💯 STORY CHALLENGE
Crux Bearers
11 of 100
A flash like a flint. Double take. It was a gold cross hung from a chain. She caught her looking, and tucked it out of sight. Skittered off to wipe down another table.
“What’s up with everyone wearing those.. t-shaped.. cruxes?” Beltrace questioned, never having seen the neck adornments before.
Ashburn cleared his throat. “Well, do you want the short or long..”
“Short,” Beltrace nipped. “We’ll reassess once the coffee gets here.”
“So the short route is, the crux represents their god or ghosts or its progeny.” He noticed her brow raise in confusion.
“Anywho, they sent a generation ship to colonize some distant world, in the name of their god.”
“Why would they send a gen-ship? Thats stupid. Doesn’t even come close to the 50 year mission threshold.”
“Fear of missing out. Wanted to get the jump on other cults. Converting natives and building worship halls — they hold that stuff in high esteem.”
Beltrace shook her head, incredulous. The coffee arrived and she doused hers with sugar packs.
“That’s not even the worst of it,” Ashburn lowered his voice. “It got stuck in a Warp Stutter.”
“Jesus! I thought that was a myth.”
“Regardless, they’re out there, stuttered for who knows how long.”
She twisted her face. Ashburn couldn’t almost tell if it was from his explanation or the burnt coffee.
“Then how’d she get here?” Beltrace jutted her chin towards the crux bearer, now at the counter clearing plates.
“Some chose to exit in the warp-capable lifeboats. We get them crossing the border. They take much of the menial jobs on base.”
Beltrace observed the girl with the crux closely. The girl made eye contact, but quickly averted her view.
“The rest remained, with only faith to stave off their hunger and sickness. Only faith that their god would return and lead them to salvation.”
“It’s too early for your tall tales, Ashburn.” Beltrace chugged her coffee, throwing the empty paper cup at him.
“Never too early to ruffle your feathers, pilot.”
They got up and exited the diner. Their gunship was refueled and ready to go. Behind it, the massive nebula dazzled like a jewel, awaiting.
Inspired by the Wing Commander movie from the late 90s, if you can believe that. For the 100 Story Challenge, started by Zane Dickens. Peep my previous story:
A story I’ve read recently is this one by Sonja Glucksberg, where she turns a Bed and Breakfast sinister:
L.A. Sauvette, sci-fi, cyberpunk, and samurais all day all night.