FALAHA'S JOURNEY: A Spacegirl's Account in Three Movements

Episode #18

"Cocky brats don't live long." Baro had regained consciousness and was slowly getting up. He had trouble speaking, but I still could understand his words. "You have engaged a Hunter, haven't you, rjgnis?"

I nodded. That's right! The reason for the only advantage I have is that my combat system has been exposed to a Hunter, adjusting its speed of response to above anything you would normally expect from a Danna my age. But this system is not the reason I survived.

Now, calm down, Falaha. Calm down. It is now or never.

My heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it might jump out of my chest.

"Allow me to remind you, you are still in our home. What's so important on Medas that all of you are taking it out on my family? Stealing our property?"

I wasn't expecting to hear a reply, but he actually answered.

"Our families, the rest of our Division—there are still many people down there who never got a chance to evacuate!"

"Is that why you murdered those who escaped? So why were you aboard the escape vessel, leaving the rest behind?"

"It was the last one. Our only hope was that someone would be dumb enough to answer the distress call, so we could get a hold of a DIVE spacecraft! We never dreamed we would get this lucky!"

I felt weird. All my rage was drowning in sadness. A dark, bottomless well of grief. I probably will never forgive these people for what they did, yet for some reason I couldn't hate anyone but myself.

"Dumb? Are you implying a rescuer's job is worthless?" Don't you dare deride people with that mouth of yours! "Lucky?" What an insensitive thing to say. "It was me. It was me who persuaded Father to help you. It was me who broke the hull repairer you sent to kill my Uncle." It will be me who will take responsibility for everything. "It is me you are going to answer to. From this moment on both of you will serve me. Relay this to your people: do something so idiotic again and I will kill you all. Unless you want to take on Falaighnn."

I turned away and walked toward the exit, leaving Baro and Tarry in a state of great shock, though my back deeply felt the weight of their heavy gazes. "And start fixing the mess you've made on Quennah, if you want to see your families again, that is."

Presuming anyone survived down there.

Father. I hope you and the rest are still safe. We will come for you soon. Please, stay alive.

I passed Eyuran, who also stood astounded and even forgot about his beaten up face. "Come, Eyuran. We have things to do. But we need to treat your wounds first."

After the cargo bay doors closed behind us, I threw up. The hallway was wobbling in my field of view.

"...ha," the gentle voice called. "Falaha! Look at me!" My cousin shook me by the shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself! Falaha! Look at me! Don't..."

Darkness swallowed me, hiding my mind from the world. I'm sorry, Eyuran, for being so weak... I was so scared.