Chapter 1
Killian was unfamiliar with a world devoid of the great wall; he had no knowledge of the earth that many from the older generation speak of, a time when humans roamed freely across the planet without the restrictions imposed by colonization.
The district in which he resided was once known as Callings View, a small town from the old earth, but it is now referred to simply as District 9. When the initial colony first became populated, it was designated Colony 1. Subsequently, more settlers were assigned to them, thereby transforming it into one of the largest districts.
Beyond District 9 lies the Orange District, where all our food is produced and dispatched to factories within specialized domes, as this district lacked suitable storage facilities for food production. The surface was arid, and any plant life had perished long ago; in their stead stood buildings, factories, and shuttles.
Kilian gazed out of his glass window to see his father hastening back down the glass tunnel that connects their building to the transport bay, with two figures trailing behind him in an attempt to keep pace.
Kilian looked up at the sky when he heard a boom, and for a brief moment, the sky parted to allow a massive silver spacecraft to pass through the atmosphere. It was no longer surprising to witness alien spacecraft entering earth; however, each time they did, people would stop and stare.
Yet this particular spacecraft was unlike any he had seen before. Kilian could surmise the reason for his father's hurried movements; it must pertain to the individual who had just arrived.
The High Council must have summoned him. The High Council oversees all the colonies, comprising 120 elected members from around the earth. Each member represents one of the original leading figures among the founders of the colonies. Members of the High Council are selected from the families of previous chair holders who occupied that same position, typically someone from their lineage.
The High Council is the body that establishes all the laws governing the colonies, although it is said that a figurehead exists at the top, yet no one knows their identity. They possess the highest authority within the government.
Unlike the overseers of each district.
Kilian resided with his father in the blue section, where individuals employed within the government, whether as enforcers or engineers, were permitted housing. The grey section was designated for everyday workers, those employed in factories and at the docks.
The black section was regarded as the undesirable area, where individuals who violated the laws were sent. This section was under constant lockdown and surveillance.
Kilian's father managed Public Operations for District 9, providing a balancing and opposing force to the populace to ensure the district functions properly. He was responsible for offering employment to those deemed suitable.
Additionally, Kilian's father oversaw supplies and services, ensuring that the necessary materials were available for their district and preventing rations from depleting. It appeared that aliens were landing in the District 9 bay, which was peculiar since the High Council had resigned in District 13.
The hum of the spacecraft engine grew louder as he watched it descend towards the grey section. It pulsed through the air and resonated in his heart as it hovered near the landing bay. He observed the vessel slowly lower until it was obscured from view by the landing structure.
Kilian redirected his focus to the small seed pot he had just watered, hoping to witness a small bud emerging. He was captivated by trees and grass, having never encountered a plant in real life. In all his seventeen years, Kilian had never seen a living plant before.
Ten moons ago, while at the market with his teacher, he met a girl attempting to trade a seed for tokens. Kilian took it from her without asking any questions, delighted to finally possess a seed.
His instructor had informed him that it might not be genuine, or it may never flourish, yet Kilian remained hopeful that the earth's soil was not excessively contaminated.
He would never abandon his research on plant life, and at last, he possessed a genuine seed to experiment with.
He attempted to purify some soil he had been working on and planted the seed according to the procedures outlined in the books he had gathered, hoping that one day the seed would sprout.
The front door hissed open, and Kilian glanced over his shoulder to see his father enter.
"Boy, cease playing with that object and don your robes; we are to meet important guests." Without waiting for a response, his father proceeded to the other room.
They always had to wear their section-colored robes when going out, as that was the first indication enforcers looked for before verifying credentials.
The robes indicated which section one belonged to and what privileges one had.
Kilian and his father bore the overseers' crest on theirs to signify their identity. No one was permitted to leave the section without their robes; doing so constituted a crime that could result in transfer to the black section, which was feared by all.
The communicator by the door beeped, and Kilian pressed the button to respond. An elderly figure dressed in red robes appeared in his hologram, bowing low as Kilian acknowledged the high council member.
"Your father, boy," the gruff voice said. Kilian nodded and walked to the enclosed room where his father spent most of his time, the holographic figure following closely behind him.
His father was reading something from the communicator screen when the door hissed, alerting him to someone's entrance.
He looked up and noticed the figure behind his son; lowering his head, he greeted the man, "High Councilman Logan, is something amiss, sir?" "I was merely gathering all necessary documents before heading to the meeting room."
"Forget about that; we won't require the documents, just come over," the man said, and his hologram disappeared. Jasper glanced at his son before regaining his composure.
"Come, boy, we must hurry," he said, walking out. Kilian trailed behind him, retrieving his robe from the hooks by the door.
He maintained his pace alongside his father as they walked down the corridor to the lift that would take them to the 50th level.
