Earthlings 2: The Dark Age

33

[Before]

5/21/2019. Planet Earth, Oakland CA

The symphonic band's graduation performance reverberated throughout Oakland High School's football stadium, intermixed with the cheers and whistles of proud parents and siblings. From afar, Eli was holding up a yellow Instax camera- at 11, he wasn't old enough to have a phone just yet. Adjusting her cap, Kendall cautiously followed the rest of her classmates down the balloon clad aisle to the rows of foldable metal chairs, before taking her place in between Deej Stevens and Chad Dunn.

"'Sup, Henderson?" Deej flashed a smile. Kendall returned the gesture.

"Man, I can't believe we'll be outta here soon," Chad remarked with a light chuckle. "We can say goodbye to all those APs!"

Kendall gave him a look. "Look who's talking- Deej and I took WAY more AP classes than you did..."

"Yeah, yeah..." Chad chuckled softly as Olivia Kang, the senior class president made her speech to the class of 2019. After a while he looked at the others. "So... got any idea of what college y'all are going to?"

"I got accepted into UC Berkeley, Stanford, Princeton, and Yale." Kendall counted on her fingers. "I think I'll be going to UC Berkeley."

"Aw, come on, we can go to Yale together," Deej complained. "I got accepted there. We could totally hang out between classes, maybe even get a room together-"

Kendall cringed, remembering the sleepovers over the years. "With your excessive snoring-? No thanks."

"Ok, we'll be neighbors then," Deej amended before wheedling. "Come on, pleeaaassseee?"

Kendall sighed softly. "I just feel like it'd be better to remain in state for college. Y'know, tuition is cheaper."

"Got a point there," Deej noted.

"Well, I'm going to San Jose State," Chad piped in.

"So we're all gonna go to different schools..." Kendall mused. That meant this was possibly the last summer together... depending on when Deej's flight to Connecticut was. "We should do something before September."

"Well, the new Spiderman movie is coming out in July," Deej said in thought. "We can buy tickets, go to AMC..."

"Or we can go to Universal Studios," Chad added.

"Universal Studios costs us a good amount of our college tuition, you idiot." Kendall proceeded to lightly smack him on the head. "A movie is cheaper."

"... Chad Dunn." The principal's voice cut through their conversation- indicating it was time to grab their diplomas.

"Oh- I guess I'll be back," Chad said quickly before walking off to the stage. As he came back with the rolled up piece of paper in his hand, another name was called, and Mia Evans stepped forward for her diploma, then Jim Fargo... Stacie Fisher... Juan Garcia... Leticia Green... Mary Han...

"Kendall Henderson."

--

11 BBY, Jedha

Kendall's eyes fluttered open. Bubbles surrounded her, swirling around her like a school of fish. She was definitely alive, or she would have seen clouds and angels. Or whatever she would see in this galaxy, that was.

The bacta water receded, and she felt herself being lifted out of the tank. Outside, Leda was conversing with Cere and an Anchorite before immediately running over to Kendall's side upon landing.