A Vial

Cece: I'll give you a quick introduction. Welcome to planet Earth.

Jake: ...Earth?

Lilli: Wait? We're already where we need to be? We've only been in the car for like...five minutes.

Cece: You really didn't land very far from our base. That's how we got to you so fast.

Jake: Looks like our plan to ditch the ship failed as soon as we landed huh?

Cece: Even if you did ditch the ship, we would've known where you were. As soon as you three entered our planet's radius, we've been watching you. We were also confused as to why you were descending slowly for 30 minutes, but I think I can put two and two together.

Lilli: ...Ugh, that's so embarrassing. Today seriously couldn't get any worse.

Cece: Well, look on the bright side, you're not dead. Now before we go inside, I'll need you three to put these on.

Cece opens the box to reveal three silver bracelets. She takes the bracelets out and passes one to each of them and waits for them to put them on.

Kay: What are these for?

Cece: They're mobile limiters with a built in tracking system and call function. It's so we can keep you in check at all times. They're also permanent and will only come off if I put in the passcode. So don't try to take them off. Now, let's start heading inside.

Cece opens the car door and leads the kids outside. From there they follow her towards a massive black building with large windows and solar panels on top. They continue inside, where they see men and women in business suits walking around with coffees and working on desktops.

Kay: Woah! This is kinda cool.

Lilli: This doesn't really look like a military base. The closest thing I've seen to the military were those armored cars and the helicopter.

Cece: Looks can be deceiving.

The kids continue to follow Cece down the hall to a door at the end of the hallway. Cece places her hand on a scanner to the right of the door and the words "access granted" were spoken. They walk to the middle of the room where a tall, dark skinned man, with a bald head and a scar over his left eye is standing there.

Cece: Kids, this is General Gate. Genny, these are the people that entered the planet.

General G: ...Do you know entering a planet without permission is a criminal offense punishable by death?

Lilli: We do sir, and for that we apologize. I had fallen asleep and one thing led to another.

General G: Consider yourself lucky child. Your unawareness of your actions helped save your lives.

Lilli lowers her head in shame after the General had hit her with his blunt words.

Cece: I will take them to their rooms now.

General G: Have Sky do it. I want you to stay here.

Cece: O-Okay.

Cece takes the kids to the right side of the room where there were two other kids. One of them is working on a desktop while the other is just hanging around him.

Cece: Lilli, Kay, and Jake. This is Rai and Sky. Sky will be taking you to your room.

Sky: Hi!

Sky reaches out and shakes their hands.

Sky: It's very nice to meet you. Okay, so, I've been unknowingly tasked to take you to your room, so...let's go.

Cece: Wait. Do you three have any questions before you go?

Lilli: Do you have anything we can use to contact our family?

Cece: We do. I'll have to go look for it since we never really had to use it before.

Rai: Well there's a first for everything.

The boy working on the desktop turns around to face the kids.

Rai: ...Hmm. So these are the people that were on the ship? What were your parents thinking letting you come here alone? Are they stupid?

Lilli: Excuse me?!

Kay: Uh oh.

Rai: I don't think I stuttered. What were your parents thinking? Or are you stupid too and can't comprehend.

Lilli: How about you watch your mouth, yea?

Sky: Okay! Let's go!

Sky instructs Lilli and the boys to follow her to the HQ's back door.

~~~~~

Cece: What the hell is wrong with you?

Rai: What? Do I have to respect the random intruders?

Cece: You don't know their reasons for being here.

Rai: Neither do you.

General G: Alright, that's enough you two. Cece, sit down.

Cece shakes her head and walks towards a chair next to Rai. The General finishes what he was doing and makes his way over to them.

General G: Rai, what have you been working on?

Rai: I've been working on trying to find a better way to defend ourselves. We may be an uncharted planet, but it's only a matter of time until somebody sees us as target practice. Luckily for us, I've located and contacted a nearby low-tier planet that's selling their only vial of a pretty rare resource. They call it, "vitaexi", aka the energy destroyer. It's so rare in fact, that most people don't even know of its existence.

Cece: If this thing is so rare why would they sell it to us? Why wouldn't they trade it with a higher tier planet for protection? I don't get it.

Rai: Look at it this way. If they trade with a higher tier planet, that same planet might betray them and the low-tier planet would have no other choice but to surrender everything to them. But, if they sell it to us, not only do they get paid but they won't have to worry about being back stabbed. It's a win-win. Only thing is, we need to be there in person to buy it.

General G: How much does it cost?

Rai: 500 million royals.

Cece: What?! First of all, if this thing is so powerful, why are they selling their only vial? And where are you getting the money for this thing?

Rai: I'll negotiate. Plus, they told me that their people aren't for war and that they have no use for it...I'd say, this is a once in a lifetime deal, we shouldn't pass it up.

General G: ...I'll have to make some calls, see what I can do. After I'm done with that, I'll need you to come with me Cece. We have some things to take care of.