THE LAST BORN

O N E

Make sure you've read the introduction chapter first, I added a new information to help you understand this story better.

xxx
M.

ANA

Getting out of the cell for the first time in weeks, or maybe months, even perhaps years, feels very alien to me. First of all, there is space, and then, it seems to be so bright outside of the cell. I walk leaning to the wall because if not I know my legs won't be able to support me, which happens when you've been kept in a small cell for a very long time. I haven't used my legs for a while and I need time before they wake up and are properly able to function. He walks at a slow and steady pace, once in a while he looks back to make sure I'm not flat on the floor. My ragged breath is loud in the quiet corridor, that and the sounds of his steps.

"Almost there," He says opening a door.

I see two of him but I know that is from dehydration and starvation, or perhaps I've hit my head too hard too often when I passed out, I guess now I'm forever damaged.

Behind him is a very, very bright light. I have to close my eyes and look away because I feel the light is burning my vision. I press my side to the wall harder, afraid I will fall from the overwhelming sense, that until I feel a strong, cold hand touches my shoulder.

"We're here."

His tone is flat, his face is cold, but I don't know why I trust him at this moment.

I open my eyes slowly, gradually, letting my vision adjust with the brightness of the outside world. What is in front of me startle me. Humans. Hundreds of them are standing not far from where we're standing, among the unfamiliar faces, I see those who used to visit me in my cell, with no good intention.

My whole body freezes and my blood drained from my veins. So this is it.

"This is..." He cuts his speech to look at me, "Noir. If she was affiliated to the UG, she had paid her sins. If she is not, it's time for us to apologize to her," His voice is loud and clear, but most of all, it's full of authority. They call him 'The Captain' and I'm sure he answers to no one.

My head snaps to him, am I dreaming? Is this... is this even real?

"Welcome to Nirvana," I start to hear people greet me. Those who used to come to scare me, are using a less friendly tone as they repeat what the others are saying, their faces are looking down as they are fidgeting while they are standing. The words fly from one mouth to another until all I can hear is their welcome greeting to their ship. A petite woman with black hair and small eyes comes forward with a strained smile. The top of her head only reaches my jaw, but the fire in her eyes tells me I'm no match to her.

"My name is Jackie," She looks at me for a moment before she looks at him, he nods at her as a sign for her to continue. "I will show you to your bedroom, welcome to Nirvana." She turns around and the sea of people parted to give her the way.

"Go on," He says looking at me.

With heavy steps and confusion, I follow the lady. People take a few steps back as I walk by, either they are disgusted by me or they despise me, at this moment, I couldn't care less. I still cannot believe I'm out of the cell, and they all are welcoming me? What is happening?

Sadly our trip to my room is a long one, a few times Jackie stops for a second or so to tell me what room is which. I cannot concentrate, my mind is working a lightning year a second trying to understand my new circumstance.

"This one is yours," Finally Jackie says. "The code is 9647 but you can always change it later," The door slides open automatically as soon as Jackie finished putting the code.

If I can cry, I would.

Inside is a bed. And a small desk. And a chair.

"That small door is the wardrobe, and the one next to it is to the bathroom,"

Bathroom!

I could kiss this woman's feet until next week it won't be enough to express how happy and grateful I'm to this luxury. Jackie shifts her weight from one leg to another, she looks uncomfortable and I don't blame her. Who'd be at ease standing with an unknown creature, probably with just skin and bones, and I don't even know when was the last time I showered. I must look awful.

"Dinner is in two hours," Jackie finally says and turns around to leave.

Am I dreaming?

***

"I hope you know what you're doing, Malcolm," Jackie says with a huff. She folds her arms on her chest with her brows knitted together. She feels unease, although she took her part doesn't mean she likes what she did. Jackie knows, she can feel it in her gut, this will end badly for them.

"You know I do." He doesn't look up to her as he replied, instead his eyes are fixed on the screen showing a map. As the captain of the ship, the leader of what is the rest of earth, he has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. For over two hundred years he has been taking the role seriously.

Earth's government failed them, resulting in the United Galaxy putting an end to their planet. They all had to learn the hard way to know that outside of the Milkyway, is a wild space you can only fight with nails and teeth.

"She is partially human, I know it. The proportion of her body, the breasts! Only females from the earth have a set of breasts," Jackie says with anger.

"I'm aware," He answers still studying the map.

"Then you know that it's against our law, no, your law, to hurt another human!"

Malcolm lifts his gaze, his human eye is hard on the young woman while his other eye turns in 360 degrees as if to look at her from a different perspective. "And it's our law to get rid, or torture, those who are affiliated to the UG," He says slowly.

"We don't know that," Jackie replies hissing. "We found her in a pod—"

"A well-sophisticated pod. This universe is crumbling down! Tell me one civilization, which is not on the main planet that wakes up every morning not worrying about if they can put food in their mouth! Tell me one planet that is prospering without those leeches sucking all the richness to their own pockets and leaving the native with nothing! That kind of machine can only be produced for those who work directly to the top five, or close relative of those five assholes! No other civilization in this universe can afford anything half of that, the rest of us are starving, ill, and dying."

"They hate humans!" Jackie argues with her leader. "They blew our home and now we're rouge! They won't give anyone who might have a drop of human's blood a job, let alone to sleep with one!"

"Jackie," Malcolm tsks, "that is exactly what they want you to think. Desperate times call for desperate measure," Malcolm clicks a dot in the screen and gives Jackie his undivided attention.

"I will kill those assholes, even if that means I have to kill her too." He says thick with hatred.