Poignant Skies

Selena

Dr. Lee Kurt woke up after a good 9-hour sleep. In space he could only sleep for 5 hours in every 25-hour cycle. This was the first time in a few months that he has had a long rest.

Lee did his usual morning routine in Novus that he couldn't do in the Novus Alpha Space Station. He started with his ten minute workout first. Then he cooked his usual omelet for breakfast. This time he made a three cheese omelet. After which he took a quick shower and dressed up.

It has been 5 months since he got on board the Novus Alpha Space Station. He wasn't due to leave for another 2 months. But their recent space discovery has forced him to terminate his data gathering earlier.

He opened his monitor. Every channel was broadcasting news about the newly found human.

"She is said to be the last ever human who could possibly remember life on earth.."

"Speculations about the newly found lifepod are drawing attention around the Novan empire and even from other secondary planets.."

"Commander Galen would not comment on how the lifepod was retrieved or discovered. However, the Novus Intergalactic Command Center or NICC will hold a conference to make sure that questions will be answered.."

Just as Lee turned off his monitor, his communicator rang. It was Dr. Jay Amons. He accepted the call and Jay's holographic video call was projected.

"Good morning Lee."

"Good morning Jay. What's up?"

"There have been discussions with my superiors and we have a proposal for you. A vehicle will be picking you up in ten minutes. We need you to hurry before the offer expires. I suggest you suit up."

"But I..." the call abruptly ended. Lee never liked it when Jay was being vague. He usually ended up in trouble with it. But he had no choice as Jay wouldn't respond to any of his calls anymore. He could only guess that it had something to do with the pod.

Lee hurriedly dressed up. Sharply ten minutes after Jay's call, a black vehicle with the Novan insignias was right outside his doorstep.

"Good morning Dr. Kurt." The driver ushered him in.

"Destination?"

"Confidential." The driver replied as he closed the door.

The driver looked more of a security detail from the Novan empire than an NICC driver. With the vehicle's subtle but hard-to-miss insignias everywhere, Dr. Lee Kurt already had an idea where he was heading.

The vehicle stopped right at the gate of the heart of the Novan empire, the White Mansion. It was the cradle of the first Novan civilization. It was where many historical events happened. It was where the chancellor and his family also lives.

The driver led Lee to the waiting area. It was nothing he has ever seen before. The room's ceiling was dome in shape. It was decorated with paintings of skies and celestial beings they called angels. The tall circular posts were carved in parallel lines. It was inspired by an old architectural style from earth that predated its technological and industrial revolutions. He had only seen the designs in books and in the Museum of Mother Earth. But never has he seen it in such vivid grandeur.

"Marvelous, isn't it?" It was the chancellor's wife.

The surprised doctor immediately bowed his head. "Lady Milan."

"They say it is Roman Architecture." She told him as she gestured for him to sit down in one of the lavish furnitures. "The last living Human masons who saw these on Earth did their best to recreate it here."

"It is marvelous indeed."

"Our ancestors have cultivated this planet since the dawn of the Novan civilization. Although they intended to create an entirely different world, a utopia that encourages simplicity, they can't help but still retain a small part of the extravagant beauty that the Humans created."

Dr. Lee Kurt was well aware of Lady Milan's roots. She was one of the few surviving descendants of the First Ten. Novus was accidentally discovered by ten families who were independently searching for a new home planet. Members of the First Ten were then considered as royals, as what they would call them on Earth. Other planets frowned upon the establishment of a monarch in Novus. However, the Novan Empire turned out to be the most successful planet in terms of ruling and development.

A chancellor, however, holds the planet's highest ruling position. This may be occupied by a royal or not. For this, an election is held to determine who will be the royals' political counterpart. The position is held throughout the person's lifetime unless ousted by the people who voted for him. For this case, the chancellor married into the royal family, ensuring his place as the highest man in authority in the planet.

For the next ten minutes, they spoke about Dr. Kurt's work in NICC.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." The chancellor arrived. "I hope my lovely wife has entertained you with Novan history."

"We barely had ten minutes together." Lady Milan said with a laugh. "It would take me hours before I could finish discussing history."

"But then again Dr. Kurt is well versed with history. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to listen. Well now, shall we go Dr. Kurt?"

"Very well sir." Lee bowed again to Lady Milan. "Have a good day, my lady."

"Same to you."

The chancellor led Lee to a hallway filled with peculiar but familiar paintings.

"Are these.."

"Picasso, Van Gogh, Da Vinci..." the chancellor replied. "Very few of what was left of the original masterpieces."

"I cannot believe they've been here all along."

"A rich man once came here to bring these gifts to the Novan Empire so that he and his exiled community may settle down here in peace. The royal family kept these in secret to avoid conflict and theft." The chancellor said. They reached a door and he said to Lee with a smirk. "I owe that rich man everything. He was my ancestor."

That was a history Lee wasn't aware of. The chancellor opened the door to what appeared to be an old drawing room. There in one of the embroidered sofas was his friend Jay and another man.

"There you are Lee." Jay said as he stood up and placed his tea cup down.

The chancellor and Lee approached them. The other guest stood up and faced them. Lee was astounded for a moment. It was the human. Her hair was short that he didn't recognize her as a woman.

"I believe you already know each other but you haven't had a proper introduction." The chancellor said. "Lee?"

Lee snapped out of his initial shock. "My name is Dr. Lee Kurt."

"Hi Dr. Kurt. My name is Selena Marie. You may call me Selena."