Chapter Text
By some miracle, Micatli had managed to sneak out of her sleeping quarters completely unnoticed. She had little more to do before she left. She had already packed a bag with the few keepsakes and mementos she couldn’t bear to leave behind, and with that, it was time to say goodbye to the last person she had in this life: her brother. She made her way through the temple’s halls towards the mens’ dwellings and, with deliberate care, through the squeaky door that led into his quarters. “Cotzli,” she whispered as she snuck up to his bedside. “Wake up.”
“Wha...?” he groaned, squinting through the darkness at the shadowy figure looming over him. “Micatli? What are you doing here?”
“I...” She hesitated for a moment. “I’m leaving.”
“What?” He sat upright, instilled with a sense of worry. “What do you mean?”
“I’m running away.”
“No, you can’t do that!” he said, his voice laced with panic. “What’ll the Stargazers think? You’ll get in so much trouble!”
“It won’t matter,” she murmured. “Hopefully, I’ll never see them again.”
“Where are you going?!”
“I’m going to Earth to join the Protectorate. I hope to become one of their Protectors—I’ll patrol the galaxy as a herald of peace and prosperity. I’m not going to die here like Mom and Dad. There’s a better life waiting for me out there. I need to find it.”
A single tear rolled down Cotzli’s cheek. “Is this really goodbye? You’re leaving forever?”
Micatli nodded solemnly. “Yes. Forever.”
He grabbed her up in a hug. “I know you’ve been unhappy here,” he murmured. “I understand why you want to leave. If you really think there’s a greater purpose for you out there, go find it. And, um... please, if you’re able, just let me know you’re all right.”
“I’ll try,” she sniffled. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to, but I’ll try, I promise.”
“Whether or not we cross paths again, I hope you’ll be happier in your new life. I know in my heart that Mom and Dad would still be proud of you. Safe travels, Micatli. I love you, and I’ll miss you dearly for as long as I live.”
She choked back a sob and nuzzled his beak with her own in a gesture of deep affection that Avians share only with their closest of kin. “I’ll miss you, too, and I love you now and forever, my brother. You’ll always hold a special place in my heart.” They reluctantly released one another, and with a tender touch, she wiped the tears from his cheeks. “If anyone asks, you don’t know what happened to me. I just disappeared. And... try not to worry about me. I’ll be okay. Goodbye, Cotzli.”
Micatli hurried out of the room, trying not to give herself long enough to look back and change her mind. Cotzli was the only person in the universe who she truly loved, and now that she had said her goodbyes, she was ready to leave. Her next step was to rendezvous with her friend Itzli, a former templegoer not much older than her who had taken a leave from Avos to explore the stars with a Protectorate captain. She felt lucky to have his alliance, as few of her people were ever allowed off the planet. She disappeared into the shadows in the temple’s grand chamber where Itzli had promised to meet her. Sure enough, she found him lurking just out of sight behind a pillar, his coal black feathers blending in with the darkness. “All right,” she whispered. “I’m ready.”
Itzli nodded, unshouldering his knapsack. “Good. Now, I found you some clothes that won’t stand out so much. I’ll turn around so you can change. Hurry up.”
Micatli’s traditional handmade outfit certainly would’ve looked out of place by alien tastes. These new garments appeared to be made from some sort of synthetic fiber, pleasantly smooth against her feathers, finished with strikingly perfect hems and seams. Among them was an odd-looking hat with a long brim that projected from the front. It didn’t fit very well, but it’d help conceal her bright red feathers and disguise her as a spacefarer so nobody would recognize her on the trip through town. Save for the hat, the outfit looked similar to what Itzli wore—long black pants, a well-fitted gray shirt, and undergarments to match. As usual, her rugged Avian feet remained bare.
Itzli grabbed Micatli by the wrist and led her outside. “Just act like you belong. Hopefully, nobody will recognize you in that outfit.”
“O-okay...” Micatli stood up a bit straighter and slipped a hand into her pocket. Only a few guards patrolled the town this late at night, and luckily, the only one they encountered sat idle on a bench, preoccupied with a copy of the Avoscript. He gave them no more than a brief glance.
With every step she took, Micatli felt less and less certain that leaving home was the right thing to do. It didn’t help that their route took them past a few of the places she and her friends used to frequent as children. Familiar market stalls, houses, and gathering spots brought back so many memories as she walked by them for the last time. She choked up, but she managed to keep her composure, stoically following Itzli to the spacecraft that’d take her away to some distant place.
The pair stopped just outside the boarding hatch. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Itzli asked. “It’s not too late to turn back.”
Micatli swallowed a sob. “Yes. I’m sure.”
Itzli nodded solemnly. “All right. Now, I told Captain Mako you wanted to come aboard. I haven’t quite gotten a firm agreement out of him. He’s a tough old bastard, but if you behave, I think he’ll play along. Just stay out of the way and do as he tells you.” He opened the hatch and ushered her inside.
