Finishing early, the young girl stretched quietly before sliding her paper onto the faint rectangle at the top of her desk.
She glanced around.
Darkness filled the room—
But her eyes adjusted easily.
Training.
Without concern, she folded her arms on the desk and rested her head.
Sleep took her instantly.
Waves of exhaustion pulled her under.
-BOOM-
Explosions ripped through the air.
"DUCK!" someone screamed.
"HIDE! THEY'RE COMING!"
"NO—THIS WAY!"
"FALL BACK—FALL BA—"
-CRASH-
-BOOM-
A city burned.
Buildings collapsed into ash and smoke.
From orbit—
The entire planet was under siege.
The Mining Home.
No longer safe.
Shuttles launched in desperation.
Evacuation crafts.
Rescue attempts.
Hope—
—NNNNNUUUMMM—
A high-velocity projectile screamed through space.
Faster.
More precise.
-BOOM-
The last shuttle detonated.
Blue plasma trails carved across the sky like dying stars.
Then—
They arrived.
Creatures clad in heavy, Daedric-like armor.
Silent.
Efficient.
They moved through destruction without resistance.
Not killing randomly—
Selecting.
Any being emitting the pheromones of a specific type—
A bipedal female—
Was taken.
Dragged.
Loaded into a massive transport hovering above the surface.
Never touching the ground.
Huff…
Huff… huff…
(Calm down… calm down… remember the basics…)
Huff—
Huuu—
(Breathe… they'll rescue you…)
-CRASH-
Debris slammed nearby.
Too close.
She crouched beneath shattered rubble on a launch platform.
A teenage girl.
Short hair.
Shaking.
Blue streaks tore through the sky as more impacts rained down.
The mining town collapsed into ruin.
(I'm not here to fight…)
Huff… huff…
(Only… to verify something… ancient…)
"KEEERIIK—!"
A guttural alien sound echoed.
Heavy footsteps followed.
Closer.
Closer.
Debris was thrown aside.
Systematic.
Searching.
Hunting.
(They always know…)
(Every time I get close…)
"KIRK… KERRICK… KERIKERI—!"
Layered voices.
Different tones.
Communicating.
Then—
Right above her.
"CHHIIIRR!"
"CHECHIK… KERIPIK!"
They found her.
-THUD-
-THUMP-
-SCRRAAAAPE-
(Stay still…)
(They'll find me…)
(They'll come…)
Her eyes squeezed shut.
Her heart slammed against her chest.
Then—
A voice.
Deep.
Unfamiliar.
Ancient.
Is it time… to go backwards?
Why now?
I'm not done.
-RUSTLE-
-RUSTLE-
-CRACK-
Powp.
"OW!"
"WAKE UP! You're the LAST one to leave!"
A harsh voice cut through everything.
"I would like to go home as well!"
Her eyes snapped open.
The classroom.
The dream collapsed—forced back into whatever place it came from.
Her desk panel flashed red.
Late.
She quickly pulled her paper away.
The light died instantly.
The Head Teacher stood nearby.
A thick ruler rested against his shoulder.
Waiting.
She grabbed her bag.
Stood.
Bowed quickly—
Then rushed out.
The hallway lights guided her path.
She moved fast.
Right.
Left.
Down two flights—
Fluid.
Practiced.
A quick glance at her score.
A small smile—
Gone just as fast.
Focus returned.
The shuttle bay.
Close.
Then—
She saw it.
The gate.
Shimmering pink—
Shifting red.
Closing.
A cold weight settled in her chest.
Game face.
Two hundred fifty-three steps.
One minute remaining.
One hundred steps per minute.
Not enough.
She tapped her academy-issued comm.
Three times.
The walls responded.
Pulsing.
Footholds formed instantly.
She launched.
Wall to wall.
Faster.
Sharper.
More controlled.
Thirty seconds.
Each movement refined.
Precise.
Ten jumps left.
(I'm not going to make it…!)
Five seconds.
Her vision dimmed—
Then—
A voice.
Deep.
Calm.
Not external.
Not internal.
(Close your eyes…)
(Breathe…)
(When I say… now.)
She obeyed.
Breath in.
Breath out.
(Now.)
—PUSH—
Time slowed.
She didn't move faster—
She moved beyond.
Seven steps.
One motion.
A dive—
She cleared the gate.
Half a second before it sealed.
She hit the floor hard.
Rolled.
Collapsed into a seat.
Breathing ragged.
The world returned in pieces.
Sound.
Weight.
Reality.
-Click-
-Clack-
Boots approached.
Stopped in front of her.
"Look who barely made it."
A smooth voice.
Calm.
Amused.
Arms crossed.
Looking down at her.
"You. Awake yet… Cailleach?"
She glared up at him, still catching her breath.
"Like you could do better… Bodach."
She stuck her tongue out.
He smirked.
Then offered a hand.
She took it.
He pulled her up effortlessly.
They walked toward the seating area.
That's when she noticed—
There were more people on this shuttle than expected.