Heaven/Hell
Operation 63
"Thank you, Caelum," Demetria said when they arrived at her home. It was made of stone and her father built it himself.
Caelum nodded his head. "Of course, Miss Demetria. It is the least I could do."
"You should probably tell that to Silva."
Caelum chuckled.
"Silva is a natural-born warrior. His entire family was raised into it. All they have ever done is go to war," he explained. "You will understand what I mean once you know him better. That was not a very good first impression."
Demetria rolled her eyes and said, "I don't plan on getting to know Silva very well, Caelum. But still, thank you for healing me and saving me from that monster."
Before Caelum could respond, they heard running footsteps. Caelum immediately pulled out his dagger and crouched in front of Demetria, his now-red eyes darting in each direction. Demetria watched in amusement until her twin brother, Ares, and their fellow Human X, Benjamin, came running towards them.
"Dem!" Ares shouted. "Dem–whoa, easy there.” He stopped in front of Caelum who hissed at him. "I'm her brother," he nodded towards Demetria.
Demetria laid a hand on Caelum's shoulder and said, "They're good, Caelum."
Caelum relaxed and pocketed his dagger. He straightened up and bowed his head, "I am deeply sorry."
Benjamin waved a hand and said, "It's alright, mate."
"Dem, we heard about what happened," Ares said, in a low voice. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Demetria shook her head. "I'm fine, you guys."
"Are you sure? Because we can–" Benjamin started but she shook her head again.
"I'm fine. And anyway, it's okay. Silva's angry about Operation 63. I'm honestly surprised that more people aren't blaming us for it."
Ares knitted his eyebrows together and nodded towards the door of their house, gesturing to go inside. Demetria opened it and allowed the four of them inside–including Caelum, who hovered until Benjamin clapped him on the shoulder and Demetria jerked her head inside. He ducked his blue head into their home.
"Good afternoon, children."
They entered a house full of Iridem. It was a surprise but not uncommon. The humans liked to invite the Iridem over every once in awhile to bring them closer as well as gain their trust, but Demetria wasn’t expecting them to come over that day. In fact, it looked more like a meeting than a casual get-together.
"Caelum," Jariri, an orange-skinned Iridem stood up. "What are you doing here?"
"I have simply come to assist Miss Demetria. She had a run-in with Silva," Caelum answered.
"Silva?" Ensam, a lavender-skinned Iridem spun around. "What was Silva doing here?' she asked.
The house fell silent. Demetria and Ares' parents came out of the kitchen, concerned. Demetria didn't realize that Silva had been famous, but they were all watching them. She glanced at her brother, who exhaled. They exchanged a look and he shrugged his shoulders.
Ares looked at his parents and said, "He’s angry about Operation 63."
Murmurs ran through the crowd. It confirmed Demetria’s suspicions about why they were there when a pink-skinned Iridem stood up and said, “We demand to know what is going to happen to us.”
Joshua and Evanna Lincoln glanced at each other and then at their children. The announcement for Operation 63 hit their village a few days ago but no one knew the details except that everyone in the northwest region was to evacuate very soon. The operation itself was still in its pre-stages, but right then, Joshua and Evanna decided that it was the right time to tell their people the truth.
"Oil was discovered on the northwest region of this planet," Evanna explained. Every single Iridem listened intently, their colored eyebrows knitting together as they tried to piece together what she was saying. "Oil is a necessity on earth, as you know. It’s used for hundreds of things. Unfortunately, here on Planet X, we don’t have the means to access that oil.”
"So, what?" Someone asked. "What is going to happen?"
"Extreme measures are going to be taken," Joshua answered. "Dr. Arrow and his team of scientists have decided, in a few weeks, that we will evacuate."
"Evacuate for what?"
"What is happening?"
"What are they going to do?"
Every single Iridem wanted to speak, like they didn’t want to believe what was really going to happen.
Demetria opened her eyes and she glanced at Caelum, who looked at her, solemnly. She wished they didn't have to take away their innocence. The Iridem people were good people, but Dr. Arrow didn't know that. Ever since the attack on The Explorers, no one on Earth trusted the Iridem and if they lived here, Demetria believed they would’ve treated them like dirt.
"Everyone!" Benjamin yelled. "Everyone! Listen!"
The Iridem fell silent, one by one. They turned to look at him and he looked around at everyone, making sure he looked each and every one of them in the eye. Demetria admired Benjamin in that way. He had that quality to him that made him seem like a leader. He was eldest of the Human X; it was a given.
Benjamin sighed and said, "They're saying that we need to evacuate because," he paused and looked at Ares and Demetria. Ares nodded his head and Benjamin continued, "because Dr. Arrow is going to blow up this entire region."
