Eidos

Chapter 8: Escape From Sky

Chapter 8: Escape from Sky

"No, no, no. This can't be happening...this is all a dream. That's it! I'll wake up sleeping beside grandpa. It's all just one bad dream."

The words were but a whisper as Harmonia forced her eyes shut. She would count to ten, think of only happy things, and the soldiers from the Corporation would be gone with their one shooters ready to fire. Or perhaps she would find Edward waiting to place another gentle kiss upon her lips, instead of the Corporal Stonewall who had taken his place. Even still, an even smaller part of her hope that all those years separated from her parents would all be revealed as nothing more than an endless nightmare. In that reality, if she wished hard enough, she would open her eyes to find them seated at the edge of her bed waiting to comfort her. But when Harmonia opened her eyes the dire situation that she had hope to leave behind was still very much a reality.

"Well, well, well," started Captain Dibella stepping out from her band of Privateers and Corporate lackeys. "What do we have here?"

Corporal Stonewall, the boy the companions had known as Edward, stood a few steps behind her, "Runaways and criminals. They shame all of Sky!"

"Settle yourself now Corporal Stonewall. Your passion for the state is admirable, but surely these criminals have tongues. I know this one does. It isn't the first time we've met, is it Captain Jessi?"

Harmonia turned back to the blue eyed sky pilot and her peculiar animal friend. The woman had looked much older than Ro and herself, but Captain Dibella was still even older. It had been the first time she had heard the woman's name, let alone how she knew the Captain from the Corporations and her mindless military entourage. Captain Jessi was becoming more and more interesting with each passing moment.

"We could have waited a little while longer before another of our ever delightful reunions Dibella," joked the cool headed Captain Jessi.

"Come now Captain, surely individuals with such esteemed titles such as ourselves should stay in touch. After all, you have a ship, I have a much bigger ship, it was almost meant to be," Dibella had begun circling the sky pilot.

"Two peas in a pod," Jessi was already scanning around the room trying to find some way to dodge the guns that remained poised to fire.

Dibella stopped just short of the blue eyed woman with a malicious smile spread across her narrow lips, "How long has it been now Captain Jessi? One year, or perhaps two?"

"Ah, something like that I think," Jessi tried to look the Captain from the Corporations square in the eyes. "Don't know how I could forget the particulars. Coming across you is always so memorable Dibella."

The cold woman's eyes suddenly turned towards Harmonia, "Tell me girl, how does a runaway end up with a Free Trader?"

"I'm not a runaway though...I'm only fourteen...." Harmonia was cut short.

It was Corporal Stonewall who interjected before the girl could finish, "You are as honest as I am Harmony. If you are fourteen, then I am actually a sixteen year old boy. Which doesn't leave us with much, does it?"

"Wait, Edward...I mean...whoever you are...you told us you were sixteen," even looking at him almost brought her to tears.

"Sixteen? Ah yes, such a wonderful age," mocked Dibella. "Your young Edward here has long since passed the age of conscription. He's been working for us for quite some time now. Luring runaways in with his charm and charisma, making them feel safe as if they were in the clear, and in the end, he always brings them to me. How devastating that must be to hear?"