Rita's Escape

Axel stared at the pod silently as the lights turned on, the storm was picking up speed and he knew he had to hurry back but at this moment he only cared to see the pod leave Gradual's atmosphere.

"I'll wait for you Axel, come back to me, come home" he kept hearing his girlfriend's voice screaming at him from a window on the pod. Their gazes locked and air almost escaped his lips from his chest as he choked on a gasp. Shaking his head he held it in and continued to stare at her with a small smile on his blackened face.

"I love you Rita" he muttered as the thrusters of the pod came on and it shot upwards into outer space.

The storm picked up at the same time and he could see a mushroom cloud of flames in the distance! The war had started.

Despite the hopelessness in his heart for his survival, a smile escaped his lips because Rita had finally left Gradual.

The ground suddenly began to tremble and a dust cloud rushed at him. Turning around he broke into a run in the opposite direction.

*****

Axel suddenly opened his eyes. Wiping the sweat off his forehead he stared at the faded photo on the ceiling of himself and Rita with bright youthful smiles. A small smile escaped his lips and he say up on his bed into a lotus position.

It had been three years since then and he was 19 today. Despite it being his birthday, there was no expectation in his heart for a celebration or a gift.

The room he was in was one of the rooms assigned to the Diplomatic Corps of the human race. After inter-race relationships dwindled, the AIs no longer gave them any liberties, in fact, they were almost reduced to slaves. Some even talked about killing them all to avert a future danger.

Fortunately, the humans had seen this before so many of the Diplomatic Corps escaped before the war.

None of those complex politics had anything to do with him, his job was as a simple Librarian in the Archives. It was a simple job that fortunately made him a little cleaner than other humans. Unfortunately, he had to work beside Jelena Savage and Gretel.

Pulling himself down from the upper bunk bed, Axel walked to the wall and as it opened to reveal a wardrobe, he pulled out a set of clothes identical to the one he was wearing and casually made his way out of the Dorms while the others slept.

The library was some distance away from him but he didn't need to go that far. Since Gretel usually woke up late, he would use the office bathrooms early in the morning and hope he didn't get caught.

The office bathroom was only a building away, since Als had night vision, the field between the two buildings was always dark, to disadvantage an intruder. Sighing, Axel started his way through it, he didn't like walking through here since it reminded him too much of Rita. In the past when the two races were still cooperative, he and Rita would have picnics here once a week after work. But now, he only walked by here while sneaking to use a good bathroom.

Fortunately, today was not the day he would be getting caught. He made his way into the office building and after greeting the security officer by the door, he was let in. Gretel's office was not on the fourth level of the building, but he had no intention of setting foot there. If by some accident he came across her this morning, there was a good chance his life would be forfeited.

Turbid air escaped his lips as he felt water rush over him from the shower. Although it wasn't as fancy as the one in the library, it was better than having to scoop water from a bucket like the other workers. This was the bathroom that all service workers used. Well, service Al workers, humans were not allowed to shower here. He would shower with the other humans but he was a germaphobe and nothing would ick him more than having to shower without a good body wash.

That was enough sentiment over a shower, he couldn't spend too much time in here.

Putting the memory of Rita's departure out of his mind, he hurried to wash himself and get out of the shower. There was a blueish hue over the field as he made his way back. The moon was going away and the sun was starting to rise over Gradual. There was almost no difference between Gradual and Mars, save for the fact that the atmosphere was habitable and the dusty earth could grow plants.

As he walked, Axel appreciated the green field under his feet and tried to think of a memory from planet Earth but nothing was coming to mind. It was almost like a lifetime ago since he was there.

"Axel, where are you coming back from?" A gentle voice interrupted his thoughts just as he reached the Dormitory building and he looked up to see Gretel.

"Miss Gretel" he called with a curt bow.

"I heard some humans use the staff bathrooms in the office building, you won't be among them would you?" Gretel asked again.

Axel remained calm though, while this woman was a horror for others, she was no trouble to him. Jelena Savage would never allow anyone to kill someone from her staff, human or not. However, he could not answer the question, Als could spot a lie as easily as a child could spot candy. Answering would be incriminating himself and make him deserving of punishment.

"Gretel" a voice called from behind Axel. It was calm and peaceful but almost like a whisper like there was something stuck in the speaker's throat making their voice come out as if, along with white noise.

The both of them turned around to the speaker, it was none other than Jelena Savage herself! The Coalition Chieftess of the Als race!