I felt like shooting something, literally. And since I couldn’t use my powers, a gun was the only other logical choice. Shooting had always relaxed me and I sure needed to relax. The bad thing was that I hadn’t a gun anymore. That led me to Kevin’s room. He had this incredible ATX-5 laser from his days in the militia, which was a pleasure to shoot. He practically hadn’t said a word to me during the last two days, which of course only got me to think that I was right. Otherwise I didn’t understand how he hadn’t forced me to tell him what I was doing in town and what really happened with the Sargons.

I felt rather strange in this room. Every time I went into Kevin’s room it was like I was back on Earth. Not that I remembered too much about Earth but this room in some way was Earth to me.

A pyramid shaped crystal in Kevin’s desk caught my eye. I approached and, as I always did when I was in this room, I sat on the desk and started to look into the sky blue crystal remembering the first time I saw it.

~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~

6 year old Alexander was in front of the TV in awe. He was sitting on the floor watching the news anchorman giving some details of the Calaras forces’ attack.

“They have forces near Pladaa and Ximila, the two planets with most human inhabitants after Earth. The first one as everybody knows, being the first planet colonized by the human race more than a century ago. The Milky Way is full of Calaras ships too, and some of them seemed to be approaching Earth after destroying three human spaces stations, Z3, Y5 and Cilaric. Frodisians are fighting along humans near Saturn and the humans forces repelled the attacks in Y6 and Y7 but the last one is not in good conditions. This is terrible. All civilian flight are still forbidden. The only ships leaving Earth are those from the military forces. God help the human race.”

“Brian. I’m scared.”

“Alex, turn that off, you are scaring Nicky” his cousin Brian told him from his place in the couch.

“Tell him to go some place else to play” he answered without even looked at them. That same minute his mother entered the house with a couple of bags full of groceries.

“Alexander, Brian come and help me. And Alex turn that TV off. Why are you even looking at that? Where is your mom Brian?”

“She left an hour ago. Told us that she had something to do and that Kevin was in charge.”

“And where is Kevin?”

“In his room with Howie.”

“Howie is here?”

“Aha” Alex added. “Uncle Howard came today earlier to pick up uncle Ryan and Kev.”

“Then dad and uncle Howard left Kev and Howie before going to work” Brian interrupted.

“Alex go and get them, please” she said walking into the kitchen with Brian carrying one of the bags and Nicky tagging along.

“Aw Mom”

“Do it!”

He ran to the second floor but once there he tiptoed to Kevin’s room. The door was open and Kevin and Howie were sitting on the floor next to Kev’s bed. There was something different about them. Watching them entered the house that morning Alex had thought they looked like they had cried. A small object in Kevin’s hand caught Alex attention.

“Kev?” he finally said entering the room.

“What?”

“My mom is calling you.”

“Rachel is already here?”

“Yes. What’s that?”

“None of your business. And don’t touch it” he answered leaving the pyramid on his desk.

“Come Howie. Rachel probably needs help.”

When Kevin and Howie left the room, the boy turned his attention to the little object sparkling on the desk. It looked like a little pyramid, blue as the sky. He touched it timidly noticing how cold it was. For a moment he thought the pyramid changed its color for a darker one after he touched it, but it was probably because of the light. One last look to the door and he finally decided to lift it. For a little pyramid it sure was pretty heavy.

“Alex!” Brian called him and he let the pyramid drop.

“Damn!” he said picking it up and surprisingly realizing that the crystal didn't have any scratches.

“Alex!”

“I’m coming” he said, placing the pyramid on the desk again and leaving the room.


~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~


I found myself looking at the portrait on the desk. It was a picture of Kevin’s 14th birthday party. All the family was there. Kevin, Brian, Nick, Howie, uncle Ryan, uncle Howard, uncle Jared, aunt Ally, aunt Claire and my mother. I remembered that day, just a couple of days before we left Earth. We were all laughing. How could I know that just a week after that Earth invasion would take place. The adults probably knew. That’s why they made us leave the planet. That’s why they forced us to leave them.


~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~


“Alex, baby”

“No mommy, please. Don’t make me obey him this time. Uncle Ryan wants me to go in that ship and leave you here.”

“Baby. You need to go into that ship. Everything is going to be okay. We already talk about this. We are going to try to find another ship.”

“Why don’t you come in this one?”

“Baby please, you know we can’t.”

