SnapShot

By Ryuu no Taiyo

Chapter Four

Jade looked at the fly that was flying around the room, completely ignoring the radio's show. She was incredibly lonely and bored. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and yet there was nothing to do and no one to see.

Living alone with her uncle was fun, and the island was fun to run around and although going to the lighthouse's summit was forbidden, she often snuck up there for the view and dreamed of fame and fortune, and she would buy a shield for the island so that they would be safe.

Jade dreamed and smiled happily but was soon drawn out when she heard an alien voice one the radio.

"Hillyans!" Jade frowned. Who the heck was he? His voice was deep and scratchy. She listened to the long and complicated speech, slightly distracted as she was trying to find out who was speaking. But then she learned from the usual radio host that this was Official Kehk, the leader of the Alpha Sections.

Jade frowned. He didn't sound like a nice guy.

But to her nine-year-old mind where miracles are an everyday occurrence (more or less), she believed the purity of the intention of these newcomers, and whowever sold shields to the population whereas their own government had illegalized the sales (from what she had heard anyways) was made of pure gold in her eyes.

Jade sighed again as the usual news was broadcast from the radio. Getting up she turned off the radio and walked over to the stove where she kicked it open (the handle had come off shortly after they bought it, so Pey'j found a new and original way of opening it: pure brute force). Looking in she took a freshly baked Starkos and she gulped it down avidly.

She walked outside, twirling around, feeling delighted as the wind played in her long black hair.

She didn't let all this talk of war get to her. She was a kid, and decided to focus on being happy and not let down. After a moment of skipping around, she fell to the ground and wondered what was taking Pey'j so long.

He had decided to go back to Mammago's that very afternoon after winning the Pearl and had dropped off Jade at the Lighthouse. Jade sighed again. She was never allowed to do anything. Pey'j probably considered her a bother and nothing but a little kid and…

Jade lied on her back staring at the blue cloudless sky.

Pey'j didn't think like that. Pey'j was…well he was uncle Pey'j.

Jade closed her eyes. She didn't know who her parents were, and it obviously hurt Pey'j to talk and think about them, so she didn't bother him about them.

Was her mother beautiful and kind? Was her father generous and handsome?

Or maybe they were horrible people?

Jade didn't like that fact. She always thought her parents were heroes, courageous people who had saved her life by…she didn't know. She didn't know anything!

She frowned suddenly. Pey'j had always said…that she would know everything. But when she would be older.

Jade had always accepted this and never really gave it a second thought. But it still bothered her that she had no idea where she came from. According to what she had gathered by hints or clues (or facts she interpreted as clues) she wasn't born on Hillys, and Pey'j and her were not actually related, but he had taken her under his care under the wish of her parents. And she was back to square one: who were her parents?

"Jade? You sleepin'?"

Jade shot up from her position and shot upwards, running towards her uncle.

"So? What happened?"

"Ugh. That Mammago is a crook hideout, I'll bet. The price went up since yesterday. They're asking fer' two pearls."

"What?" Jade exclaimed.

"But I got what I wanted." Pey'j's face showed to a viciously pleased expression.

Jade looked curiously at her uncle.

"Anyways. What's fer' dinner?"

"Dinner?" Jade echoed, "It's too early for dinner."

"Let's eat early. I'm hungry."

Jade giggled again.

They both entered the lighthouse, but to Pey'j's dismay, their was no food. Jade had eaten the last Starkos earlier and they were going to have to go into town for food.

They went back towards the hangar and both went inside the hovercraft, the motor running smoothly, for the first time in weeks.

The sun was starting to descend in the sky, it was lower in the west than it was when Jade had been sky gazing.

The motor was brand new, and was quieter, and they quickly crossed over on the smooth water towards the Main Canal entrance. Slowing down the hovercraft, Pey'j steered it carefully to the right lane of the canal before then turning sharply to go to the pedestrian district.

They headed over to the little market on Fountain Square. The market was held by Kyura, a kind old lady who sold the best food in the area. Jade knew her granddaughter Nouri only vaguely. They had taken the H.P.T. together more than a year ago.

The H.P.T. stood for the dreaded Hillyan Placement Test, a test that every Hillyan had to undergo at least two or three times, four times for those who wanted to pursue a career in Scientific and Medical Research or Practice, or those who wanted to join the Military Force. The first test was taken by nine or eight year olds who were tested of their knowledge (the basics of math and reading were taught by the parents or guardian of the child) before they could enter the Primary School where they were taught more about the language, math and other Arts and Sciences. The second test was taken by either fourteen or fifteen year olds and it granted entrance to the Secondary School, which was more sophisticated, but unlike Primary, which was financed by the government and free to the population, this second establishment was expensive. But as many substantial jobs needed a Secondary education, most people saved up money for their children and hoped to have enough the moment their children would be of age.

