Jax slammed a headset against a wall in anger, only to have his movement forced into slow-motion. He watched it weightlessly bounce around the room as his light brown eyes sullenly followed the hardware. He continued shouting at Jophiel.
“Her ship survived! How come we haven’t been able to communicate with her?” His coffee-colored wings were fully ruffled, the large feathers prickled in irritation. He folded his sizable arms over his broad chest, glaring at Jophiel for his lack of response. “Why are you so calm?!”
Jophiel sighed and leaned his thin form backward, floating aimlessly through their shared room. He was trying to keep a cool head. He crossed his arms calmly and his cyan wings remained relaxed. “I know you’re upset. Believe me, I am too! But what can we do? Her radio could be damaged. Maybe she’s on the other side of the planet and the signal is being blocked. Or, she could have knocked her head when she landed and she’s out cold… or maybe dead.” He looked to Jax with solemn grey eyes, “We have to accept that as a very real possibility.”
Jax sighed impatiently and whipped out a small tablet-like device. “No, no, how are you not seeing this? Vitals were good when she landed, and then signal loss. She didn’t magically teleport out of range after the landing, Jophiel! And the ship survived the crash, yet somehow the radio is broken. The radio is inside the ship! So explain that??” He held the display screen up, pointing to the parts of the damage report that illustrated his case.
“I can’t explain it! But there are different factors to consider…line of sight loss from the ship to us, or equipment malfunction upon entering an alien atmosphere?” Jophiel heaved a heavy sigh, “She could have been attacked by those Dragons… they could have been there when she crashed. Listen, the techs are trying to get a read on her.”
“Fucking Imps!” Jax shouted, “We’re relying on them? No! This cheap ass company just doesn’t want to pay out the cash to mount a rescue!” he yelled, overcome with disgust.
“It’s not the Imps’ decision Jax,” Jophiel shook his head, “Besides if that was the case then they’d want to send down the vessels. When a miner dies on duty, the payout to the miner’s estate is far greater than what it would cost to send a search and rescue team. If they could prevent that, they would - it can’t be about money.”
A gruff voice echoed into the room, soon followed by a heavyset man who floated into the pair’s quarters, “Jax, Jophiel. In my office now. Debrief time. I need to know everything that happened out there.”
Jax nodded seriously and pushed himself off the wall, floating through the doorway after his supervisor. Jophiel followed behind until they reached a large cylinder. Here, the three managed to gently glide to the floor. The boss’s office was within a large portion of the ship which spun gently, creating a weak gravity field that held them down to the floor. A table and chairs were arranged, bolted to the floor.
The supervisor, Sachiel, picked up a clipboard, “Let’s start with Jophiel’s report.”
“Why the hell not mine!” Jax interjected.
Sachiel looked at Jax and sighed, “Because, Elijah, I want accuracy over passion. You appear to be clouded by emotion.”
Jax growled, “It’s Jax, Sir.”
Sachiel stood with a clipboard in hand. A pen sat near it, tethered to the board by a thin cord. “Jophiel, describe how your crew leader’s ship was lost.”
Jax interrupted, ignoring Sachiel’s instruction, “Sir, we were all preparing to return to the freighter, then Yuki reported she was in trouble. Upon my observation, it initially looked like a collision had occurred. She then reported that the asteroid she hit was magnetized and she was unable to disengage… the collision sent her ship and the asteroid into a degenerative orbit and…”
“She fell.” Sachiel finished. “Obviously, the asteroid was magnetite and she got herself trapped in its magnetic field. Boys, we take this very seriously. Nothing of this nature has happened before, we couldn’t have anticipated such an event…the Company is already evaluating its protocol to better ensure avoiding such accidents in the future,” he looked at Jophiel, “Do you agree with his account of events?”
Jophiel gave a silent nod, his eyes downcast.
“Okay, great. Anything else?” Sachiel questioned brusquely, already putting his notes away.
Jax cleared his throat, “Yes. We requested to initiate a recovery maneuver but Yuki herself ordered us to stand down. She advised that such an attempt would fail, that under the circumstances we would become trapped as well. She was brave, thinking of her crew above herself and…” he trailed off.
