PROMPT : UNITED
“Bring the prisoners out,” the Judge Nervon looked to the Captain. A small mark was made on the manifest in front of him.
An entire ship of rebels and still, they held onto their stupid, pointless views, even when rescued by the Resistance. What a pity.
There was certainly room for them in the colony. A trained Healer and a popular Entertainer.
The Clinics could always use another Healer and days were often bleak everywhere. Entertainment of any kind was welcome.
Then again, there would be something interesting to break the monotony—finding the ship had been absolute brilliance after all. The Rebels hadn’t stood a chance against the sophisticated search algorithms and sweeper crews.
Judge Nervon checked his timer and frowned. He was allowed a mere fifteen minutes per case and any time after that, typically didn’t earn him the usual double-credits. It was only a single salary rate, never mind that he was one of two judges for the entire colony.
Rattling chains and humming energy announced the arrival of the two most contested prisoners from the raid.
A tall, thin, willowy sort of woman, with pitch black hair looped into a high ponytail, that somehow, still managed to almost sweep the floor. She walked with unusual grace, even with the heavy restraints on her wrists and ankles.
Short, dark and with spiky hair falling into her dimpled face, the scowling girl beside her, took three steps for every one of her companion’s. It took her twice as long to reach the designated spots in the execution arena. The restraints crackled and strained around her as she fought the guards escorting her forward.
“At your leave, your honor?” the Captain intoned.
Judge Nervon lifted his hand and let it fall.
The guards exited the arena as the protective dome crackled to life overhead.
Barbaric, perhaps, but the weary crowd began to cheer as the first line of experimental creatures were released.
The tall woman shuffled over to her short friend, before reaching out with her clasped hands. They embraced, united at last.
The creatures emerged from their shadowed dens, prodded out with cruel efficiency and starved enough to ignore any common sense in approaching the glowing pair at the center of the arena.
An earsplitting crack made the overhead dome, shudder.
“Captain-!” was all that the Judge managed to speak.
The astronomical explosion that followed, left no living creatures—save for the two women standing the center of the arena.
(c) S. Harricharan