Razing Pel by A.L. Svartz Page A

with the two
suns shining down on the surface.  And that sky, I can see it
now, those fluffy clouds and the animals flying around.  It
was a wonderful time.  I feel sorrow for you young man.
 You seem like the kind of boy who would enjoy that, but
unfortunately cannot."
     
    Kaj leaned forward, his hands
together as he looked down.  "I hear ya," Kaj said.  "My
life has changed since my parents went missing.  I barely
remember living in United City.  At least there you could
still see the sky."
     
    "United City you say!" the old man
blurted out.  "That's where I grew up.  I hear it's the
last surface city on Pel.  There's some type of shield around
the city that prevents the Oce from getting in.  I believe the
Galactic Soldiers set it up."
     
    Kaj hardly paid attention to what
the older man was saying.  Thinking about his parents brought
back dark memories.
     
    As the two continued to talk about
their memories, they hadn't noticed that two Galactic Soldiers had
walked up to them.  They both wore shiny white suits that
covered their bodies.  The two wore dark helmets, from which
their faces were blocked out.
     
    "What's going on here?" the one
Galactic Soldier said.
     
    Kaj got up from the bench.
 "This older man was attacked again by the same three
goons."
     
    The one Galactic Soldier looked at
the other and said, "Take this Daj to the medical facility."
 The soldier walked over to the older man and helped him up
and over to the facility.  "And as for you, the curfew is
coming up.  It'd be smart if you went home."
     
    Kaj looked up into the Galactic
Soldiers' helmet, trying to see a face.  The Galactic Soldier
looked back at him over his shoulder, challenging him to defy his
orders.  Kaj spotted the "GS" engraved on the back of the
Galactic Soldiers suit - glowing a neon green color.
     
    Kaj watched the Galactic Soldier
walk off and go back to his base.  He then turned and looked
up at his home.  The jumble of stairs he had to climb to reach
back to his house was a mess.  Brushing off his shoulder, he
proceeded home.

CHAPTER TWO
     
    THE NEWS
     
     
    Kaj angrily walked back into his
home, his uncle, sitting alone at a small table, listening to the
radio.
     
    "Ah, Kaj you're home," his uncle
said.  "So, did you help that old man out?"  Kaj remained
silent.  His uncle got up from the table and walked over to
him.  Kaj just stood by the window next to the front door,
looking over the village.  His uncle came up behind him and
placed his hand on Kaj's shoulder.  "Kaj, what's
wrong?"
     
    He looked over at his uncle.
 "Why us?" he asked.  "Why did they have to choose our
planet?  Those things have been here for fifteen years now
uncle!  Fifteen years!"
     
    "I know, Kaj, I know," his uncle
said as he fixed the glasses on his face, patting him on the back.
 He glanced over at the radio as the announcer's voice got
excited then quickly looked back at Kaj.  "Come, I'll get you
some dinner."
     
    Kaj nodded and walked over to the
small wooden table by the radio and sat down.  His uncle went
into the kitchen to get Kaj's food.  As Kaj sat down, he let
out a long sigh.  He closed his eyes and imagined how his life
would have been if the Oce never attacked.  He pictured him,
his mother, father, and his uncle walking around outside United
City.  The sky was beautiful, and the air tasted
fresh.
     
    "Here ya go," Kaj's uncle said,
dropping the plate on the table, disrupting his daydream. What sat
on his plate were Canyon Worms – a fat worm that lives in the deep
underground of the canyon.  About six dead ones sat in front
of Kaj.  He sat there, watching the steam escape from their
corpses.
     
    His uncle sat down on the other
side of the table.  He reached over to the radio, which was
sitting in front of the window, and turned the volume
up.
     
    "Breaking News!  I repeat
Breaking News!" an excited yet fearful voice shouted over the
radio.  He went silent for a second.
     
    Kaj and