Micatli found herself in a small but comfortably sized common room, furnished with a table and a handful of tall utility cabinets among other amenities. The chemical smell of synthetic materials stung her nostrils and the bright white lighting hurt her eyes. She kept her head down and followed Itzli into the cockpit. “Wait here,” he said. “I’ll go get the captain.”
While he was gone, Micatli scanned the room. Smoothly curved glass windows gave a wide view of the starlit desert outside. Strange indicators peppered what appeared to be the control console, some steady and some blinking and pulsing in a mesmerizing display of light showcasing colors from all across the rainbow. She cautiously approached the panel for a closer look. She felt tempted to flip a switch or turn a knob and see what it did, but she knew that’d most likely get her in quite a bit of trouble. She folded her hands in front of her and waited patiently for Itzli to return.
A couple of minutes passed before her old friend reappeared, now led by a gruff-looking Hylotl. She’d seen his kind working aboard the cargo ships that came to town every now and again, but never up close. He stopped in front of her, squinting down at his new passenger with his three beady red eyes.
“This is Micatli,” Itzli said, gesturing towards her. Mako extended his hand towards her and spoke something in an alien language she’d never heard before. From the bewildered look on her face, Itzli knew what was wrong. “Damn it,” he muttered. “Right... you need a translator. Hold on.” He rifled around in a cabinet for a few moments and came back bearing a sleek-looking headband. He fitted it to her head, and suddenly, a metallic Avian voice spoke into her ear. “Translation engine running,” it said.
“There we go,” Itzli said. “See if that works.”
“‘Micatli,’ is it?” the captain said, his voice now coming across clearly in her native language.
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“Hmm. Now, where are you going in such a hurry?”
“I want to join the Protectorate,” she said.
Mako stared blankly at her. “You, a Protector? You’re tiny. You’re not built for that.”
Micatli’s face fell. “Well, I—I don’t know what else to do.”
“Temper your expectations. I’ve seen women as small as you piloting spacecraft, but you’re going to have a hell of a tough time. I mean, you’re barely even an adult! How do you expect—”
Itzli stepped forward. “Hey, don’t be so pessimistic. I know her. She’s cut out for the Protectorate, I promise.”
“Sure she is,” Mako scoffed, turning back to Micatli. “Young lady, I’m shuttling you around on my dime, so you’d best make this worth it, and I won’t be coming back around to pick you up when the Academy knocks you on your puny little ass, do you understand?”
“Y-yes, sir,” she squeaked.
Mako turned and sat down at the control board. “Now let’s get the hell out of here before anyone notices you’re missing. By the way, I’d like to remind you that I’m putting myself in quite a bit of danger doing this,” he said, flipping switches and turning dials as he spoke. “I may not be able to show my face in your town ever again. They’d most likely suspect me of harboring you.”
“Thank you for taking that risk for me,” she said. “I appreciate your selflessness.”
“I’d say ‘you’re welcome,’ but you’re on bloody thin ice. Strap in and shut up. We’ll be taking off shortly.”
This was it—she was leaving home forever. The engines’ startup sequence gave her plenty of time to ponder her decision over the unfamiliar noises of alien machines at work somewhere deep within the ship. A heavy crackling sound was quickly followed by a dull roar, and the ship began to shudder as it lifted off the ground. Once it had lifted off, the sound of the engines intensified, and the ship jolted forwards, accelerating towards the cold expanse of space.
Micatli looked through the windows as the spacecraft banked around town. She could see her temple and, perhaps most gut-wrenchingly, the tower from which her parents leapt when she was young. Tears welled up in her eyes, and she began to worry that she’d made a horrible mistake abandoning everyone she knew and the very few she loved, but she knew a better life awaited her, or if all else failed, a death free from the crushing rule of Kluex.
As the ship ascended towards the outer reaches of Avos’ atmosphere, streaks of what appeared to be fire licked over the windows. At first, she shrunk back in fear, but the ride had long since smoothed out—perhaps this was normal. It was quite captivating to watch the flickering orange glow dimly illuminate the cockpit. When the flames died off, the stars came into view.
Without atmospheric haze or artificial light, she could see so much of the night sky that she never would’ve seen from Avos’ surface. Each of those little dots was an entire star, many with their own planetary systems. One day, she’d get to visit a tiny percentage of them, setting foot on faraway grounds and standing before a million skies and oceans unlike her home planet’s own. The prospect of exploring the galaxy filled her with a mix of excitement, fear, and anxiety that made her heart race. What kinds of danger would she face? Would she even make it beyond Earth? Ideas, hopes, and dreams raced through her mind, all inspired by the sight of the expanse before her.
