How to Kill a Phoenix

2: FROM 3800 LIGHT YEARS AWAY

CHAPTER 2: FROM 3800 LIGHT YEARS AWAY

"Every utopia - let's just stick with the literary ones - faces the same problem: What do you do with the people who don't fit in?" – Margaret Atwood

***

"Great, you knocked him unconscious," Emily said, still stuck in the wall.

Katrina set down the hat stand she was holding. "A maid takes pride in her fast hands. Someone you know?"

"No idea." Emily supported herself with her arms. Ugh, this is tiring... "Kat," she began, her voice commanding, "he violated my mouth. I want you to violate his."

"What."

"He violated my mouth with his perverted hands! A boy's hand! Heaven knows if he washes it after every time he uses it for recreational purposes! Use a toilet brush or something, then we call the police. I wanna watch."

"Shouldn't you be more concerned about getting out of there first?"

"Nah, it's not that cold actually; central heating." Emily sighed. "Actually... priorities, Kat. I'm curious. Just now, things that blew away my mind happened here."

Katrina gasped, both hands on her mouth. She stood up hurriedly, babbling, "Umm... okay, I won't tell your father, and... if you want to be left alone, then..." she walked to the door.

"NO, NOT LIKE THAT!"

"Well, that boy's actually quite handsome, you know. A little bit like one of those plastic-faced actors."

The knocked out boy started to move. Groaning, he cupped his hands over his face, slowly sitting up.

"Look, Kat." Emily pointed with a finger. She signaled to the maid to come closer, before whispering into her ear, "You knocked him out, so now he has to take a few minutes to remember things. And he can use that opportunity to make up lies if he wants."

"Apologies, Master."

"Look," Rain finally interrupted. "I apologize for everything that has gone wrong. But I think things have gone so far that... you need to know. You're now part of a big mess."

"Get me out of here first!" Emily interjected. Then she huffed, rolling her eyes, before adding, "Please."

Rain looked around him. "My sword is gone. So is my data stick."

"You need them to take me out?"

"No, it just means I'll have to pull them out of you again when I want to use them."

Emily only pouted, her face reddening.

Astra floated down, hovering by his master's ear. Rain stood up and walked towards Emily. The girl raised her hands defensively. "Don't-touch-me-don't-touch-me-don't-touch-me!"

The boy placed a hand on her hip where it met the wall. Emily let a squeal escape her lips, which he ignored. "Astra, dematerialize her out."

There was a flash of light, and Emily disappeared, reappearing a few meters away, on her bed, tumbling head over heels and falling off the edge. "Ouch.

"Explain yourself."

The two young ladies then took their places, perched on the edge of the bed while Rain sat against the wall, his eyes looking blankly upwards. "Astra, get Tanya on the line."

"Rain?" a girl's voice came from the floating ball. "Oh good, that means you're here too."

"Tanya, just listen and say nothing. I got a situation at the moment. Astra will send you the audio and visuals. I assume everyone is here already, or you'll be freaking out instead."