Yep, it'd be like that. Making the best of what we can make of this situation. Me and my friend going to give space a go after getting it together enough to get our own ride to leave the horrid life we had to leave behind. Hopefully we can get far away enough to where we can grow old and pass through the gates before we have to answer to the bounty on our heads. We might never make it, but we have no choice but to go until we cannot go further.

"Lepi! Budala!"

"Eh eh ye, brate." Lepi, my friend and partner in fleeing this mess groans awake after we drank and played darts until we passed out a few hours ago. Damn Serbian can really pound it down, been like that since I first met him after being assigned to the same unit as him during the Balkan Clashes.

I was one of many who went to Lepi's nation's side as a return favor for their involvement in the Neo-Confederacy Wars in the Northern American continent. Horrible travesties and atrocities scarred that poor Earth when we lived on that planet until our… eh… "forced expulsion" as I would call it. War crimes, inter-system violations, with the worst getting involved with two crime lords and ended up shooting our way out of it. Both of them perished in that soured deal when the Space Forces pinched that place and we had to roar out of the flames guns blazing and rubber burning. MacDougals must've squeaked that out as they were one of the deliverers of the goods to the spot before making a hasty leave. What a pair of snakes those two were. Particularly that blue haired MacDougal, lanky and had eyes of one. Glad I never saw his tongue, might've had a fork to it too.

"We're closing in on the Oracian System Lepi! We made it!" I roared to him with our long ride finally reaching its end at a new place where we can start living a life without making inhumane dealings to live. I look forward to be a simple janitor at some place. Perfectly boring.

"Brate! We're free! Vindicated from our horrible destiny!"

"And now we can go lead average, mundane lives here. Perfectly clear from the Space Ustashe, thug lords, and those MacDougal guys. Parties and drinks on the weekends. Vodka on the rocks!"

"Eh, Lepi… I'd want to too but we need to go integrate in separate towns for the time being..." Me being me and killing a bit of the buzz to the en masse of excitement, "Keep ourselves from being targeted as easily."

"Yes… yes I understand. But we can still visit now and again can we?"

"We will, don't worry. I got a fancy gadget for each of us to stay in touch with. But we have to be careful for a long while."

"Approaching New Canaan Space Port, Oracian IV. God be with you." Our ship's computer chimes with us dashing to the controls and preparing to land. Lepi smiles and begins singing "Pet Stotina Godina" while I guide the ship into the designated lot. Things will be much better for us tired warriors here. We can now sleep with both eyes closed without any worries.

We proceed to the elevator after a bit iffy yet successful landing due to me almost forgetting how to do one of the last steps. Could be due to our excessive drinking hours ago or flying trough space for a long time and only docked when we needed to. I'm still a bit exhausted from the whole journey to here but well awake but Lepi is a bit giddy with excitement and it shows in his mini-gyrations as we go lower down to the main building of the port which through the elevator doors looks of class and sophistication. Various statues of important figures from the many species throughout the traveled star systems decorate the main lobby, seeing almost all of them as we progress to the main kiosk to check in us and our ship.

"Welcome to Oracion IV boys! What brings you here?"

"Dunno, guess we just want to start anew. Check out this place to see if this is it." I respond to the nice lady at the kiosk with Lepi in tow, grinning while we hand over our accurate counterfeit ID's I put together for us long before entering here. After a couple seconds, the lady hands back our cards.

"You two came a long ways from the old world Mr. O'Brien and Niko."

"Yes, it was a very long journey for both me and him. Oh, mind if I ask if there is any job openings for my friend Niko here?"

"Absolutely! A couple miles away to the east is a city named Altair. Your friend Niko can definitely find a job there."

"Perfect. Thank you very much Miss."

"You're welcome. Enjoy your stay on Oracion IV!"

Me and Lepi walk out of the space port with a few tags listing job leads. Lepi takes a moment thumbing through his listings while we wait for our automobile to be unloaded. I just take a moment to enjoy the view and scenery. It's already a lot better than what I faced long before. This place is much cleaner with the people seemingly more friendly and happy than back where me and Lepi are from.

"You're Mr. O'Brien, correct?" A port worker walks up to me and my friend from the freight entrance.

"You are correct feller. You have my car unloaded?"

"Yes, it is quite different. It still uses tires. Haven't seen a car use tires since I was very young." The worker comments as we walk up to my automobile.

"I'm the kind of guy who just can't let something go, regardless if there are better means and options to get about." I reply while signing the obligatory papers and receive my keys to my car, "Well sir, you've been a gentlemen and a scholar. Niko, get in the car."

We roll out of the cargo zone of the space port and navigate our way to the road to Altair which it was a good few miles away. Nothing but rolling grassland for a long ways with Altair visible in the far distance. Lepi whips out his flask from his tattered jacket and takes a few swigs from it. His jackal face grinning out the window as he thumps his hand onto his beat, battered jeans to the tune of the music from the radio. Glancing at the rear view, I see my own eyes, a pair of tired blue eyes under mop water blonde hair. I should really cut my hair before long, I about look like a redneck hippie. Want to get out of my roughed up flannel shirt and broken in jean shorts and get something nicer in their place. Feeling a little thirsty about now.

"Lepi!"

"Oi?"

"Toss me a beer from the back seat."

"On it boss!"

Yeah, that's really good. A refreshing drink to our newfound freedom. Don't know if there's a law against open containers but I don't care. Nothing can stop me and my friend's bright future now and nothing can get in our way. It will be nothing but smooth sailing for us.

"There it is! Altair!"

"Quite a fancy city isn't it?"

"Absolutely! I'm going to see if I can be a dishwasher at one of them fancy restaurants. One's in need of a dishwasher up a block ahead."

We roll through the city up to the restaurant and bar listed on the tab Lepi's holding. We hop out of the car and walk to the back and hand over Lepi's… I mean "Niko's" backpack and treasured violin case out of the trunk of my car. We gave each other a bro hug before parting ways.

"It's been a wonderful friendship, "Niko". Through the fire and flames, nothing can break our bond. Not even distance. I put the communicator in the backpack so you don't lose it."

"I've been very blessed to ever have went through some of my life with you by my side. I don't think I could've evaded death and danger without ya."

"To good years ahead?"

"Dobre godine pred nama."

I watch my friend walk through the front doors of the restaurant as I get back in my car and leave for the job I picked from the tabs. A janitorial job at an unnamed business in the warehouse area. Nothing new to me. Places like strip joints, rave houses, and go-go clubs do this frequently to keep themselves from getting raided by officials. But far better than what I've put myself through as far as employment is concerned. This should be easy by far in comparison. No more shuffling "merchandise" and illegal prostitutes for me.

Driving through Altair reminds me of where I once been before back in the old world. Think it was called Reno if my memory is still correct. I remember once when me and my fellow countrymen were partying during a big New Year's celebration, don't know what happened much after that blissful festival. Guess when the fighting was done in California, everybody went their own way and never saw one another again. Hope they are making it okay, our destruction of the Oroville Dam left us victorious but mournful over the massive loss of life and destruction we caused. Nobody could call it right, just the only way we could bring the western troubles to a wet, devastating end. One man's dream is another man's nightmare.