After a full fifteen minutes spent staring out into the vast star-dotted void outside the ship, Captain Mako interrupted her reverie. “Get ready, Micatli. We’re about to jump. It’ll get a little rough for a few moments.” A new sound rang out through the hull: a deep roar, rapidly ascending in pitch and volume. It grew frighteningly loud before, at its climax, the ship lurched forward, accelerating quickly enough to make her dizzy. It almost felt like she would pass out, but after a short few moments, the intense g-force lessened and the ride calmed.
Mako took his hands off the controls. “We’re all clear. Itzli, you are dismissed, and Micatli...” He thought for a moment. “I suppose I can’t formally dismiss you, now can I? Whatever the case, you’re Itzli’s problem now. Speaking of, there are only two crew compartments on this ship, mine and his, and you’re certainly not staying with me. If you don't want to sleep on the floor, you’ll have to share his bed.”
She exchanged an awkward glance with her temporary roommate. “Understood,” she mumbled. If that was her only option, she’d have to make do.
Itzli gestured for Micatli to follow him down the corridor. After a short walk, he led her into a small room with little more than a bed, a nightstand, and some storage. “This is it,” he said dryly. “Looks nice, doesn’t it?”
The bed looked barely big enough for Itzli alone, much less the two of them together. They’d be getting closer than she was used to over the next few days. “I suppose I don’t have much choice. I appreciate you letting me stay here even though it's a bit awkward.”
“No worries,” he said with a dismissive swipe of his hand. “We used to sleep over together as kids, right? It’s not that weird.”
She blushed. “Itzli, I’m seventeen now!”
“Oh, don’t be a prude.” He messily folded his clothes and set them on the nightstand, turning back towards Micatli. “You’re not gonna sleep in those clothes, are you?”
She blushed furiously, doing her best to keep her eyes off her half-naked bedmate out of a deep-rooted aversion to anything resembling nudity or indecency. “I-I mean... what else would I do? I don’t want to sleep with just my underwear on.”
Itzli shrugged. “Just take the uniform off. I don’t mind.”
“I’d really rather not,” she stammered.
“Suit yourself, but I bet you won’t be able to sleep in that getup.” He lifted the covers and flopped down, making what little space he could for Micatli. “Climb in.”
“O-okay...” She gingerly laid herself down, taking the corner of the blanket from Itzli and draping it over herself. Just as she thought, this tiny bed left little space for another person, and she’d be shoulder-to-shoulder with him for the entire night. She’d never gotten quite so close to another person, Kluex forbid a male, but she knew it was this or the cold metal floor.
“Good night,” Itzli said, reaching over her to switch off the light. “I’ll wake you up when it’s time to get back on deck.”
She shut her eyes to try and get some sleep, but maybe Itzli was right about these clothes—they really were unpleasant to sleep in, After several minutes of failing to get comfortable, she climbed out of bed and unbuttoned her pants. Itzli hadn’t quite fallen asleep yet, so he was quick to notice. “What are you doing?” he said blearily.
“You were right,” she said, grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head, leaving her clad only in her undergarments. With the lights off, she felt a little more at ease about baring herself. “I can’t sleep in these.”
“Told ya,” Itzli mumbled, turning back over.
Micatli scoffed and laid back down, this time feather to feather with her friend. She hadn’t slept beside someone else since she was young, and she worried that she might get a little too comfortable and start snuggling up to him in her sleep. That’d be horribly embarrassing, as her deeply ingrained religious morals dictated that so much as cuddling with the opposite sex was sinful outside of marriage. The anxiety kept her awake for a time, but eventually, those thoughts were crowded out by memories of home and fear of the troubles she’d face in her new life. Tears welled up in her eyes, and despite her best efforts, she couldn’t hold back a few sniffles.
Itzli stirred beside her. “Micatli? Are you okay?”
“I-I’m fine,” she whimpered.
He could hear the sadness in her voice, so he turned over to face her. “Are you homesick?”
She nodded, choking up for a moment. “Yeah, a little.”
Itzli seemed to pause, deeply contemplating something. “Ah, screw it... come here, Micatli. You need a hug.” He grabbed her up in his arms, pulling her close to his body. “I know this is hard for you.”
For a brief moment, she wanted so badly to break free from his grasp—she was already feeling antsy just sleeping beside him, but his soft voice soothed her too much to resist. She nuzzled her beak into his downy chest feathers. “I’m scared, Itzli,” she wept.
“I know.” He held her tight and gently stroked her back. “You’re a real smart and resilient girl, and you’re gonna do amazing in the Academy. Mako’s just an old sourpuss. He doesn’t know you like I do.”
“Thank you,” Micatli sniffled. “You’re a good friend.”
Itzli squeezed her once more in his arms before releasing her. “Of course. Now, try and get some rest, okay? Good night, Micatli.”
“O—okay,” she whimpered. “Good night.” She shuffled herself around a little underneath the covers, getting herself settled in before she closed her eyes. Itzli’s reassurances calmed her somewhat, and it brought her comfort to think that she might just make it.