Chapter 1:
Muffled prayers rose Jack out of her concentration, grinning she entered the living room wiping sweat off the back of her neck she gave a small smile to Imam who was just finishing his prayers. For all intents and purposes he was a good guardian, a lot better than her real parents, but he was a bit overprotective, and disapproved of a lot that she did. Sometimes so much that she would end up working out for hours at end just trying to calm her down and stop her from saying something she'd regret. One such incident happened last night when she announced that her and Elixa would be heading to Vata, New Mecca's sister planet, after graduation. Vata wasn't the safest planet around, but it had lots of entertainment for newly legal graduates who'd spent any time on New Mecca, the damned religious planet, as Elixa so unlovely called it.
"I suppose there's no stopping you from going is their child, " Imam raised her from her thoughts. She gave a quick smile, "Nope, my mind's set, sorry Imam. You know I respect your opinion and all, but I need to get out of here."
Imam studied her and sighed, "I though so, these three years have been hard for you, but you pulled through and have done well here, but you've never felt at home." He cocked his head, "Religion dose not sit well with you and a lot of the other children around here."
He sighed and continued, "You'll always be welcome here, child, but I realize you must travel and see the galaxy. And so I called a friend of mine last night, he owns a small ship, only three other crew members, he's willing to take you on, teach you how to pilot and repair." he paused, "It's a merchant ship, you'll get five percent of the profits, and you can start when you get back from your vacation, that is if your interested."
Jack was shocked to say the least, she wanted to be a pilot, to travel, but she never dreamed of getting a chance like this, she planned on staying on New Mecca and going to a training school, but this, this was the opportunity of a life time. She glanced at Imam, did he know what he was saying? She was finally going to be on her own, her own life, her own choices, she'd get to travel. She felt the tears slid down her face as she launched herself at Imam "Thank you, thank you so much, you don't know what this means to me." She sobbed in his arms. He patted her back and hugged her tighter, "I just hope this is what you want, my child."
In the background the phone rang, Jack wiped her tears and ran to answer it. Elixa's face appeared before her, "Shit El, you look like hell, what's the matter?" Jack asked worriedly. Elixa sighed, "You don't look that much better, but my grandmother died last night, we're going to Gonz for the funeral, we're leaving tonight, I can't go to Vada." She sighed again, looking like she was about to burst into tears. Jack felt the tears slip down her face, Elixa's grandmother was like her grandmother, "Oh El, I'm so sorry."
They talked for a few more minuets, Jack told her about her job and when she'd be leaving, how they wouldn't get to see each other before Jack left, but they promised to stay in touch.
Jack walked into the kitchen where Imam was making breakfast, "What would you like for breakfast today child?" Imam turned and looked at her, "What's wrong? What happened?"
For the second time that day Jack hurled herself into Imam's arms, sobbing, "El's grandmother, she," She paused, "she died last night, El's going to Gonz, we're not going to Vada, and I won't be able to see El before I leave."
Imam hugged her tight before he pulled back a bit, "Go and see her, say goodbye, and wish her well." Jack smiled at him, he was right as usual, "Go now, while you still have time, my child." Jack hugged him quickly before running out of the house and down the road.
Imam watched her leave and followed her movements as she ran down the road, he turned away from the window and went to the phone, he'd say a prayer for Elixa's grandmother later, right now he had preparations to be made. He punched in the code and waited for it to connect, when it did all he saw was darkness.
"You'd damn well have a fucking good reason to be waking me up this early, Imam."
Muffled prayers rose Jack out of her concentration, grinning she entered the living room wiping sweat off the back of her neck she gave a small smile to Imam who was just finishing his prayers. For all intents and purposes he was a good guardian, a lot better than her real parents, but he was a bit overprotective, and disapproved of a lot that she did. Sometimes so much that she would end up working out for hours at end just trying to calm her down and stop her from saying something she'd regret. One such incident happened last night when she announced that her and Elixa would be heading to Vata, New Mecca's sister planet, after graduation. Vata wasn't the safest planet around, but it had lots of entertainment for newly legal graduates who'd spent any time on New Mecca, the damned religious planet, as Elixa so unlovely called it.
"I suppose there's no stopping you from going is their child, " Imam raised her from her thoughts. She gave a quick smile, "Nope, my mind's set, sorry Imam. You know I respect your opinion and all, but I need to get out of here."
Imam studied her and sighed, "I though so, these three years have been hard for you, but you pulled through and have done well here, but you've never felt at home." He cocked his head, "Religion dose not sit well with you and a lot of the other children around here."
He sighed and continued, "You'll always be welcome here, child, but I realize you must travel and see the galaxy. And so I called a friend of mine last night, he owns a small ship, only three other crew members, he's willing to take you on, teach you how to pilot and repair." he paused, "It's a merchant ship, you'll get five percent of the profits, and you can start when you get back from your vacation, that is if your interested."
Jack was shocked to say the least, she wanted to be a pilot, to travel, but she never dreamed of getting a chance like this, she planned on staying on New Mecca and going to a training school, but this, this was the opportunity of a life time. She glanced at Imam, did he know what he was saying? She was finally going to be on her own, her own life, her own choices, she'd get to travel. She felt the tears slid down her face as she launched herself at Imam "Thank you, thank you so much, you don't know what this means to me." She sobbed in his arms. He patted her back and hugged her tighter, "I just hope this is what you want, my child."
In the background the phone rang, Jack wiped her tears and ran to answer it. Elixa's face appeared before her, "Shit El, you look like hell, what's the matter?" Jack asked worriedly. Elixa sighed, "You don't look that much better, but my grandmother died last night, we're going to Gonz for the funeral, we're leaving tonight, I can't go to Vada." She sighed again, looking like she was about to burst into tears. Jack felt the tears slip down her face, Elixa's grandmother was like her grandmother, "Oh El, I'm so sorry."
They talked for a few more minuets, Jack told her about her job and when she'd be leaving, how they wouldn't get to see each other before Jack left, but they promised to stay in touch.
Jack walked into the kitchen where Imam was making breakfast, "What would you like for breakfast today child?" Imam turned and looked at her, "What's wrong? What happened?"
For the second time that day Jack hurled herself into Imam's arms, sobbing, "El's grandmother, she," She paused, "she died last night, El's going to Gonz, we're not going to Vada, and I won't be able to see El before I leave."
Imam hugged her tight before he pulled back a bit, "Go and see her, say goodbye, and wish her well." Jack smiled at him, he was right as usual, "Go now, while you still have time, my child." Jack hugged him quickly before running out of the house and down the road.
Imam watched her leave and followed her movements as she ran down the road, he turned away from the window and went to the phone, he'd say a prayer for Elixa's grandmother later, right now he had preparations to be made. He punched in the code and waited for it to connect, when it did all he saw was darkness.
"You'd damn well have a fucking good reason to be waking me up this early, Imam."