12th Cycle, day 3, 3064.
  When I signed up for this I didn’t expect it to be so horrendous. I expected to tell some kids to keep it quiet, to escort teens to the detention section, but nothing like what I have been doing. They’ve had me torturing people. Removing their skin, pulling off their nails. And for what? Information, punishment, both honestly. A small rebellion had peaked a few months back and the leaders had been detained, but they were promised no harm, yet not granted the luxury of a kept promise. I can’t do this, not to these people, especially when I agree with the rebellion leaders. It was horrible, and now as I lay next to my wife I wonder what she would think of her father’s orders, of her love’s deeds. I wonder if she would still love me if she knew who I had become.

1st cycle, day 28, 3065.
  Promotion. That’s what they have granted me. A seat on the council, a place with the leaders of the government I hate. A place with say, but no leeway to actual make a change. I have the people’s hearts and I have the people’s ears. Yet what good is that without any real power? I was granted this position for loyalty to the government and carrying out those horrifying acts. Eden says she is so proud of me, but if she knew of the blood on my hands then she would hate me. Hate who I am, and not believe in what I stand for. There is a rumor going around that a shuttle is being prepared for launch to Earth in a few years, and I know it’s true. Theo told me about his promotion to be put on the team to prepare it.

3rd cycle, day 7, 3065
  Never have I been more appalled by someone than the man who claims to be Eden’s father.  He is a vile man, with a heart made purely of ice and steal. He treats his own flesh and blood as if she were nothing. As if she were a disappointment, as if she weren’t the most perfect being to ever inhabit his life. He treats her like the dirt he has never walked on or even seen. He tells her that her dreams of going to Earth are silly, and that the world she cherishes so dearly will remain a dream. The stars she observes all night are nothing more than gas in the galaxy, but if she sees them as beautiful, twinkling diamonds then I do as well. Her dreams are mine and I will always cherish them.

Looking back on everything I did still makes me feel like a s***ty person. Eden still has no idea what our government is like, even if she disagrees with them, she doesn’t know how corrupt they are. Unless you’ve been apart of the government, you really have no idea about what truly goes on. In all honesty, I didn’t even know about everything we were doing, and I have one of the highest positions on the council.
Time had passed by more quickly than I thought it would. The announcement came over the intercom, stating that if we were part of the selected group going to Earth we needed to head to the shuttle. I zipped my suitcase before heading tot the front door. Turning off the lights and taking a final look was the last thing I did before I muttered a “Let’s f***ing do this” and left my home.

The shuttle had a crowd pooling before it. Everyone had their luggage sitting neatly beside them. Some carried massive bags, others just having a pair of shoes and an extra outfit. Most of them were teenagers, fidgeting in their place, full of anxious, nerve wracking, thoughts. They were leaving the only place they knew, the only place they had ever set foot on, for a whole new life, or even no life.

Disease had wiped out most of the population, causing a meeting of the nations. Our world was slowly coming to an end. In a final attempt to preserve life, our leaders decided to send a select group of 1,000 people into space. At first we were to find a new planet to inhabit, but that goal was out of our reach when we couldn’t even get out of our own galaxy without the risk of killing most of us. It’s been over a thousand years, and we were reclaiming our home.

The shuttle was alive with the excitement and angst of the people who would soon be my people, who wouldn’t have to worry about their voices being hear because they know that I will listen to them. My people ranged from age fifteen to twenty, standing amongst their peers who had been selected as well. Out of everyone on the ship only 220 were selected to be sent home.

The test consisted of many separate tests, including Knowledge of Earth and Earth History, a physical test, and a medical test. The knowledge portion was the hardest to pass, it consisted of three parts.

Part I: Before the break
Part II: Before the 21st Century
Part III: Basic knowledge of geography, nature and survival.

The medical test was the next part, the step that most people couldn’t pass due to medical issues. You had to get tests run, and blood work done. If you weren’t medically stable then you were automatically considered not a candidate anymore. We started with 550 people, in this are out of the 500 that passed the knowledge, we had to turn down 200, leaving us with 300 people left.

The physical test was just an utter pain in the ass, in my opinion. Everyone here was already required to be physically fit, and maintain a specific body weight to remain healthy. This consisted of obstacle courses, running for miles on end, weight lifting, and even self defense. Out of the 300 only 232 made it. Out of that 232, twelve decided they were too frightened and didn’t want to partake in this amazing experience, which honestly pissed me off.

To be granted such an opportunity that so many wanted, but can’t have, and then turn it down, is just such a f***ing waste of time and oxygen. Those people didn’t realize ho

w lucky they were, but it’s done and over with now.

The time had come, everyone had a tracking device and of course we all had our telecasts, so we could all communicate. We were to report in every twelve hours until we reached land, and every six hours after we had landed and set up camp. We all fit snuggly in the shuttle, with just enough room to fit about ten more people. The doors began to slowly shut, sealing us in as they did.

“Commander Lucy!” A shout pierced through the air, causing my neck to snap back towards the opening of the shuttle, only to see what I had feared; Director Conrad.

