Star-Crossed

Part 2

Slavery on planet Dard hasn't always been my life.

In fact, I was born into a relatively wealthy business family on the capital planet of Shinar. My life was safe and sweet. I was lucky.

But that was before the Great War, when Abductors trolled the planet for children, capturing them and sending them to slave planets like Dard to manufacture weapons and food and clothing for soldiers.

Now that the war is over, and has been over for almost five years, slave planets like Dard still exist, illegally, but authorities look the other way as long as they are generously rewarded.

Brutes like Sargon who rule planets like Dard get rich off of cheap labor and the authorities get richer off of black money. Everyone wins.

That is, of course, except the slaves.

It's been 10 years since I was captured by an Abductor. I was five.

I remember that day so vividly.

It was warm and bright and so stupidly beautiful. My parents and older sister Pikar, and I were vacationing at a magical spot along the coast of a nearby tropical planet.

It was the first time I remember seeing the ocean. Smelling the seaweed. Feeling the salt on my skin and the sand between my toes.

I still don't quite understand how we were able to take a vacation like this during what was, arguably, the absolute most turbulent period of the Great War.

It all happened so quickly. I ran off to chase a fluffy, baby koala I had noticed in the near distance. And at that exact moment, a friend of my parents appeared and distracted them from keeping their eyes on me. Before I knew it, I was screaming from the inside of a pitch-black bag. Suffocated by my own fear. That is the last time I ever saw my family. That is the last time I knew what it felt like to be truly free.

"You seem lost inside your head today Kishy", Niko prods.

We have been walking for almost an hour now. I'm so tired. And annoyed. Where is he taking me?

"I think I'm just a little tired from last night. And nervous about the lottery," I respond.

Niko grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze. This both comforts and repels me. But I let my hand rest in his. I wish I loved Niko as much as he loves me. But since the kidnapping, I've never really been able to trust anyone.

I mean, I trust Niko in that he is my only real friend here on Dard. But I just can't seem to love him in the way that he loves me. The only thing that truly keeps me going is the hope of leaving Dard as a Galactic Cadet and reuniting with my family - and Niko doesn't fit into that plan.

"Okay, close your eyes," Niko whispers in my ear.

I close my eyes and, still holding onto Niko's hand, let him lead me.

He stops. I stand still, eyes closed. "Okay, open," he says.

I open my eyes and gasp. This is truly the most beautiful thing - the only beautiful thing - I've ever seen on Dard. He must have stolen (or bought?) a holographer. But not just any holographer - Detrius Diamond's holographer! But how?!

"Oh Niko! This is incredible!" I cry.

I run around like a fool, giddy with delight. I can't help it - it's honestly like I've stepped inside of my own dream and come alive at just the right moment.

We are no longer slaves on the bleak and industrial slave planet of Dard. We are king and queen of a magical fairy forest wonderland. Replete with gushing waterfalls, an emerald-colored lake and flowers in shades of pink and yellow and purple I have never before seen. The gigantic broccoli-like trees blush with delight. The deer shimmer like powdered gold. The hummingbirds look like flying rubies flitting around against an elegant baby-blue sky.

I notice a lush, red velvet blanket spread out in the middle of the scene, covered with every type of delicious food imaginable: dark chocolate goji berries, creamy herbed goat cheese, whole wheat poppy seed bread - even brown sugar bubbly beer!

Niko and I move toward the picnic and sit down.

"Niko, how'd you get all this?!" I exclaim. "There's no way you found all this food - and the holographer! - without seriously risking your life. This is crazy."

"It's all worth it if it helps you during Recruitment Day," he replies. "You need to eat a hearty meal and nourish yourself before the Challenge."

"But we don't even know if I made it into the lottery! What if I don't even get a ticket? This will all have been for nothing," I shoot back.

"That's not true. The look on your face is totally worth it," he says softly. "Priceless."

He moves toward me slowly. My heart thumps heavily in my ears. I lose sense of space and time. He grabs my face in his hands and puts his soft, sweet, moist lips on mine. I blush. We both pull away from each other for a second and look into each other's eyes.

I let out a small, nervous laugh. "Let's feast!" I say.

"Indeed, let's feast," Niko replies, grinning toothily at me, as he pours us each a glass of brown sugar bubbly beer.

We are having a great time, when, all of a sudden, something rustles in the bushes right next to us.

My heart stops. Niko and I both fall silent.

If someone catches us here, Niko and I will both be disqualified from the lottery. My dream of becoming a Cadet will be over. Just like that.

"We can't get caught," I whisper.

The bushes rustle again, this time a few feet closer.

"Karina, get out of here," says Niko, pushing me to stand. "I'll handle this."

I look at him, unsure of whether to stay or to go.

"Go," he repeats. "Now."

The noise seems to be growing louder, and moving toward us, so I hop up, give Niko a big hug and then bolt out of the forest.

My mind is reeling with the possibilities of what might be happening to Niko at this very moment.

Maybe it was just an animal. But what if it was one of Sargon's cronies? Or worse - Sargon himself?

I start to feel guilty.

And then I hear a bell ring in the distance

The lottery results have been posted.