A/N: Hi I'm Lonewolf, procrastination is my superpower.
Chapter 2
Brining us closer apart
Sundays were the best in Krystal's opinion. Her schedule was filled every day except today. No work or stress. Just a day to relax. She opened her eyes and looked out to her room. She shared it with her brother Tane yet had her own privacy from him. A wall, which was merely a foldable privacy wall, left just enough space for a bed on each side. Tane could be heard snoring across the wall. Krystal fought the immediate sibling urge to disturb him in some way and let him sleep.
At the end of the privacy wall was a dresser. Krystal walked up to it and picked out something to wear for the day. A black pair of pants and a grey sweatshirt called her name. She changed behind the wall just in case Tane was awake then left the room.
Outside the room was a hallway just large enough for one person to walk down. A person could be forgiven for mistaking this as a trailer home. Both did have similar layouts. She stepped out into the hall and walked past two other rooms and into the family room. Calling it a family room was a stretch however. The space held a couch, tv with a stand, mini fridge underneath a desk, microwave on top of the desk, and an unplugged hot plate atop the microwave.
On the couch sat Krystal's father, Randorn. Randorn had never really recovered since being abducted and taken away from his home. His blue grey fur portrayed the stress being here put on him. What made it worse was being separated from his wife, and Krystal's mother, Atamai. He held hope that they were alive and well like everyone in the refuge hoped for their own families.
On Cerinia, the Itsumi clan belonged to the upper noble class and some to the lower royalty. On Cerinia the noble families held land along with small standing armies. The Itsumi clan was well regarded for trade and naval prowess on the home world. It held a well trafficked port city thus making them one of the wealthiest families on Cerinia. Here on Corneria they held the titles of a noble family but not much else.
Randorn was watching on old sitcom rerun while sipping a can of soda. "Morning, Dad." Krystal said. Randorn looked to his daughter and smiled. The fox still held tremendous strength, but he had put on weight since taking refuge in Corneria. This new planet had done that to most Cerinians as they grew accustomed from medieval agriculture to fast food and delivery of anything.
"Morning Krystal." She sat down next to her father. "Sleep well?" Randorn turned his attention back to the tv. He offered her a soda can, but she refused. "So, what's on your schedule today?" Asked her father.
"Well, it's Sunday so I'm probably going to relax around the refuge for the day." She answered. "How about you?" Randorn placed a nervous hand behind his neck.
"See…My boss called this morning and I have to go in today." Both Randorn and Krystal became sour. Randorn had been working at the docks unloading star freighters. Plenty of the survivors worked there as it gave the most money to those with just a GED. Those who choose to be on call received overtime pay for coming in when unexpected freighters arrived. "And…I'm supposed to have the council this afternoon." Krystal knew where this was going.
The council made up the remaining leaders of the surviving Cerinians. Randorn was the de facto Itsumi clan leader but if he couldn't make it, Krystal often substituted for him. Council always devolved into bickering or infighting. It could be seen as comedic if they weren't in charge of what happened to the Cerinians.
"Could you go today in my place for the council?" He asked. Krystal sighed at the image of sitting down listening to old men argue just to achieve nothing. She knew however, that her family's presence at the council was more important than her distain for it.
"Sure I can make it." Krystal answered with a less than enthusiastic voice. Randorn leaned over and hugged his daughter.
"Thank you." He said almost apologetically. "It shouldn't be too bad today." Krystal didn't believe that even if her father did. Nothing more was said between the pair. Both foxes settled into the couch and watched TV. Eventually Randorn had to leave for his work while Krystal stayed behind. She watched TV and checked her phone for a while longer until another door was heard opening behind her.
"Dad! I think my outlet stopped working." Said an annoyed voice from behind Krystal. Tane soon came out wearing just a pair of black sweatpants and holding his phone connected to a charger. He gazed around the small room for their father but found only Krystal. Tane looked at Krystal questionably. "Did Dad leave?" Krystal looked back at her brother.
