The next and final part of the time cycle was the target practice. A practice gun was passed from one Trooper to the next. The group formed a line in front of one of the many targets – 3-D printouts of various aliens that the Empire had fought against. Many were already extinct.

“Don’t worry John, there’s no need for you to practice,” Luke said in a mischievous tone.

John’s facial muscles tensed. “What do you mean by that?”

Luke laughed. “Someone has to be the worst.”

Shaking his head side to side, John replied, “Give me that .gun.”

He proceeded to take some of the worst shots Luke had ever seen.

All apart from John, laughed to themselves.

Luke went to go to the toilet at the other end of the large room. There were lines of free cubicles, and Luke went to the rear.

When he finished, a goon from earlier was waiting for him. He had long scars down both sides of his face.

Luke stared right at him. “What do you want.?”

“Relax, I’m not here to fight. You need to know. He’s talking about assassinating Timothy. The Emperor would never forgive us, he’ll slaughter our families! You have to do something.”

An hour later, the siren went off once more. It was met with groans.

“Time to go, chaps.” John smiled. “Come on, none of that dreariness. We all love doing hours of mindless exercise that may or may not benefit us in the future.”

The group got up from the table and walked to the opposite side of the ship. They entered a gym with a multitude of equipment.

They walked to their usual side and space. Luke sat down and started using the dumbbells, John went straight to the weightlifting. The   others stretched. “All seeing Emperor” played in the background. It was Luke’s favorite, and he hummed along to the words.

Service to The Emperor

Obedience to The Emperor

Love for The Emperor

Slay his enemies

Love his Army

A shout came from close by.

“There’s the lapdog.” A burly, Trooper with a mop of black hair was pointing his finger straight at Luke to a group of men, who immediately went towards him. John put down the weights and stood by Luke’s side.

The Trooper went almost nose to nose with Luke, his eyes bulging. “Tell that commander of yours that we’re sick of it. The food, the routine. This is not what we signed up for.”

Luke’s jaw clenched, he pushed his head forward, their sweaty foreheads touched. “Speak to him yourself, I hold no special position.”

The man grimaced. “So, if we hang you from this ceiling, it won’t send him a message?”

John projected his voice. “Over my dead body.”

“Yeah, mine too,” Lisa added from the rear.

One of the other Troopers whispered, “That’s enough, Jaime. There’s no point us all getting in disciplinary trouble.”

Staring at Luke, Jaime replied, “I understand, boys. We’ll catch up with this guy another time.”

He turned and went to the far side of the gym, followed by the others.

Lisa stood beside Luke.  “Are you okay?”

Luke nodded and shook John’s hand and slapped his back.

“You need to watch out for him,” Lisa continued,” he has a lot of lackeys. He’s been complaining about everything since we first set foot on the ship.”

“Maybe, you should mention it to Timothy,” John added.

Luke shook his head,” No, he has enough problems at the currently. I’d say, we deal with this in house.”

“Whatever you think, bud.” John turned and went back to weightlifting.

“Look after yourself, Luke.” For a moment, she linked a finger with one of his.

Lisa and Yvonne joined them at their table. Their hair unkempt, their eyes bloodshot. Luke perked up on hearing Lisa’s voice.

Lisa was small sassy Trooper. She was five foot with brown hair and freckles. Yvonne was tall, with long red hair. Lisa was talkative, friendly whereas Yvonne tended to be more terse, at least when talking to the guys..

“Ladies, how are we today,” John asked. His eyes averted to where the food was being to next.

Lisa frowned. “Stinky.”

“I hate that there no showers. I feel disgusting,” Yvonne added.

Connor, a bald and pot bellied Trooper joined and completed the table. “Yuck, stay away from me then.” The group laughed.

“We could even if we wanted to with all the locked doors and cameras.” Yvonne smiled.

“Bet he won’t be saying that when you get a chance to doll up” John added.

For a moment, Lisa and Luke’s eyes meet across the table.

The great had filled by now. In the distance punches are thrown, but it received little attentions and was broken up with fanfare. A regular ocurence.

The brown slop that passed for food reached their table. For a moment, they all gazed at it.

Lisa stabbed it with her fork. “It looks worse every time.”

“Another hour and a half,” Luke replied.

“Wow, we have to wait for over one hour to go from one small cell into a slightly bigger one.” John shook his head from side to side before clambering back onto his bed. After taking a large breath, he lied down.

There was silence.

“Timothy said it won’t be much longer?” Luke whispered.

“Really?” John replied. “He has to say that. The troops are on the verge of revolt from boredom and revolting food. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame him. He’s following orders like the rest of us.”

Nothing more was said between them.

An hour and half later a long beep when off.

The two men put on their uniforms and the opened the door to a barrage of noise as other troopers passed. Everybody was heading in the same direction to the kitchen. Their noses long used to the foul smell of unwashed bodies.

The room was set out with multiple round tables, some of the places already taken. They went to the same table as usual. Murals of family life were painted on the wall. Ostensibly to increase morale, but there were now faded. Kitch staff were busy going from table to table giving out the food..

“Praise be” was once more hollered.

She was now caught up in a rage. “Every person in the galaxy will be converted and it will be beautiful”.

Then the eyes of all the nuns turned a bright green and they all spoke at once. “You will have a chance to repent. We can feel your fear. Others will take time, but we have plenty of that.”

The prisoners formed a single file and began to march down a steep incline of stone steps. They were no longer in control of their own bodies. They then entered their individual cells, except for Audrey and Brona who shared one.

Brona put her down on one of the twin beds in the purple colored room, at all times careful not to hurt her. The room was small with no natural light.

Looking up at the ceiling, tears welled in Audrey’s eyes.

I have failed the Emperor.

Brona hovered over her and wiped away a tear and smiled. “We can’t have the other Troopers seeing that. In front of me, it is okay.”

She leaned down and kissed her lips. “Is there any hope?”

Audrey sniffled. “Timothy will come. It may take a very long time, but he will come.”

Audrey turned to the Trooper on the right. “Prepare an A1 bomb.”

The Trooper took out a small, black, rectangular device and placed it in front of the silver metallic door. They retreated from the area.

It exploded. A translucent, blue shield activated. No damage was done.

Where did that come from?

The Troopers looked at each other in disbelief. Audrey peered ahead. There are many more devices.

There is a clinking noise, and the door begins to open.

Finally, these nuns are coming to their senses.

It started as an almost inaudible ringing in her ear. It grew louder and louder. She put her hands to her ears. Around her, all her Troopers were doing likewise.

Her mind is scrambled, no longer able to frame thoughts.

A woman’s voice speaks. “Put down your weapons if you wish to live. Two of you, take your leader from her chair and carry her inside. Four others are to carry the chair inside, separately. Failure to comply results in the following.

A roar goes out as one of the Troopers falls to their knees as their head explodes, smearing the ground with their blood.

Brona and another Trooper lift Audrey from her chair and walk towards the entrance.

I am like a child once more, helpless.