Jophiel agreed, “Yes. If we had proceeded with an extraction attempt, it’s likely that the asteroid had a strong enough magnetic field to draw both of our ships as well. We’d all have fallen.”
Sachiel blinked several times and dutifully jotted it all down.
Jax gathered himself and cleared his throat, continuing more forcefully, “Her com was cutting out due to the magnetic field so Jophiel was given number one status. We were ordered immediately back to the freighter with no consideration regarding Yuki’s distress, and he was shut down when he asked for an action plan. She fell soon afterward. Instruments confirmed her vitals were good when she landed, the ship remained intact, but the coms were still out - the interference would no longer be an issue after the asteroid burned up so there’s something-”
“I see. Thank you for the report. I’m going to radio HQ to let them know,” Sachiel interrupted. “You two sit tight and I’ll keep you up to date if there’s any news… let’s hope Ms. Karkade is okay or at least-.” he trailed off abruptly and cleared his throat.
Jax glared at Sachiel, “At least what?”
Sachiel heaved a sigh, “At least, let’s hope she didn’t suffer.”
…
Yuki lay in her shelter, cold and hungry, continuing to reminisce about her life on Dei and wondering if her final days would really be spent on a dirt floor on Nite. “Daddy…” she whispered, pretending that he could somehow hear her.
…
Yuki bounced a chubby little baby with blond hair and blue eyes on her lap, eyeing her husband Aphod as he returned to the austere waiting room. “Well?” she demanded anxiously. “Why did Dad want to see you alone?”
He sighed, “It’s nothing for you to be concerned with, dear… he just had some last words for me. Pearls of wisdom, you know?”
Yuki frowned at the vague answer but didn’t press the matter. She turned her attention back to Geoffrey, the baby on her lap, “Are you ready to see Grandpa?” she sang, booping him on the nose. The baby cooed and laughed a bit.
Ceilia frowned, reaching over to stroke the boy’s hair. “I don’t know why you brought your son to witness his Pappy dying.”
Aphod stiffened, “He wanted to see the baby, Mom. Geoffrey doesn’t know what’s happening, what’s the harm?”
Ceilia rolled her eyes, “A hospital is no place for the baby, unless he’s sick himself. You can tell that man ‘no’ at least once, Yuki. It is possible. Geoffrey shouldn’t be subjected to this,” she grumbled.
Yuki sighed, “I… you know I can’t refuse him, Mom.”
“It’s possible!” Ceilia insisted, “I did. I told him ‘No’ once. I told him so long ago. It ended in divorce but it worked.”
Yuki stood up, feeling suddenly exhausted, “Listen, can you two please head home? I just… I want to be with him when he… you know.” She looked at Aphod pleadingly.
Aphod sighed, “Mom, the decision has been made. Geoff will be fine. Come on, I’ll take you home.” He looked at his wife with concern, “You going to be okay, Love?”
Yuki nodded gratefully. She and Geoffrey were soon alone in the waiting room. Yuki fished her phone from her purse and placed yet another call to her brother as they made their way down the hall toward Cedrick’s room.
Predictably, it went to voicemail, causing a flash of rage to overtake her as she growled quietly into the phone. “Where in oblivion are you? How can you be so selfish! Dad is on his deathbed and you haven’t even stopped by! They said he doesn’t have long! Hours maybe! Whatever you’re doing right now just cancel it! Get down here now!” She hung up the phone and looked at the door to her father’s hospital room. She took a deep breath, hugged Geoffrey, and carried him in.
Labored breathing and the sound of machinery in the background filled the room. A single soft white light by the bed cast stark shadows on her father’s face.
Cedrick stirred softly, and looked up at Yuki, smiling softly. “Morning, honey…”
“It’s… late actually,” Yuki said in a somber tone.
Cedrick chuckled. “I’d have thought you’d have gone home then…”
Yuki gently placed the baby on the bed next to her father before moving to sit next to him. “I’m not going anywhere, Daddy.”
Cedrick nodded, taking her hand with his free hand as she sat down, not taking his eyes off his grandson. “Beautiful little boy, our Geoffrey.”
Yuki nodded and wiped a tear from her eye. “Yeah… I just wish you could see him grow up,” she sniffled.