"He got called into work an hour ago." She answered. Tane walked over to the wall to plug in his phone. He quickly saw a problem where he now couldn't sit and browse his socials. Tane, however, was a quick yet impulsive thinker. Most of the floor was hardwood save a rug underneath the couch. Tane grabbed the rug and pulled it towards the wall. "Tane what the hell are you doing?" Krystal yelled.
He ignored his sister for a moment and kept pulling. He stopped once the couch was within the charging cords' reach. Krystal gave him an annoyed stare once he had finished. "Why did you do that?" She asked with confusion in her voice.
Tane held up his phone to his sister. "So, I can sit and charge my phone." His tone portrayed just a bit of amusement knowing it upset his sister just a bit. Krystal and Tane, who were only a year apart from each other, always tried to find ways under each other's skin. It had been like this since both siblings could remember. Tane plopped down next to his sister.
"You're an idiot." Said Krystal making her brother laugh.
"So what're you doing today?" Asked Tane.
"Filling in for dad at council." Tane cringed at that. The two had done their fair share of filing in for their father. Memories of long arguments with bitter old men flooded back to them. "Don't suppose you'd want to take my place?" She asked jokingly but with a hint of desperation.
Tane looked to his sister. "Actually, I have to go into work too." Her fate was sealed. Tane worked as a mechanic once he became of age. Wrenching came to him naturally somehow. A few Cerinians were the same despite coming from sailing ships and horse drawn carts.
Krystal looked at her brother in hopes of a different answer. "You're joking right?" She asked.
"Nope. They have some overtime and I think it could help out the Itsumi members." The Itsumi members he referenced were remnant subjects of the Itsumi royal family. Mainly were sailors and merchants who came with to see the amazing man from space. Now the Itsumi subjects worked whatever jobs translated well to this modern world.
Both siblings conversed for a bit longer before Tane had to leave. Krystal now sat alone. It was twelve and the council took place at one. She thought about skipping it for a moment but knew it would just cause more trouble. Krystal decided to go for a walk before the council not wanting to spend the whole time scrolling on her phone.
Strolling around the refuge usually took her mind off events. It had an interesting past starting out as a private college until it went under. The previous owners tore out anything of value to include plumbing fixtures, lighting, and anything worth half a dollar. The desperation for money was evident no matter where you looked. It had made it easier to buy the property out right when the Cerinians came around.
Finding housing for almost a thousand people came at a cost. Being able to stay together in a unfamiliar new world was unnegotiable to everyone. The property was listed for sale a few weeks before the Cerinians arrived. A government refugee fund became enough to buy the property entirely. Easy living it wasn't, however.
The property had five buildings. Two dorms that held three hundred each. Each room held at least two bunk beds with an exception for families that couldn't fit. Two main school buildings held the remaining Cerinians in haphazardly organized classrooms converted into sleeping quarters. A standard room consisted of a cot or air mattress surrounded by a curtain for a wall. Some like Krystals had been converted into multiple rooms with real walls and living space. Many of the Itsumi members lived in one of these rooms. Lastly was the admin building. Here many hours were lost trying to argue and get nowhere.
Krystal walked around the perimeter with her hands in her sweatshirt pockets. A hedge with a fence wrapped its way around the entire campus with a paved path accompanying it. Surrounding the refuge sat a decently sized city center one had to travel through to reach the space port.
At first the locals were wary of the Cerinians who feared a cult had taken up the old college. Yet those concerns fizzled out as time went on and the Cerinians kept to themselves. It was, however, hard to find a store or business nearby that didn't have at least a few blue furred employees. Soon they just became commonplace citizens with strange accents and exotic fur.
Krystal stroll around the refuge was interrupted by her phone started buzzing with texts from other Itsumi members. Word that she represented today must've got out. A royal or noble member usually had to fight to be heard and get their people what they needed.
