The planet Relkaar has a day of 17 hours. It orbits around its twin suns and hosts a population of 17 billion people. The most technologically advanced planet in the galaxy, its citizens made the mistake of overusing their natural resources. Now one of the most opulent societies of the new age struggles to provide bare necessities.

On the top floor of one of the tallest buildings in the Stacks, one of the poorer districts on the planet, Strella LaOre sat in her bedroom, reading a book. The book was an old book about a young boy who ran away from his home because his parents gave him everything. The boy wanted to prove he could make it on his own. Of course, there were many silly obstacles that got in his way. Right now the boy was trying to trick a group of savages that could tell whenever someone was telling a lie into giving him their hair, which he needed to pay a fairy for a magic spell. Strella had read this particular book four times previously, not because she thought it was particularly good, but because the only books she had access to were her mom’s old books from college and there wasn’t much of a selection.

“Strella, come here please,” a voice sounded from downstairs.

Strella put down the book she and walked down the loud metal stairs to where her mother stood in the kitchen.

“Your father and I have to go off planet for a meeting, so we need you to watch Astrid.”

“Another meeting?”

“Yes,” her mother sighed, “if we can’t find someone to provide coal for us, we might have to shut down the plant.”

Strella nodded. She hated having to assume so much responsibility around the house, she was only fourteen, but she knew that if her parents couldn’t find a way to provide energy to the district, they could lose their livelihood. And even worse, the whole district would start falling apart without the required electricity.

“Right,” she said.

Her mother must have understood her lack of enthusiasm. “Honey, I know it’s not fair to ask you to be so grown up when don’t want to be. I know that when I was your age, I was out everyday shopping with my friends or going to the movies. Maybe that makes it my fault that you have to stay here and look after your younger sister, and clean the house, and I’m very sorry for that, but that doesn’t change the fact that your dad and I have to leave to try and fix this problem and it doesn’t change the fact that your sister is only ten and needs someone to look after her,” Strella looked up at her mom’s face and saw a tear rolling softly down her cheek. Valentine LaOre knelt and took her daughter into her arms, “Honey, I’m so proud of you, thank you for being such a wonderful child.” she said as she stood back up and walk quietly to the window where a bike-drawn cab was pulling up.

“There’s your father now. I have to go, there’s about a week’s worth of dehydrated meals in the pantry, but we should only be gone for three or four days.”

Strella, who was still somewhat in shock from her mother’s previous outburst, ran a couple of steps and gripped her mom around the waist.

“I love you mom,” she said, “thank you.”

Her mom nodded and walked outside to the waiting carriage.

Next Chapter: Sylvester