Timeless Monarch: Astora

Chapter 2

Astora awoke in the spacecraft as it warped into Messier 28, a star cluster system. We were "closest" to Nunki in the Sagittarius constellation, 228.3 light-years away from Earth. Astora knew that Messier 28 was a solar radiation goldmine that Kazimari Keegan and his constituents entirely controlled. He was a multi-credit quadrillionaire, estimated at 6.26e+17 credits. (1 credit roughly translates to $100.)

He had the collective wealth of an ancient Earth nation. With the collaborative wealth of Keegan and his investors and allies, he had the collective power of an entire solar system. So Astora protecting his expensive life was beyond impressive. It was legendary.

Yet all she was hoping for was another chance to see the kid.

The ship flew towards a massive solar station satellite; it had the timeless look of Earth's early international space station, whose length reached the size of an Ancient American football field. This station was like Manhattan in space. Floating in space, self-sufficient, and the definition of luxury.

Unit 600367, her assigned military partner through Keegan's personal militia, looked over at her and said, "We'll be landing at New Prairie. Mr. Keegan will be in the 1st Messier Hospital of New Prairie." The mouth full of words he vomited at Astora only partially registered. New Prairie, 1st Hospital, talk to Keegan. Astora nodded and said, "I'm fine, so I'll see him immediately. Even though I would love to stay longer."

600367 nodded and went back to his seat. Astora thought that would be it, but he looked back at her with his scruffy black hair and goatee and said, "I enjoyed working with you... Even if you can be... Unorthodox." He said.

Astora tried hard not to smile since it was one of her kinks to get complimented on her competency. "Well, thank you... 600... Ugh..."

"600367." said 600367, but this time with a smile and a head shake.

"Yeah, those last three numbers always get me in your name. I'll never get used to that. I might have to worry about dementia before I hit 270 years old."

600367 started to loosen up and actually stood up to sit next to Astora in the free seat next to her in the spacecraft. Astora never realized how everyone stayed away from her in the shuttle and had huddled next to each other in the bolted-down seats across the walls of the shuttle. It had the style of an old C-5 galaxy military aircraft from the ancient world. Some designs are timeless.

600367 sat beside Astora with a smile and said, "If you haven't spent all your luck over the last week, you might live as long as Keegan's 467."

Astora, "shit... usually people at least accidentally die by 280. For an old schröd guy that people want dead, he's in preem health." (Slang Schröd - Shady, mysterious. Slang Preem - Premium, good condition) 600367 nodded several times, "Yeah, he's on generation 800,000 of us." 600367 was talking about Keegan's cloned children. It was one of the legal ways he could engage in the slave trade, by selling his cloned children. The kids were a grown commodity and they were "adopted" into "loving homes" for a fee.

Astora said, "Damn, 800,000 generations of Keegan's Clan." As she looked around the ship, she noticed how similar everyone looked.

"Astora, what are you doing after this is all over? You know Mr. Keegan couldn't stop singing your praises," he asked her. His posture was relaxed, so Astora assumed he wouldn't ask her out on a date... or some silly shit like that."Get paid," Astora said succinctly.

"That's it?" 600367 asked, confusion forming on his face.

"I'm a simple person. I might use the money for art supplies or something; maybe I'll draw a picture of my new trauma. Something's making me think of a drawing a moth." She said with disarming sincerity, but her sarcastic tone betrayed that.