Far From Home by John Walker

Author:John Walker [Walker, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Seth weighed the situation as they walked. He didn’t understand the technology, nor the political landscape, well enough to make informed decisions. Leaving the planet may or may not have been the right call. For all he knew, Lakon might’ve been the safest place to lay low.

Nitha seemed forthright enough with her information. She didn’t hesitate to share, and he believed she told the truth. They needed a few minutes without danger for her to catch him up on the environment. If he had any chance of getting back to Earth, then he needed more data.

“This prison,” Seth said, “you never heard of anyone escaping?”

“No one escapes these planets,” Nitha replied.

“That’s impossible.”

“Perhaps where you come from, there is fallibility in your detention areas. The Olarin Empire is another story.” Nitha looked him up and down. “I judge by your fitness, the way you looked before the mud, that you are some sort of important person on your world. A man of nobility perhaps.”

Seth chuckled. “Far from it.”

“My incorrect assessment should be telling. Though I wonder why the Olarins have spared your world subjugation.” Nitha hummed. “Perhaps they haven’t gotten around to it. Though I’m certain they know your home exists. Maybe…” She narrowed her eyes. “Well, never mind.”

“No, please. I need to hear it. What’re you thinking?”

“You look so much like them, it may be that you have more in common than many of the other subjects of their culture.”

I wonder how many people on Earth know about this. Seth hesitated to go full-on conspiracy theory nut, but he had to wonder if politicians or some insanely wealthy person found out about this space thing. Maybe even people at NASA. The list of possibilities was endless.

They didn’t matter at the moment, though they might later. Had they made some kind of deal with the Olarins? If so, what did it entail? Were people harvested from Earth as part of some crazy treaty? No, that part didn’t make sense. A Guild took him, not the Empire itself. So it had to be something else.

Unless we’re like a medieval fief. Owned by an absentee landlord letting humanity do whatever it wanted. His abduction seemed random. They probably just picked him out of the crowd, along with the poor dead lady. The reason doesn’t matter. Only that I’m here now. Staying alive is the key.

“I’m not,” Seth said. “Like them.”

“How would you know? You come from a world that doesn’t have contact with the Olarin people. For all you know, you’ve got many of the same characteristics. I have to admit, I’m rather impressed that you survived the tree. Or the GenDrus. You can call the empire many things, but they are capable.”

“You talked about rebels. How bad is the government you’re fighting against? What have they done?”

“Oppression,” Nitha replied, “mass murder. At least one count of genocide. Severe segregation.” She waved her hands around her. “Places like this. Warmongering. You name it, they are a real evil. Only a small group of people have any freedom at all.

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