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Chapter 3: Anya Part 1

Anya POV:

Night was good. It was the best time of the day. Or, day is the worst time or night. The only reason that light can be, is because the dark allows it to be.And for that, the darkness is generous.

I sat in the cold, damp cell of the capitol building. The only comfort I had was the dark. The darkness was my companion.

I was in that cell for around 6 years. Everyday, the darkness was my friend. It was all I knew in that pitiful state in which the capitalists left me in. I was forever sentenced to life in that prison cell. Until that day.

President Branson was not in charge of prisoners’ freedom, that responsibility went to the District Attorney. He would be committing a crime if he were to release me.

And that is just what he did.

“Anya Simmons” I heard as lights went on.

It was the middle of the night. The guard woke me up for some reason. But that didn’t matter. The ‘beds’ they had us sleep on were like floor cushions. They had holes, and bed bugs. And they say we were committing crimes against humanity!

“There a problem officer?” I say looking at him. He frowns, and I chuckle as I lay my head back down against the ‘bed’.

“The President is here to see you.” he replies slightly annoyed.

“Funny.” I say drowsily.

“Seriously. President Branson is here to speak with you!”

I make no response of any kind.

“Anya Simmons.” another voice says.

I lift my head up and looked at the door. On the other side, the President stood.

I quickly stand up and straighten my ‘clothes’ (brown rags provided by the state).

The guard opens the door, and lets the President inside my cell.

“We will only need a moment, thank you.” he tells the guard, who then nods respectfully, and walks away.

He faces me. There is a moment of silence.

“You are a disgrace to the Empire.” I spat.

He chuckles.

“Oh Anya. I believe it is you that are a disgrace to the Union.” he says gleefully.

“What do you want Branny boy?” I ask.

He begins to pace around my ‘cell’.

“See Anya, I often wonder why you are in here.”

I burst out laughing.

“Me too!” I say in between laughs.

“Yes, I know you were not happy with your sentence: life in prison, but I think that it is for the better of the Union.”

“I don’t care about what is better for the Union!” I scream. “My father, was exiled to the outermost reaches of the Quenna-El galaxy because of you!”

He nods and smirks.

“My sisters were also taken from me, and exiled! Any normal person would swear revenge on you for that! “

“And you didn’t?”

“Well, yes, but I went into hiding instead of causing civil uprisings! I lived in fear that I would one day be found, and exiled do some desert planet, or wherever you sent my father!”

“But Anya, you were special. I couldn’t have you exiled because I needed you. And I couldn’t have people knowing what I needed a princess for, so I had to make a cover up. To the rest of the Union, you are just some Imperial rogue. ANd I am the only person that knows what you used to be. A tyrant.”

“I am not a tyrant. And neither was my father. It is your fault that corporate wars broke out and caused panic. You framed my father. With all of your servants at ExoTech, you were able to make your violent competitors seem like the fault of my father.”

“You’re right. Alexander Simmons was a good man trying to cause panic and chaos. Whatever you feel is right.” he says sarcastically.

“But you made it seem like oppression from your companies was his fault. But it wasn’t. You are behind all of that.”

There was silence. Then, Branson grinned like he was a five-year-old who just had caffeine.

“Anya. What if I helped you get out of here. What if I reunited you with your family and gave you power to destroy me. What would you do?”

What? What is he talking about?

“I would accept it.” I say like it was a joke, but Branson's facial expression became more and more stern.

“Alright. I will be back in a month with all of the preparations. Until then, adeu.”

And with that, he walked out of my cell.

During the first few days, I did not know what to think. It did not seem like a real offer on Branson’s part, nor did it feel fake.

But as the days progressed, I began to think about it more. It would be great to be reunited with my family. That’s all I have wanted for 6 years. And with that, plus the power to return Justice and good rulers to Craigavon,  I would be set for life.

My hopes soared during those last few weeks. I was so happy, that I even told the guards what a wonderful job they did guarding my cell, whom of course, gave me weird looks.

And Branson kept his promise. Exactly one month after I had seen him, all the guards mysteriously left the compound. And then, all the cell doors were unlocked. All the inmates were able to escape.

And I did.

When I had left the building and had made it outside, I stopped moving. I did not know what to do. What about all the ‘reunion’ and ‘power’ Branson mentioned. Where was it?

I sat on the cement outside the prison compound, not knowing what to do. but out of no where, a freighter from the sky came, and landed in front of me.

The freighter door opened, and a man wearing black was revealed.

“Princess Anya,” he said. ”I believe that you have an appointment with the Galaxy.”