
participated in a GW. Corinna had come out of no where winning every Pesadpolubras
Tournament by unheard of margins.
Evisuba watched the girl sitting rigid and oblivious to her surroundings, apparently
deep in thought. Negill Reuf and Evisuba’s father went down the hall. Evisuba yawned
and barely even noticed.

“Was the storage door on F4 repaired?” Negill asked Mr. Gonapopa.
Mr. Gonapopa nodded while looking up at a tv monitor. “Has Tiffanne Senal
toured the ship yet?”
Mr. Gonapopa nodded.
“Is Loctern Biarta going to make the opening speech or do I need to call his
assistant?”
Mr. Gonapopa gave Negill a look of disapproval. “It’s the lift off of GW team 10!
If Loctern Biarta didn’t make a speech the UAA would fall apart. You’re stressing too
much, Negill. Don’t forget you’re a soldier on this team, not a politician.”
Negill nodded solemnly. “It’s hard for me to see past the lift off, Yelsew. It feels
like life begins and ends tomorrow morning...”
“Four years, Negill. Life begins and ends the day of the GW, but until then you
have four years... four very important years... Focus on the team,” as Yelsew gave this
advice, he was flipping through scenes on a dvd. “Focus on this.” He played it.
On the monitor, they watched Semaj Cnorb in his room rumaging through the
meager belongings and eventually sticking the green computer into his pocket...
“Why’d he do that?” Negill asked
Yelsew shook his head slowly. “Will you rely on me for the next four years to
phsycoanalyze these people? It’s your team. You’ve studied them more thoroughly than I
have... Why’d you think that boy would steal it?”
Negill sat down behind a desk. They were in the office attached to Yelsew’s
bedroom. Negill ran his fingers through his short blonde hair that lay against his head in
ringlets. He was only seventeen years old but could’ve passed for twenty with his matured
body and adult mannerisms.
“Semaj Cnorb is from Hirdass, Brix,” reciting to Yelsew what they both already
knew. “His family is poor and dysfunctional,” he paused, thinking. “Semaj Cnorb has
limited knowledge of the galaxy outside of Brix and almost no understanding of the GWs,”
another pause, longer, and when he began to speak again he searched Yelsew’s face for
any reaction that would help him along. “...Semaj Cnorb may not realize the importance
of this trip. Possibly, he intends to steal equipment, sell it and send the money back to his
family.” Negill’s words became more confident as he realized that his theory was absurd.
Semaj Cnorb cared nothing for the well-being of his family, and even if he didn’t
understand the Galactic Wars, he knew that succeeding on the team was his only escape
from the ghettos of Hirdass. No one would be stupid enought to take a year long flight
away from the home just to steal a few computers and return.
Negill looked at Yelsew’s strained face for a moment and something inside him
ached to cry. He pushed it away and said firmly, “I will elaborate more on the theft and
tonight I’ll write a detailed report on the theory I just explained to you.”
Yelsew nodded, looking Negill sternly in the eyes. An understanding passed
between them. Yelsew was deeply dissapointed. Negill turned his head away. He
couldn’t always be perfect.

Ch. 2
10GW6.00

Kylicohn was standing in the same spot he’d been standing in yesterday while
waiting to be let on the ship. Except today, the ship was barely visible behind a huge stage.
Yesterday, the circular landing area had been silent except for the wind. Today, a crowd
of noisy of observers stretched out in every directions. Many people were standing in the
field surrounding the landing area. They strained to see the stage. Some had young
children perched upon their shoulders for a better view.
Kylicohn was walking behind Negill. Behind Kylicohn was Corinna. Behind
Corinna was Cemaj. And, on down the line to Evisuba at the end. Ten large men in
baggy orange suits acted as body guards leading them through the crowd towards the stage.
They marched loudly up the stairs and sat down in eight chairs behind a podium.
Looking out over the edge of the stage, thousands of eyes squinted up to see the
GW10 soldiers, but Kyli only saw indistinct heads bobbing in a sea of movement and
noise. It meant nothing to him. Everywhere he went people stared like that, and large
crowds were nothing new. The intermediate Pesadpolubras tournaments were always held
infront of audiences and he’d been competing in those since he was five.
