WARNING: INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE FOLLOWS DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU, JADE HAS A POTTY-MOUTH I’M SORRY EVERYONE I KNOW WHO IS FROWNING DEEPLY AT THIS WARNING, BUT THAT’S THE CHARACTER WHOOPS<\/p>\n
Never Home<\/p>\n
Chapter 1<\/p>\n
\n
Where am I? Why can\u2019t I feel my arms? Where\u2019s Aris? Where the hell am I?!<\/i><\/p>\n
*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/i><\/p>\n
\u201cJade, are you ready yet?\u201d Aris\u2019 voice came from the other side of the sliding door. Jade grunted and latched her sleek metal bands around her wrists.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, yeah, keep your pants on.\u201d She reached up and grabbed her helmet from where a spider-like bot held it in its jaws. It was a black helmet, with a visor that extended to the ears. There was a red skull painted on the top of the helm, though the paint had drooled down the sides, creating quite the look. Jade grinned at the six-eyed robot and it clicked its fangs happily.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you making eyes at that robot of yours again?\u201d Aris muttered. Jade frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d She turned and pushed her way out of their apartment. This particular complex was cheap, being on top of three shops and four homes, making it closer to the ground than desired. But it suited the two women well, the open plan easing some of Jade\u2019s anxiety and frequent taxis in the area allowed Aris to escape Jade\u2019s constant robotic upgrading. Besides, on their military pay, it was the only thing they could find short of a ground level home.<\/p>\n
Hearing Jade exit, Aris, a short blond in a white dress, turned away from the railing to look at her. Then Aris raised both of her brows.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d Jade crossed her arms over her blue-tinted armor. \u201cYou don\u2019t like this armor set? I thought it was nice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aris eyed her roommate, who looked ready to charge an entire army\u2014per usual. Though it wasn\u2019t the dress Aris had insisted Jade wear, at least it had a few artistic flares on it the kept her from losing her head. Jade rolled her shoulders back and smirked. Aris let out a long sigh.<\/p>\n
\u201cJade, we\u2019re going to a party.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cExactly why I have to wear armor.\u201d She moved her gloved hands to pull her helmet over her face.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s hardly\u2014no, don\u2019t put that stupid thing on!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHey, she\u2019s not stupid,\u201d Jade said, bundling her long red hair in one hand then stuffing the helmet over her face. Its interface started up, the blue screen flickering to life as she pushed stray strands of hair into the helm.<\/p>\n
\u2018It is a pleasure to see you again, mistress. You have gained .01 pounds since we last met. Might I suggest a diet?\u2019<\/i><\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/i>Jade ignored the comment and turned her face to Aris, who rubbed her brow with exasperation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was almost okay with this ridiculous suit of armor, but now? That helmet doesn\u2019t even match!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cChloe matches with everything,\u201d Jade defended. Aris\u2019 shoulders slumped before she smoothed out her dress.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019d think you\u2019d be more excited. They\u2019re going to give you a medal<\/i>. Don\u2019t you think you should at least dress up?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI did dress up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Aris threw her hands in the air and stormed off to the nearest stair case. Jade snickered and followed, leaving the open floor and following Aris to the main entrance, where they hailed a taxi as it flew through the air. Together they climbed inside and Jade leaned her head against the taxi window. The car rumbled and flew off the platform, into the strings of traffic overhead. Below her, she could barely see Nivar\u2019s natural land, long since made barren and lifeless. She supposed overpopulation did that to a planet.<\/p>\n
Factories sat at the lowest level of the towered buildings, long pipes stretching high into the air the pump the fumes away from populated areas and forming the cloud of smog that had dwelled in the atmosphere for decades. Though two suns orbited the large planet, they hadn\u2019t been seen for as long as Jade could remember.<\/p>\n
The taxi dipped under a walkway, crowded with artificial trees and small shops. People laughed and waved up at the cars that passed, most noticeably intoxicated. Jade wrinkled her nose at the sight. The higher the car travelled, the more walkways they had to dodge. They became crowded with people in suits and gowns. The politicians and wealthy owned the highest levels of the city through money and blackmail. Jade had never gotten along with any of the \u2018Goldies\u2019 she had met; most people frowned upon the Opes. Apparently the Exuro politicians didn\u2019t like their own soldiers. Jade couldn\u2019t understand why.<\/p>\n
The view outside her window stalled and she glanced ahead, peering through the front window. A traffic jam through the busiest part of the city.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can take the lower levels,\u201d Jade offered. Aris nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019ll be faster than sitting here. We\u2019re already late as it is.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMisses,\u201d the driver said, his word slow and deliberate. His brown eyes flickered into the rearview mirror. \u201cThe lower we get\u2026\u201d he trailed off when he noticed Aris\u2019 darkening expression.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there something wrong with the lower levels, sir? Didn\u2019t you pick us<\/i> up from the lower levels?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade grinned under her helm and glanced at the driver to gauge his reaction. He was human, like them, so it was easy to tell his discomfort as his lips pulled down. He turned the car out of the traffic and dived lower into the city. The city buildings had to have lights on the outside to illuminate the dark shadows the towers cast and traffic was sparse; most citizens avoided the lower levels unless they had a reason to be so far down. A few of the large pipes leaked, spewing black clouds into the air. The smell leaked into the cab and the human driver frowned deeper. It didn\u2019t bother Jade due to her helmet\u2019s oxygen cleanser, and Aris was used to the smell. After traveling far enough, the cab arched back up at a quick speed, slipping into the flow once more before setting down on a large landing pad near the middle of the main city\u2014and on the top of twenty other buildings.<\/p>\n
