fight another day. Or get locked up, your choice. But if you do run, no more public bombings. Or next time I won't be so nice."
"Who are you?" Otto asked in astonishment.
"Someone who wants you to do good. Don't mess it up. Besides, I thought you liked running. I heard the Hayagriva was pretty fast."
Otto stared at her as the aircraft gave a final warning. Without a second's thought, Otto reloaded his gun's magazine. "Maybe you'll see me on the Stream one day."
"I'll remember the name."
"I know you will," Otto said in that magnetic voice.
With that, Otto al-Kara, the rebel from Rangpur, raised his gun and shot at the cockpit of the Civil Protection aircraft. TUHTUHTUHTUH! The bullets cracked at the tough window of the vehicle, meant to withstand energy weapons over ballistics. It took evasive action to dodge the fire, and in its movement, Otto raced down the staircase of the minaret.
Still woozy from all the exertion, Najima crawled her way to the edge of the minaret as the vehicle hovered around the structure. After less than a minute, Otto appeared from the entrance on the ground floor, shooting wildly up at the CP vehicle. It only began returning fire from its high powered laser as the engines of the Trogan lit aflame, and the vehicle shot down the streets, weaving until it passed the outskirts of the small town, until it was a speck on the landscape, with Civil Protection aircraft desperately trying to keep up.
∞∞∞
This is International Galactic News. These are headlines from around the galaxy. Our first report centers on a small desert town on the planet of Nanda IV. Sources tell us the town was thrown into chaos by the attack of the notorious anti-Imperial terrorist, Otto al-Kara of Rangpur, who attempted to destroy a public gathering with a destructive improvised explosive, seen from afar here in amateur video taken from the scene.
Although the bomb was set off, an unnamed source aided Civil Protection in evacuating the area, and saving countless lives before the explosion. Officials tell us that the otherwise small town was targeted due to a parade celebrating many local and regional government officials.
The civil protection commissioner looked much taller than in real life when on the Stream. He appeared on the screen that Najima was watching.
When asked on the whereabouts of the infamous terrorists identified in the attack, we were told: "Although our officers pursued the terrorists far into the countryside, they evaded by entering a mesa complex on the outskirts of town, where they had been using a bunker from the Independence War as a hideout. They then used a spaceship to clear the planet. We are saddened to say that these terrorists are still at large. No further comment."
Nanda's central intelligence bureau for civic affairs have stated that the lack of interstellar Imperial Navy ships on the border towns led to the hasty escape of the fugitives. They intend to file a national suit in the Supreme Court within the coming months to argue for increased naval security along the Dravidian-Vengali border to safeguard against terrorist run-off from Vengali space.
Najima turned her attention from the Stream screen on the tablet she had been given when the commissioner and the mayor returned into the interrogation room of the Civil Protection headquarters in town, midway through an argument. "It's regulation, saar," the commissioner said. "I could be fired for breaking protocol."
"This young girl saved our town. Exceptions will be made!" she the mayor, in his deep accent.
"Anything I can help you with?" Najima asked. Her head still ached where it had been bandaged, and her skin tingled where the doctors glopped a salve known as Amrita, a medical gel that worked wonders at healing basic wounds, on her largest cut.
"I'm afraid I have to arrest you, Dezetoiles,” the commissioner said. “You have such an unfathomable criminal history..."
"That is out of the question!" The mayor huffed. If I were caught in that explosion, protocol be damned, because I would be dead. This girl saved my life!"
"Saar, sincerely, I could lose my job."
"I'll take any consequences for this action. Besides, as we’ve said, she is the Dezetoiles from Sundarban."
"That's right, Saar Commissioner," Najima chimed in. "They helped a lot during the war. In fact, did you know that this very building was built on my family's land? I didn't know that until a few days ago, from the mayor in fact. "
"But, I'm sorry saar..." the commissioner interrupted, but Najima interrupted him.
"Nowwww youuu knowww," she said in elongated syllables, her arms waving dramatically with her voice.
"This is my town, and this is my responsibility," the mayor insisted. "Now, you understand, Matam Dezetoiles, that because of your... involvement... with the one al-Kara - despite your fantastic effort of community service today - we will not be able to reward you in any way. The commissioner is right, as you do seem to have a..." the mayor struggled for words, "Healthy background. And we couldn't be seen doing business with such characters." He smiled broadly before rephrasing himself to avoid rudeness, "Not that you are a character, or that we aren't immensely grateful."
"It's fine, saar," Najima laughed, which put the mayor at ease. "I'm just happy to go. I've stayed longer than I should have."
"Saar, she is a criminal. She robbed a secure military facility, aided in the theft of kilos of Civil Protection foodstocks, and abetted known terrorists."
"I'm sure there is some administrivia you’d happily not have to perform, is there not?" the mayor said impatiently.
The commissioner stared at Najima angrily, but inevitably sighed. "You're free to go, Matam Dezetoiles. We'll have your raft's restrictions removed, and you can find it at the spaceport." The commissioner stomped out of the room, and the mayor insistently thanked Najima on behalf of the town, and his wife, and the governor, and the solar system. When the mayor finally ran out of thanks, he left the room.
Najima caught one more glance at the Stream, where pundits were talking about Otto, his picture emblazoned on the screen. She then left the room, and weaved her way through the Civil Protection offices, and back onto the streets. She took a path that led her past the destroyed bazaar, a crater where a tree once stood, and rubbish still on the streets that were being cleaned by public servants. She took the same street back toward the spaceport, hoping to see the small girl who looked like her sister. She was not there, however, her rock-skyscraper the only sign she had been there at all.
After gathering some supplies from a late-night store with what little money she had earned when she came to Nanda, Najima returned to the spaceport. The confused attendant from two days ago threw Najima an angry look. But after a silent smile and wave, he huffed, and let her pass on to her raft. She loaded her supplies, double-checked her anti-grav engine, habitat generator, and solar sails, and then lifted off the ground.
She sailed high above the town which glittered like an oasis of flickering lights in the desert, a dry wind blowing her hair the higher she rose. Soon the town vanished in a haze as Najima passed through a wet cloud, and over an hour later, the dark blue sky turned black, the brown land below bent into a curvature. She set her sails, the gravity began to lessen, until all was blackness except for the moons that orbited Nanda IV.
Setting her bearings distinctly away from Imperial territory, Najima made herself comfortable as the red sun glistening behind her, perfect for solar winds to drive her raft. She reached into her supplies and produced her journal.
Today, I met the notorious Otto al-Kara, a handsome gentleman from Rangpur who draws you in like a magnet. I also met his friends, and they taught me a lot about pride and justice. Hopefully I’ll see them again one day. He said something that I hope I won’t forget. I told him about how I’ve lost something, and he said, ‘Be lucky you can find it. Some things that you lose are lost for good.’
I am lucky. In a weird way.
But let me tell how the whole adventure started...
And so it was on as Najima sailed into the depths of space.
The universe of Star Sailo
r is tremendous! If you want to immerse yourself and see how infinite space is, sail over to: https://star-sailor.com
A few things before we go.
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