Close Nemesis

Chapter Twenty-Nine: A Lover Story and A Hero Story

LAIVA:

An explosion shakes the grey earth underneath my leather boots. The single storey wooden walled house collapses. What is left is ash and sawdust.

"Good job, Laiva!" praises my boss Meki, as he steps away from my side. "You'll do great things in the construction industry. You can go home now, Laiva!"

"Yeah," I mutter shyly, staring down at the grey soil. "Thank you."

"I THINK YOU DID GREAT!" an enthusiastic voice behind me calls.

I turn to face the owner of the voice: a messy haired Plassilmaver with silver eyeballs. They were standing on the other side of the holo fence, looking very excited.

As our eyes locked, I knew something about the young Plassilmaver drew me in.

"Hey, I've finished my shift!" I call back to the Plassilmaver. "Want to go get some lunch together?"

The Plassilmaver nods their head, and I smile weakly at him.

"What's your name?" he inquires in a clear, courageous voice.

"Laiva Kenelope! What's yours?"

"Xalir Smilsonth!"

Roughly six years ago, my love story began. And now, I worry that my love story has ended.

All because of my stupid decision to fake my death!

At the moment, I am watching the robots of the refinery operate the complicated, flashing controls on the console. I've been just standing here for an hour, dwelling on my past.

Suddenly, the radio in my suit lights up, and I hear Zieré's voice crackle from the other end.

"Laiva, I'm going to your funeral today!" she exclaims. "I'll be seeing Xalir there! My heart is warmed by your act of putting my name down as a guest for your funeral."

"Well, I would've invited you to the wedding as well!" I respond dryly. "But I guess that'll never happen."

"It'll happen," Zieré remarks. "I mean, I guess. Just have patience. Now, I have to buy a funeral dress. Then, I'll leave for Plassilmaver."

I sigh. "Say hi to him."

"I will."

I lean against the damp concrete wall, staring at the fuel in the translucent green tank.

"You know, the only reason I joined you all of those years ago was because I wanted to get a normal life away from Garbatrak."

"Yeah, well...why didn't you leave me yet?"

"Because I'm your friend! Because I felt as if it was my duty to help you!"

"Well, thanks for that," I reply.

"I've gotta go," Zieré says, before the radio transmission ends.

Now, I have nothing to do. But there is one thing on my mind.

Podplanata.

I need to check in on it.

I need to take action. After I murdered the prime minister of the middle planet, I'm certain that tensions would escalate between the three worlds. So, I have to see if I can defuse this situation.

I have to try.

Sure, I was going to attack the building centric city of Aravare in an attempt to force Rotcetorp to defend the city. Of course, their hatred of me is immense, and so, I have to think of an alternative to save Podplanata.