Survivors

Gorfon

I narrow my eyes. My hands are uncomfortable chained to a wall. I try to pull back.

The bar of the cheap ship falls off.

I have nothing to do with that. I still can't escape. I'm just slightly more comfortable. I sulk in the corner of the cell.

"Sir! He broke the wall!" A guard yells.

"He's not going anywhere." Yardisse assures them.

They're right. I'm not.

"I'm in a cell anyways. Can you uncuff me?" I ask.

"No." The guard narrows her eyes. I groan.

"How much longer until we get there."

"About a progali."

I roll my eyes.

"I'm bored."

"Stop complaining!" She snaps.

"Can I talk to you?"

She pauses.

"Fine."

"What's your name?" I ask.

"This is about you, not me!" She protests. "But... it's Kivra. Kivra Loxase."

"How long have you served Polois?" I inquire.

"My entire life." Kivra answers.

"What's it like on Gorfon?" Her large, grey ears fold back. If Gorfonians are anything like cats, that means she's angry. She then relaxes.

"Well, I dunno. Haven't been on other planets that much. We have lots of gardens filled with plants discovered from Polois's conquests, and almost everything is made out of our abundant violet stone. Some are made of steel, though. And then there's the Imperial Palace. That's made of titanium and platinum. I've never been in there before." She explains. "You're lucky."

"How am I lucky?" I ask. "I'm locked in space prison!"

Kivra laughs.

"You get to go into the Palace, of course! You're the heir! You'll get all the food you want, you have all the time in the universe, and you have people to do stuff for you. You don't have to work for it. You just get it. And then you become Emperor."

I had almost forgotten what came with being an heir. I would have to rule Gorfon someday.

I'm not a very leaderly person. I feel too bossy if I give out orders.

"What kinds of changes would you like if I became emperor?" I ask her.

"Me?" Kivra looks shocked. "I'm just a lower guard. I don't know about the lifestyle of the uppers."

"You still must have some opinion." I urge.

"Well, I'd like it if the city rings were gone, for one." She admits. "I'd like to be able to see all the same stuff the muddles and uppers see. Not just the lower's view." She smiles. "This is my first time off the planet. First time out of the lower ring, too." She blushes. "Actually, that's a lie. One time, I snuck over the wall and into the forest. I climbed up a tree and I ate the fruit. Don't tell anyone!"

"Why do you serve Polois?" I ask her. "If you want freedom so much?"

"Well, I can't just not serve Polois." She rolls her eyes. "Right?"

"Wrong." I shake my head. "Plenty of people don't serve him. Nobody on my planet did." I pause. "Before my planet exploded."

"This is my job." She says. "I know my life is bad, but I always remember it could be much worse. I could be an exile, for example. That would be bad." She looks down. "I am loyal to the Gorfonian Empire. We could be charged for treason for this discussion, you know. If I was meant to walk among the uppers, I would. So it is not meant to be."