The Enemies

The City of Karm

Oden

Evans leaves me in the hall on the first floor, crawling with people. The place is enormous. The colorful dots against the grey walls is a sharp contrast to what I am used to. Drellians wear one-color garments, usually blue, grey or black. Mesmerized, I sit on the white leather couch and watch them. People hurry in and out of the building talking loudly, saying their 'hellos' on the way. Karmians are always disorderly and noticeable by their manners. But in fact there are not very different from us.

I peek at the plastic bag Evans gave me and find two identical black jackets. One is of a larger size than the other. I try both on. Choose the larger one and put the smaller coat back in the bag.

My communicator vibrates showing two messages. One that my identity is approved and added to the Karmian military database. The level of access – 'Assembly, partial.' Apparently, I am a member of the Assembly now. Incredible. My father will have a stroke when he learns. Candreds are the perfect Drellian family. What a horror! The favorite son dead and another one siding with an enemy. They will never see it any other way.

Another message is from Evans, instructing me to go back up to the helideck. I make my way to the elevators. Several people nod my way as if they know me. I nod in reply to be polite. I press the screen with my palm. It scans my finger. Almost immediately the number of the floor, the elevator is now, pops up on the screen.

As I wait for the doors to open, a young woman joins me. She smiles and after a second says, 'Hello.' I return her smile but remain silent, keeping my eyes on the metal doors.

We both exit on the top floor. Before I can get to the stairs she tries one more time.

'I am Kathryne. And you are?'

My upbringing is the only thing that makes me pay attention. Her eyes are dull blue, almost grey, fair hair and exceptionally friendly face. Her smile occupies half of it, showing her white teeth. I feel anger rising up as a huge wave inside me.

'Oden Candred. Ex-major of the A9 sniper sduad, under the Republic of Drell,' I answer. Then as a sockdolager, I add, 'Good friend of Rhea Flint.'

The smile flees from her face. Her eyes round and she suddenly realizes she is in the hall with closed doors. Alone. With me.

I smile. Friendly. I am not sure what scared her more – the fact that I am Drellian or how poorly I speak Karmian.

'I'm sorry. I must have confused you with someone else.'

Kathryne with unbearably dull blue eyes recoils from me as if I were radioactive.

'Yes. I figured that much.'

With a smirk I watch her hurry down the hall. Then take the stairs to get to the roof. I find Evans in an immense green sky jet. He remains silent when I take the passenger seat.

'It will take us an hour to get to Moneree.'

He sets the location and we take off.

I nod and since we are flying low observe the surroundings. Soon enough, we are out of Stolnter, above the large highways sliding their way through the land like enormous snakes. Unlike Drellian, they are built high in the air on massive columns, but I can still see the ground, with trees and green grass. Highways in Drell built lower and broader with tall walls, shielding the earth from noise. Karmians do not bother with that.

'Where do you live?'

Evans is not my friend by any means. But it would be nice to have at least one familiar face in Karm.

'I live in Stolnter, but I have to travel to Moneree frequently. These last two months, I practically live there.'

I regard him puzzled.