Caelum nodded his head. "Of course, Miss Demetria. It is the least I could do."
"You should probably tell that to Silva."
Caelum chuckled.
"Silva is a natural-born warrior. His entire family was raised into it. All they have ever done is go to war," he explained. "You will understand what I mean once you know him better. That was not a very good first impression."
Demetria rolled her eyes and said, "I don't plan on getting to know Silva very well, Caelum. But still, thank you for healing me and saving me from that monster."
Before Caelum could respond, they heard running footsteps. Caelum immediately pulled out his dagger and crouched in front of Demetria, his now-red eyes darting in each direction. Demetria watched in amusement until her twin brother, Ares, and their fellow Human X, Benjamin, came running towards them.
"Dem!" Ares shouted. "Dem–whoa, easy there.” He stopped in front of Caelum who hissed at him. "I'm her brother," he nodded towards Demetria.
Demetria laid a hand on Caelum's shoulder and said, "They're good, Caelum."
Caelum relaxed and pocketed his dagger. He straightened up and bowed his head, "I am deeply sorry."
Benjamin waved a hand and said, "It's alright, mate."
"Dem, we heard about what happened," Ares said, in a low voice. "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"
Demetria shook her head. "I'm fine, you guys."
"Are you sure? Because we can–" Benjamin started but she shook her head again.
"I'm fine. And anyway, it's okay. Silva's angry about Operation 63. I'm honestly surprised that more people aren't blaming us for it."
Ares knitted his eyebrows together and nodded towards the door of their house, gesturing to go inside. Demetria opened it and allowed the four of them inside–including Caelum, who hovered until Benjamin clapped him on the shoulder and Demetria jerked her head inside. He ducked his blue head into their home.
"Good afternoon, children."
They entered a house full of Iridem. It was a surprise but not uncommon. The humans liked to invite the Iridem over every once in awhile to bring them closer as well as gain their trust, but Demetria wasn’t expecting them to come over that day. In fact, it looked more like a meeting than a casual get-together.
"Caelum," Jariri, an orange-skinned Iridem stood up. "What are you doing here?"
"I have simply come to assist Miss Demetria. She had a run-in with Silva," Caelum answered.
"Silva?" Ensam, a lavender-skinned Iridem spun around. "What was Silva doing here?' she asked.
The house fell silent. Demetria and Ares' parents came out of the kitchen, concerned. Demetria didn't realize that Silva had been famous, but they were all watching them. She glanced at her brother, who exhaled. They exchanged a look and he shrugged his shoulders.
Ares looked at his parents and said, "He’s angry about Operation 63."
Murmurs ran through the crowd. It confirmed Demetria’s suspicions about why they were there when a pink-skinned Iridem stood up and said, “We demand to know what is going to happen to us.”
Joshua and Evanna Lincoln glanced at each other and then at their children. The announcement for Operation 63 hit their village a few days ago but no one knew the details except that everyone in the northwest region was to evacuate very soon. The operation itself was still in its pre-stages, but right then, Joshua and Evanna decided that it was the right time to tell their people the truth.
"Oil was discovered on the northwest region of this planet," Evanna explained. Every single Iridem listened intently, their colored eyebrows knitting together as they tried to piece together what she was saying. "Oil is a necessity on earth, as you know. It’s used for hundreds of things. Unfortunately, here on Planet X, we don’t have the means to access that oil.”
"So, what?" Someone asked. "What is going to happen?"
"Extreme measures are going to be taken," Joshua answered. "Dr. Arrow and his team of scientists have decided, in a few weeks, that we will evacuate."
"Evacuate for what?"
"What is happening?"
"What are they going to do?"
Every single Iridem wanted to speak, like they didn’t want to believe what was really going to happen.
Demetria opened her eyes and she glanced at Caelum, who looked at her, solemnly. She wished they didn't have to take away their innocence. The Iridem people were good people, but Dr. Arrow didn't know that. Ever since the attack on The Explorers, no one on Earth trusted the Iridem and if they lived here, Demetria believed they would’ve treated them like dirt.
"Everyone!" Benjamin yelled. "Everyone! Listen!"
The Iridem fell silent, one by one. They turned to look at him and he looked around at everyone, making sure he looked each and every one of them in the eye. Demetria admired Benjamin in that way. He had that quality to him that made him seem like a leader. He was eldest of the Human X; it was a given.
Benjamin sighed and said, "They're saying that we need to evacuate because," he paused and looked at Ares and Demetria. Ares nodded his head and Benjamin continued, "because Dr. Arrow is going to blow up this entire region."