“I know, honey. It’s just not something that we can control,” Cedrick reassured her.
Yuki sighed and anxiously looked at her phone.
“You shouldn’t worry… I’ve spoken to your brother… he has other responsibilities.”
Yuki gasped, “What? Nothing’s more important than this, Dad! You’re… dying… Why wouldn’t he want to be here? Why are you defending him?”
He smiled weakly, “Because, dear, I told him not to come… Yuki, my daughter, you need to forgive him. Your brother has more on his plate then you know.”
Yuki’s voice rose with emotion, “More on his plate? I put off my launch! I was about to be shot up into space and I took a 90-day leave from work to catch the next flight! I put my life on hold, as anyone would do for a sick parent! He should do the same! I have a child and a husband! A whole family, Dad! What does he have? What responsibilities? To whom, exactly? What can’t wait? I-” she sucked in a breath and stopped talking. She did not want to spend her last moments with her father complaining about her brother. She was suddenly overcome with guilt and sorrow. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.
Cedrick coughed, “Death… is never convenient.”
A light knock on the door caused Yuki to jump up in surprise. The nurses were told not to enter unless called for. To her bewilderment, an Imp stood in the doorway. He stood about 120cm and he wore a formal tuxedo. He had a pair of short black horns on the top of his head, which gave way to a balding patch of hair on his bluish skin. Before she could say anything, however, he just walked in.
The Imp stopped, fiddling with a small object in his leather-gloved hands as he glanced at Cedrick nervously. “Grand Patriarch?”
Cedrick coughed, “Grand what? This is my grandson if that’s what you mean.”
Yuki looked him up and down with some contempt. Imps only served roles of laborers or house servants. What was this one doing barging into this private moment? She knew her father did not have Imp friends. “Who are you?” she demanded.
The Imp looked at Cedrick, ignoring her, “Ahem. This is… a present. From the club, Sir. Considering the…unfortunate circumstance.” He placed a small vial filled with blue liquid on the bedside table.
Cedrick nodded, “My daughter, Gibbs.”
The Imp, Gibbs, finally looked at Yuki, “Pleased to meet you, Miss.”
“Mrs.” Yuki and Cedrick said in unison, correcting the small fellow.
Gibbs fidgeted awkwardly. “My apologies.”
Cedrick spoke up, “She hasn’t been to the club.”
Gibbs bowed slightly and then left without saying another word.
Yuki picked Geoffrey up from the bed and sat back down, looking at her father in confusion. She looked at the vial warily, pleased the little creature was no longer in her presence. “So… you’re part of some exclusive Imp drug cult?”
Cedrick laughed and looked at the vial. “Certainly not…a friend of mine’s son. He used to play cards with me… a botanist.” He motioned to the vial. “Keeps telling me that things like this will help to ‘ease my transition’ to the afterlife. Make me… calmer, clear my head, dull the pain.”
Yuki was having difficulty piecing together what her father was saying, and it worried her. “Dad…” she leaned in closer to him.
Cedrick took the vial and shakily handed it to Yuki, gently closing her hand around it. “You keep it. Consider it a keepsake.”
Yuki inspected the vial in her hand, surprised at its weight for such a small object. It was capped by a cork that looked to be sealed in wax. The fluid inside had odd silver structures floating within it. “…What is it?” she asked curiously.
“Never thought it polite to ask,” Cedrick coughed and then heaved harshly. “Oh… feeling a… yes, I think… I know this feeling. it’s time.”
Yuki squeezed his hand, “Daddy, no…”
“…I… you know now that… the moment… is here.” He coughed and squeezed Yuki’s hand. “I’m… I’m afraid,” he whispered hoarsely.
Yuki whimpered as tears leaked from her eyes. “It’s okay, Daddy… You’ll be fine when the Guardian takes you. You were a good man, a good father.”
“Was I? Was I truly…?”
Yuki smiled, “Yes. You’re a good man…”
“But… you don’t know… what I have done.”
“Don’t be silly, you haven’t done anything,” she insisted.
Cedrick smiled, “But then… maybe that’s why… I was a good man.” The machine flat-lined, and he relaxed and went limp.
Yuki fell against her father’s body and sobbed.
