Chapter One: Life Continues
Eight years… it has been eight years since the race… Since I lost Jordan or rather he saved me. Eight years since I've reunited with my father Don Wei and eight years since I last saw my friends I had made during The Great Race of Oban. Jordan risked his life for me, saved me from bearing the responsibility of the Avatar. Jordan sacrificed everything for me and no one will ever know, not his mother, his father, not earth, only those like me, those who were there. The government forbids us to talk about what happened that fateful day. The day the Crogs warships disappeared, the day Jordan saved the universe. It is remembered as the Great Armistice. The government told everyone that the Crogs and the Earth Coalition had made peace, that democracy of Earth had saved the day. Everyone believed them since that day no-one has heard from the Crogs. It was like they just disappeared. Everyday I think of Jordan and what he did for the universe- for me. Since I came back to Earth I have studied Intergalaxical Relations Political Science. I know that everyday Jordan is working the most thankless job there is and so I am going to try to keep the earth safe so he won't worry. I dedicated my studies to Political Science in hopes to be an ambassador and bring about peace to earth and its neighbors maybe I will get to travel to some of my friend's planets from Oban.
School came as an odd choice to everyone especially my father. At first I tried to race, but since Oban it has lost all appeal to me. The first time I sat in a star racer seat on Earth I cried. All the memories of Jordan rushed back to me, his goofiness, his cheerfulness, and memories of me ignoring him every time I pretended not to hear him tell me his feelings. To say my heart breaks at the memories isn't enough, no, it feels like my soul was sucked out of my body and all that is left is hollowness. A hollowness that I have tried to fill with school, friends, and family. Every time I talk to my dad about it he tells me it is not my fault and that Jordan would hate to see me this upset. I believe him in the second part not so much the first. So I've tried to be happy so he can see that his sacrifice wasn't in vain, but whenever I look at the sky, at the twinkle of the stars and the stillness yet every changing vastness of space. I wonder if he feels as lonely as I feel?
Ding Dong. "Hey Eva lets go!" Hordeas yelled at me as he opened the door. Moping around shouldn't be what I'm doing right now. I have a job to do. "Coming!" I yelled as I threw on my jacket. "Hey Hordeas sorry," I tried to run outside the door but Hordeas blocked my running with a firm arm in the way.
"Good morning slowpoke, don't forget your pass."
"Oh shoot!" I ran and grabbed my pass to the ITC building and booked it outside with Hordeas behind me. We got into the car and drove to work. Hordeas and I live in the same apartment complex- we did that on purpose. We have been friends since college and pretty much inseparable. Hordeas had dark brunette hair, blue eyes, and a skinny non muscular frame. He was cute and he knew it, whenever he wanted something he would usually just flash a smile and poof whatever he wanted was given to him. Honestly, it used to make me angry how he got by with ease, but after knowing him for 6 years I know his life was just as hard as mine. I think that's why we found each other. We both have felt a heartache that only we can share and understand. Although, I have never told him about Jordan I have told him about the boarding school and how my dad only found out who I was when I was on Oban.
The government allowed us to talk about Oban just nothing about the ultimate prize, the avatar, or the creators. The government painted The Great Race of Oban as a sort of Olympics around the galaxy. It was hard to keep the whole a secret as intergalaxical trade was increasing so did the information. I'm surprised they kept so much a secret without it getting out.
"Hey Eva. Helllloooooo" Hordeas called me out of my daydreaming
"Yes, sorry" I said apologetically
"Geez what's up with you lately? You usually never shut up"
"Rough morning. You know I've had a lot to due to since the request for material from Byrus has come through"
"Oh yeah you're a big shot now dealing with Byrus's material order I forgot. The leader of Byrus asked to speak with you personally. Was that someone you saw during your racing days?"
"Yes he was. He saved my life once." I said nonchalantly.
"Huh? You never told me that" Hordeas gripped the wheel.
Hordeas told me everything about his life and it broke my heart knowing I couldn't do the same.
"I'm sorry I told you there are just some things I can't talk about."
"Can't talk about or won't" Hordeas was gripping the wheel harder and silence fell upon us the remainder of the ride. Whenever the questions about the Great Race comes up I always dodged them. At first, me evading questions about Oban was no big deal but as Hordeas and I got closer it felt like there was a wedge between our friendship.