The Tertiary School (or University, as it was sometimes called by those who preferred the it's ancient name) which was granted access to those who passed the third H.P.T. and was a difficult school which granted their graduates access to practically any job, excluding jobs in the Military and in Sciences were a fourth H.P.T. was needed at the end of an extra two or three years after the usual length of Tertiary School. Tertiary School was incredibly expensive, and only those who had the means could get in. Some people preferred graduating from Secondary school, get a job, wait a few years, then try the third H.P.T. to enter the third schooling system. There was no Tertiary School in the Pedestrian District, but there were quite a few on the outskirts of Stellar City and the Capital.

Kyura served Pey'j a few K-Bups (they weren't too expensive these days, only 235 units), and Nouri and Jade exchanged hellos and a few other words.

Nouri had taken the first H.P.T. twice, the first time, she was eight and she had failed because of her difficulty in math. But it was understandable; Nouri lived with her busy grandmother who had little time to concentrate on teaching her everything needed for the first test.

Jade was going to enter Primary School a few weeks after her tenth birthday (the official age to enter Primary School). That would be in two months.

"Thanks for the discount, Kyura!" Pey'j said as they left.

"Gift from an old friend!" Kyura answered, "Come back again!"

"Bye Nouri!" Jade said as they left the Square.

"Bye Jade."

Jade ran ahead.

"Pey'j? What's your job?"

"I'm a mechanic, Jade. You know that."

"But I never see you work!"

"That's because things are harder these days. Kyura may sell her food cheap, but it's only because she doesn't want to lose her customers. She wouldn't survive if she did."

Jade nodded, the gravity of his words reaching her little by little.

"I'm thinking of finding a job in the factory on the other side of town."

"What?" Jade cried, opposing this swift and major change in their life.

"I can barely manage to pay the bills Jade. And unless I can get a new job, I can't afford the lighthouse. Ye' don't want to go live in the city, do ye'?"

"I love the lighthouse!" Jade's eyes were wide with concern and fear.

"I know Jade. Me too." His eyes darkened. "Damn this war." He muttered.

Jade looked at the sky.

Pey'j walked someway towards the parking before realizing Jade had stopped walking.

"What's up Jade?"

"The sky…"

"I know that! What are ye' lookin' at?"

"The sky!"

Pey'j glanced upwards, and his face paled dramatically.

"Another attack! Jade, we have to get out of the city!"

He grabbed Jade's hand and ran to the nearby parking, and jammed the hovercraft in full gear, putting the engines to use and speeding up dramatically out and turning left to leave the city.

Using a Speed Boost Capsule he always kept with him during emergencies, he managed to get out of the city right before the gates closed and the sirens started ringing full blast.

The sky darkened and a vortex formed as meteors started falling. Jade closed her eyes and clutched her seat, praying.

'Please let us live. Please let us live. I don't want to die. I don't want to DIE!' Her mind was screaming and her thoughts bounced chaotically against the confines of her head, but not one escaped, and Jade seemed calm in appearance.

'Please…'

The hovercraft entered their island's hangar, missing being crushed by a meteor by seconds, and the door closed behind them, shutting the noise out a little. Jade breathed in relief.

They got out of the hovercraft, Pey'j put away the food on a table on the side of a wall and Jade sat down on the steps in silence, waiting for the attack to end.

Pey'j looked at Jade sideways, and sighed. He knew why it was happening.

Did he have the right to burden an innocent nine year-old of the truth of her existence? To curse her happiness and her life? She was so much better off in ignorance, safe from harm as they disappeared from the eyes of those who pursued her.

After what seemed like ages, the noises caused by the explosions died down.

Pey'j was not looking her way.

Jade got up and decided to go outside to see what was going on.

"Jade?" Pey'j asked when she got to the door. "What are you-Jade! Jade come back!"

"I'm just going to look!" she yelled back.

"Jade!" he got up and ran after her, but she was already outside.

The sky was not yet clear. But their was nothing descending from the clouds. Pey'j sighed.

"It ain't safe yet Jade. Let's go back in."

Braaaam.

"AAAH! Jade yelled.

The green DomZ meteor had fallen inches in front of her, and it had sunken deep into the ground. Jade gulped loudly, mouth and eyes wide open.

"Jade! What are you doing? Get out of there!"

She didn't move.

"Jade!"

Jade could only hear echoes of voices all around her…

The next thing she could see was the sky, then darkness…

"JADE!"