Today they asked for the usual. Car repairs, better beds, and especially rooms upgraded to one like Krystal had. An odd request came in from a girl who just got her GED. Nursing school. That was one Krystal would try to get. Most agreed that when Cerinia was found they'd try to take back as much knowledge and technology as possible. Having some modern medical training was a must on that list.
Eventually the time came to face the council. Krystal walked to the building where some had already gathered. Past a dull lobby sat a conference room containing a large table and a projector. A few had already found seats leaving only a few remaining to take. Thankfully a seat was open near a family friend.
Haku Malik was an intimidating man to those who didn't know him. Standing six foot five with a right prosthetic leg and a heavily scarred body beneath his dark blue fur gave him an aura of intensity. It couldn't be anywhere farther from the truth however. Haku had worked at the same shipyard Randorn did after they arrived on Corneria. One unfortunate day a chain snapped under pressure nearby Haku which led to his leg being amputated. He probably would have bled out if not for the quick action of Randorn nearby.
On Cerinia the Malik's were a rival naval and political power. Skirmishes and small fights broke out sporadically among Malik and Itsumi ships. Some still held grudges of the past but left it as history until they could return to Cerinia. Haku and Randorn worked together constantly so both clans wouldn't fight.
Krystal took a seat next to Haku who seemed surprised at her presence. "Well I didn't expect to see you here." He said. Haku began to gather his notes on his phone. Krystal then began to do the same.
"Randorn was called into work earlier today to unload a ship. So, I got lucky enough to substitute for him here." Krystal said. Haku chuckled a bit.
"How lucky you are indeed." The two began to catch up on what was new with one another. Haku hadn't worked since his accident but found other ways to be useful around the refuge. Many days he could be found landscaping to keep himself occupied. The Malik clan only numbered twenty on Corneria so managing them wasn't too hard.
Eventually each member arrived to start the meeting. In front sat the queen, Lagi, watching over what little kingdom she had left. Time was good to her so far but started to show it inevitable creep. She once had dark blue fur that almost reflected in the sun. Now it had begun to fade into sky blue. She wore a sharp black business suit fitted perfectly to her frame. Atop her head sat a golden tiara with a red gem at its center.
Beside Lagi sat her assistant Hone. He once stood as the bodyguard to the queen but now worked as a second in command to keep the clan together. He also had the dubious privilege of being a council scribe. Hone also compiled all the requests made and held a final decision on what got approved.
Queen Lagi stood up to gain the attention of everyone in the room. "Thank you all for coming today. I know it is difficult for some of you to make enough time for this, but Hone and I very much appreciate you for it. First off we are going to start off with two non-negotiable points." Hone pulled a tablet out from under the table and handed it off to Lagi. "First point. A curfew will be set in place for the underground parking lot. We don't need it turning into a…" The queen paused trying to understand something on the tablet. "Rally track?" She looked to Hone for understanding.
Hone Stood up and cleared his throat. In his hand he held a coffee cup without a lid. Recently he had picked up a nasty habit of chewing tobacco and now a spit cup followed wherever he went. "Yeah, so check it out. There are some members, who are all a bit younger, that have taken up using the parking lot after dark to do burn outs and driving recklessly throughout the lot." Hone looked Krystal and then to the representative of the Gornal Clan as he spoke. Tane and a friend from that clan had taken up tuning cheap cars and racing them recently. Hone had the decency to refrain from calling them out but it didn't help her second hand embarrassment.
"I caught one individual driving fifty kilometers an hour and swerving between the concrete pillars. While I'm sure the pillars can take the force, whoever is driving will not. So now the lot will be closed with a posted guard from midnight to five in the morning." Hone concluded. He motioned for Lagi to continue but she asked him telepathically to continue. "Second point. People have been taking advantage of the vans far too much. They will continue to stay free but only within a half hours drive. Drivers have been wasting too much gas driving into downtown Corneria city just to pick up some one on a shopping spree or a bender."