To be honest, he wasn’t even nervous about leaving. His father had been prepping
him for this trip since he was old enough to talk. It should’ve been exciting, but somehow
it wasn’t.
He leaned forward trying to see Evisuba but the bodies of Corinna, Cemaj,
Ascereta, Nieva and Nnyla blocked his view. He suspected she was as calm as him,
prehaps more so. What he was thinking as he smiled blindly into the crowd, was cruel but
true... People expect miracles from me. I’m Estrena’s Intermediate Pesadpolubras
Champion... He hated that title. There were so many articles online calling him “the IPC
of Estrena” that it made him want to scream. He continued to think, But, no one expects
anything from Evisuba anymore. She’s not as good as they’d hoped she’d be.
He still remembered the first tournament in which they’d both competed. It was
also his first tournament played on Aspero. He was born on the large, desolate planet of
Peelar, but after easily becoming IPC over the half dozen Pesadpolubras speakers there, the
IP league sent him and his father on the year long flight to Aspero. The day of his arrival
was the day he competed with Evisuba for the first time.
As she’d sat down in her chair on stage, she’d smoothed her skirt beneath her
thighs and smiled curteously to the audience. He remembered feeling as though the
audience had smiled back. At least he knew he had. He’d completed his performance
only minutes earlier and knew he’d done amazingly well. He would’ve smiled at anyone.
Evisuba had glanced confidently at the judges in the first row and began her story.
It was about getting a pet cat named Coco for her birthday, and how much she’d loved it.
Kyli remembered thinking that it was beautifully spoken. He could almost hear the cat
purring. She’d sent the love and joy of petting her cat out into the audience like a wave,
but the story itself lacked orginiality. All little girls told stories about their pets. Kylicohn
had felt awful for criticizing her performance, and that was how they’d met. He’d made a
point to congratulate her as she walked off stage, and she’d shot him an icy glance.
Evisuba knew her story was lacking.
Kylicohn chased the memory away as Mr. Gonapopa came up the stairs and waved
towards the audience. They cheered. Someone near the front of the noisy crowd held up
a poster that said in black letters “UNCLENCH THE IRON FIST OF THE UGLS.”
That’s clever, Kylicohn smiled to himself. Garme Greenwic and Tiffanne Senal also came
onto the stage with an equally enthusiastic response from the crowd. But, it wasn’t until
Loctern Biarta mounted the stairs that the audience absolutely went crazy. Out on the
grass Kyli could see someone trying to wave a burning UGLS flag... Biarta took his seat
between two body guards in orange suits. Yelsew Gonapopa walked up to the podium and
people in the crowd started to put on their headphones. Kylicohn picked his up from
beside his chair and slipped them on. Yelsew began to speak.
“For 26 years now, those loyal to the Universal Allies of Aspero have suffered
under the tyranny of the United Galactic League of Suave. The UGLS has gotten quite
comfortable sitting on Suave making plans to assasinate our leaders and tax us into
submission. Yes, the UGLS has gotten quite comfortable in the 26 years since they won
Galactic War 7. Everyday spacecrafts depart from Suave, Everthan, Obyss, Erosi and
Nado packed full of people loyal to the UGLS...” Yelsew’s voice echoed in the Kyli’s
headphones. “Everyday they’re arriving on our planets, infiltrating our population! For 26
years they’ve tried to crush us! To make it impossible for us to regain the galaxy... BUT
GW10 WILL RESTORE OUR GALAXY TO ITS RIGHTFUL MASTER... THE UAA
WILL RULE AGAIN!!!” Even with the headphones on, Kyli could hear people cheering.
“And, how do I know? How am I so sure GW10 will be different than GW7, 8 and 9?
Because I have worked with these soldiers! I know what these eight talented adults can
do... But don’t take my word for it, folks. Here is your Chief of Conflict, Negill Etni
Reuf!” As Negill moved towards the podium, the audience cheered again. Kylicohn had
heard Negill speak in public before. He didn’t have a talent for it. His tone lacked
friendliness. It lacked awareness of the audience. As Negill’s voice was yelling “...my
team will regain this galaxy...” into Kylicohn’s ears, Negill could’ve just as likely been
speaking to a wall as to an audience of over five thousand people. The only thing that
made Negill Reuf’s speeches magical was the topic. As long as he was discussing the
UAA and their victory at the GW10, his voice would reach out into the crowd and energize
each person with renewed faith in their cause. He believed and that belief was contagious.