“S***…s*** s*** s*** s***.” I muttered under my breath, the doors were almost shut and sealed, just one more minute and I would have been home free.
“Guards, stop those doors from closing!”
“Sire, once the doors begin to close, they only do it once, if we stop them now then we will have to have the mechanics rewire, and that could take six months. We’re under orders from Lucy to not open them, and she is the lead commander for the expedition, sir. With all due respect it’s her decision to make.”
“Get out of my damn way!” He pushed through the guards, but it was already too late, the doors were sealed and we were about to launch.

I gave him a slight smile while lifting my middle finger, and then we were gone, surrounded by dreams and stars. Surrounded by all of our hopes and beliefs, surrounded and awe struck. The stars were ablaze with life, lighting the dark universe with their smiles. Brilliant swirls and twirls lit our eyes as we traveled, leaving blinking sparks when our eyelids shut, leaving glowing figures across them. It was wonderful, and it was ours.

I went to the hatch where Lucian and Eden were curled into themselves, under the floor. Opening the hatch brought me mass amounts of elation, pure joy coursed through my veins as I opened the hatch. Eden was still sound asleep, while Lucian sat next to her, allowing her to rest her head on his lap. Hopping down into the metal cell was enough to wake Eden, causing her to jolt upward in a start.

She rose up, greeting me with a smile and a warm kiss. Her dark hair falling into her face, obscuring my view of her eyes. Her pale skin reflected the light of the stars, and her eyes reflected the pattern of the stars, illuminating the blue ocean waves that crashed against her pupils. She held me tightly as she stared into the abyss of space, stretching out beyond our reach. The pure sight of her joy made my heart flutter and skip the normal beats, shortening my breath with every moment.

This was all she had ever wanted, and I was able to give it to her, I was able to gift her with the galaxy, and her freedom that she pleaded to have. We were free, we were our own people now, we were able to do as we pleased and be who we pleased. No ifs, no ands, and no buts. No rebelling because we all stand for the same cause, we all stand for the same purpose and we stood to unite.

It had been three hours aboard the shuttle, most people slept to pass the time. Silently breathing as the they lie there, propped on each other for bodily support in order to not fall or jerk awake. It was a smooth ride, for the most part. It would be a smooth ride until we have to break through the Ozone layer in about 47 minutes.

Eden was drawing the stars surrounding the earth, her pastels graced the page with their colors, accentuating each and every mark she drew. Her fingers gripped firmly around them, leaving small oily marks on her hands, staining the surface of her skin. Her lips remained in an elated smirk, the pinky surface of them expanding as she smiled even larger. Her lips were plump, due to her Asian decent, and her nose barely poked off of her face, curving into her cupids bow as if she were drawn to be this way.

She looked up to see me staring at her, I didn’t look away, I didn’t bother with hiding the fact that I loved her, and loved looking at her.

“Lucy, would you quit staring at me.” She added a giggle to her voice, letting me know she was joking.
“You’re just so perfect, I could honestly just trace your features for hours. I just… I just really love you.” 
“I love you too.” She muttered into her notebook as she began drawing again.

“I’m going to go see Theo. Okay?”
She didn’t respond, she was too enveloped in her art work. I got up and carefully made my way to Theo. I tiptoed through the bodies that were scattered across the floor, dodging limbs, heads, and even hair. The was on the other side, by the command and control board. He was in charge of the ship functioning properly, and getting us to land safely. He sat atop the stairs as if it were his throne, claiming the control area as his own. It was obviously something he took mass amounts of pride in.

“Heyyy commander.” He flashed a wink my way, and a pearly smile.

I wasn’t used to being called commander yet, who knew if I’d ever get used to it. I doubt that it would bother me in the long run, but for now it does.

“Hey Theo, don’t call me that… How is everything going? Are we good to land soon?”
“We should land in about an hour or so, I think we’ll have a good, clean, land. We shouldn’t have a problem, soon we’ll set foot on solid ground.” He gave a warm smile and a pat on my back, causing me to jerk slightly, due to our difference in stature.

Theo was tall and muscular, while I was barely over five foot, and quite petite. He had large emerald eyed that adorned his dark skin, sticking out like a sore thumb. His hair was curly, and long. His grandmother was an African woman, but his grandfather was white, and his mother was white as well, giving him beautiful mocha skin and wonderful curls. His hair had grown out passed his broad shoulders. It curled around in loops, shining as the light reflected off of it.

His jaw jutted out, and his cheekbones arched upward, giving him a hollowed out jaw. He was a good looking young man, if you were into men. Many of the girls seemed to adore him and his quirky personality, but he never seemed to take interest in any of them, it has been that way since we were children. Girls always chasing him through the halls, but he never gave them the slightest bit of attention, or the time of day. Even as he grew into a teen he seemed to take no interest them. I never bothered to ask why, I figured he would eventually find someone or decide to tell us what he was thinking on his own volition.

“Sounds great.”

The cabin was filled with individuals of all ethnicities, from middle eastern to Scottish, Hispanic to Greek. We had as many ethnicities as possible, and as many mixes as you could get without mixing blood lines.