Star Bate Saga: X

Love is not a thing that can be explained. In fact, it is not even a thing. It's a light show; an enigma. 

Maybe it doesn't even exist. How can a thing that can't be seen or touched, possibly be real?

Unbeknownst to Firmament, it could in fact be seen and touched and felt and even smelled. 

Of course it still couldn't be explained. 

But then again, what could? 

Firmament did not remember much of that night. She only remembered feeling so incredibly human. Maybe that was her downfall; the downfall of many. 

But she woke up to find Angel gone; and to find out half the day had been wasted. It took her four yawns and 2 cups of coffee to figure out that at that exact moment, exams were occurring. The only time, exams were to occur. 

She raced around gathering up pieces of clothing and hurriedly put them on, scurrying out the door and forgetting her boots entirely. 

She ran through the quad and toward the Colosseum--like structure fashioned of some kind of copper rock that specks sparkled in the cold artificial sunlight. 

The guard out front stopped her. "Identification."

"Corre, Firmament! I'm supposed to be in there taking my exam!" 

"You're too late. They've all ready begun. Policy dictates-"

Firmament offered a strangled yelp and pushed past the guard, charging through the doors with enough force to make them crack back against their hinges. 

Everyone looked up, including Angel, who was sitting front row. His face turned sickly when their eyes met and he immediately looked down. 

"I'm here!" She wailed, her voice getting stuck in her throat towards the end. She must've been a sight. Bedraggled with no shoes and wild hair and eyes. But she had to take the test. It was her only chance of finding the remnants of her civilization. Of finding proof that she wasn't as alone as she felt. 

Suddenly there were two more guards, a professor, and an automated suppressor superlative were at her side to reprimand her. 

"I have to take this exam!" She screamed, the echo ringing off the top of the smooth, domed roof. Up there, her scream crystallized into gold droplets that came back, stinging her eyes. She started to cry as her reprimanders' shouts become more persistent. 

It was too late. 

There were so many things she wanted to say, wanted to shout, as they dragged her out of the hall. 

As they finally closed the luster soaked mahogany doors, Firmament was greeted to a graying stone wall of a man with wicked brown eyes. He was ornamented with so many medals and badges that they reminded Firmament of solar panels, collecting the energy needed to move his stone legs to and fro. 

"My dear, what is all this commotion?" 

"My, my exams!"

​"Well they've already begun. You know our rules. Once the exams have begun there cannot be any extraneous interruptions, including that of late students." 

"Well, can I take them tomorrow?!"

Here he chuckled. "Of course not. We run an academy here. Not a circus."

He paused to take a message from an officer in black fatigues. 

"Captain Carraway, we're ready to bring in the ship for tomorrow's ceremony."

Carraway. And in that moment something snapped in Firmament. 

"Your son is the reason I was late!" She screamed, breaking away from the guards once again to stand prominently in front of Captain Carraway. 

"My dear, don't be ridiculous. I want you to lose that fictitious notion right now. You will not play that card to me or anyone else. Either way, no one will believe you." His eyes carried the dead weight of her claims. She nodded and then fiercely turned her head away from him in disgust. She'd spit at his feet but her mouth was too dry. 

"Now take her away. Have her wait until exams are over and then take her to communications with the others who failed to take exams, nay their futures, seriously." 

As they were about to lead Firmament away once again, Captain Carraway stopped, and grabbed her chin. 

He whispered, "War is hell." and she was taken away.