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Fuck fuck fuck! My heart was pounding in my chest and my lungs burned. I ran as fast as I could through the red district trying to get as far away as I could. Turning into an alley I slowed to a stop and leaned over with my hands on my knees trying to catch my breath.
Bright neon lights flashed from the street behind me, giving some light to the dark alley. My hair was in a sloppy ponytail, and falling apart with strands sticking to my forehead along with the sweat across my skin.
Moving to lean back against one of the building walls I looked up to the sky…well… not really a sky… more or less just the wiring, pipes and metal plating of the red district's dome. This area couldn't afford something fancy like hologram reflectors that would mimic the night sky on earth. Just like how I couldn't afford to get caught right now…
Looking down I lifted my bloodied hands and trembled a little. Fuck…it wasn't my fault!
Tears started to burn my eyes but I fought them back, I can't break down crying…not here not now…
Pulling off my coat I tried to wipe off as much of the blood on my hands as I could, before throwing the old torn jacket in a dumpster. I stared at the container wishing it would just catch on fire and burn away any evidence. Wishing that I could just go home like none of this ever happened…
Maybe it's just a dream, and this isn't real…I'll just pinch myself and wake up from this cursed nightmare…
That bastard would have never touched me, we never would have gotten into that fight, he never would have fallen down that flight of stairs. I never would have been seen sitting by his dead mangled body with his blood on my hands…
Shaking my head I grabbed at my hair and yelled. "fuckkk!"
I'm screwed…absolutely screwed. I have nowhere to run, nowhere to go. The guards are probably turning my apartment upside down already and scouring the red district for me… ha… no matter what I do I'll be caught. I'm trapped on Krosa with little hope of escaping…
There's cameras everywhere and nowhere to hide. Why did I ever think that joining the colonization mission was a good idea? I should have just stayed on homeworld in my tiny shack in the slums…
Now here I am trapped in an orbital habitat running for my life. If the authorities catch me i'm done for, they are already set on the idea im a murderer, even if I get a trial they'll still mark me a guilty just so they could get rid of another unnecessary body.
I'm dead no matter what I do… I started laughing hysterically at my situation while slumping against the metal wall behind me. Fuck my life…fuck this colony…fuck the empire and all those prissy politicians and their fucked up idea of justice…
A subtle familiar tone caught my attention from the street and I paused, before wiping any tears from my eyes, refusing to let them fall. across the street a news hologram was playing.
'it's been made official that after Keith asmora's unfortunate passing last year his successor and only daughter alita asmora has returned to the political world and has declared that she will be continuing her fathers work in restoring power to the commoners of krosa, with this she will also be continuing to work towards the very controversial abolishment of the penal colony of xanadis. Although it is unknown at this time whether the penal colony policies will be terminated, her representative has assured all of krosa that they will be working towards the issue within the next few days…'
Abolish the penal colony? I watched the news broadcast intently from the edge of the alleyway. Could they really do that? Numerous people continued walking through the street, hardly paying attention to the news.
'in other news we just got word that a body of a 42 year old man was discovered along with his female assailant in the east gallo section of the red district. Upon discover the assailant fled the scene of the crime on foot. currently, the authorities are searching for the young woman and have given out a detailed description as to the murderer's identity, if anyone has any information please notify your closest security supervisor at once…'
I paled as the news broadcast changed to a full profile. I couldn't even focus on the given name or description, I could only stare in shock at the picture…my picture…
I've been branded as a murderer even though it wasn't my fault…he tried to touch me! I didn't mean to shove him down the stairs…I didn't mean to kill him, I just wanted him to stop! Grabbing at my hair in frustration I stared at the ground feeling dizzy as my world started to spin.
"hey! There she is!" snapping out of it I looked over to see three krosa guards dressed in white military attire, running down the street towards me.
Turning around I started pushing past people and running in the opposite direction. I can't get caught! I can't get caught! Turning the corner I came face to face with a guard aiming a stun gun at me.
Within seconds I went from running for my life to falling to the ground. Guards grabbed my arms, restraining and buffing me before pulling me to my feet. I didn't resist and gave up any hope I had for escaping.
I was silent as they dragged me away and tossed me in a holding cell. I'm not sure how long I sat there huddled up in the corner hugging my knees.
It didn't take long for two guards to come in and take me to the courtroom to stand trial, they didn't even have a judge dictate my sentence…it was just some random security official who reigned over the red district. I'm sure you know what is going to happen here today, you'll either die by the hand of the krosa executioners or die in the penal colony…unless…you do something for me…" I eyed the man before me as he gave me a half assed smile. "you see i have a little problem that needs taken care of, someone stirri g the pot in krosas political world and i need it to be put to an end… so, you get rid of them and ill make all of this just disappear…youll be free of any and all charges and be able to go back to your little home in the red district like nothing ever happened…"
I glared at the man before me, he wanted to use me to get rid of his enemies and gain more political power… he would just throw someone else onto the train tracts in my stead if i helped him. Someone else would be framed for maxwells murder and id go back to the slums knowing i got someone else killed.
Looking up at the man as he looked at me mockingly I grit my teeth. "go to hell…" the guards did not react and the man just glared back at me.
"Exile it is…Kora Wrathia you've been found guilty of murder of sir Maxwell crone. And hereby will be sent to the penal colony of xanadis to perish or live out the rest of your lifecycle…"
Of course the bastard wasn't even going to give me a choice between execution or exile…He motioned to the guards behind me. "Take her…" the soldiers grabbed me roughly and turned us away from the prick as I flipped him off with the middle finger. Revenge isn't something i need to plan these fuckers will fuck themselves over eventually.
I didn't cry, didn't scream profanities, I didn't even beg for a chance to explain myself as the guards took me away. I was stripped of my clothes and belongings and forced to put on a bodysuit.
After all there was no point in resisting. Krosa's officials were corrupt and would mark someone like me guilty even without evidence. There was no justice here, I'm just another body to dump…
After stripping me of everything they took me to a shuttle and I waited in silence and it took off. Looking at my cuffed hands, thinking back to my life on homeworld and krosa. I have always been miserable…
Living in the slums struggling to get by each day like a stray cat living on the streets.
The guards waited for the alert signaling the ship was at an optimal drop spot. One of them accessed a keypad opening a pod on the side of the ship. "Get in…" one of them jabbed me in the back when I didn't move and I stumbled forward before glaring back at him.
Stepping inside I laid back inside of the pod and watched the door slid shut leaving me in complete darkness. Sighing I closed my eyes and waited for my impending fall.
I'm not sure what awaits me down below but if they think im just gonna lay down and kick the bucket those fuckers have another thing coming.
If I'm destined to die on an alien planet full of monsters then so be it…I hope you're ready xanadis, cause I'm not going down without a fight.
So go ahead…Give me your worst.
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~Xandisian series~
Book 1: Last to fall
Book 2: (prequel) rise of the Fallen
Book 3: (sequel) Fall of the forsaken
Book 4: ??? (to be determined)
Spin off story 1: First to Rise (not connected to other stories) (STANDALONE)