After almost an hour of signing papers, Yuki stood outside the hospital waiting for Aphod to pick her up when her phone finally rang. She picked it up quickly and spoke harshly, “Now you call?”
A man’s voice answered, “I was in an important meeting. How’s dad?”
“Dad? Oh, he’s dead,” Yuki said shortly.
“What?” The voice on the other side sounded shocked.
“I said Dad is dead, he died. He died and it would have been nice if his only son might have canceled his fucking appointments and actually, I don’t know, showed up! But you know what, I guess that was too much for you to handle! You probably won’t even come to the guardian-damn funeral!”
“Hey, that’s not fair, listen-”
“No. I’m done, so done. I’m done with you. You stood me up at my wedding, and now this?? Do whatever you want to, big brother. Because I want nothing to do with you!” She chuckled bitterly, “You know, even a damn Imp who knew Father managed to show up! He even brought a gift!”
“Yuki-”
“An Imp showed our father more respect than his own son! Think about that, you prick!” Yuki hung up the phone with anger and what may have even been hatred in her heart.
…
On Nite, Yuki wiped away a tear, “Asshole.” She sat up, now shouting, “You’re an asshole! I’m stranded here and you do nothing! Why do you hate your family so much?! What did we ever do to you?!” She stood up and yanked her necklace up over her suit. She looked at the vial dangling from the silver chain, brushing over it with her fingertips. “Easing the transition huh?” She picked up her radio and cursed, “Are you fuckers even looking for me? What, is it too expensive to come to save me? Fuck you!” She ranted wildly, “I’m shouting at nothing, aren’t I? Nothing!”
…
“I’m shouting at nothing, aren’t I? Nothing!” The radio monitoring station relayed the end of the message.
A controller logged the entry, shaking his head as he typed up the foul language. He handed it off to another technician, for processing. Both of these men were small, squat creatures. One’s skin was a tan hue while the other’s bordered on yellow. Each had short impish horns.
One Imp picked up the phone and spoke softly to a man on the other end. “Sir, I assure you she managed to, somehow, survive. Yes, she found the weapon, we heard it discharge, but we heard more activity afterward. It wasn’t used for its…intended purpose. I just sent you the full report. Have you read the…yes, I’m certain she said ‘ease the transition’. Of course, Sir, those precise words. Yessir.” The Imp hung up and looked at his colleague, “Our orders are to keep ears on her, make sure we can place a precise time of death… she can’t last much longer.”
The other Imp technician sighed, “Her crew is getting really restless.”
…
In the crowded conference room, harsh white fluorescent lights shone down on a black and white polished marble table. Black was the dominant color of the shiny slab of stone, with streaks of milky white stone twisting and weaving its way through, splashing the obsidian surface like swirls of cream through black tar. This table was a massively long and ostentatious thing, sprawling across the room with enough space to comfortably seat fifty individuals. Endless rows of posh black leather chairs were neatly arranged on each side, with two larger white leather chairs at the head of the table.
All of these chairs were occupied by male Dei Angels in expensive dark-colored suits, along with a small smattering of female Angels in equally expensive power suits. Every attendee wore an identical gold pin on their lapel. All of the suits worn were clearly custom-tailored, brand new by top designers, and flawless in appearance. However, the men and women wearing them were hardly without flaw.
Of the many old and agitated faces that lined the table, the eldest and youngest of the men sat at each head. The oldest gentleman sat at the beginning of the table, closest to the door. His outline was flanked by the twin white marble pillars on either side of the closed door. A few looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to start the meeting, while others talked amongst themselves.
His grey wings wilted behind him like flower petals in a vase of roses left out too many days. The feathers had grown sparse in his advanced age, some were reduced to only a shaft with little or no fluff along the sides. His hair was equally thin on the top of his head and completely devoid of color. His skin bore wrinkles of the experience of many years. His eyes, brown and sunken, were framed by skin as smooth as an uncured slice of leather left to bake in the hot sun. His thin lips surrounded yellowed teeth, and a thinning white mustache was barely noticeable against his pale skin.
Under his nose ran a pair of plastic tubes connected to a single bit of plastic going into each nostril. An oxygen tank sat to his right, and he steadied himself with a gold-tipped cane on his left as he rose to his feet.