One member from the Ilis tribe named Rahul stood up in anger. "What so now you're making us drive home drunk!" Not even two minutes in and things were becoming derailed.
"No this just means that you can't use the van for distances exceeding half an hour." Hone started to rub his temples as Rahul wasn't satisfied with that answer. For another five minutes the two argued over the ruling. It ended finally when the queen reminded them of its non-negotiable status. Rahul wasn't happy but he'd have to deal with it.
Lagi spoke again but now in a slightly defeated tone. "Now that we have our first argument out of the way let's go over the budget for this month. After the cafeteria budget and the utilities, it leaves us around forty thousand to split amongst the clans. Let's hear the requests."
Now came the real arguments. Here the Clans needed to fight over who got money for their causes. It always started civil. One at a time the representative would state what they would like to use the money for. Some were reasonable like better plumbing or turning the theater into a cinema. Others were not as agreeable. One Clan asked for a van solely for their clan. Another wanted the money for upgrades to car speakers. The Gornal clan took the cake for the most creative proposal at least. They had asked the money to be put aside so they could purchase land far to the north where in time every Cerinian would live eventually. Krystal's requests were heard and would be given some consideration. Haku just needed better beds for some of his clan.
Once the requests were heard the debates began. Krystal spoke up as much as she could but found it hard to speak over the others who were more experienced. Haku was awarded funds for better beds and then started to help Krystal fight for her needs. Car repairs got downgraded to car parts but the girl who asked for funding for nursing school would get it in full. The queen had been harping on people to learn trades and skills Cerinia did not have. Krystal could at least walk away with a few wins in the end. Money had been transferred out to bank accounts run by each clan.
Nighttime had fallen over the refuge while they were debating. Today wasn't too bad at least. Haku sometimes needed help walking and Krystal had no issue helping him as he lived in the same building she did. Krystal and Haku walked together until the front door where two Mailk members inside offered to help instead. The two said their goodbyes and went their separate ways. Krystal lived on the top third floor with the rest of the Itsumi clan.
The thirty seven remaining members of the Itsumi clan all lived in two classrooms converted into sleeping quarters. By this time of night most had returned from work or school to hear what the council had to say. Krystal walked into the normal meeting room to find almost everyone waiting for her. Tane was still gone but everyone else was here other than him.
The room held an assortment of living arrangements. Bedrooms had been haphazardly placed around wherever they found room. The rooms themselves were made of cloth sheets or curtains hung from the ceiling tiles. Krystal cleared her throat, and everyone quieted down to listen.
"Thank you everyone for being here. I only have a few points. Two new rules. A curfew has been set on the underground garage following certain members who do burnouts and donuts inside it." Some of the members laughed at that. "From midnight to five am the garage is off limits. Second rule. The van will only remain free within a half hours drive. After that you'll have to reimburse the fuel costs. Lastly, the requests for car repairs were denied but I was able to get the parts." She looked to the man who initially asked for it. "Get with Tane to get it fixed." The man nodded. "One last point. Where's Kai?" A girl timidly rose her hand to get Krystal's attention. "Congrats. The queen approved your request for nursing school." Everyone congratulated Kai at the news.
Kai ran up to hug Krystal. "Thank you, thank you, thank you." She repeated into Krystal's chest while refusing to let go.
"Thank Haku. He helped me speak up for you." Kai eventually let go of Krystal and returned to the group. The others started to retreat to their own personal groups for the evening. Krystal felt the same and left for her room.
Randorn walked up behind her. "You did good today." He spoke.
Krystal looked behind her to answer her father. "Thanks, but Haku really did help me for most of it."
"Still, you're brave enough to go. Thank you." Randorn and Krystal walked back to their little area. "Oh did you tell Tane about the curfew." Randorn asked. Krystal gave it a moment of thought.
"No, but I bet it'll be a nice surprise."