With only part of his upper body through, Jacob briefly hesitated, as he saw Alex standing in front him. The smell of smoke and fires permeated the outside air along the ruined streets and collapsed buildings. The warm orange glow of flames cast long dancing shadows across the remains of the place Jacob once called home. Feeling someone firmly grab him by the ankles, Jacob snapped back to focus as he tightly held onto the metal bars surrounding him. Bracing himself against the wall, he started frantically kicking at the person pulling him, as he tried to escape. Resisting as long as he could, Jacob came to a point where he lacked the strength to continue fighting. With his grip giving out, he felt himself being pulled back into the darkness of the ruinous hollow. Looking into his brother's eyes, Jacob could see the fear on Alex’s face has he frantically tried to pull his brother towards him. Hearing the echo of many footsteps approaching, Jacob could see the shadows of people bouncing across nearby walls as his grip finally gave out.
“Run, Alex!” Shouted Jacob, just before he was dragged down the narrow path and back the area where he watched his mother take her last breath.
Screaming and shouting could be heard from the outside beyond the wall. Alex's voice, at first loud and distinguishable, before becoming mixed with others among the commotion. His cries faded into a faint murmur, as Jacob could hear his brother disappear into the distance. Frantically, Jacob tried to grab onto anything he could to resist as he was pulled along the rough and jagged ground. Finding a piece of broken steel bar, he pulled it loose just as he entered the largest opening among rubble. knowing he had little time to react if he were to help his brother, Jacob sat up and started stabbing the sharp point of metal deep into his attacker. Catching the man off guard, Jacob hit him repeatedly in the shoulder and neck. With cries of pain, the man let go as he tried to stop the rapid bleeding from his wounds. Darting back towards the opening, Jacob forced himself through the tight gaps between bars. Standing on the smoke covered street, he could hear the distant sound of fighting littering the air all around, Alex nowhere to be seen.
V
At the top of a twenty-floor tower, Ettimis gazed out his large office window of thick aged glass. To his right a great expanse of stars and to his left the bright green and blue hues of the planet Issa. Dividing these two planes, sat the infinite city of Avus. Its orange and yellow lights stretching out into the distance before expanding around again. Reflecting on the message from the board, Ettimis stared with cruelty down at the planet Issa, viewing it as the one obstacle that stood in the path of his ambitions. Expressed though the urgent message in the relay probe, the board informed Ettimis was in a beneficial position. The company was in immediate need of large amounts of refined aillinium within an extremely narrow time frame. After further review of prior scouting expeditions to the planet Issa. The Board had reason to believe there was large amounts of already processed aillinium on the surface. Aillinium the Company required for a massive project of immense importance in the central region. If successful in location and getting the aillinium, Ettimis had been promised his much-awaited promotion. However, failure would have him working in the outer systems for far longer, possibly forever. Pondering the ultimatum, Ettimis began pacing back and forth in his office. Periodically stopping at his large desk of tarnished metal, covered in papers and mechanical trinkets, before turning back around. Muttering to himself in frustration along the way.
“Deliver hundreds of tons aillinium and I will have a position in the central region they say... How could they put this on me, after all I’ve done for the Company? There is no way I could deliver... what if their intel is off?” Ettimis inaudibly mumbled.
“Call command deck.” Said Ettimis, as he pressed a chipped and weathered button, next to a faded brass speaker on his desk.
“President... how good to hear from you, any updated from the central region?” Answered Oret.
“The board needs this operation greatly sped up. I need you to bring me the leaders of this wretched place at once.” Demanded Ettimis.
“Of course, President, but may I ask for what purpose?” said Oret, with hesitation in his tone.
“Simply put, the board is not pleased. They need results much sooner. Now find me someone on this filthy rock that knows where some aillinium is.” Sneered Ettimis.
“But President, the preliminary research from the company surveyors showed this planet has yet to discover aillinium, I don’t think anyone from this world will be useful to us.”
“You would be surprised at how incomplete and outdated information from the research department can be. Either way the board has sent updated information that contradicts their preliminary findings.” Said Ettimis sarcastically, pausing briefly before he continued. “Most harvesting operations would fail if all we depended on wascompany research, Oret... I assure you Oret, someone down thereknows exactly where some aillinium is.” Said Ettimis as he abruptly ended the call.
Standing up from his chair, Ettimis walked to the window with his hands folded behind his back contemplating his plans. Peering through the thick glass into the distance, Ettimis leaned forward to better see. The light from the stars began to slightly shift and warp. With an instantaneous snap of light, a union vessel dropped out of ethereal space. Appearing to remain motionless only a few hundred yards away, drifting in unison with Avus. The small union craft consisted of cental vessel surrounded by an enclosed habitat ring and reflected brightly as the blue star rose from beyond the curvature of Issa. Glaring upon the craft