He felt someone pulling his shoulder and turned around to find Kevin.

“Come on Alex”

“How can you do this Kevin? How can you be so calm knowing that we are leaving them here?”

“Alexander, don’t talk like that to your cousin. This isn’t easy for him”

“Mom,” the kid said crying.

“No Alex. Listen to me. There are some things that you don’t understand now but you will some day. You have to listen to Kevin and Howie, baby. Just do what they say and they will explain everything to you.

“Kevin!” someone shouted. Alex turned around again to watch the rest of the family next to the spaceship that was about to leave. There were tears in everyone’s faces. Howie, Brian and Nick were already inside the ship standing by one of the gates. Brian was holding Nick, probably trying to stop the kid from doing the same thing that Alex had just done. They had already said goodbye and the gate was about to get close when Alexander decided to run. Her mother had come after him and now Kevin was there too.

“Alex, my father is calling for us. The ship is leaving. The captain can’t wait for us anymore.”

“Good. Then you can leave. I’m staying here.” he replied folding his arms.

“Go Kevin. Tell your father that we will be there in just a minute.” Rachel said and with that Kevin ran to the ship.

“Alexander James, listen to me. If you love me you are going to get into that ship right now.”

“Mommy” he cried.

“Baby” she added softening her tone “I promise that we will try to find another ship but you know that all civilians' flights are forbidden. Captain Roberts don’t want to take the risk flying us. If someone finds you he will tell that your parents are soldiers. We had gave him forged papers. But is just too risky to fly us. We just have to find another captain who wants to take that risk.”

“And why can’t we stay with you until then?”

“Because we can’t miss this opportunity.”

He looked into her eyes “You know that probably there won't be another opportunity, don’t you?”

She didn’t answered.

“Don’t you?”

“Yes, baby” she said without holding the tears anymore. “There is a chance that we can’t get out of here but you are going to be brave Alex. And you are going to do this for me. I know you don’t care right now and you are only listening to your heart but you have to hear me. There are big things in your future and I am proud to know that you will do them.”

He hugged her and she hugged him back.

“Now take this” she said taking off the chain she had on her neck.

“Your medallion? You had never taken it off before.”

“Every time you doubt about the decision you are making today, just hold this and you will remember that you did it because I asked you and because it was the right thing to do.” She placed the chain and the medallion in his hand.

“I love you mom.”

“I love you too Alex,” she whispered and holding his hand she walk with him to the ship. She gave him a last kiss and saw him climb up the ramp and reach the others by the gate.

He saw the spaceship gates closed and his heart sank watching his family for the last time. Even his uncle Ryan, the man he considered the bravest man over the face of Earth, had tears in his eyes. He heard the others cry. All of them were crying except Kevin but he was clenching his fists so tight that Alex knew that he was trying with all his heart to remain calm.

That night when they were all sleeping in the bunks of the little room Captain Roberts had gave them, Alex saw Kevin leaving the room. He decided to follow him and for the first time in his life he saw his cousin cried uncontrollably in a little corner of the ship.

~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~

I knew that entering Kevin’s room wasn’t a good idea. Why am I crying? God, so many memories. I opened a drawer just to found Kevin’s “pilot wings”, the emblem that he wore for so many years. I remembered the day he received them. Captain Roberts looked so proud. Jake Roberts, or like I loved to call him Captain “Jerk” Roberts. He never took care of us. I don’t know if he promised our parents to do it or not, but during all those years in Philippians the only one he showed any interest in, was Kevin. Captain Roberts was impressed by Train’s amazing skills as a pilot. Now that I remember it, Kev was just 14 years old when he was admitted to the Academy in the station. Oh boy, he wasn’t even the age Nick is now. They admitted him two years earlier because Captain Roberts recommended him. Howie and Brian had to wait until they turned 16 like everyone else. Good thing that the war ended before I turned 16 because I didn’t see me in that Academy with all the “yes, sir”, “no, sir”. Not that the little school in Philippians was much better but at least I was Miss Reagan’s favorite pupil. Boy, it seems like all that was centuries ago but it was just years. I played with the wings in my hand. Why am I so angry with Kevin after all he had done for us? I laughed remembering my many little confrontations with Captain “Jerk”. Man, the time Captain Roberts heard me calling him Captain Jerk was the worst. I think I was 10 or 11 years old. Kevin was already a soldier. If I remember it well Nicky was the one who saved me. He saw Captain Roberts grabbing me and went looking for Kevin.