But as Negill came upon the conclusion of his speech, something about the team
“altering the balance of the galaxy towards a more worthy government...,” Kylicohn
thought, Negill Etni Reuf could stand at that podium... say nothing and the people would
still cheer! His grandfather had been in GW6 when the UAA had actually won. His
father had been Chief of Conflict in GW8, when the UAA had lost but not by much. His
sister had been Chief of Conflict in GW9 when they’d lost miserably but no one seemed to
mind. People hadn’t expected much from her. GW10, when Negill would finally be old
enough to participate, was the Galactic War that UAA supporters had been anticipating for
the last 26 years. No one had paid much attention to GW9 and Kylicohn had heard from
his dad that Suezinne Reuf, the sister, had moved to Destante and become... a farmer.
Estrena had buzzed with that rumor for about a week until Kyli had gotten extremely tired
of hearing people say, “That girl may not be as talented as Negill, but she still had a good
voice for Pesadpolubras and shouldn’t be wasting it out in the boonies of a planet like
Destante.” In Kylicohn’s opinion, ex-participants of the GWs should be left alone. It was
always a scandal when they didn’t become a teacher or judge of Pesadpolubras which was
especially silly because almost all soldiers came back from the Galactic Wars wanting to
never speak Pesadpolubras again... Usually, only one of the eight soldiers from each team
would pursue a career in Pesadpolubras after participating in the GW... Kylicohn didn’t
like to think about that. He didn’t like to think about life after the four year trip he would
embark on today. His life had been building up to GW10 since before he was born, but
there was nothing after it...

By now Loctern Biarta was at the podium giving his “good luck, win it for the
UAA” speech. Ascereta sat in her chair beside Cemaj Cnorb and Nieva Dudria. She felt
the thousands of eyes starring up at her. It made her uncomfortable, and she was glad
she’d worn her favorite sweater for the occasion. There’s nothing to be concerned about,
she thought, I did my hair, my make-up... I couldn’t look any better, so just stop
worrying!!! She wasn’t paying attention to the speeches. They were all the same thing.
With her family back on Peelar they’d always gathered around the computer every sunday
night to watch the latest GW updates. Sometimes there were small blurps about the
teenagers who were being considered for the team. Sometimes there were short pictures of
the spacecraft, but only on the outside. Mostly, the GW updates were of Negill Reuf,
Yelsew Gonapopa, Loctern Biarta or other UAA officials giving speeches just like the one
Biarta was giving right then.
Nieva on Ascereta’s left suddenly leaned back and crossed her thin arms across her
chest as though she was displeased with something. A quick sigh escaped her. Biarta was
babbling about taking back the galaxy and showing the UGLS who’s boss. It was all very
boring. Ascereta gave Nieva a questioning look but Nieva didn’t seem to notice. She just
sat there starring at Loctern Biarta’s back with her pale face twisted into an expression of
confusion and disgust.
On Ascereta’s right, Semaj sighed but his sigh was obviously out of boredom. He
couldn’t seem to hold still and it was beginning to annoy her. He acted like there was some
important meeting he was late for. She giggled quietly to herself, maybe he’s in a hurry to
catch his four year flight... But then, it occurred to her that the audience might be able to
see her smiling and it would look bad if they showed a video of the speech on the news.
Mr. Biarta was finally arriving at an interesting subject; the naming of their
spacecraft. “As you all know,” his voice was deep and he cleared his throat. Loctern
Biarta was a natural at public speaking. He repeated, “As you all know, it’s a tradition that
the Chief of Conflict from the previous year names the spacecraft. However, GW9 Chief
of Conflict Suezinne Reuf offered us a name that was... well... both negative and
inappropriate,” he laughed uncomfortably. “So, we called upon GW9 Vice Chief of
Conflict Rodreque Cloaca to think up the ideal name for this ship,” he gestured behind him
towards the spacecraft. “I dub this vessel the GW10 FORTRESS.” The crowd cheered,
and Ascereta noticed a disturbance near the back. She squinted her eyes trying to see. A
group of people dressed in beige uniforms were making their way through the audience
towards the stage. UGLS security guards... oh shit... Ascereta thought... Within in
seconds everyone on stage had spotted the guards and were waiting for them to arrive.
