The following is a short story I wrote at the end of last year. I hummed and hawed on whether I wanted to publish it, since it's so short, and I wasn't sure if I had finished it or should continue with the story. Anyway, please don't be too hard on me. lol

Rule one: Maintain proper hygiene at all times.

Within the confines of Alex's dorm room, the air was saturated with an atmosphere of opulence and refinement. The room, a shared space with Morgan, mirrored a lavish lifestyle marked by the trappings of beauty and sophistication.

After going through my work here, I decided that I was not setting u the story the way I wanted two, so I am working on changing the story as I wrote it before.

In the wake of a devastating war that had left the United States in ruins, a new world emerged, fragmented into six city-states, each controlled by kings and queens who served under the overarching authority of a distant emperor. The emperor's rule extended like a shadow over the decimated land, dictating the lives of those who struggled to rebuild in the aftermath of conflict.

Constant in All Other Things 2: Interlude II (2/3)
by
Fakeminsk (fakeminsk@gmail.com)
(www.patreon.com/fakeminsk)

“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado About Nothing

Constant in All Other Things 2
Interlude II (1/3)
by
Fakeminsk (fakeminsk@gmail.com)
(Patreon: www.patreon.com/fakeminsk)

“Friendship is constant in all other things
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself
And trust no agent.”
Much Ado About Nothing

I paced in my room, trying to figure out what to do for music. My only options were to find out which instrument caused the problem or see if I could find someone to retrieve the music on my phone. I didn't want to be exposed to those sounds again.

They led me out the suite and through the halls. I couldn't see anything and I couldn't move my hands either. The helplessness finally allowed me to think.

'Oh fuck, they know'

How did they find out? My mind scoured for all possible ways they could have found out what I did. They didn't have any reason to suspect me right?

Stepping out of the Pathfinder was a mind-blowing experience. There were thousands of people walking around with tents dotting the entire beach. It reminded me of those old music festivals that held before the world went to shit.

One of the Voyagers had landed dangerously close to us but I could see four other Voyagers at various locations in the distance just peeking above the forest.

John insisted on telling Will and the rest of the crew which abruptly halted any plans I'd had of going out the next day.

"Could this have anything to do with her abilities?" Robert asked as we discussed the situation the next morning in the medbay.

"It's the most likely culprit." John agreed "Either way, I want to get it removed quickly before it spreads to more problematic sections of the brain".

My head was ringing as overlapping shouts of confusion and disbelief filled the bridge.

I looked at Will for the first time. He was saying something. His mouth was moving. He looked angry... at me. I glanced over to the others, all in various states of disarray.

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I had to get the ringing to stop so I could think.

In an overpopulated world rescuing the wrong person can be a crime.
Ambulance driver Nick and his partner Eliza were sentenced to forty years in prison.
But after a year they get a strange offer.
The company Nixen will pay off their debt and get them out of jail.
All they have to do is go to space for a year.
And to give up their body.
Not to worry, their new ones will be shiny and will have a tail.

Things didn't improve between Will and I until 8 months into my pregnancy. Over those months, we sort of just devolved into coworkers again.

He'd still kept me off work duties but suddenly it didn't feel like it was for my protection anymore.

"Wait there's really intelligent life down there" I asked still in shock over what I'd just heard.

"It would seem so" Will affirmed.

"But he hasn't seen any yet? Just their homes?" I followed up.

He nodded.

"Could they be extinct?" I asked.

"Possibly. Or they could have simply migrated somewhere else on the planet. We can't possibly know now?" Will answered.

Mars station was an orbital facility that served numerous functions for both planets.

While it acted like a space port, it's main purpose was scientific research. Mars station was tasked with studying the planet's atmosphere and surface to aid in our terraformation pursuits.

Also, like so many other missions before us, we were using it as a launch pad to the farther reaches of the solar system.

Summary: What would the world be like if your pay was based on your positive impact on others?

The Trial

I had all the members of the church and those in positions of power within the station lined up in the throne room. I made sure that this trial was broadcast throughout the Empire. Minsha was sitting next to me upon the dais. Looking down at all the people that I needed to judge and sentence, but I had to seem like a was not a malevolent ruler.

That night in my room Minsha and I lay on the bed, she told me about her life, and I told her more about Earth. I now understood why Tagnor wore so little clothing, Minsha was hot. I would never freeze with her next to me. Her fur was soft, she let me feel it last night. I think we also made a good start to a great friendship. We may not have similar pasts, but we have similar ideas for the future.

Sincere apologies. I don't know why Chapter 7 ended up under a Chapter 6 listing. And I don't know how I ended up with two Chapter 6's. I'll ask to have this entry removed. Very sorry for the confusion.

The anticipation in the air was palpable as the Royal Transport approached the Queen's Spire. I stood in my armor, ready to fulfill my role in delivering the long-lost royal jewels to their rightful place. The helmet concealed my face, but I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness coursing through me.

RXAI-199 had informed me that my presence might draw a crowd as it had been millennia since the ship had crashed and lost communication with the Caravelle Empire. I couldn't help but wonder how the empire had evolved during that time and who might now be in charge.

The ongoing trials and tribulations of Ronin Kassius as he assumes the identity of Isabel val Sanreal and returns to Ar Telica City. Having survived the encounter with the Gun Queen of Ar Telica, Ronin returns to Ar Telica and begins his/her new dual life as Isabel val Sanreal, illegitimate daughter of the uber rich Sanreal Family, and as the Gun Princess, Mirai, an artificially created entity with preternatural abilities.