A few minor arguments and animated discussions surged along the length of the table. When the voices reached a cacophony that was indistinguishable from speech, the elderly man huffed in disapproval. He moved his hand to grasp a large wooden cylinder in the shape of an hourglass. He rose the hourglass high in the air and smacked it hard against the sturdy marble table, drawing the attention of all the voices that were scattered everywhere just moments ago.
The old man spoke, his voice booming loud across the room so that even the farthest person could hear him quite clearly, “If you are all quite finished with your childish bickering, perhaps we can use this precious time for our emergency meeting of the Order of the Scale, which is now officially called to order!”
All eyes focused on him, even that of Erik Jacob Sorjoy, the youngest man in the room, who sat opposite of the elderly member.
Next to Sorjoy sat a rather rotund Dei Angel with brown hair and dusty grey wings. He looked toward the elderly man but leaned back in his chair so he still had the ability to peer at Sorjoy with his peripheral vision. He was built more broadly than Sorjoy, heavier, stuffed into his suit, with a cigar sticking out of his lapel pocket. This man sitting next to Sorjoy was Albert Hoffman, CEO of Sorjoy’s rival company, Dei Mining Incorporated. Sorjoy was aware of Hoffman’s side-eye, but ignored him, giving his full attention to the speaker.
The elderly gentleman conducting the meeting was Reginald Truman, the wealthiest individual in all of Dei, and by far the most powerful. As he stood before the membership still holding the hourglass firmly in his grasp, he commanded the council entirely, demonstrating that the only thing he was unable to dominate was clasped tightly in his fist.
“We are here to speak of two very important circumstances. Our first order of business, as you all well know, is the fall of the asteroid miner onto Nite,” he announced. While his voice carried power and volume, it was clear that maintaining this action caused him considerable strain.
The room erupted into a fervor of conversation once more. Truman’s cylinder again slammed onto the marble table, shaking it beneath everyone’s hands.
“Order!” His voice thundered through the room leaving the sounds of agonizing inhalations of breath. The council could sense the tension rippling off of Truman, and silence soon settled over the room.
An angry voice spoke up from halfway down the table, “How could such a thing occur? Why are our miners so close to the Niten orbit in the first place?”
Sorjoy was about to stand and answer but Hoffman, sensing his rival’s intention, did so first. As Hoffman stood a murmur rippled across the room.
“Because we have mined out all of our near-planetary minerals. Those resources are exhausted, completely depleted. Since we obviously cannot have our industry come to a grinding halt, we opted to expand operations to mine the asteroid fields closer to Nite.”
Sorjoy, not to be outdone, also spoke up, “Additionally, this has the added benefit of protecting Nite from falling meteors.”
Another voice, a tall man in a police uniform of the highest command stood. Gabriel Palma, Commissioner of the Northern District, stood up and shouted, “But not from falling miners!”
Hoffman’s shit-eating grin was apparent as he replied, “I agree, it is sheer incompetence that a miner fell, and now we find ourselves in this emergency meeting. We have removed most of the safety equipment… at least on my mining ships.” He shot a pointed look at Sorjoy. “But then again, it was not one of my ships that fell, for if one of mine had fallen the miner would not have survived. And we would not be in this predicament.”
Sorjoy was having no more of this perceived slander and stood up to face Hoffman as the council watched, now with rapt attention. “That is a ridiculous assertion! My employees happen to be more educated, therefore more focused, and we all know they are more productive. This is why my company is historically more successful,” he replied smugly as Hoffman rolled his eyes. Sorjoy continued his rebuttal, “As a more competent workforce, they are inclined to do inspections of their ships prior to launch. As they are not the bunch of buffoons that you employ, Brother Hoffman, I have to keep the bare minimums in place.” He sat back down, looking at Truman, who stared back at him stone-faced.
“Historically… indeed!” his rival sneered, “Well, currently, Fondsworth Inc, is bleeding capital,” Hoffman snarked.
Sorjoy leaned back in his chair, his gaze now hardening on Hoffman, “For now,” he hissed.
The hourglass struck the table again. “Enough! Brother Sorjoy!”