Their booted feet marched up the stairs onto the platform. Ascereta could feel her heart
pounding. She glanced at Semaj. His eyes were wide and he’d finally stopped wiggling
around.
A man stepped forward from the mass of beige uniformed guards. “Please leave
the premises, this gathering is unlawful,” he announced.
Loctern Biarta moved away from the podium towards the man. His face was red
with either anger or embarrasment. Ascereta couldn’t decide which. “Leave? We have a
legal permit signed by the mayor of Estrena that says we have the right to hold a public
gathering within this landing circle.”
“Let me see it,” said the tall guard in the beige uniform. He was right infront of
Ascereta. She was close enough to read his badge. As Mr. Biarta showed the guard his
permit, the audience remained eerily silent. They couldn’t hear the two men talking since
they weren’t speaking into the microphone, but apparently they were straining to catch it
anyway.
“You must leave the premises because your gathering reaches outside the
boundaries of the landing circle, your gathering exceeds the maximum number of people
allowed to attend any gathering and your gathering has engaged in unlawful actions.”
Mr. Biarta shook his head with disgust. “Unlawful actions? Man, we have a
permit! Don’t play game with me. You know what we’re doing and we have every right
to do it.”
Now the guard was reacting. He replied quietly but with anger straining his voice.
“The UGLS decides what you have a right to do or not do, and I’m telling you that you do
not have the right to gather this many people in this area to talk about the things you’re
talking about.”
“How are we suppose to fight in the GW if we can’t even hold a public gathering?
That’s cheating and the UGLS knows it. There’s an unspoken rule that we’re allowed to
gather in preparation for the GW flight...” then, he leaned over the microphone and spoke
to his supporters in the audience. “This man would like to make us leave the premises!!!
This man would like to deny us our right to see our soldiers depart for GW10!!!” The
crowd broke into booing and yells of “Down with the UGLS!”
Without warning, the guard took a step forward, pulled out his neurorifle and
prodded Loctern Biarta in the side as he was yelling into the microphone. Ascereta
watched unbelieving as Mr. Biarta’s bulky body fell to the ground in a heap of twitches
and trembles. His eyes rolled back into his head and his entire body flopped across the
floor in painful spasms. It took a split second for the other UGLS guards in beige uniforms
to pull out their neurorifles. The UAA body guards in baggy orange suits rushed the stage.
Men in both orange and beige uniforms fell to the floor after being injected with the
powerful shock.
Yelsew Ralupopa screamed “Open the spacecraft! GET THE TEAM INSIDE!!!”
Ascereta was already out of her chair frantically moving, she didn’t know in what
direction. At any moment she expected to be shot. She fell forward, realizing as she fell
that she’d been tripped by some guard’s seizuring body. She lay on the smooth wooden
platform for a moment. Her brain wouldn’t work. She saw orange uniforms, beige
uniforms, then the green uniform of Semaj and the white uniform of Nieva and the gray
uniform of Evisuba... They all blended together until she saw only Negill in his black vinyl
pants desperately yelling to the men in orange. “OPEN THE DOOR! FOR GODSAKE
LET THE TEAM IN!!!” A man in beige lunged towards Negill and Ascereta barely had
time to think Oh my God, Negill Reuf is going to be shot, but instead Negill pulled out a
tiny nuclearpistol as the man approached. Negill fired the gun into the other man’s chest
and the man in beige fell to the ground in a fit of trembles. Someone grabbed Ascereta
around the waist, and threw her through the spacecraft door.

The heavy metal door was carpetted on the inside. Kylicohn watched it close
without seeing it. He was listening to the slaughter outside that he’d narrowly escaped. As
the first blast had been fired at Loctern Biarta, UGLS peace guards had opened fire on all
sides of the crowd. Kylicohn was sitting just inside the door listening to the screams. The
door clamped shut and it was eerily silent with the