Last day

Planet Praxedis

Known throughout the system as the Yellowstone because of its heavy industrial activity who had reshaped the planet view from space, Praxedis was a heavily populated planet of the Nembus system and was mainly known for harboring the exclusive construction site of Johnson Capital ships.

Capital ships were the most expensive ships on the system because they contain all the technological progress and had a construction time of 5 years. They have the ability to influence regions thus were exclusively commissioned by the central authority for strategic operation throughout the system when they wished to show some muscles.

The development of heavy industries on Praxedis was due to its ideal position. Cargo ships from all over the system came and went constantly.

This was the destination Gary and the 5 year old young Brian Onana fled and had been living for 13 years.

It was so then that waking up this morning, 18 year old Brian was particularly happy as it was his last day of high school. Not that it mattered much, he should've left the school a years ago but failed to obtain his ticket route to his academy of choice twice.

Not wanting to stay doing nothing or breaking the law with shady businesses, he decided to change series and thus continued going to school. Extra knowledge always helps !

Realizing he might be late, he rushed to his bathroom to take his bath. Water stopped flowing while he was doing his deed.

He let out an annoying mumble "Third time this week ! there have been uprisings for less than this before" Then he asked aloud "Viola, what about the emergency storage? is it finish as well ?"

[ It was the emergency storage, i stopped supplying you because the critical level was reached, only 20 liters remaining ] The AI replied in a feminine voice.

"Redirect 3 liters more damn !! what do you want me to do with all this soap over my body ?" He said frustratingly and water came back flowing, He continued "Please stop this prank on me every time, not when I'm in a hurry. I might be late" And left immediately the bathroom.

He finished preparing himself and stood in front of his smart bedroom mirror to check. Today he opted for a black T-shirt who fitted perfectly to his body, a black pant who didn't go further than his ankle and white boots.

He looked just like his handsome father, with silver hairs and deep piercing brown eyes. He was 1.9 meters tall with a slim athletic build.

While he continued staring at the mirror its integrated AI spoke. [ Rain due to fall on the southern part of section 14 at 09:23 standard time, duration time of 37 minutes. Recommended to take appropriate measures and clothes]

Brian simply shrugged and turned to leave. Even if it was a storm he had nothing to worry about. Rain droplets never reached their surface of section 14, the architecture wasn't chaotic, on the contrary it was perfectly organized to the point where no cm of space was wasted, just that they were 150 meters under surface level.

'This is a problem for people on the surface' he thought. Then a second message popped up, this time around with a face.

[ Boy, i am off to the docks. We need to have a conversation tonight, don't sleep without waiting for me] Then he cut.

'Always straight to the point' Brian thought while frowning a little and wondered what it was about.

Gary was a second father to him. He had always known him after the tragic night who changed the course of his life. He learned everything there was to learn about combat techniques and strategies with him.

He always felt Gary was repaying a debt to his late father by teaching him these extremely valuable skills not found anywhere, unless of course those born from the great houses and other powerful industrial families.

That's why he was extremely grateful to him. A man of his caliber could make a very good living in the system and his services were surely valuable even to the most illustrious houses.

But he was lowkey since then, so it wasn't an understatement when Brian claimed to know perfectly Gary, until recently though.

'He became a little bit too quiet these days like he was plotting something' Brian thought but He knew he was over thinking this.

He simply picked up something to eat while commanding a taxi with his Timer as he opened his balcony doors. A commissioned Taxi descended to him at once and stationed next to him. There weren't at ground level but it didn't matter, transporting vehicle rarely went by ground level except very important convoys.

He said to the taxi "Come closer and let out the ramp you stupid thing. How do you want me to enter ?" obeying him, it came at the proximity of the apartment balcony and he jumped inside. They took off at once.

The underground city of sector 14 had thousands of these flying taxis at all time into the "sky". they flew at prearranged travelling routes and were entirely autonomous. It was deemed that AI controlling these vehicles were more efficient than humans, the crash probability was 0.3%.

Flying at full speed to his school, Brian just stared at the window observing. There was constant activity, white smoke coming out of some buildings, advertising screens and neon lights everywhere, the last time sunlight touched his skin was 3 weeks ago.

There were in total 30 sectors in planet Praxedis, the concept of countries had long since disappeared for thousands of years in the history of mankind, laws had long since merged to a galactic level. What could be called countries now were known as sectors and separated by numbers.

Sectors were overpopulated, they sometimes contained up to 3 billion individuals both at the surface and the underground.

Finishing gazing up, he realized the vehicle stopped at his school. when he tried to make the payment with his Timer, it didn't work.

[ ride time price is 7 minutes ] the robot AI announced.

"What ?" Brian exclaimed "Yesterday the price was 5 minutes !"

[New pricing policy took effect at 00:00 standard time. if you have any complain, you are welcome to addressed them at our risk & problem solving department.] the AI replied.

"Leave it, i will pay." He could leave the car without paying, but that was running the risk of being blacklisted and this was the worst thing to happen to a citizen.

"I swear, everything becomes more expensive as time goes by" He jumped off the car to the direction of his school.