Sorjoy quickly stood again, “Yes, Grand Patriarch?”
“As this occurred on your watch, you shall be the one to resolve the situation - to the fullest of your ability,” Truman narrowed his greying eyes on Sorjoy, “You will do so while strictly abiding by our bylaws and tenets,” Truman barked.
Sorjoy nodded and slightly bowed his head, “Of course, Grand Patriarch.”
Hoffman was taken aback at this turn of events. He looked at Truman in disbelief and sputtered, “Respectfully, Grand Patriarch, if I may… Brother Sorjoy clearly has an extreme conflict of interest here. I am best equipped to properly handle this situation!”
Truman’s gaze did not leave Sorjoy, “It is that exact conflict that Brother Sorjoy now must overcome. Brother Hoffman, it is decided and not up for debate!” he snapped.
There were minor murmurs and whispers of dissent before Truman spoke again.
“This will be the final trial that Brother Sorjoy will face to earn his father’s seat, the hallowed seat that I only tentatively hold in the interim. When he is successful, he will take up the torch of Grand Patriarch.”
A reverent silence befell the council.
“Protect Nite, at all costs.” The room recited the first tenet. “Protect Nite from Dei.” Again the room repeated their chant. “Conceal Nite from Dei.” Another verse, recited from memory. “And above all else… ensure no one outside the Order of the Scale lives to bear witness of Nite.” The council chanted a final reprise of the last tenet.
Then the entire room spoke loudly, in unison, “A thousand feathers for a single scale.”
When the ritual reached its completion, Truman looked at Sorjoy gravely. “Ensure that you do not deviate, Brother Sorjoy, not even a little. Your appointment as your father’s successor is contingent on the cleanup of this situation being perfectly executed.”
Sorjoy nodded, “Yes Mr. Truman, I will ensure that I follow the Order’s tenets to the letter.” There was murmuring throughout the room.
Truman nodded, satisfied. “Our previous Patriarch would honor the decision you have made, son. Ensure that all your actions going forward continue to honor him.”
…
Sorjoy stood near the elevator, staring at the lighted indicator above the doors while waiting for them to open. Prior to the elevator’s arrival, a tall Dei Angel that resembled Gabriel Palma caught up with him. He was a beast of a man compared to the more average-sized Sorjoy. His black hair, greased tightly over the top of his head, did not quite match the even deeper pitch-black of his large and powerful wings. “Mr. Sorjoy,” he greeted.
“Palma,” Sorjoy said curtly, giving him a nod.
Azrael Palma was the son of Police Commissioner Gabriel Palma, and the current Police Chief of the Northern District, where Sorjoy currently resided. “Quite the workload yah got fer yourself,” he commented.
“Indeed,” Sorjoy said absent-mindedly. He was distracted by the stress of the burdensome and difficult task now upon him.
The elevator doors chimed, opened, and both men strode in.
Sorjoy stared up at the display as the doors closed. After a moment of silence, he began to vent a bit, “To add to my aggravation, my Executive Assistant just proved herself entirely incompetent… I’ll need a new one shortly.”
Palma nodded, “Got a pretty one lined up? Always nice to have eye candy around the office, right?” Palma snickered and nudged Sorjoy with his elbow, waggling his eyebrows.
Sorjoy’s face remained stalwart. “I have no one yet… unfortunately, my HR department only just began reviewing resumes. Trying to find someone well-qualified and with a good head on her shoulders, willing to work at or under market value…” a slight smile finally played across his face, “…and blonde.”
Palma’s smile unexpectedly faded, he shifted on his feet a moment before speaking again. “Well, that’s interesting actually… I may just call in a favor then…I have a request.”
Surprised, Sorjoy raised an eyebrow, “A favor? What?”
“I have a referral I’d like you to hire for the position, with no questions asked. She can start immediately and she fits your criteria. In a way, I’m doing you a favor by bringing her to you.”
Sorjoy frowned, disconcerted, “Palma, this is not the situation to gamble favors, I need the position to be filled by someone extremely trustworthy and able to work under pressure.”
Palma nodded, his demeanor unusually serious, “Yes, Mr. Sorjoy. My referral is all that and more. My only stipulation is you skip the entire interview process. Keep her on for three months and I promise you she’ll prove her worth.”
