Days pass and there is no sign of any invasion. Timothy is even beginning to enjoy his new world especially round dusk when it is temperate and there is still enough light that you can survey the valleys beneath. Large reptilians live out their lives below devouring the tough vegetation and each other. It never ceases to amuse.

He has even begun to get to know his foot soldiers that bit better. He had never realized how much he was loved by the rank and file for his previous exploits. They regaled him with stories of the different battles they had watched and how he was the name on everybody’s lips. It lifted his spirits.

It was during one such conversation with a group of his soldiers, that yells roared out in the distance –

“General, General he was interfering with our weapon battery.”

Four soldiers were approaching. three of them holding on to one in the middle.

The Emperor had warned that there may be traitors among the ranks. Timothy pressed the button on his chair to activate the machine guns his chair was armed with .

“Stop! Don’t come any closer!” Timothy roared.

The traitor’s eyes had turned black and now his whole body began to metaphorize. His face became a dark green and his arms and legs grew thicker. The other soldiers lost their grip and he quickly snapped the neck of one.

Timothy opened fire killing the other two but the monster would not fall until the other soldiers also fired moments later.

“Burn the bodies. Make sure bio-suits are worn.” he ordered.

Reports of sabotage were now coming in across the planet.

It was beginning.

There is something sharp at my neck. Am I just still dreaming or is this for real?

I hear “Wake the fuck up!” being shouted into my left ear.

I immediately open my eyes to a dimly lit room. My heart is beating vociferously.

The woman is now very conscious with a knife to my throat.

“Where am I and who are you?” she says angrily.

I ponder playing dumb and responding in Irish but then quickly blurt out –

“My name is Ciaran. You’re ship crash-landed on this habitat. You asked for my help, remember? This is my home. I patched you up as best I could, you were in a bad way.”

“I would never have asked someone like you for help. You look just like him.”

“You did, try to remember.”

With that, she withdrew the blade. I let out a deep breath.

“Were we followed? I need to get off this habitat as soon as possible,” she says softly.

“No, definitely not. Why do you need to leave? We could go to the authorities.”

“No, they will just hand me over. I’m a wanted person in the Zen Corporation. Is there any way to get me off this habitat?”

I pause briefly but then a plan comes to mind.

Oros turned out to be beyond his imagination. It was a warm, moist world teeming with life of all types and sizes on both land and sea. It’s continents are covered in a thick lush rainforest. There are few mountains with an ocean covering almost half the planet’s surface.

The sky is almost constantly covered in thick clouds, with a heavy mist covering the treetops. The planet has the feeling of being in a constant twilight

Timothy and his troops have been assigned to a fortification carved into one of the few mountains in the southern hemisphere. The Empire has provided them with heavy weaponry. Large lasers that can obliterate rocks across large distances and conventional artillery that could disperse deadly cluster bombs over vat areas. The aliens, that he now knows as Tyranids don’t stand a chance.

Timothy couldn’t help but smile surveying his troops as he trundled up and down the ramparts. His troops are all kitted out in their light green uniforms with matching helmet and standard machine gun. Thankfully. there few insects at his current altitude also. Other battalions had not been so fortunate and there were already reports of some deaths. He would have hated that.

She remains unconscious on the taxi journey back to my humble dwelling. On arrival, I lift her into my bed. Her face is swelling up now but the bleeding has stopped. I turn on the habitat intranet but there is no mention of the crash. That is most usual. Normally, even the most banal of events is splashed over it. I surmise it is being kept from the public for whatever reason.

I go and get some ointment and water and start looking after her wounds. They are throughout her body. I can only hope that there are no broken bones as that would be beyond my expertise.

Where is she from?

I have always known for as long as I can remember that other habitats existed but it was borderline impossible to find out anything about them. There was lots of speculation of course, that some had turned their back on God, that they were consumed by sex and violence. Sounds great to me.

Once her face has been cleaned, I admire her complexion. She is beautiful. I wonder what her name is. The hours pass and it is soon time for the light to switch off. I retire to the couch in the sitting room to rest.

My heart missed a beat. What the fuck?

Sinead’s freckled face had turned pale as for a brief moment she stared into my eyes.

“Tar anseo Ciarán. Cad a cheapann tú faoi seo?” Darren implored. His face had turned red and sweaty.

Oh yeah, now Darren wants me. He knows that I’m the best, even if he does think I’m a slacker. I quickly go over to his console to see what he is looking at. Darren is a balding, overweight man. I think it was his conformity to the system that attracted Sinead. Back to the day job.

I can barely believe my eyes.

“Brace le haghaidh tionchair,” I roar out.

A small ship is about to collide with the habitat in close proximity to where we are. Given the immense speeds involved, this could tear apart this section of the space habitat.

A second later, the ground beneath them rumbles. I wonder if this is my end. But a few seconds later, I am still alive. All the electronics have gone dead except for the now flickering lights.

I retained the crash coordinates in my mind and start to make my way back to my taxi.

Sinead roared out, “Cá bhfuil tú ag dul?”

But I continued on regardless. Finally, there was a break from the monotony. I only hoped for more of the same.

The tunnel is long, narrow and damp but well lit. I walk in the direction of my work station, a distance of over two hundred meters. Each step echoes ahead of me as I breathe in the stale, stinking air. It is a journey I have done repeatable for years. Then the tunnel opens up into a large office space with large monitors showing the diagnostics for this section of the ship.

“Conas atá tú Ciarán?”

“Tá mé go maith inniu agus tú a Shinead?”

“Táim ceart go leor.”

I exchange pleasantries with Sinead. We’ve been together for years. I had hoped for romance at one stage. Countless nights spent thinking about caressing her long, auburn hair and looking into those deep blue eyes. It was not to be. Darren, the third member of our work station got their first. He is already deep in thought staring into one of the screen. They have four children now. I try to be happy for them.

Darren looks at me and nods his head dismissively. He can sense when I’ve had one too many the night before.

I go a make myself a quick coffee.

Just as I’m about to take my first sip, all the lights turn red and a warning sound rings out.

This hasn’t happened before!