This is just the beginning of something I wrote a year ago, so I'm surprised I dare put it up. But please tell me what you think.
Despite the Earth's fascination with the stars, landing on the moon was as far as they had got. They barely even understood the primitive planets they had discovered, never mind the vastness beyond these planets. Hundreds of planets they had never seen, that they didn't even know the name of. There was thousands of species they have never heard the tongues of, and hundreds and thousands of horizons never yet seen. Capital cities still not awed. Culture's still not admired. Millions of sunsets on horizons never watched. There were still planets out there being born, it's inhabitants just pulled through the pains of labour and stepping out into the light blinking and confused. Simple creatures yet to grace evolution. And there were worlds that had already lived out their time and had been destroyed. Who had already lived, to them, something that felt like an eternity. And then died. Nevermind scratching the surface, Earth hadn't found the surface yet. And all for one reason.
Moss Bank 7 was not known for being particularly pleasant. It shook nastily in it's brackets and tilted dangerously when it reached a certain angle of it's rotation on the edge of the Milky Way.
The beds in the rooms were stapled to the floor and the uniforms for the workers were ugly and bloated about the body they encased in their itchy form. Lying in the garden wearing said garment, Tala was contemplating the very subject of Moss Bank 7. His body was slender.
He was a hybrid child, straight from the The Farm itself, and he was extraordinarily more easy on the eye than the rickety Bank he lived in. Under the ugly suit his body was defined lightly with muscles, his skin smoother than an adolescent's should be. His eyes were an ethereal green, his hair as vivid as someone's best memory.
The garden was a small, square area with the trees from a far flung planet Tala had never heard of, and birds from his own home planet. The combination didn't seem to mix and the birds spent the majority of the time flapping terrified in the air, hovering over strange branches unknown to them and raising a cacophony of sound that made Tala's skull reverberate.
Moss Bank 7 couldn't get anything right. It couldn't even order the right type of trees for it's garden. The ceiling was made of the same net many children back at his home planet had on their bedroom ceilings to comfort them into sleep. PsychiNet was an old phenomena but no less practical for keeping your troublesome child occupied for a few hours. It created the scenery of whatever it's owner wanted it to.
Unfortunately, Moss Bank 7's PsychiNet was locked as it wasn't for personal use, simply there to enhance the feeling it's inhabitants were in the fresh air, or else Tala would have put a stop to the permanently bright blue sky studded with clouds. It was nauseatingly bright and alarmingly similar to torture for a young boy brought up on Tetchna, a planet known for snow year-round, icy winds, and snow-tsunamis. For four of it's months there were two hours of sunlight in it's ten hour day a day, and in the other ten months of it's year, the sky was so dark the sun looked so achingly beautiful and bright even it's inhabitants took time to admire it often.
Tala wasn't good with the permanent sunshine of the garden at Moss Bank 7 but at least it got him away from the oppressively small cabin he lived in it and his equally oppressive and equally small roommate. Archie Tundra could easily walk under the lower bunk bed in the cabin.
"Tala,"
Tala shut his eyes slowly, pretending to be asleep. His eyelashes fluttered slightly.
"Tala. Are you awake?"
A shadow fell over Tala's pale face.
"If you want to go home, I suggest you get up and pay attention,"
Tala's eyes shot open. The sun temporarily blinded him so he threw his forearm over his eyes as he leapt up. He blinked at the tall creature before him and gave a small smile.
"Home?"
"Yeah. The ship that was supposed to take you home next week has been having wiring problems for a couple of days and they discovered the whole thing has to be completely re-wired. It'll take a month. So the ship taking our latest set of retirees home is letting you take a ride,"
Tala nearly kissed the creature's swollen lips but even his elation prevented him from touching those overly-blood-vessel-filled objects.
"Really?"
"Really. Go on, get your bags packed and say goodbye to Archie. I've signed your form, saying you did your time,"
Tala found no time in his excitement to bother to say goodbye to his Commander and left the garden in a quicker fashion than he had done entering it.
"I'm going home! I'm going home! Woo!" Tala whooped, banging the walls and ceilings with his hands, thumping the cramped corridor like a champion would kiss a cup or slap his team mates on the back.
"Woo! Home! Come on!"
He nearly trod on Archie upon entering his bunks.
"Oh, Tala, hello," the little Okan smiled. He leapt with the spring only an Okan could posses and landed on the tip of Tala's bunk.
"What's all this fuss about?"
"I'm going home Archie, I'm going home!!"
"Home? Oh, yes. Home. I thought that was scheduled for next week?"
"I don't care Archie, I'm leaving! Ha-ha!"
"Well I hope you learnt your lesson Tala. Do you remember why you were put on Moss Bank 7?"
Tala was too busy digging around in his compartment to listen to Archie. He was singing under his breath. "Tetchna, Tetchna, Tetchna, I'm going back to you, I could laugh, I will sing, I could cuss …erm…something, something, something…hope there's room for one more on your surface!"
Archie busied himself tucking in the corner of Tala's bed sheets. His nimble fingers made light work of the silk.
"So, no longer will you help us in our quest to keep the Veil closed. No longer will you help us keep the vastness of space hidden from those that will hurt it. No longer-"
"Shut up Archie," Tala said, not being able to help a giggle escape his lips, "Do you have any idea how long I have waited for this?"
"Two Central years, which is how long you've been here-"
Tala threw his clothes into the awaiting bag he had ripped open. His shoes landed inside the bag with a soft 'whump'.
"Well if you're not going to listen to me I won't talk," Archie grumbled, "I have intelligence far beyond you and yet you never hear me speak. I could be explaining life itself and you wouldn't care,"
"No I wouldn't,"
Tala aimed his bag of pendants at his travel bag.
"Remember when I found that beetle? That species from earth? I knew it's name in Latin, a language of which half of Earth's stupid inhabitants can't understand themselves!"
"Hey, you're talking to a hybrid here, keep your mouth shut,"
Saying those delicious words made Tala shiver with delight.
"Now, out of these clothes,"
He ripped his shirt off, throwing it into his bag. He slammed himself flat on his back and began to wriggle out of the ugly sack-like jeans. Archie turned around.
"You don't even acknowledge my presence enough to ask for some privacy when you get undressed,"
Tala whipped on his own clothes, a luxury he was often denied on Moss Bank 7.
"Bye Archie," Tala panted, zipping up his bag. He slipped off his bunk and ran without looking back through the cabin front door.
At the docking bay, Tala stood in front of Moss Bank 7's Leading Director Caleb Shirley, holding his bag behind his back and trying to suppress the smile on his face.
"I hope you learnt your lesson during your stay here Tala,"
"Yes Sir. I have Sir. Thank you Sir,"
"Don't thank me. This was a punishment. Don't thank me for your punishment!"
"Oh! Oh Ok Sir. Sorry Sir,"
"That's fine Tala,"
Caleb was known for slight mood swings from time to time.
"Now get back to your home planet you pathetic little punk,"
Tala moved off, cowering a little in Caleb's immense shadows, "Yes Sir,"
"And I hope they're not too hard on you when you get back," he chirped, waving a hand.
As Tala wound his way between the retirees of Moss Bank 7 who were saying - either tearfully or jubilantly - goodbye to their home and their friends. He found a seat near the back and strapped himself in.
For some reason, his stomach felt tight and adrenaline made his hands twitch. Caleb had raised a big issue. They'd already sent him to Moss Bank 7. What were they going do to him when he got back? He had no-where to go. The system probably didn't want him anymore. Suddenly Moss Bank 7, even in it's creaky brackets, seemed more safe and secure than his homeland.