~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~

“What’s going on here?” Kevin asked placing himself between his little cousin and the captain.

“This is one of your brothers, Private?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Well, he seems to be needing to learn some manners. I’m going to teach him to respect his elders.”

“With all respect sir. I’m the only one who punishes my brothers.”

“You have to know that your little brother just called me a jerk.”

Kevin gave Alexander a look and for a moment remained in silence but then he replied “I’m sorry, sir. You are right, he deserves to be punished for that, but as I already told you I’m the one who will punish him, sir." Kevin replied firmly. "Alex,” he added taking the boy by the arm “apologize to the captain.”

“I’m sorry, sir.”

The captain took a look at both of them before speaking again. “Boy you have to thank your brother here for saving you. If he wasn’t such a good soldier I wouldn’t be having these considerations with you.”

~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~ × ~× ~ × ~ × ~

I can’t believe that I still get shivers remembering Kevin’s look when the captain left. That probably was the time I had seen Kevin more furious with me, and boy, had he been mad with me many times.

I took the gun from the drawer and left the room. All those memories had changed my mood but I still wanted to practice my aim. I left the ship and found a place near the mountains - Man, this planet is big - and spent a couple of hours shooting at some cans. The mountain side of the planet was full of light too, which was pretty weird considering that K-Tawoor didn’t have a sun, star, or any natural satellite close, to bring light to the planet, but the inhabitants had covered the planet with artificial light.

“Hey!” someone said startling me.

“Jeff” I said after I turned around and found me in front of my 'rescuer'. “You scared the shit out of me. Don’t do that again.”

“Sorry. How is the shoulder? You look like you’ve never been shot.”

“The shoulder is perfect! I told you it was nothing. I didn’t think I would be seeing you so soon. Did you get the job?”

“No. They didn’t have any more places.”

“Sorry.”

“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t have lasted there anyway, I get bored too fast. Man, I’ve been watching you. You are an amazing shot. You haven’t missed a target.”

“Yes, it’s just something I do.”

“Did you learn in Philippians?”

“In part, in part I was taught by my bro.. my cousin.”

“You were going to say your brother.”

“I always referred to my cousins as my brothers. It’s just that we are like brothers.”

“Oh. Got to be cool to have brothers. Do you have a real brother?”

“No. Only child.”

“Hey, how come I didn’t notice it before; is that an ATX-5 laser?”

“Aha.”

“Wow, those are amazing guns. Your father’s?”

“My cousin’s.”

“So he was a soldier too?”

“Kevin and Howie became soldiers. After our fathers died we stayed at the base. They both went to the academy, being Philippians one of the biggest stations it had its own academy. Brian went to the academy too but the war ended before he had the chance to fight.”

He was looking at me like he hadn’t any idea what was I saying. I realized then that I was mentioning too many names.

“I have lots of cousins” I added smiling.

“I noticed” he said laughing “So, Kevin and…”

“Howie?”

“Yes, Howie. So, Kevin and Howie fought in the war.”

“Aha” I knew that I shouldn’t be telling so many things to a stranger but it was good to have a conversation with other human besides my brothers. “Kevin became a pilot. He ended fighting in Altamira’s battle.”

“Altamira? You mean he is a war hero?”

“We lost the war, remember?”

“Yes, but we won that battle.”

“You grew up in a military base too. Didn’t you go to an Academy too?”

“Nope. The war ended before I was 16.”

“You mean you are … 19?”

“Yes.”

“So you are younger than Rok?”

“Who?”

“Forget it. It’s just that you look older.”

“I’m starting to think that you look older too. How old are you?”

“I’ll be 18 soon.”

He gave me a look.

“Okay, in a couple of months.”

“Oh man” he said laughing again “I remember that 18 was a very important age at Earth.”

Well, for me it’s still a pretty important age. When I turn 18 Kevin won't be able to bind my powers any more. But then, Jeff doesn’t know that.

“Do you remember a lot about Earth?” I asked him.

“Yes. Didn’t your father tell you about it?”

“Not too much.”

“Why don’t we go take a drink in town and talk some more about Earth? You don’t have to be 18 to drink here, or was it 21 the age you needed to be to drink liquor on Earth?” he said laughing.

“I have no idea” I said laughing too and decided to accept the offer.

----
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