The Choices of Enier

Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. There are things that many would prefer not to see, hear, or experience. So many things to run away from, hide from and to try to forget about. Sometimes they are unavoidable and come back into your life unexpectedly. Enier knew this all too well.

For as long as she could remember, Enier's life with her family was nothing out of the ordinary. Her mother, father, older brother, and younger sister always showed her love and made her feel welcome. She barely remembers a time when this was not her family. The last tiny thread connecting to the memories of her former life was just about to snap, relieving her from the stress of trying to forget.

But life and reality had other plans. Why did it have to resurface now? Why does she have to go back to where she vowed, never to return?

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Due to the Great Catastrophe that has befallen Earth, governments have gathered and made a unanimous decision. Chemical and nuclear warfare have ravaged the planet and its resources. This has led to the near extinction of all of Earth’s species, including humans. While there are still safe places to live, those locations are rapidly disappearing, as habitability is at only 35%. Until Earth is restored to at least a 75% livable level, teams need to be created to explore and safely colonize nearby planets. So there has been a call to order of all the people that nations consider Necessary Employees.

The skills and abilities of the Necessary Employees that were chosen to be the first to populate the space stations were very specific for what was needed there. Each candidate was handpicked by the government from many elite groups. They had to meet a high level of qualifications to even be considered for this expedition.

Before the expeditions could even be started, many of the governments’ chosen people had to plan, create, and build the space stations needed for the first part of the “Exodus from Earth” plan. Fortunately, many nations have already been doing this in secret, so it was no surprise that it took less than a year before any of them were ready to launch the first one. Even with this advanced preparation, the constant depletion of the Earth’s ability to support life forced them to work much faster.

By the time the space stations had launched, habitability was down to a critical 25%. So, the first stations were launched with all of the gathered Necessary Employees, plant and animal species, food and water supplies and other needed items. The stations were suited to produce what is needed to sustain life for more than 75 years, giving them plenty of time to explore and colonize or return to Earth.

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The life that Enier had before she came to Earth was one that she never wanted to return to. She was gifted (or cursed) with an extraterrestrial consciousness at the age of 2. As she grew, this other part of her grew with her. But as she got older, it’s memories came to her more and more. And the being that she was before was evil.

The entity's name was Ahkalah from the planet of Zorn located in the Andromeda Galaxy. It the most notorious space thief ever seen in many galaxies. Although she was labeled a thief, her crimes were far beyond that. She was so good at what she did that she almost single handedly destroyed an entire planets' ecosystem and its beings by stealing the machine that created its atmosphere. She didn't even care that so many would have died at her hands because the payment for the machine was so great. She could have "retired" from her thieving ways. Her crimes were so many that once she was caught, she was set to be executed.

While being led to her execution, the daughter of a high-ranking official was kidnapped, and her life was threatened if an extremely high ransom was not given. Using this as a distraction and being the thief that she was, Ahkalah had stolen the key to her shackles from one of the jailers and freed herself. She would have gotten away without a trace, but something in her made her turn back.

She was very good at tracking and found out where the kidnappers had taken the little girl. The kidnappers knew who she was and her reputation and let their guard down, believing that she was on their side. But in the back of her mind, she only thought of the money SHE would get for returning the littler girl. So, she effortlessly got rid of the kidnappers and took the girl back to the official.

To her dismay, not only did she not get a reward, but she still had to stand trial for her crimes. The official changed the punishment though. He gave her a choice: to serve an eternity in jail doing hard labor or to have her consciousness exiled to another species. Ahkalah had never done a hard days' work in her life, so obviously she chose the latter. And that is how she came to live in Enier.

Since Enier realized this evilness was inside her, she has been doing everything she could to forget it, to put it behind her. So, she focused on her studies and enjoying her life with her family. And she was just about to erase it from her mind until she was called to help save Earth and had to go to space to do it.

Coming from a family of extremely high achievers, it was a no brainer that Enier, her parents and her siblings would be among the chosen. She and many of her family members fall under the category of high-ranking Necessary Employees. Enier is the second highest ranking Astronomer in the United States and has also become the leading advisor of structures built in zero gravity. Her mother, Siasa, is the Medical Director of New York Presbyterian Hospital. Her father, Odinis, has recently become a Major General in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her brother, Cyrus, serves as the first director of the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. And her little sister, Marie, is the country’s top-ranking Zoologist and Botanist. The rest of her chosen family members were either high level professors, scientists, or financial executives.

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Enier sits on the windowsill of her bedroom, legs crossed Indian style, elbows on her knees, chin in her palms, back slightly hunched. Her eyes gaze up at the cotton looking clouds slowly gliding across the beautiful baby blue sky.

She lets out a little sigh as she looks down to the bustling city. She loves all of the intricately detailed buildings with sunbeams reflecting off the shiny windows. She also enjoys watching the people shuffling on the sidewalk and cars rolling on the street. She focuses on a train as it whizzes by on its tracks to the next station. The sounds of chatter, honking horns, clanging train tracks and sirens brings happy memories.

Enier feels a stretch coming on as she’s been daydreaming by her window for a couple hours now. She raises her arms up, hands over her head, extending her fingers and puts her hands on the warm glass. She lets out another sigh and finally gets up.

“I guess it’s time to get to work.” she says. “Simulation off.”

As she walks away from the window, a soft beeping can be heard followed by a buzzing sound. Soon the blue sky fades, then the buildings and train tracks disappear. No more sounds of a bustling city. It was replaced by a vast dark space, sprinkled with twinkling stars. Not the view Enier has grown accustomed to in her time on earth. Space Station (SS) life is new yet familiar.

She had only just arrived at SS Regal#2 about three months ago, along with other Necessary Employees and their families. It was a difficult trip, but they all made it safely. But this was the last place that she ever expected to have to come back to. Will she be able to keep her secret? How will this affect her family? Will they be safe in this critical time?