Jerone and the Girl from the Sky

Chapter three

Jerone pronounced "jer-O-n"

I blinked the sleep away and sat up, I overslept but no-one had come to wake me, this isn't normal. I stepped into the living room and found Ori and the portaler sitting on the floor Sticks and Pebbles.

"Jerone, you want to play pebbles with Cyrus and me," Ori said.
"Cyrus," I stopped on my way to the door. "Is that her name?"
"Yes," The girl, Cyrus, said. Her eyes followed me as I slip on my boots.
"So, do you want to play," Ori shakes the can of pebbles.
"Can't, I have to harvest." I lace up my boots. "Where's Moda?"
"She's at The Center, all sector nine harvesters have been summand early for Pinca." Ori holds out a cloth of pebbles to me. "You can't go harvesting until tomorrow."

I give in and sat cross-legged on the floor. Sticks and Pebbles was a simple game; you start with ten blue pebbles, this is your wealth, each turn you close your eyes and reach into a bucket and blindly grab a hand full. You pull out your hand and empty it in front of you; if you pull out blue you get to keep them; however, if you pull out orange pebbles you have to put that amount of blue back into the bucket, and the orange pebbles, back into the bucket. The game could potentially go on forever if you didn't add rounds, you add five rounds per-person. Whoever has the most sticks at the end of the game wins; if you should lose all your blue on a turn you play one more round if you don't have any pebbles at the end of that round you lose.

We're setting up our fourth game when the monitor comes on. It surprises Ori and me, but Cyrus is unphased by the sudden burst of sound that fills the room. The monitor never comes on, it's only used when the Hierarchy needs to make an announcement to the sectors, and they never do that on Pinca. It's being broadcasted from the Center. The tribes are divided into 5 sections. Farmers wear orange and pink. Next, to them are the Harvesters in greens and browns. The military in grey. The last row occupied by the Bogers in dark blues and blacks. On the balcony above everyone is the Hierarchy in pure white, not a color to be seen. This is only one section of each tribe, all the sections would be the full population of the planet, and the Center can't hold them all. Each section had its own temple, but every Pinca a section of each tribe is invited to the center. This Pinca all section nines are invited so Moda went. I Say invited but really if your section is invited you have to go. Ori and I don't have to go because only the head of the house participated in the temple ceremony.

"Greetings Orthians," Jiper, the prime minister said. "I know you are all eager to begin the Pinca ceremony, as am I. But first we must address a rather pressing matter," Never in my life had a prime minister delayed the starting of a Pinca ceremony. If there was something to address it was addressed at a different time.

"For those of you who haven't heard, three days ago section nine rangers detected a disturbance in the atmospheric stability. They responded in record-breaking time to find portal residue but nothing else. After father investigation, they came to the conclusion that a portal was formed 25 hands above ground, and a person of about 16 hands tall came out of the portal, due to the height of the individual and how far they fell they would have class two injuries and would be almost immobile. It would have been impossible for them to get away before the rangers arrived. The military has come to the conclusions that the individual was aided by the group of smugglers and poachers known as The Outlaws. For far too long the capital has used ineffective methods to detain them, but no longer will we be gentle. Why you may ask? Because over long observation we have discovered that there is no way for the OutLaws to do what they do without aid from civilians.

I felt the blood drain from my face. Cyrus was an Outlaw, a smuggler, she came here to harvest banta trees. There was probably another outlaw waiting to pick her up when she portaled, but I got in the way, I found her first. I brought an Outlaw into my house.

"Starting one week from today there will be random house checks in all sections and tribes, anyone found with illegal immigrants, Outlaw propaganda, or caught aiding Outlaws will be arrested and face federal court. If you are found guilty you will be sentenced accordingly. Sentences included but are not limited to, deportation, maiming, a military draft, and execution.

I can't believe this, I single-handedly hung the death penalty over my family's head. Cyrus stared at the screen, She didn't seem to have a reaction. I expected her to bolt for the door but she hasn't moved, doesn't she know she's going to be hunted. Something was wrong. She didn't show a sign of fear if anything she looked confused.

"Ori, go outside." She didn't ask questions and was quickly out the door. Cyrus stared at her hands while they fiddled with the sweater she wore. "They're looking for you,"

"Please don't turn me in," Her face was hidden in her hair, but, by the sound of her voice, she was on the edge of crying.
"Why shouldn't I, you're an OutLaw. If I let you stay they'll kill my family and me." I Crossed my arms.
"I'm not part of that gang." her head snapped up and her eyebrows knit together as she looked at me with fiery eyes.
"oh then I suppose you came to Orthia for the nice views." How stupid does she think I am?
"I didn't want to come to Orthia at all." She banged her fist on the floor. "I was on my way home from school when a portal appeared in front of me. I tried to get away, but the current was too strong, and it sucked me in."
"Where are you From." I crossed my arms.
"Area 8-0-2, sector 4, planet 9, Morie," she said. There were few things I knew about the universe, but I did know the basics: Area 8-0-2 was a galaxy in the universe, sector 4 was a solar system of the galaxy, planet 9 was the 9th planet from the sun Morie must be the name a colony on it.
"Never heard of it," I turned the information around in my head. Living on the 9th planet from the sun would be cold, which would explain the thick coat Cyrus was wearing when I found her. I didn't know if there was a 9th planet in sector 4 of area 8-0-2, but then again I didn't know the name of the planet next to mine.
"Well you wouldn't, it's not a promising planet like yours. It's just a frozen rock with a surprising amount of carbon," She had a point.
"You came from a mining planet." With that realization, I believed her. "Alright, Outlaw or not, you can stay, but you'll have to work."

Auther's note.
Hey guys, what do you think of my story so far? If you like it would you please vote, and comment? Thanks in advance!