The New Empire

Chapter 12 - Ragdoll

Liv hoped, or at least had a vague guess that Plato would know where she’s expecting him. The echoes of her pacing steps were the only sound, and when she stopped to put her hands on the vast glass to see the beautiful stars, the interstellar fog and above all her favourite, the beautiful nebula in an eye shape, dancing in every colour existing, every sound ceased to exist. She liked this strange observatory, which she figured out must be out of use, though she did not understand why. It was big in every aspect. It was high, and the blackness of the walls paired with the lack of light created the perfect illusion that it was reaching out for the stars and melted into the vacuum of space, and when Liv switched off the few dim lights, it made her feel like she was a part of it, floating freely. And when she went as far as to close her eyes she could feel the imagined weightlessness she’d experience out there.

She never would have thought that she’d like this so much. She often used to sneak out of her hut and go stargazing, but she thought of herself as someone bound to the earth. Someone who would always prefer the scent of pine and mud over the sterile hum of a spaceship hovering far away from any land and in a strange sense it did frighten her a bit. When or rare occasions a particularly strong lightning struck the woods or the fields, making even the night sky red Liv would just run and stand in the nearby river, watching the devastation of fire until it came to a halt. But if the Luxe would catch on fire or worse, Maker knows what she’d do. In space there is nowhere to hide or run.

An odd and unpleasant gut feeling filled her as she delved deeper into these new realisations and thoughts. It was a contrary, one of the biggest she’s ever experienced. She missed the scent of the nature, the noise the animals gave when she went to pick some berries, she missed that old and ragged place. And she didn’t know why. She wasn’t born there, she didn’t have a family and friends, in reality life was cruel and lonely back there, but it left an indelible mark in her heart and body nonetheless. But of course she knew that a return back is not an option and it’s not like she wants that. In fact, she would have hated to return.

But the Luxe wasn’t a home either. It was too clear, too sterile, too strict, too ordered. It was everything that Liv wasn’t. She knew she’d had to create a home of this metal behemoth. She’d had to fill it with life, and the thousand of troops and officers were many things, but not life. Liv wanted to make this like the Resistance. Where people said hi instead of a salute and they stopped to chat in the corridors about whatever personal problem they had. This place was driving her mad. And the only solution was to fill it with vivid joy.

And more friends. Close friends. And she had to find one who was more than a friend.

A deep and exhausted sigh escaped her lungs as she continued with her monotone pacing alongside the stars.

She’s been there for an hour now and if Plato wouldn’t show up to face her that would mean he lost the chance to just even see her ever again. That would mean defeat.
The silence made it easier for her to listen to the Force and now she felt something. It was him, getting closer and closer then he stopped, probably to gather up some courage. The door opened and Plato stepped in, the memory of their last quarrel still lively dancing in his mind.

Liv was standing stiffly, gazing out of the window mutely, fuelling his memory even more. This was all to similar. Plato stood beside her, shoulders nearly brushing and adored the scenery for a moment before starting to break the ice.

“You made the right choice.” His was the very same velvety and calming tone when he first advised Liv not to open her door, when he first looked into that curious pair of eyes.

“What are you talking about?” But Liv wasn’t so easy to soften. Her face was stone, her voice ice.

“About the court you’ve just attended. You made the right choice. You did great.”