Sorjoy sighed, “Very well then. Give me her name and number, and inform her she’ll be receiving a call. I’ll tell HR that I’m hiring my own talent from outside the Company. And you owe me now,” he added.
Palma’s smile returned, “Her name is Cleopatra Cassandra Walters… and she has white hair.”
Sorjoy cracked a grin, “White?” He was pleased to hear it.
…
The phone rang, its shrill tone cutting through the quiet, darkened room. A young woman’s face was comfortably buried in a pink satin-covered pillow. Her long white hair lay wrapped neatly in a stocking that held it in place, preventing unsightly tangles or frizz. Her beautifully-manicured hand reached clumsily for the ringing phone, feeling around in the dark. It was very early in the morning, too early for the phone to be interrupting her slumber. Her delicate fingers located the phone and brought it lazily to her ear. She grumbled sleepily into the small cell phone. “What!?”
Palma’s voice boomed over the line. “You’re gonna get another call in ten minutes.”
“How the fuck did you get this number?” The young woman growled. “I thought I made it pretty clear the last time… that was the last time I ever wanted to see you, no matter how much you were going to pay me. Did I forget to mention that includes hearing from you too!?” she snapped.
Palma ignored her tirade, “You’re gonna get another call in ten minutes, Cleo. They’re going to tell you that you have a job at Fondsworth. If they ask, you’re to tell them your resume is missing work time because of a family emergency that you had to deal with after school. Tell them you graduated. Doctor the resume however you want if needed, but they probably won’t even ask to see a copy.”
The pale-haired beauty groaned, “A background check will show the truth pretty quick, Azrael.”
“No background check,” he replied triumphantly.
The young woman fell silent. “What is this for? What’s your angle?” She sat up, white wings shifting in the moonlight.
“Executive Assistant. Starting salary three hundred kilo a year, clean money, no sex, no parading yourself around in an evening dress and heels either. It’s legit work.”
The woman blinked the sleep from her stunning violet eyes. “Okay. You have my attention.”
…
Yuki, feeling the futility of her predicament, tossed her radio across her shelter and wrapped her golden wings around herself in a hug. She hadn’t slept on a real bed in weeks, and the sudden inclusion of gravity and the hard ground was depriving her of much-needed rest.
Her water supply was running low, and her thirst was growing urgent. She had been holed up in her shelter for far too long, as she greatly feared to venture out due to the rippers, Dragons, and countless other hazards in the alien world. Would she survive another trip to the lake? Her ship stuck out quite prominently, still likely floating where it had made it’s less than graceful crash land. Going back there seemed unwise, but without water, she could not survive much longer. The combination of the uncertainty, fear, and thirst was driving her mad.
While she was doing her best to make do with the carved meat from the ripper she killed and the last remaining fruit, her stomach growled and complained about the tough protein-rich meat. To make matters worse, she was stricken yet again with what were now recurring stomach aches.
“I have to get out of here… I have to get some water…” she rocked back and forth, groaning as her stomach pains redoubled. She heaved a sigh, a tear rolling down her cheek. “…This is it, isn’t it?”
The sunshine slowly streamed in from the top of Yuki’s shelter and she looked up at the warm rays, The Sun, it was the only thing constant in this strange place… it was still her Sun - the same one that shone at home. This small comfort did little to ease her troubles, as the pain in her stomach and throat was maddening. She shivered, despite the warm rays of her Sun, as she rocked back and forth in a self-soothing motion. And then, like a whisper carried in on the breeze, her father’s words came to her.
Ease the transition.
Yuki pulled the necklace she wore up and looked at the small blue vial. “…die of thirst, stomach virus, or… or die while tripping out on something that could easily be poison.” Yuki closed her eyes tightly. “My own terms, right?”
She tugged at the top of the vial, removing the wax covering with the small blade on her multi-tool. She gazed at the liquid as it hypnotically swirled around inside, the strange metal-like flakes moving about the liquid as if they had a mind of their own. She held it up to the light, blue fractals shimmering across her face. “…sorry Geoffrey. Mommy tried…” Her stomach groaned and she grunted, quickly quaffing the liquid and swallowing it down. The first thing that hit her was an intense bitterness swirling over her tongue followed by a sweetness that was almost completely overpowering.
