Young God | L. Laufeyson

1. Crossfire

Twenty years later

Aurora sighs as her hand runs through the wave of her short, auburn hair, fixing the mess that the wind causes. With narrowed eyes, she looks down at the engine of her spaceship. The erupting clouds of smoke extend her planned stay on this planet. She just wanted to stop for a short visit to get some food, then continue her flight to Terra but instead, she's now stranded with one of her least favorite alien race- the Kree. They've never personally harmed her and as long as she pays the price with a nice tip, she's safe, but they think they're superior which bothers her.

"I need a new engine, otherwise she won't make it. This one is completely damaged, thanks to the rough landing." She states as she leans against the ship, the blue alien stops analyzing the engine and glances with utter confusion at her.

"She?" The Kree questions with a lifted eyebrow. Aurora believes that his name is Milo, she's not sure though.

"Yes, my spaceship is a she. Her name's Sun." Aurora grins proudly like a mother bragging about her child. "I named her after the sun because she's just as beautiful and important for my life. Isn't she wonderful?"

"Not with that engine." Milo scoffs and the smirk on Aurora's lips falls. Besides this rude comment, this Kree doesn't seem to be like the others, he's been bearable so far. "As you said, she needs a new one."

"How many units will this cost me?" Aurora asks with a sigh, not overly fond over her baby's damage.

"I think 2,000? Maybe one if she's in a good mood today." Ouch.

"She?" Now the human raises a brow in the air and Milo nods as he types something into the device, ordering someone to bring an engine.

"My Mistress, Fortuna. She's the ruler of this city and decides everything, including the price for this engine." Her name isn't seriously Fortuna, is it? A small girl, barely ten years old, enters the workshop, carrying the heavy engine on her own.

"Oh, let me take that." Aurora offers her help with a smile and is about to take the object from the blue girl but Milo stops her.

"No! Let 0371 carry that, she's a slave, that's her duty." The term makes Aurora's stomach flip, she swallows hard. But the girl is so young, she's supposed to be free and play around. And what kind of name is 0371?

"Is 0371 her name?" Aurora wants to know and Milo nods in confirmation as the blue girl puts down the engine. Due to her skinny arms and weakness, she accidentally drops it and it lands with a crack on the ground.

"I'm sorry, Master Milo, Miss Aurora! I beg for forgiveness!" 0371 splutters panicked and Aurora's eyes widen at the reaction of the young child, not caring about the broken engine. The girl is scared for her life.

Milo's jaw is tensed and his facial expression hardens, no mercy is left in his violet eyes. "Leave, 0371. Go to area PFS30 and wait there for Mistress Fortuna. You know what will happen."

"Wait!" Aurora shouts as 0371 breaks out into tears, her heart wrenching at the terrified face of the innocent slave. "What will happen to her? I demand to know."

"She will receive her punishment, fifty lashes. We only accept perfection." Milo's hospitality is gone and horror spreads on Aurora's face, the immoral punishment is nothing the slave deserves. "You can watch it for fifty units."

"And how much... how much does she cost?" She can't believe that she's asking for a price of a living person, it is truly inhuman. The value of a life cannot be given in numbers.

"Nothing. She cannot be sold, Miss Aurora. Her purpose is to serve the Kree for her whole life. No negotiations are possible. Now may we return to business?"