I’m a nobody. I couldn’t even keep my brother from relapsing, or prevent my own ass from going to jail. How the hell can I be expected to take care of my entire race?
Riley sobbed audibly when the reality of what she had to do struck her.
Life is not fair.
Riley’s mom used to taunt her with that phrase when she was drunk, and decided to punish her for some perceived infraction. Riley always refused to believe her mother’s bitter words. She did her damnedest to level the playing field, and would even give the shirt off her back when her friends were in need. Yet her life had been a testament to that horrible truth. It was unfair that she’d been unjustly imprisoned, then stolen from Earth. It was unfair she was here on Distraho being auctioned as a slave. It was unfair that so many lives depended on her to keep their location secret. And it was supremely unfair that she had to destroy her only hope of returning to the human colony, to keep it safe.
But you’re only one person, when compared to so many.
Riley nodded to herself, as the sacrifice she had to make took root. The people of the colony would never know that someone they barely acknowledged, cared enough to give up everything for them.
“Hoda, I need to use the restroom. I think I’m going to be sick.”
“I’m supposed to get you back onstage.”
“I just need a minute. Please,” Riley implored.
“Fine. There’s a washroom over here. Be quick.”
Hoda left her alone to use the public bathroom. Riley went in and shut the curtain on the stall. The unusual toilet was more like an elongated trough, intended to accommodate various species. Riley pulled her thumb drive out, and looked around for a way to destroy the chip inside the slot, but couldn’t find anything suitable.
Come on. Seriously?
She lifted her skirt and did her business, since she was there. As Riley held the hem of her dress, to keep it from falling in the basin, she noticed the buckle on her boot.
It will have to work.
Riley unhitched the buckle. She paused as she held the center prong against the chip in the thumb drive. Several drops of moisture struck her hand, and she realized she was crying.
You can do this. It’ll be okay, she lied to herself.
Riley crushed the data chip in the slot, repeatedly stabbing at it. She took out her anger and despair on the bit of plastic and metal, till it splintered and fell into the toilet.
All my pictures are gone. All my favorite songs, gone. The star chart, gone. Now it’s just a stupid skull made of pretty cut glass, she thought as she watched the pieces wash down the basin drain.
Riley slid the empty pendant back into place around her neck. It was now as hollow as she felt.
Cyprian de Praefectus
“I’m heading out.” Adeoda looked derisively toward the stage as he stood up.
Cyprian glanced at his handheld and double checked his messages. Vintor still hadn’t found anything pertinent among the smugglers things. He’d already left the suite to hunt for the Miran Sona ship.
I guess it’s time to have a little discussion with Adeoda.
As much as Cyprian disliked Adeoda, he never relished taking another male’s life. But this was what it had come to. They needed answers and Cyprian had the skills to get them.
“This really isn’t my thing. I think I’m going to go check on Vintor,” he commented.
Cyprian took a final swig of his drink then headed out of the theater. He pushed through the doors in time to see Adeoda walk into a shop across the main esplanade.
The general noted the location of the armed employees, who were stationed along the grand vestibule. As long as he didn’t draw attention, they wouldn’t pose a problem. Cyprian crossed the crowded hall to a stall within sight of the store. He casually glanced at the foreign landscape being projected from a holo-cast frame, while keeping an eye on Adeoda.
“Ah, very nice selection, Sir. It’s a new collection of art. The image changes every few seconds. It’s been rather popular,” the merchant said to Cyprian. “Would you like me to wrap that up for you?”
“No. Just looking,” Cyprian replied.
“If you don’t want the lovely images with the frame, you can buy just the data files.”
“Yes, it’s nice, but…”
“If that interests you there’s a selection of traditional music as well. I am selling them as a package, at a very reasonable price.”
“Fine. I’ll take it,” Cyprian huffed.
The vendor refused to take no for an answer. Cyprian bought the holo-cast frame, just to get the merchant to leave him alone. Adeoda was moving on, so the general quickly grabbed his purchase and stashed it in his bag.
Cyprian was several paces behind the scarred warrior, when a delicious scent captured his attention. He stopped dead in his tracks, and his head swung left. His eyes zeroed in on Riley. She was so petite, yet she stood out in the crowd. His eyes drifted over the ebony and violet hair cascading down her back, to the colorful warrior’s ink. The flowering vines wrapped around her arms, and trailed down her creamy shoulder, disappearing beneath the dress. She was a moving work of art. As stunning as Riley was, there was something different about the way she carried herself today.