We arrived at the Intergalaxy Trade Commission (ITC for short) just 10 minutes before we were supposed to.
"Listen Hordeas I know that I don't always tell you things, but it isn't my choice, okay? One day I promise to tell you what happened on Oban just not now."
"Okay," Hordeas opened the door and got out. "You coming or you just gonna sit there?" He smiled at me. This teasing was Hordeas way of making it normal again and his way of telling me it was okay for now. I smiled and got out of the car.
"Let's drop what you can and can't tell me for now and tell how's the dating world going world for you. Did you like that guy Crey?"
My face instantly contracted "Crey was a total creep the whole night all he could talk about was how he doesn't think Earth should trade with other planets. I mean is that guy an idiot that is literally my whole job. Secondly, he couldn't keep his hands to himself the whole night. I ate my food and I left as soon as I could."
Hordeas laughed as we walked to the building. "I told you have to start meeting new people and go out more. I know you're busy with work, but work is work not your life. Tomorrow night instead of movie night come with me to the bar it'll be fun." We scanned our badges and went inside.
"Maybe. That does sound fun!" Hordeas and I went our separate ways. He was involved with the monitorization of the stock in alien companies and I dealt with trade of raw materials between worlds. Since I am only 24 I'm pretty low on the totem pole but my personal relationships from Oben combined with government knowledge has helped Hordeas and me land a job at the ITC. I waved and walked by some of my coworkers as I walked to my desk. As I sat down at my desk my first task was to check emails. It was just the usually boring stuff numbers, figures, and more numbers. It probably wouldn't hurt if I stopped looking at emails and checked the news. I always checked the news on the Noursasian people. Since the race, the Nourasians and Earth had become good allies so news from their planet was easily accessible. I was clicking through articles trying to find some on prince Aikka when I saw Dr. Somos, ambassador to Noursasian is stepping down. This was a big, Dr. Somos was loved by the Noursasian people for his uncanny ability to make friends within the Nourasian court and his deep respect for the Noursasian way of life. He was a big reason for prosperous trade among Earth and Noursasia.
In the beginning, people of Earth were not too keen on being in an alliance with the Nourasasia; however, Dr. Somos seemed to keep the xenophobia at bay. Somos had a way with people that eased their minds and made them forget the past Nourasia and Crog alliance. Oh to go to Nourasia, to see Prince Aikka again. That would be… that would be amazing. It had been so long since I last saw Prince Aikka. I was never in love with Jordan the way he was with me and that was because I was distracted by Aikka. Aikka was a man out of my dreams, sweet, kind, noble and even a prince. When I first came back to Earth I waited for Aikka to contact me in any way, but he never did. He was a prince after all and I was just some earth girl. Plus he was probably busy with the whole prince thing anyway. "Miss Wei please come to Rotatika's office immediately" a voice over the intercom announced. I instantly started to panic no one sees Rotatika without something really bad or good happening, but with my luck, it was probably bad. Rotatika wasn't just my boss, she was the head of all of ITC. Gulping I take the elevator all the way up to floor 34 Rotatika's office. Hordeas was blowing up my phone asking me if I was going to die. Smiling I texted him some emojis and watched the floors pass by me in the glass elevator.
The elevators rang a pleasant bing and I quietly walked off the elevator to view ahead of me. Rotarika's office was all glass and you could only be let in by her buzzing you in. As I walked in I saw two people one male and the other female wearing a black suit and government seals on their vests turn to look back at me walking in. Rotatika smiled and stood up her long black hair swaying perfectly as she shook my hand. "Miss Wei this is Ms. Cruz and Mr. Toledo from the intergalactic peace commision here to speak with you." What? What would the IPC want with me? I just managed a smile and a bow to them. Unlike the ITC the IPC was much bigger and was much more powerful than the ITC. The ITC was only representing earth in relation to other planets. Whereas, the IPC was every planet working together. They were a much more powerful organization. "Hello Miss Wei," the woman shook my hand, "it is an honor to meet you." The woman was a beautiful blonde chubby human who seemed to radiate light. "O-o-oh thanks?" I managed to squeeze out. The man in the back cleared his throat. "Miss Wei we are here on behalf of the IPC to ask you to become the next ambassador to Nourasian."