4Characters: Sharon Mittri (21)
Liam Green (23)
Miriam Oslow (nearly 14)
Clare Oslow (53)
General Rook (44)
February 2170Computer Union (C.U.) offices:
The 21-year-old woman leaned back casually in her chair, with both legs resting on the desk in front of her, watching the recent newsflash on the TV in front of her, which showed a black vehicle speeding away from numerous Junior Federation and army soldiers.
"Not bad for a night's work."
She glanced up briefly in agreement at the speaker, a young man in his early twenties, before returning her gaze back to the TV, which now showed an attack on Rook's base lead by a figure dressed completely in black.
"You might want to look as if you are busy," the man, Liam Green, continued as he looked out of the door down the corridor behind him, "Chaston's on the prowl again."
"Shit." The woman swore as she rapidly swung her legs off the table, turning her TV off with her left hand as she did.
"Thanks for the warning." She said.
"You're welcome. You said that Miriam wanted to celebrate her fourteenth tonight, 'stead of tomorrow?" He asked, "Though how one can celebrate then is a mystery." He muttered.
"Liam, I tried, okay? Anyway, she isn't old enough to remember what's worth remembering. As for why tonight, she said that tomorrow would be too difficult."
"And risky."
"Maybe, maybe not." The woman replied as she started sorting the papers Liam had left on her desk.
"Sharon, why is it that you never take any of this seriously? We take a hell of a risk taking these jobs, and you take an even bigger risk by choosing to own an actual house and striking up a friendship with them next door."
"Dammit Liam, I don't need you to lecture me on all the risks I'm taking. I know what I'm doing." She retorted as she stood up angrily.
"Do you have a problem Miss Mittri?" Chaston, the C.U. Manager, asked as he entered.
"No sir."
"Good. Then can you kindly get back on with your work? And Green? If there's nothing else you need to 'talk' to Mittri about I suggest you get back to your desk also."
Liam winked slyly at Sharon before leaving with Chaston.
At precisely six o'clock that evening, a red sports car pulled up in front of a small group of houses, streetlights illuminating the dark lane. The C.U. worker, Sharon Mittri got out, her voice command locking the car. She swung a beige bag onto her left shoulder, as she hurried up to the porch of the house to the right of her car. The door was opened before she even had time to knock. She entered, smiling in thanks at the young girl who had just let her in.
"Miriam," her mother called from a room opposite the front door, "Show Ms Sharon into the living room."
Sharon raised an eyebrow, "Ms?" She echoed.
Miriam shrugged, "Mum's very formal, you know that. Come on."
As Sharon had assumed earlier, the evening passed uneventfully until the grandfather clock in the hall struck eight o'clock. Sirens sounded in the distance, faint at first but gradually getting louder and louder. The bright light from a searchlight shone through the drawn curtains in the dining room, where she, Miriam and Clare, Miriam's mother now were. There was harsh sound of wood splintering as the door was kicked in.
She watched calmly as Clare rose uncertainly from her chair and edged cautiously towards the entrance corridor. Her face remained expressionless even when official soldiers entered, rather than Junior Federation trainees arriving a day early. Only when Rook himself entered did Sharon's expression show a brief flicker of surprise, which vanished as quickly as it came.
Sharon unfolded her crossed legs as Rook's soldiers blocked all possible exits out of the room.
"Drop any weapons you have on you, Commander." Rook ordered.
"Commander?" She queried.
Rook levelled his gun at her chest.
"Don't give me that 'I don't know what you're talking about' crap." He spat. "I know just as well as you do who you are."
"Sharon?" Miriam asked fear and doubt evident in her voice from her position in her mother's arms on the other side of the room.
"Precisely. Commander Sharon Mittri of Idethia 7," Rook said.
Sharon remained silent, secretly observing the movement of each and every soldier in the room, all too aware that there would be several more outside.
"The Black Fighter, our recent 'threat'. Rook continued. "Although your history goes back further…"
"They don't need to know." Sharon interrupted, her voice quiet but completely firm.
"Don't they? Why not?" He asked icily.
Sharon stared hard at the floor fighting hard to keep her anger and emotions under control. Of course she had her reasons for Clare and Miriam not to know about her previous history, their protection for a start from both their own hatred and from the hatred of the general population.
"Afraid, Commander, of what they may think?" Rook inquired mockingly.
Fingers tightened on triggers as the leader of Idethia 7 stood up angrily, fists clenched, as she gave way to her feelings. Her eyes burned with fury and as she shook her head she ground her teeth tightly together. As Rook gave a satisfied smile, her desperation increased.
"Afraid," he repeated, "If they knew that you are really Sharon Oslow?"
She heard her mother breathing coming in short gasps. As she trembled in anger, Sharon somehow forced herself to ask,
"How...?"
"Did I find all this out?" Rook finished off her question, "I think you should be more worried about what will happen once my army gets inside the Idethia 7 base."
The next few seconds were nothing more than a blur. Despite her attempts to resist Rook's ploy, Sharon threw herself at him blinded by anger, her hatred overwhelming her. She collapsed on the ground as the bullet struck her chest. The sound of an explosion outside and shocked screams filled the room. Half conscious she was dimly aware of two soldiers dragging her outside towards one of the waiting vehicles. A wreckage of some sort was burning on her right. Inside the van she felt a small pick on her right arm. She struggled weakly but someone slammed her viciously back causing her head to strike the side of the van. Pain exploded in her head, and either as a result of the pain or of the drug, she slipped gratefully into unconsciousness.
TBC…
Ok that's ch1 over and done with, and it was pretty obvious who Sharon Mittri really was; I dropped enough hints along the way! I just wonder if you caught onto the smaller hints when she uses her left hand instead of her right to turn off the TV and the like. I wonder…
Oh well, R&R as per usual.