Chapter 8
Edna
I stood before the podium quietly.
Miranda imbued the white podium with some majesty.
Four other people walked out of the crowd and stood near the podium.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
"I am going to repeat myself for the last time. If your name is highlighted, come near the podium." Miranda repeated her words with a grim smile on her lips.
The chill in her eyes didn't match the smile on her lips.
Someone was about to get unlucky.
Nobody in the crowd moved.
"Any civilian that had been picked but refused to come near the podium would have their residency on this spaceship revoked." Mirada announced, "Since you don't want to make effort to find a better place for the rest of humanity, the people on this spaceship don't need you here. We don't need people that would drag us down."
I was right.
This invitation to be an exploration team member wasn't something that could be refused.
It's either a chosen person listens to instructions and go or die.
No human would survive after being kicked off the spaceship.
I knew the extent of my prowess.
Going against authority wasn't something I would consider right now.
Two more people came out of the crowd with trembling bodies.
Miranda glanced at the list behind her before nodded.
"Good. We have seven civilians and three members of the protection forces on the first exploration team." Miranda said, "Everybody can disperse. This meeting has ended. The chosen members should stay."
I could see faces of discontent when Miranda announced the ratio of civilians to members of the protection forces on the exploration team.
Nobody dared to talk or complain though.
The gun in Miranda's hands and the threat of being thrown off the battleship worked very well.
The crowd scattered and dispersed.
Within a few minutes, the only people left in the assembly square was the seven civilians that was chosen and the two people on the stage.
"You guys are the hope of humanity. There is not much to say. Every one of you is different, the amount and type of information each of you would provide might not be the same. There is no need to beat yourself up or compete." Mirada said, "You guys have fifteen minutes to take whatever you want to bring along with you from your rooms. More information would be shared when you are back."
Miranda waved her hand to give us the go-ahead to leave.
I did not see the three military members standing with us in the square.
I didn't worry myself about that matter though.
They might come later and they might also sit out of this exploration.
I rushed back to the residential building I was staying in.
I hurried to my room.
Renee was on her bed.
She looked up at me with worry on her face.
"I can't still believe you got chosen. Gosh!" She said with panic, "I am really worried about you. You are going to an unknown land without any preparations." "Calm down. I will prevail. I just have to try my best." I said as I started packing my things.
I removed some of the things I felt was unnecessary from my bag and added all Tyler's stuff in.
I did not want to carry two bags.
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It might make me look homeless.
Besides, I was going to an unfamiliar territory, having two bags would drag me down.
After I finished my task, I slung the bag on my shoulders.
"Take care of yourself. If God is willing, we would meet each other again." I said to Renee before leaving the room.
I walked to the assembly square.
My mind could not help straying to the man from my dreams.
Somehow, I felt like there was an invisible string of fate tying us together.
He was powerful and it is highly unlikely that I would get away from him.
The bite mark he made in my dream turned into some kind of tattoo in reality.
My sixth sense was telling me all my questions would be answered when I get to the new planet humanity found. Something changed after I got the mark on my neck.
I felt like I was moving closer to the wild man that marked me.
If my suspicions was correct, the man had to be an inhabitant of the new planet.
If all the indigenous people were as strong as he is, things would look ugly for the human race.
The thrum of his power accompanied his every touch.
He was able to connect to me through my dreams. This wasn't something I have seen or heard of before.
It would just be better for us to save our resources and drift in space until we find another planet with no inhabitants.
Clashing with aliens that had supernatural powers is a sure way to die without a burial ground.
I have many thoughts running through my head but I kept my expression stoic.
I was not going to tell the higher-ups the things I guessed.
It would make my life harder.
I might even be locked up or used as some kind of bargaining chip. This wasn't the future I wanted.
It was better to just follow the instructions the leaders would give and go down to the new planet.
I wasn't a Samaritan.
I would not sacrifice myself.
For myself and for my brother, I have to live well.
"You are back." Miranda said.
She and the man that came with her was still on the podium.
The plane was in the same position I saw it when I left.
There was three extra people in the square.
They were in ordinary clothes.
Still, the momentum and bloodlust hidden in their bones couldn't be hidden at all.
These people should be the members of the protection forces and military.
There was already four civilians present, including me.
We waited for a few minutes before the rest of the civilians arrived.
Miranda didn't say anything about their lateness.