Donovan Silver stepped into the internal shuttle, found an empty seat but decided to stand. As usual, he turned heads, some bashfully stole concealed glimpses and some gazed prudently.

He was a God of a male Witch, with his naturally muscular body that was the envy of every man and conquest of every lesbian woman. His eyes were the color of emerald green. Captivating and hypnotizing whomever dared to stare, engulfing the beholder with a sense of exciting but neutralized danger in an atmosphere  of verdant peace. Adorning his face were silver blades curved in deadly waves around his head and just like tiny silver snakes, protruding from the light olive skin of a natural born killer. 

“It’s not my fault!” he reasoned with himself.

His thoughts carried him to the day he arrived to the UN Ring Station, a man who was broken and burdened with the fears of forever losing his beloved only daughter. They were dark; those first days of The M.S. Epidemic 14 years ago, when the world regarded every Natural Witch as a threat. But according to the Freudian Faith; "Time heals all wounds". And he was a strong believer.

As they came to a stop in the Darma Station, so did his thread of thoughts, he dismounted and walked along the various neatly packed shops. He found a florist shop, entered and chose 3 silver roses which were the most elegant of their kind. He then took the ascending plasma elevator to the open ground floor of the Darma station.

Like many sectors on the ground level of the station; The Darma had a glimmering artificial oval lake inhabited with swans, ducks, flamingos and other exotic birds. The nearby flutter of wings and chirps of birds accompanied the passers along with non-harmonious music of the Humpback whale. The pathways were lined with natural trees, huge leafy trees, ferns, florescent flower bushes which were the outcome of genetic engineering, and many residential cubicles. And like most of the interior structure in the UN Ring Station; for cost and weight reasons; only the floors, the ceilings, the stairs and the four beams of the structure were made of hard matter. The partitions were plasma energy fields that transformed from translucent to opaque with a touch of a button/voice command.

Walking parallel to the park, it took Donovan 10 pleasant minutes to reach his best friend’s house which was left transparent, sparking tantalizingly from the tiny ornaments of bug bulb lights decorating the ceiling and the shimmering clothes of the guests.

Jacqueline Cassem was chatting with a friend when she spotted him approaching and went to greet him.

"Darling!" she said with a broad smile. Smiling back he handed her the three silver roses and said "Silver roses to brighten up your night.” Glanced around him and continued, “I hope I’m not too late!”  She gave him a warm hug and said "Thank you. Darling for you, I would wait regardless!” She printed a glossy kiss on his cheek and ushered him in to mingle. Jackie was a Local UN citizen, she met Donovan while studying Biology in the Grand University and because she was a descendant of The Silver Tribe (two streaks of silver hair) it was easier for them to relate and became instant friends, they dated for 2 years while Donovan was studying Psycho History, but she decided to break it off after meeting her first female lover, regardless; they remained best friends.

"All right then!" she said to Donovan "I will go put these in a vase and leave you to mingle!"

He went to the bar, fixed himself a dry but sweet drink and looked around the room. It was a cosmopolitan; from UN nationals to middle class emigrants, to Naturalists, to Alienists, to Freudian’s, to Sagan’s. They were all conversing and laughing in a delightful atmosphere. He couldn’t help to notice an obvious couple of lesbian women whispering to each other while gazing at him.

"Here we go again!" he thought, and out of boredom he decided to approach them to amuse and introduce himself.

"Hello, I’m Donovan Silver. A psycho history professor." said Donovan. One of the two women extended her hand to shake his and said "Hi, I am Lina, a UN National and this is my wife Bella.”

Bella looked at Donovan with an obvious expression of contempt and said "Careful baby. He might haunt your dreams and sweep you away from me tonight!" and gave Donovan a presumptuous smile, extended her hand and said "Don’t mind my jealous nature, but Lina is worth my serious threats." Donovan chose to return the same smile. Jackie, who was standing nearby approached them and said "So Donovan! I see you have met a genuine couple of jokers! Sorry ladies, he is taken. Excuse us please!" and she took him by the arm and walked away.

"Sorry about that! What a bunch of loonies!" she said.

"No worries dear, I was enjoying myself, feeding on their ignorance!" he replied with a broad smile

"I know I interrupted your questionable feast, but I want you to meet someone very special. I think this one is THE ONE Donovan, so behave and lower your guard for once, please!"

"Oh, no. You are not pimping me again!" he exclaimed. With eyes faking innocence, Jackie said "Pleeeaase!!." And that was it.

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*The (Mass Suicide) Epidemic or M.S is just like the HIV virus but developed by Natural Witches in the war. It infects the mind of the victim with depressing, and suicidal thoughts through dreams.

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Next Chapter: The Dragon Bee