Plutonian

Chapter 51

My heart squeezes in pain as I wonder if she is one of the newcomers, recently snatched away from her family on Earth.

"You can start now," One of the Plutonian's behind the recorder says and I notice Lucian leaning behind the group by the wall. He is hidden in the shadows, drawing little attention to himself but I can see his eyes narrowed on the sheen of sweat on my forehead.

I quickly turn back to the crowd and start to read in a shaky voice. The last thing I need is to blow my cover and my primary goal to escape.

"My dear colleagues, my name is Aria and some of you may know me as seven two zero three. I was a slave like you till about four weeks ago, before I made a decision that would change my life for the better."

"From the time I came here, I knew the Plutonians always favoured bravery, hard work and perserverence. These three traits are essential for a fighter."

"Of course being a fighter wasn't my primary goal when I made my choice at eighteen. I wanted to join the army and have wanted to serve the Plutonian's since I was a young girl."

"With bravery I made the choice to pursue my goal, with hard work and perseverance I fought and won my first three matches and was nominated into the army as an officer. Now I am able to serve the greatest army in the galaxy and I have only our great protectors to thank."

The sheet of paper in my hands shake ever so slightly. My heart is racing, my blood is boiling and bile is inching its way up my throat as I lie through my teeth to the unsuspecting children watching me.

"I am here today to tell you that being an officer in the army is one of the biggest accomplishments in my life. Some of you may know about the recent incidents and difficulties that I had to face but nothing great comes without some resistance."

"I urge you... " I can't help but pause as the bile inches further up my throat. "I urge you all to take my perserverence as an example. If I can do it, so can you."

I swallow hard and finally turn my attention away from the paper in my trembling hands.

Something dark and angry spreads from my chest to the rest of my body like the venomous branches of a withered tree. I feel nothing but pure self hatred and all I want to do is tear the piece of paper into shreds and chuck it at the people recording me.

What makes it a hundred times worse is the way the crowd of children are staring up at me with nothing but hope and adoration in their eyes.

Unlike me, they bought every word of the speech. Someone somewhere starts clapping softly and soon the whole courtyard rumbles like thunder under their applause.

All the humans are looking up to me like I'm their hero and it makes me sick that they are cheering for a fraud like me who had received help from none other than someone from the Trinity.

My eyes search the crowd frantically. How many of them will now choose to join as a fighter because of that speech? How many of them will die because of it?

I can already taste the sour bile at the back of my throat. I am about to turn around when my eyes catch the face of a young boy standing right in front.

His face is plump with baby fat and the dark circles under his eyes are proof of the many sleepless nights he has had. There is a blatant misery in his face, I know the look, I've seen it on many slaves faces before.

My fingers tighten around the stand of the speaker. He looks so young, he must be around eight to nine years old. His lips quiver and his eyes light up with lost hope as he stares at me.