Binary Star

Chapter One: Initiation

A brillant, overpowering flash of light filled my field of vision. The intense light swallowed everything around it. My eyes burned, feeling like they would melt in my skull, but I could not tear myself away. All I could see was pure, hot white. I expected to be blinded by the monstrous solar flash. But slowly, my vision faded back into view. I wish I had never seen what I saw that day.

Lillius...it wasn't there anymore. It was just...gone, as if it had never existed at all. All that remained of my world was a loose ring of shattered dust and rock orbiting the now-massive sun. Spica's little sister had been eaten. Everything, everything I ever knew...it was all gone. My home, my friends, my family, the mother and father I loved so much...all disappeared, evaporated into celestial dust. My eyes burned because I refused to blink.

All of this...it was too much for me to take in at such a young age. I was just a child. I couldn't comprehend it. I sobbed loudly. My hot tears ran down the cool glass. I don't know how long I stood by that window. It felt like years. Time seemed to move so slowly in that moment. I watched Spica and the remnants of my home grow smaller and smaller, until they became a tiny speck in the distance, and then vanished entirely.

Now, I was surrounded by darkness, a pitch-black, empty canvas speckled with stars. At the time, I didn't realize that the fate of my entire species was at stake. Our home was gone now. Where would we go? What would we do? Those questions should have weighed on me more than anything, but instead, all I heard were the voices of Mother and Father, replaying in my head over and over again. I had to remember their voices. I needed to remember what they looked like. If I forgot them, it would be like killing them a second time.

A couple of the escorters approached me. "Spica Virginis, come. It is time to join the cabin with your sister." They whisked me away to a small room. Berenice was kneeling on the bed, sobbing into a pillow. Her long blue hair was matted and stuck out in all directions. One of the workers gestured to her. "Ms. Virginis, your sister is here." She looked up. "Oh, Spica..."

I ran up and jumped into her arms. I probably squeezed her tight enough to break her ribs, but I didn't hear a peep of pain from her. "Why...why did this have to happen?" I sniffled. "Why did Mother and Father have to die?!" Berenice shook her head. "I...I don't know. Sometimes...bad things just happen." She rattled as she clutched me in her arms. Poor Berenice. Now that Father and Mother were gone, she had to take care of Chi and I all by herself. She was just as broken as I was, but she had no time to mourn. She had to replace both of our parents, learn to do all of the things they could do on her own.

From that moment on, I swore to myself I would become just as capable as her. Even if I could never be equal to my sister, at least I could be close enough. I had to. Not just for her and Chi, but for Mother and Father as well. After all, who knew what the dangers of our new home would entail...

PRESENT DAY-

I jolted upright, drenched in sweat. The sheets tangled around my legs as I tumbled out of bed and hit the hard metal floor. I groaned in pain and laid there for a while, simply staring up at the ceiling. I just wanted to lay there forever. You'd think after all these years, that nightmare would eventually go away. It didn't. It lingered like a curse, to constantly remind me of what I lost. But I couldn't dwell in the past. Today was an important day.

I crawled to my feet and stumbled my over to the vanity, grimacing at my reflection. All I saw was pain reflected in those sky-blue eyes. I stripped out of my nightgown and pulled on my 501st Wing Scout uniform, a simple, black and white skirted outfit lined in pink and studded with magenta buttons. It was complete with metallic knee-high boots, a sailor collar, and a red scarf.

I combed my short pink hair and put on a white ribbon headband. At least I could look halfway presentable to the council and not get kicked off the team before I was even assigned my mission.