Extant

"Magian?"

"Did he say Magian?"

"For the love of-" "Calm down they've been arrested-"

"Calm down?!"

"There is no need for alarm and 've ask you to remain calm." The captain said more forcefully. "The situation has been cantained and no one has been injared. If you have any questions ar' concerns, please relay them to our stewards. 've vil resume landing pracedures momentarily and we thank you for the patience you have shown today." A moment of static and the intercom was silent. Klal glanced nervously out of the window where a trio of disk-shaped starships drifted slowly into view, gliding towards the largest moon with a small, venom green and arrow-shaped freighterin tow. "Magians, here? I thought this sector was supposed to be safe." They murmured. "We're lightyears into Collective space, how could Magians be here-" They shifted uncomfortably as they looked out their window, trying to get a better look at the freighter. "I thought we were supposed to be safe." They whispered. E'le took their hand in hers. "Hey, don't worry. They're not here for us." She looked out at the ship, her face falling as her gaze drifted to the window and the starships in the distance. The transport gave a shudder and without warning lurched forwards, gliding past more saucer shaped vessels towards a strange floating structure above the planet. It seemed to be a pair of giant rings suspended on top of each other, and connected to a giant tube that jutted out from the planet's surface like a splinter lodged into skin. Klal gulped and thumbed the strap across their chest that secured them to their seat. Catching E'le's eyes, they chuckled nervously, "Always the landing." "It's alright, it'll be over before you know it." Klal smiled back nervously as with another shudder, the ship fitted itself between the rings. At once a field of red energy came and surrounded the rings and the transport buffeted to a halt. Klal gripped their armrest as they shut their eyes, knowing what came next. The intercom came alive again as this time an automated voice sounded.

Landing process to begin momentarily. Please brace yourselves.

The monotone voice repeated as the straps around the passengers tightened and the lights turned blue. And with that, the transport dropped like a stone. Faster and faster the ship plummeted as all around them flames began to bloom as they entered the planet's atmosphere. They grit their teeth as they gripped E'le's hand and their armrest so hard their knuckles turned white. They screwed their eyes shut as the transport fell faster and faster. The ship shuddered and Klal flinched. The floor beneath them was starting to get too warm. Their ears filled with the pressure of the new atmosphere. The descent was too fast. They were surely going to crash. "Thank you far your patronage and we welcome you to fly with us again." Klal cracked their eyes open. The ship was still. The transport had come to a stop. The rest of the passengers, while looking slightly ruffled and grumbling about the descent, seemed interested by the landing. The Captain was still mumbling over the intercom as he finally came to the end of his speech. "...an' 've vish yau a productive shtay on Ginfloud. The Collective for all." At these words, the passengers all raised their left hand and made a circle with their hand. "The Collective for all." They said in unison. The intercom cut off and with that, the straps securing the passengers popped open and they began to rise and extricate their baggage from underneath their seats. The transport's walls began to slide open and the passengers all clambered out. What awaited them was a cavernous and vast chamber of gray steel, so large that only a single wall was visible to them. Indented into the wall were black booths with tired looking officials sitting inside them. The passengers began Klal and E'le made their way to a free booth where a bored-looking mustachioed human official sat. "Chartas." The official droned. After rummaging in their tunic pocket for a moment, Klal pulled out two cards and handed them to the official. He snatched them from their hand and began to scan them with his datapad. "Please declare the purpose of your travel." He sighed. "Work, we're scientists from Collective Central-" A small alarm began to sound on the datapad as it read E'le's charta. The guard frowned for a moment before rolling his eyes and pressing a button on his datapad. Red lights around the booth began to light up and the sound of klaxons began to screech throughout the chamber. DISSENTING NATURALISED CITIZEN. DISSENTING NATURALISED CITIZEN. ASSISTANCE REQUIRED. The robotic voice reverberated throughout the chamber, echoing into the cavernous emptiness. The other passengers jumped at the sound and whirled around for the source of the alarm. Quickly, they noticed the red booth and soon everyone was staring at them. They began to whisper to each other only now their murmurs were drowned about by the shrieking of the alarms. Some looked on sadly and others turned their heads away. Most just looked on with mild annoyance fear as sections of the wall opened and guards in transparent armor and reflective masks stepped from behind them. The official rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath. "Of course, can't go a rotation without an Everyman deployment." He sighed and looked at E'le. "If you'll place your hands on the side of your head," He drawled. "What's going on?!" E'le said in a panicked voice as she looked around at the flashing lights and blaring klaxons. Sighing, the official reached down for something under his desk. When he resurfaced, he held a small black pistol and trained it on the couple. "Hands to the side of your head." He groaned. They obliged fearfully as the klaxons died down. Klal found their voice. "No wait, this is a mistake! Our chartas a-are valid!" They said as they tried to place themselves between E'le and the official. "Emergency Provision 19382022. All Naturalised Citizens with a known-association with dissenting activity are to be screened for potential dissention." He groaned. "What?! That's not a law!" Klal said as four guards finally reached the booth. "Came into effect only a half rotation ago. Direct from Collective Central." He drawled in a bored tone as the guards each grabbed one of E'le's arms and began to escort her away. "Wait, are you taking me?!" The Everymen remained silent as they marched her away. "What are you doing?! No, that's my wife!" Klal said. "E'le! E'le!" "Klal! It's alright, it's going to be alri-" An Everyman shoved her forward and Klal started to race towards them. The Everyman spun around with their pistol drawn. A flash of green. Klal doubled over in pain and fell to their knees. Heaving with pain, they scrambled back to their feet but by now E'le had already gone past the threshold and the wall behind her shut. Klal stared at the wall as panic began to engulf before the official's voice came from near them. "You're a relation of the Naturalised?" He asked, sitting back down behind his desk. "Yes!" Klal said as they turned to the official, their eyes alight with fear. "Follow them." He said dully as he leaned back onto his seat and began typing on his data pad. A small part of the wall opened again and two more Everymen approached Klal. The two of them grabbed both their arms and marched them away.