The party was in the city center, housed in a structure built out of metal but painted with a white sheen over details that created the illusion of it being made from wood. It was ornately decorated, stairs leading from the landing pad to the front doors. Beside the stairs were floating lanterns, suspended by magnets and illuminating the walkway with a flickering glow. The city had enough lights to brighten up the walkway, but the lanterns added a nice touch, Jade thought. Beside the lanterns were artificial trees, which kept oxygen levels high enough for most sentient creatures. They had black trunks with purple leaves and green flowers, something of a normal occurrence on Nivar. Most people had never seen a real tree before, unlike her and a few army buddies, so the switched colors didn\u2019t bother enough people to complain. She frowned at this as Aris and her stepped out of the cab and moved to the stairs. How strange it must be to be ignorant.<\/p>\n
The two soldiers moved their attention to the building and Aris nudged Jade with her elbow.<\/p>\n
\u201cJade, look!\u201d She pointed to two large flags hanging over the walls of the massive building. They were light color of red with a gold trim accenting the edges of the flag and they held the insignia of the Exuro\u2019s military branch: a gold circle around a blood-red handprint. Their motto was written in the circle\u2019s band: \u201cWe Do Not Bow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMarvelous, isn\u2019t it?\u201d Aris sighed with a look of joy on her face. Jade cast her a side-ways glance\u2014that wasn\u2019t all that effective in a helmet\u2014and frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey haven\u2019t hung the military flag in a long time,\u201d Aris continued. \u201cWell, c\u2019mon, let\u2019s go in!\u201d She hooked her arm around Jade\u2019s armored one, and started up the steps two at a time. Jade stumbled, struggling to keep up.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t often Jade saw the flag of the Opes, seeing as most civilians hated the military. Jade figured many people were still paranoid from the Thrax. After the disagreement on how to run a council of planets, the military had broken off and forged their own empire on the other planets not under Exuro control. The war had been raging ever since, each side holding tightly to their beliefs. If only the Thrax weren\u2019t so stubborn. Who cares if money buys happiness? Isn\u2019t that better than having a war? People dying? Families killing one another? Jade closed her eyes against the thought. Then again, I wonder if their soldiers are even drafted like us. Maybe the Thrax truly are freer like they say.<\/i><\/p>\n
Aris stopped suddenly, causing Jade to stumble forward. At the large double doors was a small metal circle attached to one of the door\u2019s sides. A yellow light was cast from its middle. Aris smiled to the two guards\u2014both humans\u2014and moved her eye to the light. It made a high-pitched whirring sound, then a green light flashed. Aris glanced back at Jade. Her face scrunched up with a moment of sudden concern and her eyes flickered back to the small circular machine. Jade shrugged. Aris nodded and went inside.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Jade Cavvar,\u201d Jade said, checking to see if her arm guards were in their proper place. \u201cI want to opt out of the eye scan.\u201d The two human guards glanced at each other, the one with a beard scratching at his chin.<\/p>\n
\u201cCorporal?<\/i>\u201d he asked, his eyes lingering on her helmet. A smile grew through the hair on his face and he chuckled. \u201cHow could we not know who you are? You wear that damn thing everywhere!\u201d He gestured to her helmet. Jade shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s a she<\/i>, not an it.<\/i>\u201d She grinned and gave a salute. She bundled both her fists and placed her left fist over her heart, and her right over her left. The two guards repeated it, the shaven male looking somewhat perplexed.<\/p>\n
\u201cSir?\u201d he said, eyes flickering to the man next to him. The bearded one laughed and clapped Jade on the shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is Jade. She wears this stupid helmet everywhere. I think she even sleeps with it on.\u201d He winked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cDavid knows me from the war,\u201d Jade explained to the second guard. \u201cHe\u2019s retired since then\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t be modest,\u201d David grunted, scratching his brown beard. \u201cI got out of the draft. I took up guard duty for stuck-up politicians.\u201d He smirked at Jade. \u201cThat\u2019s going to include you before too long, if you\u2019re not careful, Jade.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jade snickered and shrugged. \u201cCan I go in, David?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course!\u201d He walked over to the eye scan and opened his brown eyes wide. The light flashed green and he moved out of the way so Jade could enter.<\/p>\n
(end of part 1, part 2 is much more exciting, sorry x’D The chapter is just long!)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WARNING: INAPPROPRIATE LANGUAGE FOLLOWS DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YOU, JADE HAS A POTTY-MOUTH I’M SORRY EVERYONE I KNOW WHO IS FROWNING DEEPLY AT THIS WARNING, BUT THAT’S THE CHARACTER WHOOPS Never Home Chapter 1 Where am I? Why can\u2019t I feel my arms? Where\u2019s Aris? Where the hell am…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[197],"tags":[21,29,23,72,129,130,16,13,12,128,7,68,69,14,114,60,97,37,133],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p27tjX-bN","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=731"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":732,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/731\/revisions\/732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=731"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=731"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/winter-publishing.com\/welcome-to-winter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=731"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}