Yuki fell to her knees and wretched, though oddly nothing seemed to come out as she did so. She fell onto her side and coughed roughly, the pain in her stomach intensifying in a way she had never felt. Tears streamed from her eyes.
“That was a bad idea,” Yuki thought, “don’t drink the crap under the shelf… oh… this is it isn’t it…? Is this the end yet? Please… Please tell me this is almost over!”
The pain abruptly stopped. Yuki opened her eyes and everything seemed silent and still. She stood up slowly, looking around her shelter. She felt her stomach, no longer feeling the strange pains and gurgling as she did before. She turned around, expecting to see her body lying beneath her, but saw nothing but the wall of her shelter.
The shelter melted around her, swirling and undulating in a burst of vibrant colors. Yuki gasped as the wall remnants oozed down to the ground. The landscape of the forest reclaimed her surroundings. As she glanced upwards the roof had vanished, a very strange, yet oddly familiar sensation began to pass through her in waves.
From her head to her toes, her skin began to prickle. It was as if she was being drenched in scalding water, and Yuki couldn’t help but take a sharp inhale, her wings spreading wide out of sheer reflex.
Her heart was racing, her wings began to flap on their own accord. Yuki’s feet struggled as she found herself leaving the ground, “Wait! Wait I haven’t tried to fly since I was a kid! I-” Yuki’s body surged with calm energy, and a shiver passed through her as the air passed over her feathers.
“Oh, Guardian why haven’t I tried to fly since I was a kid?” she smiled, overjoyed, placing her feet together as she remembered doing in her youth, and promptly soared into the air, higher than physically possible.
Yuki’s heart was in her throat as she soared over the tree-line, her eyes tearing up as she wondered why she had not tried to fly in so long. The pressure of work, of constantly training for long missions in a cramped spaceship. None required her wings, but still, the question finally came to her, and felt like an epiphany: “How did I forget how to fly?”
“Either way, I’m going to have fun!” Yuki gave a powerful, gleeful flap of her wings, soared even higher vertically, and gasped as the world around her turned to a blur.
She was flying far faster than she should have been able to do so, and now Yuki was certain that this was a vision. She soared up into the sky, watching as the blue hue of the sky darkened and the black void of space rushed down to greet her like a long-lost friend.
Yuki grinned with delight, “Can I fly home?” With another excited flap of her now-magnificent wings, the stars turned into streaks in her vision, and she couldn’t help but cry out in excitement as she barreled through the void and soon spotted the small amber orb of her home growing larger and larger.
As she propelled toward her beloved Dei at an impossible speed, she finally pierced the atmosphere and smiled wide, tears streaking down her face as the familiar yellowish hue of the sky greeted her vision. She laughed wildly as she flew faster towards the ground, a wide smile on her face as she ducked and weaved along the roads, making her way into the dense city that she called home.
Upon seeing her town-house, Yuki could not resist doing a loop, landing in front of her home on one knee, a fist to the ground. She grinned to herself as she stood, flexing her hand, “I always wanted to do that…” she looked to the ground, chuckling as it seemed she had cracked the street from her impact. She looked up at the tan sky. “Home… I’m home!” she shouted gleefully.
Yuki dashed up the steps of her home and shoved the door open, “Aphod? Geoffrey!? Mommy’s home! I’m alive, and I’m back!”
However, upon opening the door a bright white light blinded her.
As her eyes adjusted, she found she was no longer at the threshold of her home.
She didn’t appear to be anywhere. The room was white, with no discernable corners or ceiling or even floor. Yuki looked behind her and saw an endless sea of white going behind her as well. As she turned forward a towering Dei angel sat on a comfortable looking leather chair.
The chair had white leather, to match the room, and the man had on a white three-piece suit, even white leather shoes. His hair was blond, his wings a bright white, almost blending in with the surroundings, and his eyes shined a bright violet.
“Ah, Yuki,” he smiled wide, “Welcome.”
Yuki frowned, “who are you?”
“Yuki, I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me,” he chuckled, “I’m your Guardian, Lucifer.”