Star Bate Saga: VI

5 Years, Past

Firmament sat rigidly. This was all so foreign to her. For most of her life, she had been contained on a military ship. Although contained is too brash. She had access to all the ship had to offer, including the captain's own library. He was friendly. Bold yet forthright and kind. He would talk with Firmament; not like how the others did. He talked to her like she was a being. Like she was a human to a human. Powerful and alive. The others, they looked down upon her or away from her, like she was some sort of doomed metaphor. A siren, come to lure the entire crew to their death. Like she was the cause of her race being all but extinguished. 

The captain taught her what it was to be human. To be intuitive and ingenious. To have hope and wit beyond all measure. He taught her to carry herself with confidence, always. Even if she felt like the whole galaxy was against her. She must never let them see her weak. 

So she sat with purpose. And then frowned, for she imagined she looked constipated. So she relaxed slightly. Tried to interest herself in the conversations of others. Exams. Exercise. Something of a ship. All trivialities. 

"Firmament Corre. Last Sabaian. Definite exquisite piece of artistic beauty." Firmament stood abash to the boy who suddenly appeared next to her. His eyes were a powerful brown that almost drew attention away from the crisp silver streak in the bangs of his crew cut. He had handsome features: a strong jaw, good cheekbones, light freckles that dotted his nose. Thin, but built enough to look athletic. "Not a talker, huh?"

Firmament nodded clumsily. "I...talk." 

"Well great! My friends thought you couldn't understand English. But I know, you're really smarter than the lot of us." Before Firmament could politely protest, he continued. "I can see it in your eyes. You have a rare wisdom. A sad wisdom. It's interesting." 

Firmament was again silent.

"But anyway! I'm Angel Carraway. My father is...well you know. I'm here to continue my education, become a prominent player in Star Runner, blah blah. Really I'm just here for the ship. Aren't we all?" He concluded with a wink. 

"Ship?"

"You don't know...? Oh don't tell me you're here for the learning! The dedication to Star Runner?! Please."

"Captain Tychism thought Star Runner would be a good fit for me. I enjoy travelling, the spice world is enlightening-"

"All well and good, but to be captain of your own ship! Everyone in the school is vying for the position."

"Everyone?"

"Everyone. You could go wherever you'd want!"

"So how do they decide-"

"Who gets the ship? At the end of our run, the person who scores highest on exams gets ranked highest, therefore gets to captain their own ship."

"Wow."

"Yeah. I don' know where I'd go. Probably to Zonig and mingle with the ladies. I hear they're blue." Here he winked. 

Firmament rolled her eyes as the lecture began. Her own ship. She could go find the remnants of her planet. Of her people.

Maybe she wasn't alone.